[Asia] -- Wikipedia indicates a release date of March 8. AOTY claims it was March 18. But they both agree with each other, and with multiple other sites, on the month and year. So, forty years ago this month, Asia released their eponymous debut album. Asia carried the supergroup concept from the 1960s and 1970s into the 1980s. Point of fact: Geoff Downes (keyboards), John Wetton (bass, vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), and Carl Palmer (drums) were already famous individually for playing in some of the biggest prog-rock bands of the 70s. But when they came together as Asia in 1981, the unique quality about their new supergroup was the fact that, despite their vast experience, none of them had ever played together in a previous band. It was truly a new experience for all of them. (Note: I don't have a specific reference for this; I just remember reading it in, of all places, a photography magazine back in the day.) And despite their sound owing more to the 70s than the New Wave that was taking over the radio, Asia's eponymous debut album not only peaked at #1 on US Billboard Album chart, it was the #1 album in the US for all of 1982. Their debut album also spawned two huge hits ("Heat of the Moment" peaked at #4 on Billboard Top Singles chart, and "Only Time Will Tell" was a top 20 hit). Other songs on the album achieved considerable radio play as well. Their sound was slick and muscular, likely due to Palmer's steady percussion and Wetton's driving bass. And while the music was majestic in scope -- you have to play at a grand level if you choose to name your band after a continent -- their lyrics tended to skew toward the cheesy and melodramatic.
And yet ... I have to admit, with barely a hint of guilt, that this remains one of my favorite albums from the early 1980s. I even did my own sketches of that album cover!
Flashback: ASIA (1982)
And ... that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
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