InTheStudio.net, the web home for North American syndicated rock radio show InTheStudio With Redbeard: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands, unwraps an early ‘80s album from a band composed of ‘70s progressive rock royalty.

All to often the stars of one decade fade into the dawn of another, but that was not the case for Asia, a band comprised of Emerson, Lake and Palmer drummer Carl Palmer; YES guitarist Steve Howe; Buggles vid-kid, keyboardist Geoff Downes and King Crimson/ Roxy Music/ UK singer, bassist the late John Wetton. Asia’s self-titled 1982 debut featured the # 1 hit “Heat Of The Moment” and additional hits “Only Time Will Tell”, “Wildest Dreams”, “Sole Survivor” and “Here Comes The Feeling”. The members of Asia express to InTheStudio host Redbeard, in this classic episode, their purpose for forming the band and their amazement at both the critical and commercial response.

“The frame of mind I was in, I was hoping that I would enter into a situation that was a song oriented band rather than any long conceptual pieces, because I’d been playing that for a nine year period.” - Carl Palmer

“They (British music industry) were much more concerned with the visual image of a band then the musical identity of it. In that respect I think we were against the grain.” - Geoff Downes

“We fell into a musical climate that everybody thought was outdated at the time, I think. Which is why the press, was so pro this “new wave” were against us right from the beginning... before we’d even put the record out... Within two weeks of its (album) release, it was inside the Top 10 of Billboard, which is virtually unheard of.”  - John Wetton

Listen to the show at this location.