New Asia Album Due In June - New Single is Shockingly Good (if you like Asia)

30 years after its incredible and never-matched-by-the-band debut album, Asia are set to release Asia XXX (pronounced "Triple X" but still connotating pornography) towards the end of June.

Usually I would not give a shit.

I am so fed up with the Yes camp, with its ever-changing Jon Anderson-less lineup, and I put Asia in the Yes camp because of Steve Howe - maybe unfairly but there it is. Also, Geoff Downes is in the current incarnation last time I checked.

I also caught Asia live a couple of years ago and was underwhelmed. It was pretty dull and rote.

But out of morbid curiosity I checked out the new single from XXX and damn if it sounds like good old classic Asia. Catchy tune, great energy and Steve Howe still has some magic left in those fingers. Soaring and magestic John Wetton vocal. Really classic Downes keys and Carl Palmer as solid as ever. I was impressed after two listens.

Very nice production too - it actually kind of sounds like the original album. Jury is out on the whole release of course but Asia fans might just dig this new tune! What do you think?

Concert Review (sort of) - ASIA

This Friday I have a big gig - my CD release show and all star jam in Portland. Three hours, 30 songs, 11 musicians (not all onstage at the same time, though!). It's going to be pretty epic. KINK Radio will play a song tomorrow on the Local Music Spotlight at around 9:15 p.m. Pacific Time. There may be some press on Friday, we'll see...

Anyway, it's clearly a big show for me and so I faced a dilemma. The only night the core band of six could get together was last night - same night as Asia in Portland at the Aladdin. I have had a ticket for ages and as long-time readers know, due to heart attacks, heart surgery and god knows what else, Asia has cancelled Portland shows the last couple of times out.

My rehearsal was to end at 9:30, with the Asia ticket saying an 8 p.m. showtime. If there was an opener, I wouldn't miss much. But nope, no opener. The ONE time a band plays and does not drag along an opener, it works majorly to my disadvantage. Oh well.

I just resigned myself to it, had a great rehearsal and trucked over to the Aladdin to catch the last 30 minutes. I walked in during the middle of End of the World, a pretty good new tune. Next up was Open Your Eyes from Alpha and a Carl Palmer drum solo.

Now I had seen Palmer with a three piece instrumental group in this very venue (which only seats about 650 by the way) a few years ago and he blew me away. He was excellent last night but his solo was a bit more showy than last time. More balancing sticks on cymbals, bouncing sticks off the floor tom and catching them, etc, than just kicking ass on the drums. But he was indeed good and the crowd went totally apeshit. Seemed to be mostly men in their 50s - guys who loved ELP, Yes and King Crimson and went to this show because Asia was the next best thing.

The show ended with Sole Survivor, which was great. For the encore, the new Days Like These, and Heat of the Moment, I got to the very front to watch Steve Howe (see photo), one of my guitar heroes. I have seen Howe a bunch of times and he's always very good. He seemed a little bored, going through the motions last night, but it was the second to last night of the tour so maybe he was homesick.

I had earplugs in so I could hear very well. The band was incredibly tight. Much tighter than I expected. They were really excellent as a mater of fact. But they were pretty boring. John Wetton doesn't move much, nor does Howe. Geoff Downes has so much keyboard work to do and his back is to the crowd most of the time due to the way he's always set up his stuff. Palmer was the one mostly making loads of eye contact and mugging a bit.

When I was in front of Howe, a speaker was pointed right at my head out of which came Howe's guitar, some vocals and some 'backing vocals.' There has been discussion on the Web around is the band was using vocal augmentation. Here is what I heard: Wetton's voice was clear and live. They put a delay on his voice once in a while to allow held notes to layer and sound big but everyone does that. His voice sounded shockingly awesome. He hit the high notes in Sole Survivor with no effort.

Geoff Downes is doing backups, and they are also legit. But someone is triggering backup vocals a la Rush but not nearly as accurately. In Days Like These, I heard very very clearly the pre-recorded backing vocals, because they were out of sync with the band. Like someone triggered them a hair early or late and it was very obvious. I even saw Wetton roll his eyes a bit playfully, like, oh crap. So that mystery is solved but who cares? Lots of bands do it - Rush does it with vocals, keyboards, guitar parts and god knows what else, so in my book Asia can do it too. They just need to get better at it.

It was pretty incredible to see a band of this caliber in a VERY intimate theater. The audience was really into it at the end. Afterwards, I asked the guitar tech for the set list at Howe's feet. He said he couldn't give it to me because it had notes on it, which it did (I could see it). I said, OK no sweat - can you give this to Steve? And handed him one of my new CDs. Who knows if it went into the trash but MAYBE just maybe Steve Howe heard about a minute of my CD, or at least looked at the cover.

Hey a guy can dream, right?

Yes and Asia to Tour Together

Finally, a Yes-related tour I'd be very excited to see. Yeah, it's still with the impostor singer Benoit David instead of Jon Anderson but bootlegs I have heard show that the band is really hot now, Huckabee performance notwithstanding.

Steve Howe will be pulling double duty, playing in both bands. 

Unfortunately, they seem to have figured out how to get around the Portland curse by skipping Portland altogether. Damn it! Means I will have to drive to Seattle or try to book a work related trip to the Bay Area in early July.

Tour dates are here and there are two interesting recent interviews about this lineup, with Steve Howe and Alan White here and here.

Nice Day and Random Grumble

I am in the Bay Area for business. I get here about once every five or six weeks and stay three or four days. I have been lucky enough to hit the area, very randomly, when some of my favorite bands have rolled through town.

In fact, I saw Heaven and Hell and Roger Waters on two separate trips down here last year.

So I should have known better. Turns out Asia played last night in San Francisco. Their last gig of the US tour, and who knows when/if they'll ever be back. Just found out tonight, and of course it was my only free night and I totally could have gone!

I had tickets for Portland last year but one of 'em needed open heart surgery so they cancelled my gig. I guess I forgive them.

Anyway, I am not going to complain. The weather is great and it's always nice to be here, even when it's raining!

Asia Live Via the Web - Tomorrow Night

I have been bitching that due to weird tour routing and open heart surgery procedures, Asia have continually missed bringing its reunion tour to the Northwest. And with the apparent imminent return of Yes later this year, who knows what the status of Asia will be?

So I guess the next best thing is this live Web performance happening tomorrow night at 8 PM Eastern Time.

The Web stream will come live from Asia's performance at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York.

They have even re-jiggered their Web site to prep for it.

They promise some behind the scenes clips. Hopefully one will be of Wetton doubling down at the casino tables, or of Downes jumping on the bar stage for a Karaoke "Video Killed The Radio Star."

Anyway, this might be kind of fun. I might try to catch the first part of this near the end of my work day.

Audio Clips of New ASIA Album

MelodicRock.com posted sound bites from the new ASIA album, Phoenix. First of all, I never thought this album would see the light of day, and if it did, it would suck hard. Well, I was wrong on the first count at least - it's coming out April 11.

On the second, I guess it depends on how much you like Asia's more glossy, ballad-oriented second album Alpha, 'cause this one sounds like they picked it up right from there.

The first track sounds pretty good. Actually really good. But after that, it's Asia ballad after Asia ballad, which I could leave aside, really. I dig Asia for guitarist Steve Howe, and he seems pretty downplayed in what I heard. I want him to bust out a Time Again lead, but I don't hear a vehicle for that in this album.

Not to dwell solely on the negative, Wetton's voice sounds surprisingly strong. The production sounds really good as well. Not as present as the first album but not as flimsy as the second. It sounds fairly high budget.

But given that they signed a contract with EMI and therefore must have SOME sort of strategy, maybe they are figuring this album will appeal to a generation of 80s rockers who have mellowed and really like ballads. If you're a fan of The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, this one is for you!

I will probably buy the first tune off of iTunes and pass on the rest.

Who Says No One Can Get A Record Deal...?

In many spots on this blog, I've talked about the sad state of affairs in the music industry. Labels are consolidating and industry people are terrified of losing their jobs.

The big labels have no idea how to address the demand for the digital availability of music and are fumbling with modified business models. Bands are getting dropped left and right, and newly signed artists have about five seconds to make it or they are dropped.

KISS' big mouthed jerk Gene Simmons says there will never be another new KISS album because they wouldn't know how to release it. And Radiohead shocks everyone by giving their new album away for free digitally, and then the physical release debuts at number one months later.

In this era of fear and uncertainty, only a true knock-out gets a label deal, right?

Nope! Check out this press release announcing that the reunited Asia has been signed to EMI Records for its new CD, called Phoenix.















Yep, the same Asia in which half of its members had heart procedures in the last six months. How can EMI make any money off of these guys?

I love Asia's first album and a half - don't get me wrong. And I am bummed that yet again they will bypass the Northwest on their current tour.

But they are playing really small venues. I can't imagine they are doing more than break-even on the road. But hey, at least they have a record deal!

So this is a bit of a head scratcher to me. What do you all make of it?

Heart of the Moment

Carl Palmer, drummer extraordinaire from Asia "had a successful heart operation carried out at an undisclosed hospital," according to a press release found at the Asia Web site yesterday.

The release continues that "Palmer, 57, had an angioplasty procedure done which is designed to prevent further narrowing of an artery in his heart by insertion of a stent."

"This was a precautionary measure done to ensure my safety. In my case, it was as a result of a hereditary factor, and the physicians involved wanted to make sure every precaution was taken. I am very grateful for their medical expertise and care," said Palmer.

Lots of people have this done. What's weird is that Asia's John Wetton had emergency open heart surgery last August.

Note how Palmer makes the distinction that the cause of his operation was 'hereditary' and not due to years of substance abuse and poor eating (Wetton).

Anyway, if I were Steve Howe or Geoff Downes, I'd be signing up for the full body scan/cavity probe to make sure I wasn't next in the ole Asia "Heart of the Moment" club.

What the hell? Maybe they ought to name the upcoming Asia album "Aorta."

Heart of the Moment

Man what is the deal with the heart problems? First, Paul Stanley pulls out of a KISS gig due to his heart beating faster than a hummingbird and now this. John Wetton from ASIA and King Crimson had a routine medical checkup that disclosed adverse heart readings indicating advanced coronary disease, according to a press release the band issued this week.

Wetton now has to undertake an angiogram to determine whether the condition can be treated with drugs, or whether immediate open heart surgery is needed.

Needless to say, they cancelled the show I was supposed to see on the 21st. They hope to reschedule for 2008. Whatever – I just hope the guy comes out all right, even though he is kind of a pseudo hack.

Best to you, John Wetton. The rest of you aging rockers, take care of your tickers!

Asia In The Studio

Hmm. Ok back in March, I skeptically predicted there would be no new Asia album and that I would buy a copy for all of my loyal readers if it ever saw the light of day. From the Asia site this week:

We are pleased to report that the band have entered the recording studio to begin work on their first full studio album together since ALPHA in 1983. Sessions are expected to continue during breaks from their busy touring schedule.

OK, I might be on the hook to buy a few copies here. But do you still want it if it sucks as bad as I think it will?

PS - Asia is coming to Portland Tuesday August 21. I will be there to pen a review. Maybe they will bust out some of this new material!? I am cautiously interested...

New Asia Album/Cancelled Dates - Huh?

A very small mention on the Asia Web site indicates the band's summer tour is being transitioned into 'solo gigs.' Huh? In the next breath, it is reported that the band will enter the studio to record the first album by the original four since the atrocious "Alpha" album. Hmmph? What in the hell is going on? Why can't these prog rockers every stick to a commitment? If that new album sees the light of day, I will buy a copy for every one of my readers (both of you).

Reunion Roundup

2007 is shaping up to be the year of reunions. Or at least reunions I am actually interested in following - either because they are going to rock, or for the same reasons people like to watch air crashes and NASCAR spin outs. So without further ado, let's take a look at the many announced reunions of 2007:

The Police. A money grab? You bet. They are going to sock away tons of money. All the hooplah around this one is a constant reminder that there was no bigger band in the early 80s. Am I wrong? U2 is the only other band this big that comes to mind in the 80s but that was after Sting had said farewell and left the others in the dust. Maybe there were others. I dunno. Anyway, reunion tour stadium shows are selling out in seconds - blah blah blah. I got two Seattle show tickets for June 6 but had to buy them separately because Ticketmaster would not let me buy more than one at a time - at ANY PRICE LEVEL. That probably says more about TicketHitler than The Police, but nevertheless, they are selling out any venue they book. And per my earlier post, based on their Grammy performance, this tour is going to kick ass. Just the three Police men - no Sting solo tunes - no back up singers - hopefully no little round trampolines for Sting to leap on (remember the Synchronicity tour?). They will for sure re-work the classics and go outside the box with it. This tour is just a no miss because they all seem to be really sincerely into it - and it will probably never happen again. Enough said - 10 out of 10.

Van Halen. Money grab? Oh my God yes. But beyond that, this one is sort of sad to me. It could be SO great. I thought the choice of Eddie's son as new bass player was bad but at least typically weird for old Ed and I guess it made some kind of sense, consistency wise - three Van Halens - wow! But Eddie said Michael Anthony was out because he was playing with Hagar and "You can't be in two bands." Really? Huh. OK. But once I saw the photo of the 'new' Van Halen with Wolfie and Dave, I actually got a boner to see this show. A kid in the band (and Eddie's kid at that) might inject something really current and interesting into the mix. But then as soon as I got interested - bing - it's postponed indefinitely due to "contract issues." A friend who has a buddy in the Roth circle says it's due to Ed's health. If so, that is too bad. The guy has gone through a divorce, hip replacement, substance abuse and tongue cancer in the last ten years - that's a big load to deal with. If he's not fit to tour, OK - good idea to cancel. His health comes before my amusement. But if Ed's health is together, I am hoping this one happens after all. Probably more for the same reasons I wanted to see Britney's shaved head and new tattoo than the possibility of this being any good. I want to go to the circus and watch some clowns crash the little cars. 6 out of 10.

Black Sabbath with Dio. Called "Heaven and Hell" so no one gets confused. Money grab? I don't know. It looks to me like they all looked at each other and said "It's time." And then Ozzy freaked out and promised a new album of Oz-led Sabbath in 2008. Ha ha ha. That's worth it right there to see what THAT would sound like. The Dio led Sabbath has always been my favorite. They put out the most demonic heavy shit EVER with Dio. No dross. Just pure devil metal. I used to tune my guitar down a half step and play along to LiveEvil after dinner every night for a few months in high school. Beautiful. Like the Police reunion, they are talking about only Dio-era stuff (no Ozzy era songs or Dio solo, etc), so that would also keep it pure for me. The only trouble is they recorded three new songs for the upcoming Black Sabbath: The Dio Years CD. I heard one of the songs and it was a bit of a self parody. Called "The Devil Cried," it was pretty heavy and I tried to like it a lot but the lyrics were a little hackneyed. Dio even had a line where he says "FIRE" the way only Dio can say it - if you know Dio you know what I am talking about. This classic utterance either totally ruins it or redeems it, depending on my mood! Anyway, I will go see this show for sure. Not looking for a train wreck. Hoping it will be as true spirited as the Police reunion but worried it will be a bunch of metal elves way the hell past their prime. 8 out of 10.

Genesis. Money grab? Who gives a shit? My interest in this plummeted when I heard it would not include Steve Hackett or Peter Gabriel. My desire to see this will be directly proportionate to what songs they decide to play. Firth of Fifth, Carpet Crawlers, Dodo, Abacab and Supper's Ready? I may go. Invisible Touch, I Can't Dance, Jesus He Knows Me? FUCK no. These are talented mofos but they have toyed with their legacy so many times even THEY are probably struggling with what they ought to play. I saw them in the 80s and I have to say, from the hardcore proggers to the teeny boppers, no one was satisfied with their set list. It's was all over the place. They need to pick an era and stick with it. Maybe what will happen is they will do this stupid tour and THEN Gabriel and Hackett will join next year. I would go and see that for sure. And by the way, when did Peter Gabriel start looking like a baked Col. Sanders? 4 out of 10.

Asia. Oh man, I saved this one for last. I mean, look at this photo. It's like they hit the Glamour Shots in the mall. Money grab? Please - they would be lucky to play for free fish and chips and veggie burgers. So at least you know they are doing this because they WANT to. I have to say - I love the first Asia album. I love Steve Howe and Carl Palmer and their respective bands, Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I have seen Howe on his own and with Yes a number of times and he is always a pro - always makes me want to cut my own hands off and sell all of my guitars. And I saw the Carl Palmer Band last year in the 650 seat Aladdin Theater and was so blown away. He has a bass player and guitar player who were probably born after ELP had already broken up for the first time, and they did incredibly incendiary ELP instrumentals all night - with no keyboards. Again, I considered chopping off my hands. But LOOK AT THE PHOTO. I have seen some clips of the reunion on YouTube and have read things and it seems like everything is going fine but this one just scares me. I want to like it so bad but I am just afraid I will see this and will vomit. I mean, there is NO question at least half of this band is so far past its prime. Maybe what I do is go see it, stand in the back and get really really drunk so I can pretend it's 1984 and the album just came out. A friend who books artists told me Asia will be coming to the Northwest this summer. Will I go? Yes, but with great fear.

OK, well, I know there are other reunions (Rage Against The Machine being one of the more interesting ones I am leaving out) but barring Pink Floyd touring with Waters, these five are my contenders for 2007. Love 'em or leave 'em.

Asia on Rockline

Tuned into KGON 92.3 in Portland last night to check out the original four Asia guys (Steve Howe, John Wetton, Geoff Downes and Carl Palmer) on Rockline. The host was in LA and the band was in a studio in New York so the interview sounded a bit disjointed to me. But overall they sounded good. Howe was surprisingly funny.

They avoided all the questions about why they broke up and why all the albums after the first one sucked, etc. They did three acoustic songs (Ride Easy, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes and Don't Cry). These sounded really good, except Wetton's voice was pretty froggy. He sounded like he was about two songs away from losing it (his voice). But then in the third song, it came in strong. Maybe he should do more of a warm up before singing (just a suggestion, John). Anyway, it was cool hearing them back together again. Made me all the more bummed that the closest they are playing to Oregon is Las Vegas (they are not even playing the Bay Area, fer Crissake!

Now, please tell me, does anyone screen these Rockline callers? There were some of the most inane questions asked (as usual) by slobbering fans who are so psyched to talk to the band they don't really have anything relevant to say or ask. Had I been patient enough to hit speed dial 5,000 times, here is what I would have asked:

1) When Greg Lake took John Wetton's spot for the Asia in Asia show, that was a truly hot lineup. Why was Lake in the band such a short time?

2) That Asia in Asia show was so good. Will they ever release it on DVD?

3) Will the band do any material from the Yes Drama album (both Howe and Downes were on the album)? How about GTR (Howe in the band, Downes produced the album)?

4) Question for Howe - what really happened to the aborted "More Drama" tour that was supposed to feature the bands White (Alan White with Geoff Downes), The Syn (Chris Squire and others) and Howe solo, with an end jam on Drama tunes. I had a Gold Ticket and front center seats for the Roseland date, but of course the whole tour was scrapped and there was no really consistent, legit explanation for why.

5) What is the band's collective weight? (OK, just kidding on that one)

Speaking of, I saw Carl Palmer's band at the Aladdin Theater a month or two ago and he looked like he takes very good care of himself. I will post a review and some snaps soon.

Old Asia - New Asia

Old Asia - New Asia

These photos of Asia back in their heyday juxtaposed with this '23 years later' shot from this Fall's reunion tour just goes to show that as you get older you either blow up like a puffer fish or shrivel like an apple doll. Bummer that Howe, Wetton, Downes and Palmer won't be coming to the Northwest on the tour. I'd like to see them, even if they are approaching 'fossil-hood.'