John Payne and Erik Norlander are back together and will be releasing a album as Dukes of the Orient that is ten years in the making.
is this the long awaited Asia featuring John Payne album under a new name?
wonder if Erik put his foot down on being a new band. glad hes finally gonna release some new music!
I'll believe it when I see it.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Release date: 23rd Feb on Frontiers records, apparently.
Name change out of respect for John Wetton & for clarity with the original Asia.
So after abandoning GPS for the sake of exploiting the name of a band for the sake of bigger exposure and more gigs, and then discovering that didn't pan out, and then seeing the lead singer and chief song co-writer of said exploited band pass away, only THEN does John Payne decide to give up the "Asia" farce and release something new... under a different name. Which they could have done as GPS ten years ago, no harm, no foul.
Oh well. I'll give it a chance. But what a way to waste ten years of potential goodwill!
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
Dukes of the Orient -- get it?
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
This answers some of the questions
http://www.dukesoftheorient.com/
Payne still has the hat.
Unfortunately, I do.Originally Posted by Paulrus
Great pic at link!
It's been a ridiculously long time coming. Parts of this album began as Asia when Downes was still in the band, then it had a very long period as an Asia Featuring John Payne project. I think it's for the best that it comes out under its own name, although it's unclear whether Payne will keep the AFJP name and the original Asia set list for live work. Norlander left AFJP, so is he back working with Payne, or are they just releasing the album?
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Payne needs to give up on the Asia thing. It's more irrelevant than ever, at this point.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Ok, I don't get the name. Someone please explain. Something to do with Asia and...?
"John Payne - 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. That said we went the extra mile in the last year to make it something new. And yes it is full of delightful analog keys by Mr Erik Norlander !"
"Dukes of the Orient - The only permanent members are John & Erik; augmented with guests as needed. The door is open to everyone from our collective musical communities."
"Dukes of the Orient - Americana has evolved into Dukes of the Orient"
"Dukes of the Orient - For the sound, imagine the JP-era Asia music mixed with the Erik Norlander solo albums, and that gets you pretty close."
"John Payne - Asia Featuring JP still tours and has dates in 2018 as does The Rock Pack. However ‘Dukes’ has been in the works for some time as has its own unique AOR/PROG sound. Enjoy."
"Dukes of the Orient - AFJP is still current and touring, as is The Rock Pack. However 'Dukes' will be very active in 2018."
"Dukes of the Orient - it’s a different band. John will continue with AFJP but Erik is not involved."
"John Payne - Strange Days will indeed be on the album. Interestingly I️t features Guthrie Govan as a guest."
"Dukes of the Orient - The label is indeed planning a vinyl version which will be wonderful for Rodney's cover art. Select tour dates are in the planning stages."
On February 23, 2018, we will release the self-titled debut album from Dukes of the Orient!
Who is Dukes Of The Orient? Well, it is what you get when you match a Brit from London who loves American AOR with an American from California who grew up on British Prog! Dukes of the Orient is the masterful pairing of vocalist John Payne (ASIA Featuring John Payne, GPS) with keyboardist Erik Norlander (Last In Line, Lana Lane) who now present their eponymous debut album, ten years in the making.
The two are backed by a world-renown ensemble of top musicians including Jeff Kollman, Guthrie Govan, Moni Scaria and Bruce Bouillet on guitar and Jay Schellen on drums. Payne provides bass guitar and additional lead and rhythm guitar parts to complete the audiophile production. The album was mixed on a traditional analog console to preserve and enhance the natural depth, clarity and soul of the tracks with great care taken to avoid over-compression, extreme equalization and distortion.
More details and the first taste of music coming in January!
1. Brother In Arms
2. Strange Days
3. Amor Vincit Omnia
4. Time Waits For No One
5. A Sorrow’s Crown
6. Fourth Of July
7. Seasons Will Change
8. Give Another Reason
PRODUCED BY: John Payne
STUDIO: ADA Recording Studios (Las Vegas, NV), Think Tank Media (Placerville, CA) and Ocean Studios (Burbank, CA)
RECORDED BY: John Payne and Erik Norlander
MIXED BY: John Payne
MASTERED BY: Joe Bozzi (Bernie Grundman Mastering)
BAND MEMBERS: John Payne (vocals, bass, guitars) and Erik Norlander (keyboards)
'
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Dukes.of...=page_internal
No parts of this album was developed with Downes. The music that Payne developed for Asia "Architects of Time" became material recorded for GPS album.
Not all it. It was reported at the time that some of the material from the 2005/6 Asia sessions not used by GPS was being used in the AFJP album project. Whether any of that material was retained all the way until now, I don't know, but the project has a direct lineage.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Thanks for all that! What I read into it is that maybe Norlander said no to the AFJP format.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
I think that's it: Asia -> Orient. Nothing else.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Wise move not to use AFJP. I've been enjoying the GPS acoustic DVD recently, mostly for Govan's amazing playing, but it does hit home that Payne is a pretty darn good AOR songwriter. SO I will look forward to this; nice that it's finally happening.
There might be a slight reference to Dukes of Stratosfear.... since that was an "alternate" version of XTC, this is an "alternate" version of "Asia."
"Arf." -- Frank Zappa, "Beauty Knows No Pain" (live version)
GPS was an acronym for govan/payne/schellen (with ryo okumoto on keys, effectively replacing geoff downes). “ASIA featuring JP” was a compensational deal between his estate and the original band when GD quit to regroup with wetton/howe/palmer. this doesn't make things any merrier, but anyway.
In speaking with Norlander he confirmed that all the of material for the Dukes of the Orient album (which was originally intended for the AFJP album "Americana") came from writing sessions between himself and John Payne post 2007. All the songs are credited to Payne/Norlander, nothing came over from any ASIA sessions.
Is that you, Erik? Waiting for the next album in the tradition of Threshold and Seas of Orion.
Thanks for the info.
But how can Norlander know whether an idea Payne brought to those sessions didn't date back to earlier? You'd need Payne to comment on that.
Henry
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
We share similar names but I'm not Erik Norlander. I think he has an account here but I don't think he comes here very often.
Have you heard his 2016 album Surreal? I enjoyed it immensely.
Is that you, Erik? Waiting for the next album in the tradition of Threshold and Seas of Orion.
Apparently the album cover by Rodney Matthews:
Their tails are snakes?
https://www.rodneymatthewsstudios.co...-of-the-orient
"Hi folks - I am really excited about our forthcoming album release on February 23, 2018. This work has been a long time coming. John and I started writing this music back around this time in 2007. It was originally intended for AFJP, but as John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." So now behold the Dukes! We have spent 2017 finishing the recordings, even re-tracking some older keyboard, guitar and vocal parts for more analog goodness, and the full analog mix sounds absolutely beautiful. I can't wait for you all to hear it. Happy Holidays to all! Cheers, Erik (keyboarder)"
"This is indeed the album that was at one time going to be called "Americana." This year John and I did a lot more work on it as I mentioned and perhaps ultimately took it in a slightly different direction as a result. I left AFJP in 2014, but John continues to play live dates with his current version of the AFJP band, and I believe they have some shows booked for 2018. I'm not a part of that, but of course I wish them well. The Dukes are a totally separate band. Cheers, Erik (keyboarder)"
I'm looking forward to Lana Lane's lead vocals on the album.
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