ASIA

Asia is one of the bands that I think is too great because these are scheduled as simply Rock bands. Some motives are in line-up, first line-up: Carl Palmer: a great drummer, one of my five all time drummer; Steve Howe, not only Yes axeman but a great innovator of guitar; John Wetton, a genius; Geoff Downes, a big underrated keyboardist. With the Roger Dean's covers the magic is complete. But the music, Prog or not Prog? Hmmm... I do not know if the music is Prog. Or better the music is for progsters as the same level of Genesis or Yes or PFM but the final result is a sort of AOR that anticipates Neo Prog, also if not Prog. Strange that this type of music was more Prog respect to 80's Kansas!

This debut album is fresh and innovative for 80's music. In my view Asia is that type of bands who hate or love. I love Asia because in first phase Asia is the result of 4 genius and their magic inerpretations of Rock and POP. Not in my view a new vision of Prog but vision of music for Progsters. It is true that Asia not plays true Prog because in 1982 Prog is not a succesful genre. But Asia is a band formed by 4 genius, I repeat. I Do not have a preferred song. All the songs sound at the same level in my mind. "Heat Of The Moment", "Sole Survivor", "One Step Closer", "Wildest Dreams", "Cutting It Fine" and "Here Comes The Feeling", for various reasons, are the songs that that are more imprinted in my mind. The magic, power and feeling that "Asia" in general emanates is gives in me pleasure in listening to the album.

In general "Asia" is an album of AOR but for Progsters. Asia, not only for line-up, is the AOR bands more close to Prog. And the bands that open the listeners for Neo Prog.