Your response will no doubt approximate Reverend Lovejoy’s: “Short answer: yes with a ‘but’, long answer: no with a ‘maybe’.” Nonetheless, here’s what’s been going on in the Asia camp on the cusp of their 25th anniversary…


(To preface this for anyone who didn’t know and might possibly care, Asia – yes, the ones responsible for providing the soundtrack [“Heat of the Moment”] to one of many funny moments within “The 40 Year Old Virgin” – has been together ever since they were founded in 1981…but, since about 1991, their lead singer has been not John Wetton but, rather, one John Payne. Oh, yeah, and Steve Howe hasn’t really been in the back since, say, ’93. But keyboardist extraordinaire (and former Buggle) Geoff Downes has remained a stalwart of the group, and they’ve continued recording and releasing albums to a decidedly smaller yet nonetheless still rabid fanbase.)

Downes, Payne, and the rest of the band had been working on their next album, Architect of Time, to release it during their anniversary year. Dates have been booked for an upcoming tour and all appears right with the world.

Suddenly, it’s announced that the original line-up of Asia – that’s John Wetton, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, and Carl Palmer – has decided to reunite and tour the world in celebration of that anniversary. It is abruptly determined that the new album – which has been hyped endlessly to the fans who’ve stuck with the band all this time – has been indeterminently shelved.

Yes, Downes, in effect, has said, “Hey, thanks for helping keep the band name going, jerks,” then kneed Payne and his fellow bandmates in the family jewels and walked away, whistling “Only Time Will Tell.”

Uh, metaphorically speaking, of course.

Whatever the case, it has now been announced that Payne and Downes have officially dissolved their partnership, with the remaining members of Asia starting a new band called ONE and releasing an album in May ’06…presumably consisting of the tunes that were almost finished for Architect of Time…with Ryo Okumoto from Spock’s Beard manning the keys.

I don’t know, man. As much as I’d like to see the original line-up of Asia, this just seems like some really shoddy maneuvering on Downes’ part. It’s like getting divorced, then getting re-married, but the moment your first wife says, “I never stopped loving you,” you kick your second wife to the curb.

Way uncool.

Rather, I suppose, like admitting you like Asia…