From: manitp@vccsouth24.its.rpi.edu (Philip Joseph Manitta Jr.)
Subject: ASIA/YES Q and A
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 07:18:24 GMT

Hey folks;

I have seen much talk about Asia's membership and all but nothing like
a comprehensive statement of the new album......  Well I couldn't
resist putting in my .02 clams on ASIA.  first of all...  Their first
album was E@^@^&(**(*&$$%^  AWESOME!   When somebody says to me "ASIA"  i
think of THAT album and no other album.  That album is enough reason to
put talk about Asia in this discussion. I can't say it's a pop album with
some obligatory Prog pieces thrown in, Naw to me it's a prog masterpiece-
granted it's not as far out as it could have been, but then I wouldn't
have gotten into it since I hated prog at the time and this was THE album
that brought me in.  Yeah, sure, about half the tunes are standard
lenth with somewhat formulaic structure.....  BUT.. BUT even the hits had
some degree of originality and class that relegated them WAY above
pop/rock fare.   Any way-  i can't say I really got into Alpha or Astra
(Except for 'Don't Cry' - which is Lamentably just an arena rock tune-
But HEY if you've gotta listen to arena rock, there IS NO BETTER ARENA
ROCK SONG!)

Well - in my opinion the big problem with ASIA was John Wetton.  Don't
take me wrong here- I think he was an integral part of the initial
lineup, but I don't like where he went with it.  I seem to recall reading
somewhere  (GOD I WISH I COULD REMEBER WHERE!!!!) that he wanted to
take ASIA from prog into some kinda new wave pop.   Notice that Mr.
HOWE did NONE of the writing on the second album..... simply because he
disagreed with the new direction.  That's also why he left after that
album.  The kind of sound Wetton wanted eventually culminated with the
four new tracks on  "Then and Now"  This is the reason he and Downes
parted ways.  (Some of this may be hearsay, but I really got most of it
from a quite reliable source.)   Well Downes put together the new band
and Aqua was born.   When I heard that Wetton was out and Howe was back
in I thought .. YEAH!  NOW THEY CAN FINALLY GET BACK DOWN TO
BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!   

WRONG!  Although the new album has higher caliber music than Astra or
Then and Now, it is still woefully poppish.   IMHO, the new band should
be called "Geoff Downes and four other guys" rather than ASIA.  It's
got some bitchin' good keyboard work but Howe and Palmer seem relegated
to the sidelines on this one.  Also- Howe is NOT the bands guitarist. 
He's more of a utility man, picking things like mandolin/acoustic 12
string..... and EVERYTHING BUT THE FRICKIN ELCTRIC 6 STRING!  Their
actual lead 6 stringer is Al Pitrelli (I think we all know that by now,
but in the interest of thoroughness.......) and he's not bad, but........
HEY- he's no Steve Howe. In fact the comparison between Pitrelli and Howe
reminds of of the comparison between Quayle and Kennedy!!!!!! The new
vox/bass man (John Payne) is not exactly a bonus either.  He sounds
enough like Wetton to pull off their old tunes live, however his voice is
rougher, he and Pitrelli belong in a band like Bad English.... NOT
ASIA!!!!  Howe and Palmer do NONE of the writing.  too bad, I thought one
of the big strengths of the band was that all four of the original
members wrote and co-wrote.

Ah Well...... after I got used to the fact that this was NOT the old
Asia, and that Palmer and Howe just weren't going to strut their stuff,
and accepted the album for what it was, I actually started to enjoy
it.  a little review fot us Die-hard Asia fans who think they deserve the
lable "PROG" even if only by grace than merit:

Aqua I/ Aqua II  These are a pair of really dreamy instrumentals that
frame the album.  Mr. Howe's acoustic work here is a strong point.

WHO WILL STOP THE RAIN:  No question, the best song on the album. 
Although- I think they might get sued for it.  Imagine a remake of
Yes's "Love Will Find a Way", then steal the keyboard riff from DIO's
"Rainbow in the Dark" and you know exactly what this song sounds like.

LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS: This song is typical of a problem I notice on this
album.  Mega-boring verses followed by Rockin, Bitchin Chorus.  

CRIME OF THE HEART:  A decent ballad.  This is the one song that really
works with Payne's voice.

FAR CRY:  This is the one song that attempts at the grandeur of the old
days!  Imagine the offspring of a mating between "ONLY TIME WILL TELL"
and "SOUL SURVIVOR", but not quite as good.  Nice keyboard work.  I think
Wetton's voice would have added a LOT to this song.

BACK IN TOWN:  This is a 12/8 blues piece similar to Journey's "Lovin'
touchin' squeezin'" or Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone"  It is a disgrace
and has no business on an album by a band that dares to use the name of
Asia..............  On the other hand, if this were on an album by Bad
English for example, it would be a hilight!

Then there are two songs at the end cowritten by someone named "Lake" I
can only assume this is the legendary Greg Lake, and that would explain
why they are so good!  These two tunes make use of Steve Howe and Carl
Palmer more than any of the others, and they also seem to fit with
Payne's voice fairly well.   Although "mellow" does not begin to describe
them, they are refreshingly creative.  (OH yeah, they are entitled
"LOVE UNDER FIRE" and "VOICE OF REASON")  

Those are the songs that stick in my mind.  Overall, their sound is
VERY keyboard and vocal oriented.  It is much softer than anything I've
heard them do before (but I haven't really heard ASTRA).  I don't
regret buying it but........... C'MON with this talent pool they coul
certainly come up with something better.  Well if Howe is truly leaving
YES for Neo-Asia, then maybe he can bring them back and save them. 
Otherwise-  A friend once told me that "ASIA is that place where great
musicians go to die.  They are only resurrected from death by obscurity
when they GET OUT and find another band."  I wish it were otherwise but I
fear he might be right.

Now - about YES!  I heard from a fairly reliable source that they have
a new album on the brink of release!  IS IT TRUE? IS IT TRUE? IS IT
TRUE!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?   Also- I've wondered what the writing credits
are going to look like now?  Are they going to separated as ABWH and
CINEMA again and have two bands release a single album ???  (BTW/FYI
'CINEMA' was the working title of the band that did 90125 before Jon
Anderson rejoined, I use the name whenever I want to specifically refer
to that incarnation of Yes that does not contain Howe/Bruford or
Wakeman.)  Or are they going to really mix things up??  And can anyone
confirm or deny conclusively the reports of defection by Bruford
Wakeman or Howe?????  

-- 
Philip J. "Ralph" Manitta Jr. (RLF)     _|_       " For me to live is
88 14th st.                              |        Christ, to die is
Troy NY, 12180                           |        gain!"   (manitp@rpi.edu) 
" Don't even think of copying this! The band NEEDS money! " -Fluffy
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