Greg Lake speaks of Yes!

[GuitarGeek]

Okay, I love the first Asia album! Do you realize what music was making the rounds back then? The Asia record was a drink of cold water in the middle of a musical desert!

I take it you're weren't too enthralled with synth pop, Tattoo You, It's Hard, or Creatures Of The Night, huh?

I don't think any era, up until the early 90's anyway, was bad as a lot of people make it out to be. There was crappy music in every era, and there was good music too. It was only in the 90's that the good stuff got eclipsed by the crap.

[trurl]

Did they even try?


I bet they could have, if they tried.

http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ...rings.beatles/

[Mister Triscuits]

They couldn't make a movie of Lord Of The Rings.

Are you sure? Seems to me they did make a movie about a dangerous villain trying to retrieve a ring from the shortest member of the fellowship, er, band!

[GuitarGeek]

Are you sure? Seems to me they did make a movie about a dangerous villain trying to retrieve a ring from the shortest member of the fellowship, er, band!

I think "dangerous villain" is putting it a bit harshly. This isn't James Bond, ya know. More like a mostly incompetent villain, kinda like the villains on The Venture Brothers (speaking of which, first episode of new season premieres in 5 minutes...well, on the east coast it does, anyway).

[Jeremy Bender]

Okay, I love the first Asia album! Do you realize what music was making the rounds back then?

Asia formed in 1981, the first album came out in 1982. During that time....

Echo & The Bunnymen had released two excellent albums of neo-psychedelia, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here
U2 had released Boy and October and were getting ready to release War in early 1983
Simple Minds had put out the fantastic Empires and Dance, the Steve Hillage-produced Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call, the excellent New Gold Dream; their best album, Sparkle in the Rain came out in 1984
New Order rose from the ashes of the great Joy Division (RIP Ian Curtis) to release Movement and Power, Corruption and Lies
The Smiths had formed, releasing the great Hand in Glove/Handsome Devil single, further glories on the horizon
REM released the awesome Radio Free Europe in 1981, their widely influential first album in 1983, going on to be one of the great American bands
XTC released the great albums Black Sea (1980) and English Settlement
Talking Heads had Remain In Light, which was very influential
INXS released Shabooh Shoobah, the first in a run of excellent albums
OMD was releasing great singles like Enola Gay and Joan of Arc, plus a string of very interesting albums

etc. etc. Outside of the prog bubble, there was a LOT of great music happening in the early 80's.

The Asia record was a drink of cold water in the middle of a musical desert!

Or: it was an embarrassment for fans of the members former bands, a slick, over-produced record largely driven by the record company that fit in with other slick, over-produced bands like Boston.

Mileage varies, of course.

[NogbadTheBad]

Add to that Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Dire Straits, Roxy Music, Laurie Anderson, Rush.

I'd put Magnum - Chase The Dragon ahead of Asia personally.

[Paulrus]

Echo & The Bunnymen
U2
Simple Minds
New Order
The Smiths
REM
XTC
Talking Heads
INXS
OMD

Out of all these bands, U2 is the only one I own anything by.

Mileage varies, of course.

You got that right.

[GuitarGeek]

Asia formed in 1981, the first album came out in 1982. During that time....

Echo & The Bunnymen had released two excellent albums of neo-psychedelia, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here
U2 had released Boy and October and were getting ready to release War in early 1983
Simple Minds had put out the fantastic Empires and Dance, the Steve Hillage-produced Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call, the excellent New Gold Dream; their best album, Sparkle in the Rain came out in 1984
New Order rose from the ashes of the great Joy Division (RIP Ian Curtis) to release Movement and Power, Corruption and Lies
The Smiths had formed, releasing the great Hand in Glove/Handsome Devil single, further glories on the horizon
REM released the awesome Radio Free Europe in 1981, their widely influential first album in 1983, going on to be one of the great American bands
XTC released the great albums Black Sea (1980) and English Settlement
Talking Heads had Remain In Light, which was very influential
INXS released Shabooh Shoobah, the first in a run of excellent albums
OMD was releasing great singles like Enola Gay and Joan of Arc, plus a string of very interesting albums

I'll add:
The Church: Of Skins And Heart came out in 81, The Blurred Crusade in early 82, Singsongs in late 82.
Rainbow: Difficult To Cure in 81, Straight Between The Eyes in 82
Duran Duran: first album in 81, Rio in 82
Iron Maiden: Killers in 81, Number Of The Beast in 82
Judas Priest: Screaming For Vengeance in 82

and so on.

[bondegezou]

Personally, I like Asia and OMD.

Henry

[NogbadTheBad]

Personally, I like Asia and OMD.

Henry

Well that's just weird.

[Jeremy Bender]

Add to that Kate Bush

D'oh! The Dreaming (1982) is a great album, she was "discovered" by David Gilmour and *gasp* side 2 of Hounds of Love is a concept piece!

Iron Maiden

Love Maiden, saw them twice back in their 80's heyday, Rime of the Ancient Mariner dude!

Judas Priest

Great band in the late 70's/early 80's, very influential, I'm sorry that I only saw them once.

Roxy Music

I think they ran out of steam after Country Life, but I know people who love Avalon and their smoother stuff like that.

Rush

Who?