Asia

Asia in Asia: Live at The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983 (2022)

 

  1. Introduction from Mark Goodman (MTV)
  2. Time Again
  3. The Heat Goes On
  4. Here Comes the Feeling
  5. Eye to Eye
  6. Steve Howe Solo (Sketches in the Sun)
  7. Only Time Will Tell
  8. Open Your Eyes
  9. Geoffrey Downes Solo (Ihiri - The Setting Sun / Bolero)
  10.The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
  11.Wildest Dreams
  12.Carl Palmer (Solo)
  13.Heat of the Moment
  14.Sole Survivor
  15.Here Comes The Feeling
  16.Sole Survivor
  17.Only Time Will Tell
  18.Heat of the Moment
      

It remains something of a historical oddity that Asia—a band whose meteoric rise had already begun to falter—was granted the distinction of starring in MTV’s first-ever televised concert. The year was 1983, and while the music video network was still in its infancy, Asia was already in the throes of internal discord and commercial regression. Their triumphant 1982 debut had been followed by Alpha, a sophomore effort that, while not without its moments, failed to meet the expectations set by its predecessor. Compounding matters was the departure (or dismissal) of frontman John Wetton, whose absence was both unexplained and glaring. In his place stepped Greg Lake—he of Emerson, Lake & Palmer—a substitution that, while theoretically sound, never quite ignited the spark Asia sorely needed.

One might assume that such a unique configuration—a supergroup temporarily merging with another prog-rock heavyweight—would yield a compelling live document. Alas, Asia in Asia is, in almost every respect, a disappointment.

The most immediate flaw is the sound quality. The opening number, Time Again, is presented in mono—a baffling decision for a live concert broadcast in the television age, let alone preserved for album release decades later. The result is an experience that feels stifled and sonically claustrophobic. One could forgive such a flaw had it been corrected swiftly, but even as the mix improves slightly with subsequent tracks, the recording never escapes its initial impression of thinness and muddle.

Then there is the tracklist. At first glance, the listing appears generous: eighteen tracks in total. But closer inspection reveals three solo pieces, a spoken-word introduction from MTV's Mark Goodman, and an inexplicable duplication of tracks 15 through 18. This leaves a core set of approximately ten songs—hardly enough to justify the presentation of this as a major live release. The solos themselves—while competent and occasionally impressive—feel more like padding than performance highlights, and the repetition only adds to the sense of hasty assembly.

Greg Lake’s substitution for Wetton is perhaps the least problematic element. His voice, while distinct, approximates Wetton’s delivery well enough that the difference is only apparent to the most dedicated listener. In another context, Lake’s performance might have been more welcome. But here, caught in a transitional moment between band turmoil and media spectacle, his presence feels more like a placeholder than a partnership.

Ultimately, Asia in Asia is less a document of musical prowess than a relic of misplaced optimism—an ill-timed convergence of a band in decline and a network seeking a defining live moment. It is telling that the band, reunited in its classic formation years later, would release Fantasia: Live in Tokyo—a more assured, if still imperfect, recording that cast this earlier effort into even starker relief.

For completists, Asia in Asia may offer some minor archival interest, particularly as a snapshot of early MTV ambition. For the casual listener or critical historian, however, it is best viewed as a missed opportunity and a mildly embarrassing footnote in the band's live catalogue. One suspects that both the band and the network have long since moved on from it—and with good reason.

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