Where are they now? - Asia
and related projects

This page last updated: 4 Jul 2009
 
YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Chris
Squire
Steve
Howe
Alan
White
Rick
Wakeman
Bill
Bruford
Tony
Kaye
Peter
Banks
Patrick
Moraz
Trevor
Horn
Geoff
Downes
Trevor
Rabin
Billy
Sherwood
Igor
Khoroshev
Anderson & Wakeman
Asia
CIRCA:
Oliver Wakeman
Others associated with the band

On this page: Reunion - Touring - Asia Featuring John Payne


Asia  Official website; MySpace page; authorised fan club
The original Asia line-up—namely Geoff Downes (keys), Steve Howe (guitar), John Wetton (MySpace page; ex-King Crimson, ex-UK; bass, vocals) and Carl Palmer (ex-Emerson, Lake & Palmer; drums)—have re-united. The band have been touring extensively and released Phoenix (Frontiers Records), a new studio album. The Phoenix tour has ran in 2008/9 and the band are supporting Yes on a US tour until 2 Aug 2009—see details on the main Yes page. Their set on the second night was [SPOILERS—highlight to read] "Wildest Dreams", "Only Time will Tell", "An Extraordinary Life", "Video Killed the Radio Star" (originally by The Buggles), "In the Court of the Crimson King" (King Crimson), "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" (semi-acoustic), "Don't Cry" (semi-acoustic), "Fanfare for the Common Man" (ELP's arrangement, with Palmer drum solo), "Sole Survivor", "Heat of the Moment". Activity into 2010 is planned. Management is by Phil Carson and Martin Darvill.

Touring
Touring in support of Phoenix continues in 2009; the band are represented by the William Morris agency in negotiations with promoters. A European tour ran 19 Mar-7 Apr, covering Russia, Bulgaria (3750 capacity crowd in Sofia), Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, the Czech Rep. and the Netherlands, and was followed by 7 UK dates 16-24 Apr. The Stuttgart set list (27 Mar) was [SPOILERS—highlight to read] "Only Time will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Never Again", "Roundabout", "Time Again", "Bolero" (Downes' solo based on an extract from "Cutting It Fine"), "Theme from Winter/Clap" (Howe solo), "Book of Saturday" (Wetton solo), "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" (semi-acoustic by Wetton on vocals/acoustic guitar and Downes on piano), "Don't Cry" (semi-acoustic), "Daylight", "Open Your Eyes", intermission, "Fanfare for the Common Man", "Without You", "An Extraordinary Life", "In the Court of the Crimson King", "Here Comes the Feeling", "Video Killed the Radio Star", "The Heat Goes on"/drum solo, "Heat of the Moment", encore: "Sole Survivor". The UK dates were under the title A Night at the Theatre: Phoenix UK Tour 2009. Some changes were made to the set list on UK shows, with "Here Comes the Feeling" and "Daylight" dropped and "Heroine" (from Phoenix) and "My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)" (from Alpha and never previously played live) included, plus "Living in the Plastic Age" substituting for "Video Killed the Radio Star".

Asia are supporting Yes for a 24 date US summer tour (26 Jun-2 Aug)—see discussion on main page. The press release for the tour talks of Asia playing "many songs" from Asia, while a May Billboard article has them focusing on Asia and Phoenix. Asia are then headlining two UK festival dates. First is the Memories of Woodstock Festival at The West Midlands Showground on 8 Aug, and all four members are playing the same festival on 7 Aug (Downes and Wetton as iCon, Steve Howe solo and the Carl Palmer Band; Alvin Lee headlining). Then is the Cambridge Rock Festival on 9 Aug with support from Focus among others. iCon's Dave Kilminster (MySpace page; Roger Waters, ex-John Wetton, ex-Qango, ex-Keith Emerson) is also appearing at the Cambridge Rock Festival in his duo with Murray Hockridge. They are playing a free show in Hamm, Germany on 29 Aug, sharing a bill with Mia.

With respect to further touring, manager Martin Darvill said this to Wetton's website on 8 Jun 2009:

In response to disappointment from certain areas in the fan base, Asia has no boundaries as to where it will visit to play. [...]

The only limits are imposed by promoters who decide whether or not they are sufficiently financially comfortable to offer a deal to Asia's agents.

Asia employs one of the world's largest agencies, messrs William Morris, to negotiate with promoters.  The band is travelling many thousands of miles from home to the venues, and between venues, and it is a precondition that promoters are financially robust, have status, and are capable of delivering upon commitments to enable us to bring an Asia production from the UK to USA, Europe, Japan, South America or anywhere else in the world.

We are sorry that some territories have been omitted from the forthcoming Yes Asia tour.  This is because promoters have been unable to reach agreement with our agents, or because the timing was unfortunate regarding availability of venues, or feasibility of routing.

On the other hand, we're pleased to be visiting new regions and look forward to meeting those of you who will be supporting the shows.

We also confirm that the band is already planning international activity for 2010, so if you wish to lobby your local promoters, please go ahead.

As for set list changes, Howe has floated the possibility of performing GTR's "When the Heart Rules the Mind". On tour, Asia have been promoted as "All Four Original Members of Asia" in order to clearly define who is appearing; the four now jointly own the Asia name. Paul Silveira (worked with Yes, Rick Wakeman, Anderson & Wakeman) was the tour manager; Tim Stark was the guitar tech and Ricky Nelson, keyboards tech.

2010 plans
The band are planning further ahead. Asked by Classic Rock Presents... Prog (issue 1, Mar 2009) whether the reunion line-up is back for good, Palmer answered: "I think so. [...] We're even looking at an idea of mine called Asia: Family and Friends for next year." In Jun 2009, Wetton said on his forum of this plan, "Carl has come up with an excellent and viable idea (which he does frequently) for next year which has been greeted positively and with much enthusiasm", and then explained it would be a UK/European joint tour featuring Asia, iCon, the Steve Howe Trio and the Carl Palmer Band.

In the CRP...P article, Howe answered: "There's such a harmonious feeling, so long as time is put aside for the other things and there are still happy faces in the audience, this could continue for quite some time." Downes answered: "I've reached the conclusion that if it wasn't the [originaly] four anymore, I would no longer want to do it."
In his Jan 2009 NftE interview, Howe, in passing, acknowledges the possibility of a new Asia album. A May Billboard article reports:

Though [Howe] insists specific plans are "hypothetical" at the moment, he [...] [says] Asia is "hot on the trail of another record" after a "pleasant" experience making "Phoenix"[...] and tends to be "more prepared and jumps at things more quickly."

In a Jul article, Howe said, "I can't really make an announcement like this is going to happen and that's going to happen, but let's just put it this way: both bands [Yes and Asia] are working towards recording projects being realized."

Phoenix
Phoenix (duration: 64 min.s) is out in Europe on Frontiers Records; in North America on CD and digitally through EMI America Records; and in Japan through King Records. (Distribution in other countries is detailed here.) Tracks: "Never Again" (written by Wetton/Downes), "Nothing's Forever" (Wetton), "Heroine" (Wetton/Downes), "Sleeping Giant/No Way Back/Reprise" (Downes, Wetton/Downes, Downes respectively), "Alibis" (Downes/Howe/Palmer/Wetton; a development of the piece "Jodie" rehearsed by Asia in 1982), "I will Remember You" (Wetton/Downes), "Shadow of a Doubt" (Wetton/Downes), "Parallel Worlds/Vortex/Déyà" (Wetton, Downes, Wetton respectively), "Wish I'd Known All Along" (Howe), "Orchard of Mines" (Fayman/Pursey; cover of Globus song—see under Larry Groupé for details), "Over and Over" (Howe), "An Extraordinary Life" (Wetton/Downes). There is a limited edition, alternate European release with a bonus track of an acoustic version of "An Extraordinary Life", while a Japanese release has a bonus track of an acoustic "I will Remember You". The album was produced by Asia and co-produced by Steve Rispin. Hugh McDowell (ex-ELO, iCon; 'cello) guests on two tracks. Cover art by Roger Dean. See details in Yescography. There was a contest hosted by QuickTime to 'Make Your Own ASIA Video' for "An Extraordinary Life".
Phoenix album chart performance
Country/chart Peak chart position
USA
73 (3 May 2008)
US Internet sales
10 (3 May 2008)
US comprehensive
77 (3 May 2008)
Japan
28 (1 May 2008)
Japan foreign artists
7 (1 May 2008)
UK indie
10 (13 Apr 2008)
Switzerland
75 (20 Apr 2008)
Sweden 38 (week 16 2008)




Or get the limited edition with bonus track.



Live releases and past touring
Having toured the UK into Mar 2008 (read my review of the 16 Mar 2008 London show here), the band played the US in Apr/May 2008. Several dates sold out. The Phoenix, AZ show had an audience of over 1000. They then toured Japan in May (including 2 sold out shows in Tokyo, one at the International Forum with a 4900 capacity). A European tour followed in late May 2008. The set list was close to that in 2007, but with some changes: new to the set were the two Phoenix songs, "Daylight" and "Voice of America". On their final US date of 5 May, they altered the set somewhat, playing a first set with the covers and songs from Alpha and Phoenix, and then a second set consisting of all of the debut album Asia. It seems Japanese dates may have followed this latter set too. As part of an Official Bootleg series, there have been multiple live releases from the band: 5 have been announced through The Store for Music Limited (dist.: Plastic Head Music Distribution):

Title
Cat. #
Availability
CD1
CD2
Live in Barcelona 19th May 2008 announced as SFMCD150, but that number has already been used by Live in San Francisco
Out in UK & on iTunes "Never Again", "Roundabout", "Time Again", "Bolero", "Clap", "Book of Saturday", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" (acoustic), "Open Your Eyes", "Fanfare for the Common Man", "Without You", "An Extraordinary Life"
"In the Court of the Crimson King", "Video Killed the Radio Star", "The Heat Goes on"/drum solo, "Heat of the Moment", "Don't Cry", "Sole Survivor"; bonus tracks: "Daylight", "Only Time will Tell", "Wildest Dreams"
Live in San Francisco 2008 (5 May show) SFMCD150
Out in UK and available in US; on iTunes; a branded USB bracelet containing the evening's performance as MP3s was available shortly after the show too
"Daylight", "Never Again", "In the Court of the Crimson King", "Video Killed the Radio Star", "Roundabout", "Fanfare for the Common Man", "Clap", "Voice of America", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" (acoustic), "An Extraordinary Life", "The Heat Goes on"/drum solo
"Heat of the Moment", "Only Time will Tell", "Sole Survivor", "One Step Closer", "Time Again", "Wildest Dreams", "Without You", "Cutting It Fine"/"Bolero", "Here Comes the Feeling", "Open Your Eyes"
Live in Sao Paulo March 23rd 2008
SFMCD149
Out in UK:
"Time Again", "Wildest Dreams", "One Step Closer", "Roundabout", "Without You", "Cutting It Fine"/"Bolero", "Clap", "Fanfare for the Common Man", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes", "Don't Cry"
"In the Court of the Crimson King", "Here Comes the Feeling", "Video Killed The Radio Star", "The Heat Goes on", "Only Time will Tell", "Sole Survivor", "Ride Easy", "Heat of the Moment"
Live in Tokyo 12th May 2008
SFMCD147
Available in the UK and US:

"Daylight", "Only Time will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Never Again", "Roundabout", "Time Again", "Bolero", "Clap", "Voice of America", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes", "Ride Easy"
"Open Your Eyes", "Fanfare for the Common Man", "Without You", "An Extraordinary Life", "In the Court of the Crimson King", "Video Killed the Radio Star", "The Heat Goes on"/drum solo", "Heat of the Moment", "Don't Cry", "Sole Survivor"
Live in Milwaukee, 23rd April 2008
SFMCD148
Out in UK & on iTunes:
"Daylight", "Only Time will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Never Again", "Roundabout", "Time Again", "Bolero", "Clap", "Voice of America", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" (acoustic)", "Ride Easy" (acoustic)", "Open Your Eyes"
"Fanfare for the Common Man", "Without You", "An Extraordinary Life", "In The Court of the Crimson King", "Video Killed the Radio Star", "The Heat Goes on"/drum solo", "Heat of the Moment", "Don't Cry", "Sole Survivor"

Despite the variations in labelling, I believe all the performances of "The Smile has Left Your Eyes" and "Ride Easy" were acoustic-style (Wetton on 12-string guitar, Howe on lap steel or electric guitar respectively, Downes on synth piano and Palmer on drums), and all the performances of "The Heat Goes on" included a drum solo. "Voice of America" was a solo by Wetton on 12-string. "Bolero" is Downes' solo based on "Cutting It Fine".

Fantasia—Live in Tokyo (Eagle Rock Entertainment) is a live CD (Eagle Records, EDGCD359) and DVD (Eagle Vision, EREDV634) mixed by the band (with a few studio overdubs recorded in early Apr 2007); mixing engineer was Steve Rispin. Bonus material on the DVD includes interviews with the four band members. A Blu-ray version of the DVD followed in 2009.

Other news
Wetton and Downes are also continuing with their Icon project in parallel to Asia with a third album due and live dates—see details under Downes. Live sets include Asia material. Wetton was also doing Asia, King Crimson and UK material with the Paul Green's School of Rock All-Stars on Mar 2009 US dates.


Prior Asia line-up & Asia Featuring John Payne
The prior Asia line-up had consisted of Downes (keys), John Payne (bass, vocals, guitars), Guthrie Govan (guitars) and Jay Schellen (CIRCA:, AKA, ex-Conspiracy, Billy Sherwood, ex-World Trade, ex-Peter Banks; drums, backing vocals). In early 2006, Downes and Payne dissolved their partnership, and Payne/Govan/Schellen formed GPS, joined by Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard) on keys. GPS released a 10-track album, Window to the Soul (InsideOut IOMCD 247), all music credited to Payne/Schellen/Govan. In May 2007, Payne, Govan and Schellen announced the formation of Asia Featuring John Payne (MySpace page), with Erik Norlander (ex-Ayreon) later announced as the band's keyboardist. Both these groups play Wetton-era and Payne-era Asia material live. The Asia Featuring John Payne name was contractually agreed with the reunion band in May 2006.

In late 2005/early 2006, Downes/Payne/Govan/Schellen had been working on a new Asia album for InsideOut to be called Architect of Time, with tracks including "City of Lost Angels" (described in a Nov 2005 press release as "an up tempo 6 minute proggy track"), "Written on the Wind", "I Believe in Yesterday" and "Since You've Been Gone". Some of this material was recycled for Window to the Soul (although Downes was not credited on that album). For example, the last three of those songs appear on the GPS debut. In an Apr 2007 interview, Payne said:

Interviewer: Were some of the songs on ‘Window To The Soul’ originally planned as Asia songs?

Payne: Yes, some of the songs were originally written for Asia. If they had been recorded as Asia songs, they would have been shorter with bigger harmonies and smoother production. We decided that, with a few days rehearsal, these songs could be made to sound very different to Asia songs. About 50% of the songs were actually written for ‘Architect Of Time’.

Interviewer: If it had been completed, how would ‘Architect Of Time’ have sounded?

Payne: It would have been basically in the style of previous Asia albums but we had made an attempt to stretch the songs a bit longer and to make the sound more retro, a bit more seventies. The actual track ‘Architect Of Time’ was completed with Ryo playing keyboards, though I don’t know if it will ever be released. It’s a very long track, about eight or nine minutes long. Maybe one day it will be released.

[...] [Schellen] was very keen to play in different time signatures. Jay is very influenced by UK, so I imagine ‘Architect Of Time’ would have been a mixture of classic Asia and UK.

After the split with Downes, it was initially announced that Payne/Govan/Schellen were continuing to work on Architect of Time for a possible release on InsideOut, but probably not under the Asia name. In a Mar 2006 message, Payne said, "I hope to eventually get the AOT tracks out at some stage but at the moment the new band is my priority". Subsequently, Architect of Time material was used for the GPS album and no more was heard about an Architect of Time release for a period. In Sep 2007, it emerged that Payne s planning to release Architect of Time under the Asia Featuring John Payne name.It is unclear how a release now of Architect of Time will handle the use of material on Window to the Soul, or whether Downes will receive any credit. In a Nov 2007 press release, the band said they had "commenced recording" Architect of Time. In early Feb 2008, it was reported that Payne has been writing with Norlander. Recording on Architect of Time and the next GPS album has continued through 2008/9. In Jun 2008, Schellen reportedly told a fan that they were just about done recording Architect of Time, but still with a few things to finish up. Later that month, GPS webmaster Michael Milbourn said, "Work on the new album is still progressing, but John [Payne] says there is a lot of work to be done. I believe all the songs are written. Now they are being record[ed] and will need to be mixed and mastered after that." Later in Sep 2008, Payne said they had completed three tracks for Architect of Time and were currently working on recording another, entitled "Strange Days". In Sep 2008, Payne said it would not be out until after the second GPS album and it appears both may now be out in late 2009. In Mar 2009, Payne said the album is expected late Aug/early Sep. Rodney Matthews is to return to do the cover. AFJP have signed to Sony in Japan and to another label (to be announced) in the US.

In Jul 2008, it was announced that GPS are about to begin recording their second album (Dreamscape), possibly as a trio without Okumoto. The album will also be released on InsideOut, probably in 2009. GPS continues as a separate entity and added Asia numbers to their live set with two Oct 2007 dates in Japan including both Payne-era songs ("Silent Nation", "Military Man", "The Longest Time", "Long Way from Home") and Wetton-era songs ("Only Time will Tell", "Heat of the Moment"). GPS played RoSfest (Phoenixville, PA) in May with Norlander standing in for Okumoto and a set including Asia numbers (e.g. "Military Man").

As for future plans as Asia Featuring John Payne, Milbourn explained in another post in Sep 2007:

"Asia featuring John Payne" leaves the door open for John to do anything under that designation . If he wants to release an album under than name, he can. Same with touring, regardless of who is in the band (which means it doesn't have to include Guthrie, Jay, etc.). None of this implies there will or will not be much of either, or that the band line-up would change if they toured. All it means is that if he wants to go out and play his material under tha[t] name, and avoid brand confusion with the originial line-up, there's and avenue available to him.

In an Apr 2008 interview, Norlander's comments suggested a long-term future was planned for Asia Featuring John Payne:

John Payne emailed me late [2007] and told me that he had parted ways with Geoff Downes, but that he still wanted very much to continue with ASIA. John asked if I would like to join the band as keyboardist and co-writer. [...] John and I have been writing songs for the new album, and I'm very excited about what we've come up with -- this is some very quality stuff. Very high energy and compelling music with both nice melodic and symphonic elements. There is so much great ASIA from the past, from both John Payne's era and from the 80s, I feel very privileged to carry on with this band and hopefully move it forward into a new era. We have a lot to say, musically, and we're all excited to get this new music out there very soon. Tour dates are in the works

Payne himself said in Jun 2009:

ASIA FJP want to tour all over the world but where we play is not under my control. I would be happy touring 11 months of the year. However touring is really expensive, flights alone for the band and
crew can cost thousands and then agents, management and promoters need paying. Also gone are the days where record companies gave tour support money, in fact they now try to get a percentage of the concert fee.

Since the split of GD and myself there have been legal issues that are now resolved but it has taken a while to get back up to speed and thankfully we have a run of exciting dates this summer. We are about
to sign a worldwide deal with an incredible record company run by a very famous switched on guy and I wont announce it until pen hits paper.

[...] records will come out as soon as they are finished and when we feel it is  a piece of work worthy of your continued support.


The band were to play at the 4 Jul 2008 Concert for the Troops in California, but the show was indefinitely postponed. An EP has been recorded with new recordings by the band; tracks: "Military Man (USO mix)", "Military Man (radio edit)", "Long Way from Home", "Long Way from Home (radio edit)", "Neurosaur" (composition originally on Norlander's solo album Threshold). Artist recording royalties are benefitting the USO. Release through Payne's DevGel label (on Voiceprint) has been long delayed, but the EP was in production in May 2009 and is due soon.

Asia Featuring John Payne play live with a set list covering both the Payne and Wetton-eras of Asia, although in comments to a fan in Jun 2008, the band indicated they plan to phase out the Wetton-era material in future. Their first ever show under this name was in Jun 2008; set: "Long Way from Home", "Who will Stop the Rain", "Silent Nation", "Only Time will Tell", "Desire", "Days Like These", "Different Worlds", "Heat of the Moment", "Military Man", "Go", "Sole Survivor", "Free". A Sep 2008 show had the set: "Long Way from Home", "Who will Stop the Rain", "Silent Nation", "Only Time will Tell", "Desire", "Neurosaur" (duet between Norlander & Schellen), "Days Like These", "Different Worlds", Govan guitar solo, "Go", "Heat of the Moment", "Sole Survivor", Schellen drum solo, "Military Man", "Free". A late Sep show had Moni Scaria filling in for Govan and had a similar set. More US dates in Oct/Nov 2008 followed, plus a German date in Nov. The 14 Nov show was attended by Billy Sherwood, Tony Kaye and Keith Emerson. Payne has also been performing a few Asia songs ("Desire", "Who will Stop the Rain?") while guesting live with Norlander's the Rocket Scientists in Mar 2009. 12 US dates have been announced from 5 Jul to 12 Sep, with Mitch Perry (worked with Aerosmith, Cher) temporarily standing in on guitar. The set list is billed as including "many of Asia's hit songs plus new material from their upcoming release "Military Man"" (the latter presumably a reference to "Neurosaur").

The last album released by Asia with Payne was 2004's Silent Nation, recorded with Chris Slade (ex-Uriah Heep, ex-The Firm, ex-AC/DC) on drums. In Aug 2005, Schellen replaced Slade and the band continued touring in support of Silent Nation in Nov/Dec 2005. A live set by this band—Downes/Payne/Govan/Schellen—was the first release under the Asia Featuring John Payne name. In the US, it was part of Sony/BMG's Extended Versions series, while it was out in the UK on Voiceprint as Scandinavia. Vocieprint are no longer distributing Scandinavia following a request from Downes' management, although it is still available digitally. Tracks: "Time Again", "Only Time will Tell", "Wildest Dreams", "Here Comes the Feeling", "Silent Nation", "Long Way from Home", "Cutting It Fine", "What About Love", "Sole Survivor", "Heat of the Moment".


On to CIRCA: and related projects news
On to Amazon.com aStore
Return to Where are they now? front page
Return to alt.music.yes FAQ
RSS feed
 
YES and projects with several Yesmen
Jon
Anderson
Chris
Squire
Steve
Howe
Alan
White
Rick
Wakeman
Bill
Bruford
Tony
Kaye
Peter
Banks
Patrick
Moraz
Trevor
Horn
Geoff
Downes
Trevor
Rabin
Billy
Sherwood
Igor
Khoroshev
Anderson & Wakeman
Asia
CIRCA:
Oliver Wakeman
Others associated with the band

Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts. Thanks.