Why were Asia rubbish? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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spectral

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Topic: Why were Asia rubbish?
Posted: June 17 2005 at 10:50

Given their pedigree, why were they crap?

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The Hemulen View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:02

Lord knows, but they certainly were terrible.

barbs

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:07

When you listen to them it sounds like they were deliberately trying to construct the music to suit a popular mainstream market and thats never going to come off good for anyone who listens to music on this site. they did have some success in those markets to so their strategy worked to that degree.

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:20

Money

Blacksword View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:21

They were a group of talented musicians writing songs for the mainstream to make pots of cash - like they needed it!

I think they were little more than a cynical project. I dont think they made partiulaly bad pop music, but when you know what they were capable of, its hard to take their music seriously. They were very clever; reeling proggers in with those saucy Roger Dean covers, only to get home and find that they had purchased something that sounded like a cross between Howard Jones and REO Speedwagon

Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!

bluetailfly View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:22

barbs wrote:

When you listen to them it sounds like they were deliberately trying to construct the music to suit a popular mainstream market and thats never going to come off good for anyone who listens to music on this site. they did have some success in those markets to so their strategy worked to that degree.

Yes, that would be my question. Having heard nothing but the FM radio hits (and thinking them pretty bland), do they succeed in writing some interesting stuff given their self-imposed constraints? And if not, what is weak about it? I mean, pop can be fantastic, so where do they fall down?

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Trotsky

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:33

I've often wondered whether I would have hated Asia without the expectation that came from knowing who was in the band ...

After all I'm sure a vast majority of people on this site/forum were prog converts by the time they first heard Asia ... either the older crowd who were proggers in the 70s, or the retrospective ones like myself, although considering I started listening to pop seriously in around 1984, I narrowly missed catching Asia at its prime ... As a result when I first heard Asia I was still hoping to catch some interesting glimpses of a blend of Yes, KC, ELP and even UK ...

I'm somebody who enjoyed Genesis 80s pop when it came out, and I wonder what it would be like to hear Asia purely on its own merits ...

As it is I totally agree with Blacksword about the blatant cynicism ...

Edited by Trotsky

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tuxon

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:45

From a pop perspective only the first album was good, even brilliant. After that they lost both their pop-appeal, as their progressive roots, which was still present in their debut album.

Had they like Genesis succeeded with more than one album, I could respect that, but they sold out to make as much money as they would have if they stopped with Asia after the debut, and went back to progresive rock.

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gdub411

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 11:54

Perhaps they just wanted to show everyone they could make popular music if they so chose. Perhaops after the 1st lp, music moved into a direction that pop wise they couldn't relate to and lost touch with the youth. They weren't getting younger after all....

or maybe they were just a bunch of sellouts who really weren't as talented as we would have liked to think.

spectral

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 12:14

gdub411 wrote:

or maybe they were just a bunch of sellouts who really weren't as talented as we would have liked to think.

the latter without doubt.

"...misty halos made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine."

Moogtron III View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 12:51

tuxon wrote:

From a pop perspective only the first album was good, even brilliant. After that they lost both their pop-appeal, as their progressive roots, which was still present in their debut album.

I agree

NetsNJFan

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 12:58

cause it was 1982 mainly.....and Howe and Palmer were not given nearly enough influence

Retrovertigo View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 14:52

I heard some Asia on the radio last night, I'll agree, it was crap. But why were they brought up here?

The Hemulen View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 15:03

Retrovertigo wrote:

I heard some Asia on the radio last night, I'll agree, it was crap. But why were they brought up here?

All the original members were from highly respected prog bands. It was a real travesty of a project.

Retrovertigo View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 15:10

Trouserpress wrote:

All the original members were from highly respected prog bands. It was a real travesty of a project.

Ah, I see. Sorry about being so new, haha.

Tony Fisher View Drop Down

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 15:46

Say what you like about the later albums, the first one was damned good. From then on .......Oh God!!

Snow Dog

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 15:52

Asia weren't rubbish. It depends if you like that sort of thing. I was really dissapointed with the second album and lost interest!
Later I bought Aqua which isn't to bad. I have no problem enjoying Prog and other styles. Asia are kinda Proggy AOR very well done!

Under

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 16:00

Asia is that band from the song Heat of the moment, isn''t it?

Hmmmm, they are very low on my list "still to listening". Just above Engelbert Humperdinck.

Snow Dog wrote:

Later I bought Aqua which isn't to bad. I have no problem enjoying Prog and other styles. Asia are kinda Proggy AOR very well done!

Aqua from Barby Girl?

Snow Dog

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 16:11

Under wrote:

Asia is that band from the song Heat of the moment, isn''t it?

Hmmmm, they are very low on my list "still to listening". Just above Engelbert Humperdinck.

Snow Dog wrote:

Later I bought Aqua which isn't to bad. I have no problem enjoying Prog and other styles. Asia are kinda Proggy AOR very well done!

Aqua from Barby Girl?

No its Barbie Girl from Aqua! Yes thats the one!

I must admit I don't listen to Asia anymore either!

raindance

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Posted: June 17 2005 at 16:18

Prog in 1980's was almost non-existent & there was very little money to be made from it. Remember record labels speak & the bands have to listen. Geffen wanted a multi-selling album with hit singles & Asia delivered. Whether you like it or not is your oppinion but the first album is great IMHO. They only went on to make two more decent albums, i.e. Aqua & Archiva 2.

Let's also remember that many bands were guilty of taking a more radio freindly route, i.e. Journey, REO Speedwagon, Kansas & Styx to name a few. These bands late 70's & early 80's albums are a far cry from their earlier progressive beginnings, so it's totally unfair to single out Asia

Edited by raindance