"Heat of the Moment" by Asia

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  0999
Date:  04/17/1982
Debut:  68
Peak:  4
Weeks:  18
Genre:  Arena Rock



Pop Bits:  Oh what to do when the major British prog-rock bands have all split up? You supergroup it! John Wetton (King Crimson) and Steve Howe (Yes) got paired up for this project and brought on board Geoff Downes (Yes) and Carl Palmer (ELP) to form a super-prog band called Asia. However, when their self-titled debut album came out, critics and fans of the band members' previous groups were not enthusiastic. Instead of intricate, artistic prog-rock, what came out of the speakers was pretty much MOR arena rock. Their core audience may have balked, but the rest of America ate them up. This first single became a rock radio staple and shot into the pop Top 10 while the album spent nine weeks at #1. For some, this band was a WTF moment while for others they were pure 80s rock gold (or 4x platinum, in this LP's case).

ReduxReview:  I have to be honest and say that back in the day had you mentioned any of the names above to me, I'd have no idea who they were. Let's just say that prog-rock was not real popular where I came from. Although I may have heard of Yes or ELP, it was doubtful that I knew even one of their songs. That changed years later, but as for Asia, they were like a new, unknown group to me and having no preconceived notions on what they should sound like was a benefit. I just accepted them as fab arena rock and ate this album up (as many did). Yeah, it's not "Fragile" or "Brain Salad Surgery," but it's a meaty rock album that I still listen to and love. This single got things started with a bang.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  The "Asia" album was hugely popular at rock radio. Including this single, which hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart, five other songs from the LP crashed the airwaves and rock chart:  "Only Time Will Tell" (#8), "Sole Survivor" (#10), "Wildest Dreams" (#28), "Here Comes the Feeling" (#40), and "Time Again" (#43).

_________________________________________________________________________________