Asia immediately became the epitome of supergroup of rock aristocracy and the natural heir to its members’ legendary bands of the 70s - King Crimson, Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Buggles and Yes.
Expanding from their progressive roots, Asia embraced and dominated the vivid FM rock sound that dominated US airwaves during the early 1980s. However, it would be the newly established cable TV phenomenon MTV that would revolutionize the music industry and bring ASIA along with its success. ASIA were among the earliest bands to respond to the demand for music videos; weeks after its debut album was released they were an international supergroup.
In 2021 Asia signed a deal with BMG to re-release their reunion albums, Phoenix, Omega, Fantasia: Live In Tokyo and XXX, along with Gravitas (with Sam Coulson), to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary in 2022. They also plan to release a box-set Asia In Asia, of the first simulcast from 1983, when Greg Lake took the place of John Wetton.
Greg Lake - super of superstars - came in on virtually no notice to replace the addicted and decayed John Wetton, and gave Asia their best live sound ever, proving that John was only ever a reasonable facsimile for the great Greg Lake. What an incredible story behind this show. Go learn about it if you haven’t.
I miss Greg. He proved at every turn, he was more than everyone knew, and yet never stopped being a human. This particular effort saved Asia’s arse. I still get a sour stomach watching the arrogant Steve Howe, who had the nerve to do this commercial sellout and then go and sever Jon Anderson from Yes and turn up his nose at this chapter. Hypocrite. Greg was always true.
You want a glass of wine and then they give you a soda pop instead. This is what Asia is about. Pompous, superficial music very far from the music of the really good bands like Yes and King Crimson.
I wish Greg Lake would have stayed in the band with John Wetton 2 of my favorite singers. But Greg did this as a favor for Carl Palmer. I thought he sounded great with them .miss them both dearly I hope they’re singing together in a better place.
