Asia Reunion Far From Sure Thing

Previously in this space, I rather misanthropically grumbled about the usual preponderance of retro rock tours scheduled for this summer. In too many cases, such reunions spring from the most cynical, bottom-line reasons imaginable, and as someone who is appreciative of a wide swath of '80s music I hate to see the music cheapened.

However, in the case of '80s supergroup Asia, the biggest question may not be why the band has planned to reunite but whether or not it will ever happen. If you're a follower of this hook-laden prog rock band, you may remember that a similar announcement of an impending reunion was made back in 1999 to no avail. Apparently, internal tensions helped sever the original group (John Wetton, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, and Carl Palmer) back in 1983, after only the band's second album. The original members haven't all played together since.

As much cynicism as we might be able to cast at the idea of reforming, it would be nice to hear the lineup once again that produced '80s rock classics like "Heat of the Moment," "Only Time Will Tell," and "Don't Cry." Can the band members fuse together and recreate the magic, albeit shortlived, that fueled those unique guitar-heavy prog pop tunes? Stay tuned to all the individual members' websites, and hope for news that doesn't conflict.

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Geffen Records