OT: ASIA announces new album, tour...

[johnroxx]

From Frontiers Records:

Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer & John Wetton announce the release of a brand new studio album on Frontiers Records. World Tour announced.

ASIA, the first legendary super group to emerge with the dawn of the MTV-age, reunited in 2006 with its original line-up.

The founding members Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and John Wetton all had experiences in Classic Rock icons such as Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and The Buggles, and released one of the most enduring and commercially successful debuts of all time. Simply entitled "ASIA", the album stayed at the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 album chart for an astounding 9 weeks in 1982. Only a handful of albums such as Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" have been #1 on the Billboard charts for a longer time.

ASIA celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the debut album's release with a World Tour that brought more than 70 successful dates. During their time and work together, the four musicians began to write new songs and, in the summer 2007, they started working on the recording of a brand new all original studio album.

The natural choice for the band was to sign a worldwide deal with Frontiers Records, the Italian label which has a solid trademark for quality, enthusiasm and professionalism in Classic Rock Music.

asiapic.JPG

"Our initial optimism was more than rewarded by the enthusiasm of our fans" says, John Wetton. Adds Geoff Downes: "It's great finally to give some new music to those ASIA fans who have remained with us patiently all these years".

"There is a certain chemistry and energy that comes out when the four of us are working together and the new material reflects this", says drummer Carl Palmer. "This is the REAL ASIA", states guitarist Steve Howe "and the new album will be the landmark of our enthusiasm and pleasure to work together again".

Geoff Downes concludes: "We've all remained dedicated to our craft of making compelling and powerful music. After many years apart, I think we all have a new and very fresh attitude to the music. I am looking forward to playing the new songs on stage"

Recording is well underway with a commercial release scheduled for April 2008. The new album will also see the return of Roger Dean who will provide one of his paintings for the cover art.

ASIA has already announced a new UK Tour in March 2008, where they will be showcasing the songs from the yet untitled album for the first time. More tour dates are being settled in the USA and Japan for the rest of the spring 2008, with a full European tour to follow.

Weblinks: www.originalasia.com / www.frontiers.it / www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords

;^)

[SteveForever]

awwwwwwweeeeeeeeeesome!
love Asia!!!!
thanks for the info.!!!

[Rip Rokken]

I've been following this for quite a while, as I'm a huge fan and long time subscriber to their newsletter. I'd just e-mailed their webmaster this morning pleased that they've FINALLY added a date which is within reach of me. Looks like I will finally get to see them next year in Dallas at the House of Blues. If anyone else is going, maybe we can meet up there.

[johnroxx]

Here's how the tour shapes up so far:

UK Tour Dates
March 1 - Falmouth Pavilion
March 2 - Bournemouth BIC Pavilion
March 4 - Liverpool Academy
March 7 - Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre (Wales)
March 8 - Frome Cheese & Grain
March 9 - Wolverhampton Civic
March 11 - Nottingham Rock City
March 12 - Oxford Zodiac Club (Academy)
March 13 - Manchester Academy
March 16 - London Shepherds Bush
March 18 - Newcastle Academy
March 19 - Glasgow Academy (Scotland)
March 20 - Perth Concert Halls (Scotland)

US Tour Dates
April 1 Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Performance Theater
April 4 Wilkes Barre, PA - Kirby PAC
April 5 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Casino Wolf Den
April 8 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
April 9 Ridgefield, CT - Playhouse
April 10 Collingswood, NJ - Scottish Rite Auditorium
April 12 Westbury, NY - North Fork Theatre
April 13 Peekskill, NY - Paramount Center For The Arts
April 15 Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort & Casino
April 16 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
April 17 Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center
April 19 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
April 20 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
April 21 Indianapolis, IN - Music Mill
April 23 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
April 27 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
April 29 Espanola NM - Big Rock Casino
April 30 Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
May 2 Agoura Hills, CA - Canyon Club
May 3 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
May 4 San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House

Japan Tour Dates
May 8 Fukuoka, Japan - Shimin Kaikan
May 9 Osaka, Japan - Koseinenkin Kaikan
May 11 Nagoya, Japan - Shimin Kaikan
May 12 Tokyo, Japan - International Forum

;^)

[Wally_Hatchet]

Hmmm.

I wonder how in the heck John Payne & co. got rights to tour as Asia also?

[Rip Rokken]

I wonder how in the heck John Payne & co. got rights to tour as Asia also?

Long, long story, but my understanding is that in their last years, John Payne actually owned the rights to the ASIA name. Geoff split to reunite with the other original 3 right in the middle of the recording of a new album, after assuring J.P. this wasn't his intention only a few days before (I got this from an interview w/Payne). Payne and the rest of that lineup, including Guthrie Govan on guitar and Jay Schellen (ex-Hurricane) on drums continued on, first as "One", then as "GPS". Their subsequent album contained reworked versions of what would have been the new ASIA material, had it been released. Payne did not continue as "ASIA"...

I think the split was nasty, but the details may never be fully revealed. Trust me, I've tried to get them, to no avail.

I'm a huge ASIA fan -- I even purchased a bass directly from John Payne, and also a keyboard from Geoff Downes. They both provided track listings of songs they used those instruments to record with, and they used them on tours as well -- 2 of my prize possessions! Also, my keyboard can be seen in the "ASIA: Live In America" DVD. I've thought of selling the keyboard a few times because it just takes up space, but haven't fully decided to do so yet.

[Wally_Hatchet]

Thanks for the info RR!

[Rip Rokken]

Thanks for the info RR!

Hey, thank YOU for helping lure me away from the Metal Sludge board a few months ago... haha! You and I had some great discussions over there, but overall, it's much nicer over here.

[Moon Beam]

I'm a huge ASIA fan -- I even purchased a bass directly from John Payne, and also a keyboard from Geoff Downes. They both provided track listings of songs they used those instruments to record with, and they used them on tours as well -- 2 of my prize possessions! Also, my keyboard can be seen in the "ASIA: Live In America" DVD. I've thought of selling the keyboard a few times because it just takes up space, but haven't fully decided to do so yet.

That's pretty cool.....hope you hang onto it.
I saw them this past summer and they were fantastic!

[Higgy]

I can't wait for this. As usual, with the tour, South Florida gets the big dick in the ass. Last time they came, the set was cut short by rain. Hopefully, on the second leg they play a real venue down here.

[7 Wishes]

The Payne-Downes coalition yielded at least a dozen amazing songs that will endure.

However, Downes made the right choice. A new record and a grand world tour to close out their careers.

[Rip Rokken]

The Payne-Downes coalition yielded at least a dozen amazing songs that will endure.

However, Downes made the right choice. A new record and a grand world tour to close out their careers.

They did write some great stuff, and also some very bland stuff. I'd mentioned several times how some of the tracks just seemed to be missing... something... almost like an extra instrumental track was needed. I think of they albums they did together, my favorites were the earlier ones, "Aqua", "Aria", and "Arena" -- some great and different stuff there. When they were looking for a name for a future album, I was one (of several I'm sure) that suggested "Aura", which ended up being used. They were just running out of A***a words to use.