Asia (band)

Asia
Original lineup in 1982 From left to right: John Wetton, Carl Palmer, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe
Background information
Origin	England
Genres	Progressive rock,art rock,AOR,arena rock
Years active	1981–1986, 1989–present
Labels	Geffen, Great Pyramid, Musidisc, WEA Japan, Mayhem Recordings, Resurgence, Snapper, InsideOut, Frontiers, EMI America, King, Victor
Associated acts	Yes, GTR, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Qango, Wetton/Downes, GPS, Asia Featuring John Payne
Website	www.originalasia.com
Members	Geoff Downes Carl Palmer Sam Coulson
Past members	See: Personnel

Asia are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1981. The most commercially successful line-up was its original, which was a supergroup of four members of different progressive rock bands of the 1970s, including lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton of King Crimson, guitarist Steve Howe of Yes, keyboardist Geoff Downes of Yes and The Buggles, and drummer Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Their debut album, Asia, released in 1982, remains their best selling album and went to number one in several countries.

The band has undergone multiple lineup changes during its history, but in 2006, the original lineup reunited. As a result, a band called Asia Featuring John Payne exists as a continuation of John Payne's career as Asia's frontman from 1991 until Wetton's return in 2006. In 2013, the original line-up was broken once again when Howe retired from the band to focus on Yes and pursue other projects and was replaced by guitarist Sam Coulson. After several years of hiatus due to Wetton's health, he died of cancer on January 31, 2017.

Asia began in early 1981 with the apparent demise of Yes and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, two of the flagship bands of British progressive rock. After the break-up of King Crimson in 1974, various plans for a supergroup involving bassist John Wetton had been mooted, including the abortive British Bulldog project with Bill Bruford and Rick Wakeman in 1976. Wakeman left the project at the urging of management, according to Bruford. In 1977 Bruford and Wetton were reunited in U.K., augmented by guitarist Allan Holdsworth and keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson. Their self-titled debut was released in 1978. But by January 1980, U.K. had folded after one lineup change and three recordings. A new project was then suggested involving Wetton, Wakeman, drummer Carl Palmer and (then little known) guitarist/singer Trevor Rabin, but Wakeman also left this project shortly before they were due to sign to Geffen and before they had played together.