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Asia biography

Asia returned to the studio in 1990 with Toto guitarist Steve Lukather and other musicians (see discography below) and released Then & Now, a best-of with 4 new tracks. Pat Thrall joined Downes, Palmer, and Wetton on tour and they performed classic material, including King Crimson and UK songs. The band toured the former Soviet Union in November 1990 to play in front of 20,000 fans on two sold out nights. "Days Like These" charted at #64 in 1990 and climbed all the way to #2 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. A video was planned but was scrapped because various problems hampered the single's chance at the Top 40. Asia received the RIAA Gold album award for Then and Now many years later, but the initial response was poor as the album failed to dent the Top 100. The decision not to tour the US for this album did not help any. A DVD and CD can be bought of the Asia concert in the USSR. John Wetton left in 1991 after a South American tour, disgusted by Asia's lack of success in the States. He went on to focus on recording solo albums, none of which would yield any hits.

The Payne Era

In 1991, vocalist/bassist John Payne joined the band and, together with Geoff Downes, enlisted new musicians and led Asia through to 2005. The first album with this line-up, Aqua (1992), also featuring Steve Howe and Carl Palmer (whose drum tracks were re-recorded from other works, to give the impression that three original members worked on the project), and former Alice Cooper, Danger Danger and then future Megadeth lead guitarist Al Pitrelli, was released on Great Pyramid/JRS Records in the US. Howe returned during the sessions having just left Yes again, but Palmer would leave soon, committing to an ELP reunion, and was able to play on just three songs. Session men then completed the drumming. Downes' environmentalist single "Who Will Stop The Rain?" (originally written for Max Bacon and the aborted Rain project, later appearing on Bacon's album From the Banks of the River Irwell) attracted some radio attention. The Aqua club tour featured Howe (whose presence was heavily promoted), who took the stage after the fifth song. The tour was successful enough to warrant the band's continuation. The 1992-93 tour featured Downes, Howe, Payne, guitarist Vinny Burns and drummer Trevor Thornton. Before a European festival tour in late 1993, Howe and Burns left and were replaced by guitarist Keith More. Payne acquitted himself on the tour, but many fans refused to support an Asia lineup without Wetton.

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