Home News Classic Rock News Asia celebrating 40th anniversary with box set featuring band’s 2000s reunion albums

Asia celebrating 40th anniversary with box set featuring band’s 2000s reunion albums

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BMG Records

British prog-rock supergroup Asia formed 40 years ago, and to commemorate the milestone, a box set gathering the work that the band did when its original lineup reunited during the 2000s will be released on June 11.

The Reunion Albums: 2007-2012 is a five-CD collection that features the 2007 concert album Fantasia: Live in Tokyo, and the group's three subsequent studio albums — 2008's Phoenix, 2010's Omega and 2012's XXX.

In 2006, Asia's four founding members — singer/bassist John Wetton, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Carl Palmer and keyboardist Geoff Downes — got back together for the first time since 1984 to celebrate their 25th anniversary with a world tour. Live in Tokyo was recorded during the trek, and featured Asia showcasing songs from its first two albums — 1982's self-titled effort and 1983's Alpha — as well as select tunes from the band members' other famous groups: King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and The Buggles.

Asia went on the record a trio of albums over the next few year — the aforementioned Phoenix, Omega and XXX — and toured regularly during that period.

Palmer said of Asia's reunion albums, "The chemistry and energy that comes out when the four of us are working together, is reflected in the new material."

The Reunion Albums: 2007-2012 features packaging with artwork by famed prog-rock artist Roger Dean, who designed all of Asia's original album covers.

Howe left Asia in 2013 and Wetton passed away on 2017, but Asia has continued on with Downes and Palmer. The band's current lineup also features Yes bassist Billy Sherwood and ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal.

You can pre-order The Reunion Albums: 2007-2012 box set now.

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