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Asia biography

Early Years

Asia's eponymous debut album, released in March 1982, received considerable commercial success, spending nine weeks at number one in the U.S. album chart and selling over 4 million copies in the US alone. The album sold over 10 million worldwide. The singles "Only Time Will Tell" (#17) and "Heat of the Moment" (#4) became huge Top 40 hits, with the latter cracking the Top Five, and remaining a stadium favourite at U.S. sporting events. "Sole Survivor" also received heavy air play on rock stations across the US, as did "Wildest Dreams". The band's best performing single, and perhaps their most recognized and popular hit song, "Heat Of The Moment", climbed to #4 on the American Top 40 (AT40) charts, having debuted on the AT40 on May 1, 1982, and spent a total of 12 weeks in the AT40. The four Asia hit singles which made the AT40 from 1982-83, are as follows, with their hightest chart position noted: "Heat Of The Moment" (#4); "Only Time Will Tell" (#17); "Don't Cry" (#10); "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes" (#34).

In the US, the band did extremely well, selling out every date on their debut tour, which began in theaters but quickly expanded into arenas because of high ticket demand. Asia would go on to receive a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist Of The Year. MTV also played Asia videos on heavy rotation....as many as 5 times a day. Billboard named the Asia debut as album of the year. Asia's logo and cover art were handled by famed illustrator Roger Dean of Yes and Uriah Heep fame.

However, neither the second nor any following Asia album repeated the chart success of the first. "Don't Cry" was a Top Ten single in the summer of 1983 and the video received considerable play on MTV, while "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", a fan favourite for John Wetton's vocal performance, charted inside of Billboard's top 40. The video for "Smile" also scored heavy MTV play. But Rolling Stone panned Alpha as an over-produced commercial album, while others lamented that Howe and Palmer were effectively reduced to session musicians. The tracks "Eye To Eye" and "My Own Time" became huge fan favourites. "Open Your Eyes" and "The Heat Goes On" became concert staples. Alpha received indifferent reviews from various critics, while still attaining platinum status. Alpha reached #6 on the USA Billboard album chart.

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