Astra

Astra is a 1985 album by rock group Asia. Started in 1984, Astra is the last Asia album to feature John Wetton on lead vocals until 2008. After being brought back into the fold for their third album, Wetton and Geoff Downes forged ahead with this effort. Steve Howe, having left sometime before the Astra sessions due to tensions with Wetton, was replaced by guitarist Mandy Meyer. According to Howe, he was approached to play on the album by the rec... more

Astra is a 1985 album by rock group Asia. Started in 1984, Astra is the last Asia album to feature John Wetton on lead vocals until 2008. After being brought back into the fold for their third album, Wetton and Geoff Downes forged ahead with this effort. Steve Howe, having left sometime before the Astra sessions due to tensions with Wetton, was replaced by guitarist Mandy Meyer. According to Howe, he was approached to play on the album by the record company before its release, but declined once he heard the material. With less lyrics about love, Astra was a bit different from its predecessors. Due to a lack of public interest, however, Astra peaked at #67 and went largely unnoticed. Wetton left Asia soon after the record's release. Meyer would never play with Asia again. The band itself, after cancelling the Astra tour, was basically finished until 1990. All songs by Wetton/Downes except where noted. "Go" was a minor hit, reaching #46 on the Billboard charts with a science fiction... less