Count Felix Begs Flaming by Reviewing Asia

To the typical Prog Rock fan, the existence of the group Asia is a horror. When you've got such esteemed Prog Rock alumni in one place (Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, John Wetton, and Geoff Downes), one would be more than in their right to cringe at the result. Asia, sent to stores in 1982, ended up being a pop rock album, and shamelessly so? What happened?

Well, though the pressures of commercialization hit this "supergroup" (and many other classic prog groups in the 80's), you take what you can get. I'm not going to defend Asia, say it's comparable to Wish You Were Here or Thick as a Brick, nor will I say it's as enjoyable a piece of early 80's pop in the same way Thriller or Remain in Light. But its not that bad, all things considered. While "Only Time Will Tell" just eats at you with its pure levels of 80's cheese and insincerity, this same fist-pumping, arena rock vibe can be so bad its good on tracks like "Heat of the Moment" and "Sole Survivor". This does have a certain nostalgia to it, and while not so appealing to a prog rock fan, it's certainly decent pop music.

It seems to me the majority of this album's criticizim is about what it's not, and not for what it is. While I would have loved to see with turn into a prog rock album, it isn't, and it must be accepted. When I saw Yes in concert, Asia opened for them. Half the audience was there to see Asia, the other half Yes. Clearly, they were making a product for someone, that was well liked, and their opening act was nearly as good as Yes themselves (mostly due to Carl Palmer- the dude is incredible). I think it's in the best interest of the prog fans to leave Asia alone, and just not listen to it if so inclined.

Really, not that horrid. Even for a hardcore Prog fan like myself, it's still so bad it's good. Grade: C-.

Bill Bruford: The Autobiography

Another blog first: a book review. I just got done reading Bill Bruford's autobiography, published in 2009 as he was retiring from the stage.In 350 pages, Bruford muses over his story with typical English humor and numerous anecdotes.

Rather than being some sort of chronological tale, Bruford categorizes things by topic. Loosely. Each Chapter starts off with a F.A.Q., anf the sections of the chapter range from highly relevant to the question to mercilessly off topic. He also spends almost no time on Yes, with probably no more that 20 or 30 pages on the subject. Bruford instead opts to focus on King Crimson and his solo carrer in jazz. If anything, Bruford makes his life story out to be one of a slow musical growth from rock into jazz, the music that truly captivates him. Therefore, if you're just reading for stories about days of prog rock glory, you'll probably not find this a great read.

However, the book is not that. It is an excellent read. In its passages one gets to see the true mentality of a Prog Rock musician, what it quests for, and the end result. In the end of it all, Bill Bruford's journey led him to leave Yes because he felt he couldn't continue to grow as a musician there, leave King Crimson for the same reason, and retire at his peak. All throughout, Bruford is witty, approachable, and somewhat self depreciating. I'd have liked to read a bit more about the Prog Rock days, but this was an excellent on sight purchase at the book store. Grade: B+.

Jukebox #4