The Asia are a band founded in 1981 by former members of Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Buggles. In 1981, Wetton began working with Steve Howe, months later, Geoff Downes (ex Buggles and ex Yes) and Carl Palmer joined them. Wetton, Howe, Downes and Palmer decided to founding a quartet and they chose the name "Asia". The Asia debut album, "Asia" (1982), had a considerable commercial success, reaching Nr. 1 on the U.S. charts. the music of Asia, mixed pop melodies together with rock arrangements based on keyboards; it liked more to the fans of artists like Journey, Boston and Electric Light Orchestra, rather than long-time fans of Yes, King Crimson and / or Emerson Lake & Palmer. The second album, "Alpha" (1983), does not replicated the success of their debut album, but it still reached sixth place in U.S. charts. Subsequently, the formations changed frequently, until Downes, in 1989, re-founded the band with Palmer, Wetton and Pat Thrall. In 1992, Wetton left the band again, to devote himself to his solo career. Downes replaced Wetton with bassist John Payne and other new musicians. The album's return was "Aqua" (1992). In 2004, the band released "Silent Nation", the album gained an unexpected visibility on the Net, and through this new channel sold even better than "Aqua". The band in "Silent Nation" included Downes, Payne, drummer Chris Slade and guitarist Guthrie Govan. Subsequently, Slade left the group and was replaced by Jay Schellen. For the twenty-fifth anniversary of the band, Palmer, Howe, Wetton and Downes, re-founded the original Asia's core, and in 2006 did a tour which was very successful, and they recorded a new album, "Phoenix" (2008). Following the re-founding of Asia in the original lineup, Payne, Govan and Schellen began a their own side project, they founded the GPS with Ryo Okumoto of Spock's Beard. The debut album was "Window to the Soul" (2006). In 2007, Payne, Govan and Schellen changed the name of their band in "Asia Featuring John Payne". With this name they released a live album in 2007. The "Asia Featuring John Payne", have Erik Norlander as new member on keyboards.