THEN & NOW

Maybe this album was more "a contractual obligation" with the record label, or maybe it was released in time with their reunion tour 1990-91. Also, the songs chosen for the Side One of the old L.P. (the "Then" Side) maybe were only chosen to demonstrate that Wetton and Downes were the real "Stars" of the band and the main composers of the Hits of the band. But the band couldn`t escape to Steve Howe`s "ghost" after he left, as his guitar playing style was not really substituted or even matched by other very good guest guitarists like Steve Lukather, Scott Gorham, etc. Some official recordings of their 1990-91 tour showed that without Howe the band couldn`t sound the same . Maybe if they knew then that a guitarist called Jimmy Haun (who re-recorded Howe`s parts in most of the ABWH songs in YES`"Union" album) could play "almost in the same style " as Howe`s, maybe they could have been more successful in their 1990-91 tour.

The best songs from the "Now" Side (Side Two of the L.P.) are "Days Like These", not composed by them, and "Summer Can`t Last Too Long". Both songs are good Pop Rock songs more similar to the style of their "Astra" album. I don`t know why they used "Song for America" to close Side Two, because this song from their "Astra" album wasn`t really a new song as it was previously released in late 1985.

It seems that this album is now out of print. Sales were not so good, I think.

It was confirmed some weeks ago that the original ASIA line-up (Downes, Howe, Palmer and Wetton) is going to do a reunior tour (starting in September) to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the formation of the band. It seems that, at last, Wetton and Howe are in good terms to play together again, at least for a tour only.