ASIA Vinyl Records and CDs

Prog rock was hardly the flavor of the month during the early '80s, which suited Asia just fine. Because despite the bandmembers' pedigrees -- King Crimson, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- they specialized in straight-forward Hard (with a lowercase "h") Rock and schmaltzy power ballads, making them more in line with bands such as Foreigner and Survivor. Although their self-titled debut was an unexpectedly huge smash, a long, stable and fruit-bearing career was not in the cards for these gents; the albums that followed were disappointing failures at best, miserable and reprehensible pap at worse. One noteworthy thing from the band was their first single, "Heat of the Moment." Here you realize Geoff Downes of the Buggles really is the keyboardist, as the vocal line is amazingly similar to that group's hit, "Video Killed the Radio Star." Just insert melodramatic vocals, an obligatory guitar solo and a far less cool chorus. Really, compare the two - they're the same friggin' song.