Asia - Acoustic & Electric (2008)

The group's debut album, ASIA, was released 26 years ago in 1982, and remains one of only 4 albums in history to stay at the Billboard album chart position of #1 for a staggering nine weeks! Formed at the dawn of the MTV era, ASIA was the first super group of the 1980s, featuring members from Yes, Emerson Lake & Palmer, King Crimson and The Buggles. Videos made for the band's first two albums, Asia and Alpha, were a staple part of the historic music channel's initial programming. ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC captures the best of Asia featuring Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Carl Palmer and John Payne. The material on this disc spans several phases of the band's career, but listening to it, clearly Asia went a long to defining the rock sound of the 1980s. The Asia concept surely is about virtuoso musicianship, strong and instantly accessible American Rock choruses, and finely crafted songs.