Where are they
now? - Asia
and related projects
This page last updated: 13 Oct 2021
Asia Official website; MySpace page; Twitter; Facebook;
Official
Google Group; authorised
fan club
In Apr 2019, a new line-up of Asia was announced of Geoff Downes (Yes;
keys), Billy
Sherwood (Yes; bass, lead vocals), Carl Palmer (ex-Emerson,
Lake & Palmer; drums) and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
(Sons of Apollo,
ex-Guns N' Roses; guitar, lead vocals). The band were on
tour summer 2019 in a package
with Yes and others. In a Xmas
2020 tweet, the band's official account said, "Look out for
announcements in 2021" and @'ed Palmer, Downes, Howe, Sherwood and
Thal. This may be about an expected live album from the 2019 tour: see below for more. In a Feb 2021
interview with SOAL Night Live, Sherwood said "there's
dialogue of doing things" with Asia. In a Feb
2021 interview, Downes said, "I think that he [Wetton] would
have wanted that music to be heard for as long as we're able to,
really." Asked to compare Yes, Asia and The Buggles in an Apr
2021 interview, Downes said, "all three are still going
today[...] Not so much activity with The Buggles and Asia any more".
In a Jun
2021 interview, asked about recording an album with the recent
line line-up, Downes replied, "I think we've always thought about
that. Obviously, Ron's very busy [...] we've not been able to do any
live stuff [because of COVID-19]. So, it's really been put [...] in
abeyance at the moment, but certainly I think that now things appear
to be easing off on that front, we hope that we can get back out and
maybe do another album." In another
that month, Downes said "hopefully" Asia would do future live
dates with Thal. Asked about plans for touring, he replied, "We've
got to wait and see. We'll go out when we're given the green list,
it's as simple that."
Asked whether there are any plans for this line-up to record a
studio album, Downes tweeted
26 Jun 2019, "I sincerely hope so. Feels like it might be time..."
In a Jul
2019 interview, Downes said, "Hopefully, we'll do something in
the future. I think [Thal]'s done a fantastic job. It would be a
shame if we didn't continue and make some music together." On tour
in Jun 2019, he said to a fan that he hoped to record an album with
this line-up in autumn 2019, with a release to come before a new Yes album.
Palmer, around Jul 2019, also said he would like to make an album,
and Sherwood, in this Jul 2019
interview, affirmed he was open to that as well. At the end of
an Aug
2019 interview, asked about his future with Asia, Thal said he
would "roll with the flow of it all." He continued: "it raises a lot
of thoughts [...] Do people want new music from this line-up or do
they just want to come and hear the hits that they love? Uhm... do
we do one song, just for the next tour, something like that; do we
do a whole album? Honestly, I can go any which way. I'm cool with
whatever."
Wetton had been receiving treatment for colon cancer from May 2015
and he and Downes wrote a new album through 2015-6. Touring was
announced for 2017, but Wetton pulled out of the initial batch of
dates because of treatment, with Sherwood announced as subbing for
him, before then passing. In a Feb
2017 interview, Downes said, "John had already said that he
wouldn't be well enough to do the tour and I had worked with Billy
Sherwood in Yes and what was meant to be something of a temporary
thing has become a full-time gig for him since things took a turn
for the worse with John, who died earlier this week." In a statement
about Wetton's passing, Downes said:
We were planning another album, but sadly he was
not well enough to complete it. I feel heartbroken about this,
as I knew John thought it was to be one of our finest albums to
date. I remain as proud as ever of our Wetton/Downes writing
partnership. I am hoping one day that I will be able to finish
it, and that it will be appreciated by all those who loved his
and our music, and most importantly, a legacy he would have been
proud of.
Life will not be the same without him. And words are not really
enough to describe the loss I feel right now, and the many
friends and fans all over the World will also be feeling. It is
the end of an era for all of us. But we will soldier on - the
music of John Wetton needs to be heard loud and clear from the
rooftops.
Final writing sessions with Wetton
In the Feb 2017 interview, asked if they planned to complete the
album they had been working on, Downes replied, "Yes. I think so. He
had a lot of material for it. I think we will definitely do
something with it because I think John would like me to do that."
Downes has reiterated this position subsequently. To the Feb 2018
issue of Prog, Downes said, "I am personally committed to
finishing the songs we had started in 2015/2016." Asked on Twitter
in Apr 2018 about plans for releasing this material, Downes
replied, "Working on it". In a Mar 2021
podcast, Downes said, "I've still got some recordings I did
with John Wetton [...] there's still some elements of that that I'd
like to do at some point." Asked about the material, he replied:
There's probably about half a dozen, but
because John was too sick really to, at the time, to take them
any further. [...] deep down, I know probably [...] the
direction he would like them to go in. So I've got those, those
elements, they're there, and I really hope to get them,
y'know, completed one day.
But the last 4 or 5 years have been pretty solid on the road
with Yes particularly [...] it's been a lot of roadwork the last
10 years but the way it is at the moment, I think I'm going to
have to spend a bit more time fishing around in the studio and
see what I can come up with.
Work on this material may go back to Jul 2015. In a late Jan 2016
interview, Downes said he'd "been writing with John Wetton for
another Asia album" and, on 11 Feb 2016, both Downes and Wetton
tweeted about meeting up to work on a new album. Wetton said:
"Looking forward to (yet) more writing today with @asiageoff
Mr.Downes. Next ASIA record moves along apace." Downes later said:
"Excellent day in Bomo with my old chum @arkangel2605 [Wetton's
Twitter account] Very productive - new Asia album on the way!" On 3
Mar 2016, Wetton then travelled to meet Downes in Wales "to
formalise new ASIA material", according to a tweet he made. Downes
tweeted afterwards: "Excellent day with @arkangel2605 today at my
studio. New Asia album en route!" In a Mar
2016 interview (possibly conducted in Feb), Downes said, "I've
been working with John on some material since last year [2015]
actually. John's been sick for the last year or so now and has been
having some fairly extensive medical treatment. In between that
we've been putting together some songs that we hope sooner or later
we will actually go into the studio and do another Asia album." In
an Apr 2016 interview,
Downes said: "I have been working with him [Wetton] on some new
material and hopefully we will get an album out in the not too
distant future." In a later Apr 2016 interview, Downes said: "we are
still writing and we [sic] be doing an album with John Wetton
towards the end of [2016]." A May
2016 tweet by Wetton showed a CD-R and said, "next ASIA record
is on here, now we just have to record it!" In
an Oct
2016 interview, Downes said: "Asia, hopefully we'll get that
back up and running soon. That's the idea. We've been working on new
material, and we have a whole album planned." Wetton described the
first song as 7.5 minutes long and as in 17/8. He also mentioned one
song title was "Tattoo on Your Soul". Asked about that title by a
fan in Jun 2019, Downes implied he called the piece "Indigo".
However, in a Jun
2017 interview, it was reported that Palmer "says it's too
early to say if the new lineup, featuring Sherwood, will record
together." In another Jun
2017 interview, Palmer talked about events and the future more
broadly:
“We thought he’d make the March [2017]
period for the tour, but he suddenly took a turn at the very
end,” Palmer said. “Those last three weeks, he was very ill and
he passed.”
Asia had already committed to opening for Journey, but Palmer
wasn’t sure if they could continue or even if Journey [...]
still wanted them [...]
But the band’s management said, “They still want you. Please
find a bass player.”
As it happened, they had one in mind.
Before Wetton died, Palmer said the band had some difficult
discussions about whether Asia would carry on.
The drummer said, “Before he did go, we asked Jo[h]n if we were
to carry on, who would you want to take your place?”
Wetton chose Billy Sherwood [...]
Beyond this tour, Palmer doesn’t know what will happen next. He
will keep playing music — that much is certain, but whether it’s
with just his own band, with Asia or as part of another group,
he’s not entirely sure.
Shortly before Wetton's death, in comments in Jan
2017, Palmer said, "I wasn't going to be making the next Asia
album anyway because I was a bit concerned about the direction of
the band. It was getting a little bit too middle of the road. I
didn't realize that John was this ill when I made this announcement
to him, so obviously I'll review that. If he can record at all I'll
look at the situation again." In comments to a fan on tour in Jun
2019, Palmer implied that Wetton's vocals would not be used on a new
album.
In an early Nov
2020 interview, Downes said, "At some point, I am hoping to
complete some Asia material that I had begun with John before he
sadly passed". In a Jun
2021 interview, Downes said:
I’m still working on those [final songs
written with Wetton]. I’ve got some plans for them. It’s been
difficult because there’s not a massive amount to deal with but
at the same time, there’s enough for an album’s worth of
material that will be significant. I’d like to get a lot of the
people that worked with John and myself and all the people
involved to offer some performances, which would be great.
That’s really where I probably would see it going.
In a Sep
2021 interview with Prog Radar, he
said, "I've still got unworked material from
a session I had with John before he sadly
died so there is potential there to craft
something new. I feel that Asia has not run
its course and that there is still some life
left in the band. Again, we'll have to see
what emerges from those sessions." The next
month, the official John Wetton memorial
twitter account announced that Downes "is
leading a John Wetton tribute album with
special guests, featuring unfinished
Wetton/Downes songs." This appears to mean
the 2015/6 material, although that has not
been confirmed yet.
Touring
& live release
In a Nov
2019 interview, Downes said of Asia touring, "we could
possibly do something further in the future." In a Facebook
post in May 2020, Sherwood, in passing, implied that he would
be involved in Asia touring at some future time. In a Feb
2021 interview, Downes said, "Asia is still something that,
you know, I hold dear to my heart [...] It's our 40th anniversary
next year, so that's another possibility [for touring]." In another,
he said, "obviously, I miss John Wetton enormously, but [...]
hopefully the music lives on and hopefully we'll get the opportunity
to go out again [on tour] at some point."
Asia joined Yes, Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy with Arthur Brown, and
John Lodge on a joint tour summer 2019 North American tour entitled
the Royal Affair tour: see details
under Yes. The line-up was Downes, Palmer, Sherwood and Thal,
but with Steve Howe
guesting for a portion of the set. Asia's set on the opening night
of the tour was "Go", "Don't Cry", "Video Killed the Radio Star"
(originally by The Buggles), "The Smile has Left Your Eyes", "Lucky
Man" (originally by ELP), "Bolero" ("Cutting It Fine" extract,
Downes keys solo), "Wildest Dreams" (with Howe on guitar and Thal
just on lead vocals until end of set), "Sole Survivor", "Only Time
will Tell", "Heat of the Moment". Asia are planning to release a
live album from the 2019 tour in 2021. Roger Dean
is doing a cover (as he did for Yes's live album
from the tour). Asked in a Jul 2021 interview with TotalRock
whether he might guest again with Asia as he did in 2019, Howe said,
"Maybe there's a formula there that we could repeat, but I don't
know." He also said, "There is something about next year", in
reference to possible tour plans. In another Jul
2021 interview, asked about the possibility of Asia touring in
2022 and if he would be involved, Howe replied:
I don’t know that there is anything
official yet, but I know it’s an anniversary year [40 years
since Asia was released] and there may be something
going on but I'm not committed to anything. But that does not
mean to say I wouldn’t do something. Let us wait and see.
“Bumblefoot” Tha[l] did a great job the other year on the Asia
tour, actually doing John’s job. He’s an amazing singer and
guitarist, so if I'm not there he will be, and I'm happy with
that.
Thal had originally been asked to tour on guitar with the band in
2017, but wasn't available. He was asked again in 2019, but
originally just on guitar, with a separate lead singer planned, but
that plan didn't work out, and Thal was asked to handle lead vocals
too. He said to fans on the 2019 tour that two vocalists under
consideration had been John Parr (worked with Roger
Daltrey) and Fran Cosmo (ex-Boston).
Management is by Martin Darvill.
Other news
As a celebration of their 40th anniversary,
Asia re-released Phoenix (2008), Omega
(2010) and XXX (2012), their three reunion studio
albums, plus the 2007 live album Fantasia: Live in Tokyo
as a 5CD boxset entitled The Reunion Albums: 2007-2012
(BMG Records) on 11 June 2021. (Howe and Wetton started
working together in 1981, a few months after Yes split up.)
The release was organised with Howe, Downes and Palmer. The
cover is a previously unseen artwork from Roger
Dean, who has also updated the Fantasia art.
In the latter Jul
2021 interview, Howe said BMG's interest came after he
released his solo album Love Is through them.
BMG are next releasing The
Official Live Bootlegs Volume 1 on 26 Nov 2021, a
10CD box set of five live shows (2CD each), with new
artwork by Roger Dean. The promo says, "This the first
time these recordings have been made officially available
by ASIA", which is slightly odd wording, but the contents
have all been previously released. Shows:
- 1982 Buffalo, NY, USA — released
as Live in Buffalo in 2003
- 1983 Worcester, MA, USA —
released as part of Quadra in 2002 and as Live
in Massachusetts '83 in 2004
- 2007 São Paulo, Brazil — released as Live in São Paulo 23
March 2008 (the title was wrong: it was the 23
Mar 2007 show) in 2008
- 2008 Tokyo, Japan — released as
Live in Tokyo Japan 12 May 2008 in 2008
- 2010 London, UK — released as At
High Voltage 2010 in 2010
There will also be a 24-track digital
release under the same name with selections from across
the shows.
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An
Extraordinary Life is a forthcoming box set
commemorating Wetton's life and based around a re-release of his
studio solo albums: see details on
main page.
Weezer sampled "Heat of the Moment" on "I Need Some of That",
released 21 Apr 2021 as the fourth single from their album Van
Weezer, released 7 May 2021. The album made #11 in the US (#1
Rock and #1 Alternative album), #11 in Hungary, #13 in Japan, #18 in
Canada, #26 in Austria, #25 in Germany, #30 in the UK, #40 in
Switzerland, #48 in Wallonia and #105 in Flanders (Belgium), and #83
in Australia.
As part of the On track... book series, "Asia: Every Album,
Every Song" (Sonicbond Publishing, 176 pages, ISBN: 9781789520996)
by Peter Braidis covers the band, out 26 Nov 2020 in the UK.
Asia Featuring John Payne
In early 2006, Asia had consisted of Geoff
Downes (keys), John
Payne (bass, vocals, guitars), Guthrie Govan
(guitars) and Jay Schellen
(since worked with Yes; drums, backing
vocals), when Downes left for the reunion of the original band.
Payne/Govan/Schellen then formed GPS. The Asia Featuring
John Payne name was contractually agreed with the reunion band on
9 May 2006, but Payne did not assemble a band until later, after
GPS had failed to take off commercially. In May 2007,
Payne/Govan/Schellen announced the formation of Asia Featuring John Payne,
with Erik Norlander
later announced on keys. Since then, AFJP have played scattered US
dates with a set list covering both the Payne and Wetton eras of Asia. Their first show under
this name was in Jun 2008, but Govan soon left the band. From the
beginning, Asia Featuring John Payne were working on their debut
studio album. The project was initially trailed under the name Architect
of Time as a continuation or completion of the 2005/6 Asia
sessions (though some of that material was used on the GPS album Window
to the Soul). However, Payne was subsequently writing with
Norlander and no material was carried over from Architect of
Time (Payne also used the "Architect
of Time" name for an unrelated solo release). The album
name then changed to Americana. However, Payne's Vegas
show, Raiding the Rock Vault, kept him busy and the album
languished. Norlander left in 2014, and Schellen left in 2015.
By 2017/8, the a line-up was Payne, Johnny Fedevich (drums), Jamie
Hosmer (keys), Moni Scaria (guitar) and Jeff Kollman (guitar). As
an example set, they played Buffalo, NY on 20 Jul 2018, without
Kollman: "Long Way from Home", "Only Time will Tell", "Who will Stop
the Rain?", "Silent Nation", "Days Like These", "Desire", "Go",
"Time Again", "Don't Cry", "Military Man", "Heat of the Moment",
encore: "Sole Survivor". Payne also continued with his touring show,
The Rock Pack, featuring various and changing classic rock singers
backed by Scaria/Kollman/Hosmer/Fedevich. Payne played bass for the
backing show and sang on Asia numbers. A Jul 2017 show, for example,
had the following: "Only Time will Tell" (Payne lead vocals), "Time
Again" (Payne), "Sole Survivor" (Payne), "Hold the Line" (Bobby
Kimball (ex-Toto)), "Rosanna" (Kimball with
Payne), "Separate Ways" (Steve Augeri (ex-Journey)),
"Faithfully" (Augeri), "Anyway You Want It" (Augeri), "Double
Vision" (Lou Gramm (ex-Foreigner)), "Cold as
Ice" (Gramm), "Hot Blooded" (Gramm), "Heat of the Moment" (Payne),
"Africa" (Kimball), "Don't Stop Believin'" (Augeri), "I Wanna Know
What Love is" (Gramm with Augeri), "Jukebox Hero" (Gramm with
Augeri). 2019 saw a joint tour by Lou Gramm and AFJP, with AFJP
acting as Gramm's backing band for his set. The band had US live
shows planned for 2020, but these were cancelled becaucse of the
COVID-19 pandemic. The line-up was to be with Kollman and Scaria
(guitars), Fedevich (drums) and Johnathon Gilcrest (keys). The tour with Gramm resumes Nov 2021 with 4
Californian dates.
In a Jul
2020 interview, Payne said he was working on a new AFJP album.
He also spoke of plans to re-release his Asia back catalogue.
At the beginning of 2017, the Americana
project re-emerged, but it was eventually released, in Feb 2018, as
the eponymous debut by Dukes
of the Orient rather than under the AFJP branding. The band
are Payne (vocals, bass, additional lead and rhythm guitar) and
Norlander (keys), with the album also involving Kollman, Govan,
Schellen and others. Payne explained the re-branding in the
promotional materials: "This started as an Asia FJP album initially
but we, and the record company, felt releasing an Asia FJP album so
close to the tragic passing of John Wetton lacking respect." In a
promo video posted
in Apr 2018, Norlander explained, "I felt strongly about
re-naming the band because the Asia brand had changed so much". He
continued, "It just became so muddy to me. And I thought, let's not
throw another variation of Asia into this mix. It's already
complicated enough for people to follow. This is an album of all
original music. You [Payne] and I wrote all of this. None of this
was left over from past projects. Y'know, people had asked about the
Architects of Time thing that you started with Geoff in 2006,
after Silent Nation. None of it comes from that. You and I
wrote this as a new band. Let's re-name it as a new band." A second
Dukes of the Orient album, Freakshow was released Aug 2020
on Frontiers.
On to CIRCA: and related projects news
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Any news, additions or corrections, please e-mail Henry Potts.
Thanks.