The archetypal progressive rock supergroup, Asia was formed in 1981 by Geoff
Downes (Yes, The Buggles), Steve Howe (Yes), John Wetton (King Crimson) and Carl
Palmer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer). Combining prog-rock virtuosity and
radio-friendly melodies, the band quickly achieved commercial success with their
self-titled debut album, Asia (1982), including the hit "Heat of the Moment".
The following album, Alpha (1983), continued their exploration of melodic rock
with singles such as "Don't Cry" and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", while its
successor, Astra (1985) explored a more exp...