''Aqua'' is the fourth studio album by British rock supergroup

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

, released in 1992. It was the first album with longtime vocalist and bassist John Payne.

Background

In April 1991, original vocalist and bassist

John Wetton John Kenneth Wetton (12 June 1949 – 31 January 2017) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Known for his dexterous bass playing and booming baritone voice, Wetton first gained fame in the early 1970s. Wetton was the singer and p ...

departed from Asia, discouraged by the group's lack of success in the United States. He was replaced by John Payne, who accepted an invitation from keyboard player

Geoff Downes Geoffrey Downes (born 25 August 1952) is an English keyboardist who gained fame as a member of the new wave group The Buggles with Trevor Horn, the progressive rock band Yes, and the supergroup Asia. Born in Stockport, Downes moved to London ...

to join the group. This duo would eventually lead Asia through to 2006. Although being in an official capacity, two other co-founders, guitarist

Steve Howe Stephen James Howe (born 8 April 1947) is an English musician, best known as the guitarist in the progressive rock band Yes across three stints since 1970. Born in Holloway, North London, Howe developed an interest in the guitar and began to l ...

and drummer

Carl Palmer Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer (born 20 March 1950) is an English drummer best known as founding member and the last surviving member of the progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He was also a founding member of progressive rock s ...

, were involved sporadically, as Howe returned during the sessions having just left

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * YES (Your Extraordinary Saturday), a learning program from the Minnesota Institute for Talente ...

again, and Palmer would leave soon, committing to a reunion of

Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (informally known as ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitar, producer) and Carl Palmer (drums, percus ...

. The line-up was completed by American guitarist

Al Pitrelli Al Pitrelli is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Joe Lynn Turner, Asia and Savatage. Career Early career (1982–1995) Pitrelli attended the Berklee College of Music ...

, who collaborated with

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

from 1989 to 1991. Several additional musicians were invited as guests, including drummer Simon Phillips.

Production

''Aqua'' was recorded at Advision Studios in

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

, England, and produced by Downes. The cover artwork was designed by

Rodney Matthews Rodney Matthews (born 6 July 1945) is a British illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science-fiction. Career Trained at the West of England College of Art, Matthews worked in advertising for Plastic Dog Graphics before turning ...

, known for his work with Eloy and Magnum among others, and featured the group's logotype designed by Roger Dean, who had created the covers of all previous studio recordings. "Love Under Fire" was composed in summer 1988 by Downes and

Greg Lake Gregory Stuart Lake (10 November 1947 – 7 December 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Born and b ...

under the project named Ride the Tiger. The album contains four songs co-written by

Johnny Warman John Robert Waughman, better known as Johnny Warman, is an English singer-songwriter, best known for his 1981 album, ''Walking Into Mirrors'' and the hit single "Screaming Jets". Early life Warman was born in Bethnal Green, London, England, and ...

Release

''Aqua'' was released on 8 June 1992 in the United Kingdom by

Musidisc Musidisc is a French record label that provides music and home video distribution. It was founded in 1927, and purchased by Universal Music Group in 1999. History Musidisc is known for having produced a rare recording of Jeanne Calment, who has ...

and 15 September 1992 in the United States by Great Pyramid Records. The U.S. edition features a modified cover and different track listing, in which "Little Rich Boy" is omitted.

Track listing

* Tracks 15 and 16 were recorded on 10 November 1992 at the

Town & Country Club The O Forum Kentish Town is a concert venue in Kentish Town, London, England owned by MAMA & Company, and originally built in 1934. History The venue was built in 1934 and was originally used as an art deco cinema. After the cinema was clos ...

in London.

Personnel

Asia

– keyboards, backing vocals; producer *

– acoustic and electric guitars,

pedal steel guitar The pedal steel guitar is a Console steel guitar, console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all s ...

Dobro guitar Dobro is an American brand of resonator guitars, currently owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar. The Dobro was originally ...

mandolin A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...

– lead and rhythm guitars * John Payne – bass guitar, guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals *

– drums, percussion

Additional musicians

* Anthony Glynne – guitar * Simon Phillips – drums *

Nigel Glockler Nigel Glockler (born 24 January 1953) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer for the heavy metal band Saxon, which he first joined in 1981. Career Glockler began his musical career in 1980 as the drummer for the British band ...

– drums

Technical personnel

* Pete Craigie – engineer * John Brand – mixing engineer *

– sleeve illustration * Roger Dean – Asia logotype * Brian Burrows – sleeve design/typography (European edition) *

Hugh Syme Hugh Syme is a Canadian Juno Award-winning graphic artist and member of the Premier Artists Collection (PAC) who is best known for his artwork and cover concepts for rock and metal bands. He is also a musician and has appeared on some Rush ...

– design (U.S. edition)

Charts

References

{{Authority control Asia (band) albums 1992 albums Albums produced by Geoff Downes Albums with cover art by Rodney Matthews