From the band's website, great news! Also, I'll be seeing them again in Collingswood,NJ a mere 10 minutes from my house in April-their shows I've seen on the reunion tour were outstanding. See them if you can-this is the real deal.

ASIA ANNOUNCE NEW STUDIO ALBUM AND 2008 TOUR DATES:
Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer & John Wetton announce the release of a brand new Asia studio album on Frontiers Records. World Tour announced.

Asia, the first legendary super group to emerge with the dawn of the MTV-age, reunited in 2006 with its original line-up.
The founding members Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and John Wetton all had experiences in Classic Rock icons such as Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and The Buggles, and released one of the most enduring and commercially successful debuts of all time. Simply entitled Asia, the album stayed at the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 album chart for an astounding 9 weeks in 1982. Only a handful of albums such as Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" have been #1 on the Billboard charts for a longer time.
Asia celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the debut album's release with a World Tour that brought more than 70 successful dates. During their time and work together, the four musicians began to write new songs and, in the summer 2007, they started working on the recording of a brand new all original studio album.
The natural choice for the band was to sign a worldwide deal with Frontiers Records, the Italian label which has a solid trademark for quality, enthusiasm and professionalism in Classic Rock Music.
"Our initial optimism was more than rewarded by the enthusiasm of our fans" says, John Wetton. Adds Geoff Downes: "It's great finally to give some new music to those Asia fans who have remained with us patiently all these years".
"There is a certain chemistry and energy that comes out when the four of us are working together and the new material reflects this", says drummer Carl Palmer. "This is the REAL ASIA", states guitarist Steve Howe "and the new album will be the landmark of our enthusiasm and pleasure to work together again".
Geoff Downes concludes: "We've all remained dedicated to our craft of making compelling and powerful music. After many years apart, I think we all have a new and very fresh attitude to the music. I am looking forward to playing the new songs on stage."
Recording is well underway with a commercial release scheduled for April 2008. The new album will also see the return of Roger Dean who will provide one of his paintings for the cover art.

Asia has already announced a new UK Tour in March 2008, where they will be showcasing the songs from the yet untitled album for the first time. More tour dates are being settled in the USA and Japan for the rest of the spring 2008, with a full European tour to follow.
Weblinks: http://www.originalasia.com / http://www.frontiers.it / http://www.myspace.com/frontiersrecords.

Currently listed Asia tour dates are (USA & Japan):
April 1 Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Performance Theater
April 4 Wilkes Barre, PA - Kirby PAC
April 5 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Casino Wolf Den
April 8 Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
April 9 Ridgefield, CT - Playhouse
April 10 Collingswood, NJ - Scottish Rite Auditorium
April 12 Westbury, NY - North Fork Theatre
April 13 Peekskill, NY - Paramount Center For The Arts
April 15 Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort & Casino
April 16 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Theatre
April 17 Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center
April 19 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
April 20 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
April 21 Indianapolis, IN - Music Mill
April 23 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
April 27 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
April 29 Espanola NM - Big Rock Casino
April 30 Phoenix, AZ - Celebrity Theatre
May 2 Agoura Hills, CA - Canyon Club
May 3 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
May 4 San Juan Capistrano, CA - The Coach House
May 8 Fukuoka, Japan - Shimin Kaikan
May 9 Osaka, Japan - Koseinenkin Kaikan
May 11 Nagoya, Japan - Shimin Kaikan
May 12 Tokyo, Japan - International Forum

---

1. Never Again
2. Nothing's Forever
3. Heroine
4. Sleeping Giant / No Way Back / Reprise
5. Alibis
6. I Will Remember You
7. Shadow Of A Doubt
8. Parallel Worlds / Vortex / Deya
9. Wish I'd Known All Along
10. Orchard Of Mines
11. Over And Over
12. An Extraordinary Life

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154GEFU/?tag=imwan-20

Go back to Yes, Howe!!!

I see they'll be back in Westbury next April!

Big Asia fan I see?

Simply entitled Asia, the album stayed at the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 100 album chart for an astounding 9 weeks in 1982. Only a handful of albums such as Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" have been #1 on the Billboard charts for a longer time.

Somebody doesn't know what they're talking about. Dark Side was at #1 for one week. Maybe they meant The Wall, which was at the top for 15 weeks?

Rumours, Purple Rain, and Saturday Night Fever were the juggernauts.

What was most impressive about "Asia" spending 9 weeks at #1, is that it hit #1 3 different times.
The album sold over 10 million worldwide, nearly half of that in the US. Asia lost out the Grammy for Best New Artists Of The Year to Men At Work who I also love. I miss 1982. And my Intellevision.

Wow. And I recall the music industry was in the doldrums at the time, but MTV started to change that.

I wonder if they're going to title the album with a word beginning with "A"? "Alpha", "Astra", "Aqua", etc.

Not just starts with "A" but also ends with "A". Even their 2-CD comp was titled Anthologia.

Kind of like America having "most" of the records start with the letter "H". I think that makes it fun.

Except 2004's "Silent Nation", of course. That line-up was also in the midst of a new album tentatively called "Architects of Time" which was to have been released in 2006, but was thwarted by the reunion of the original line-up.

I'm very much looking forward to a new album from the original line-up, but I hate to see the work of the Downes/Payne years diminished. A lot of it is very good, and frankly, that line-up produced more music.

Ageia

According to the band's website, they have announced that the new album is called "Phoenix". I asuume that means the Asia phoenix is rising. Get it? They will also be playing songs from the album on the upcoming tour. Looks like the album is due out in April sometime. Roger Dean should do a cool cover for that one.
Phoenix was also a kick-ass video game in the 80s!

Glad to see some new material is coming from the REAL Asia. Sorry, but John Payne belongs in a special place of hell that he can share with Brian Howe (fake Bad Co.), and the garbage that now tours with the Guess Who name.

Glad to see some new material is coming from the REAL Asia. Sorry, but John Payne belongs in a special place of hell that he can share with Brian Howe (fake Bad Co.), and the garbage that now tours with the Guess Who name.

Ouch! I love Asia and there's nothing like the real thing, but there was some good (and very bad) stuff during the John Payne years. However, I met the man many times and had the pleasure of going out to dinner and spending a whole day with him and Geoff Downes, and John is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. He's also really talented (a very good guitarist, bassist, singer, writer, producer)-he just never stood a chance in replacing John Wetton. He doesn't deserve to be in Hell, I'll tell you that much!
Of course I agree with you that Asia are really only the original four guys and it's awesome they're back, but c'mon, give John Payne a break!

As soon as he refunds the money I spent for Aqua.

Some more info on the new album "Phoenix" from Asia's website-sounds like it's really going to be good.

Geoff, Steve, Carl and John have been busy in the studio, adding finishing touches to their new CD "Phoenix", the first studio album from the band's members since 1983. Eagerly anticipated by fans all over the world, "Phoenix" contains an eclectic selection of songs bound by the unique Asia trade mark.

In 1982, Asia's inimitable sound underpinned a 9 week domination at of USA's Billboard charts. Only a couple of acts have been at number 1 for longer. The band confirms that "Phoenix" has been influenced by the same fusion of talents and heritages which so excited the world in 1982.

"Phoenix" will include rockers such as "Never Again" and "Nothing's Forever", power ballads such as "Heroine" and "I Will Remember You" and a couple of mini-epics too, among a dozen new songs.

The Asia reunion was temporarily rocked when lead singer / bassist John Wetton underwent an emergency triple heart by-pass in August last year. John was inspired to write "An Extraordinary Life", based on such personal events, which have made the concept of Carpe Diem dramatically pertinent.

The band is pleased that after 5 months in the studio writing and preparing the album, it will be delivered to Frontiers on time, ready for an April release, though the world tour which starts in March will feature a couple of the new songs.

It's still only 4/5 of Asia in my book without Mike Stone. He will be sorely missed I'm afraid. My hope is that there is enough talent in the band to still produce a decent record but "Icon" doesn't give me too much hope.

Anticipatia

Got my tix for the May 3 show at House of Blues, Vegas! 8th row!!!!

Hope the new album is out on time, too!

How 'bout the cover of Grand Funk Railroad's "Phoenix"? Now that was a cool cover. Only avg lp though. Sure hope they hit Atlanta. The Eagles are starting their new tour here at a brand new ampitheater but at $185 plus $19.40 surcharge, well they can kiss it.

Asia was to play in Vancouver in the fall of 1982, but the tour was cancelled in the summer. Too bad they don't got back and play the dates they didn't play back then. I have their first three cds. If the reviews are for the most part positive, I will be picking this cd up.