ASIA Announces New Album And Tour by Chris Akin
Thirty years after its eponymous debut album, ASIA ascended to the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart (where the album remained No.1 for 9 consecutive weeks). The legendary British classic rock band returns with a new studio album, a 30th Anniversary edition of their debut album, two DVDs, and a world tour that includes UK, Europe, Japan and America.
ASIA will release their new studio album XXX (pronounced Triple X) via Frontiers Records, on Monday July 2nd. The new album, produced by Mike Paxman, has been hailed as ASIA's best album since its classic early 80s releases. The album will be released on CD, collector's edition CD/DVD (featuring new music videos and behind the scenes footage), and on a limited edition vinyl.
The first single taken from the highly anticipated new album is entitled 'Face On The Bridge', released digitally worldwide on Monday May 14th. See video below.
"We're very pleased with, and confident about, XXX," says John Wetton. "It encapsulates, lyrically and instrumentally, the essence of the band today. However, it is the very same four people that gave you the original, iconic album 30 years ago. If you loved it then, you will love it now."
Says Asia's guitarist, Steve Howe; "We wanted to recapture the energy of the first album, ASIA has always been about great songs, fantastic musicianship and I am sure fans of the first album, will fall in love with XXX."
In addition ASIA has also completed Resonance, a DVD concert film of the group's 2010/2011 Omega World Tour, captured live in Switzerland which will be released subsequently.
To celebrate their 30th Anniversary, ASIA will release a collector's edition box set based on their legendary 1982 eponymous debut album, supported by a myriad of ASIA releases in 2012.
The 30th anniversary edition of their debut album will feature two audio CDs (a re-mastered edition of the debut album, plus a CD of live rare tracks), an expansive historical booklet, a limited edition ASIA T-shirt, goodies from ASIA's 1982 tour, plus a DVD of the new band documentary: ASIA - 30 Years On. A newly commissioned painting by Roger Dean updates the symbolic dragon and pearl from 1982 to 2012, the Year of The Water Dragon (in the Chinese calendar).
Confirmed tour dates so far include:
October
17 - Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie
18 - Boston, MA - Wilbur Theater
19 - Westbury, NY - Westbury Theater
20 - Philadelphia, PA - Keswick
21 - Wilmington, DE - Opera House
23 - Syracuse, NY - Turning Stone Casino
25 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
26 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
27 - NY, NY - Best Buy Theater
28 - York, PA - Strand Capital
Asia 2012:
Geoff Downes – keyboards
Steve Howe – guitars
Carl Palmer – drums
John Wetton – bass and vocals
