I realized that I had not posted at all in August, which is very unlike me. Not sure why I have been so absent, since that is pretty much the opposite of my mission with this blog. So, I've decided to get up off my posterior and write! Actually, I am sitting as I type, so I am not really off my derrière. Anyway, I've heard this one tune on Nights with Alice Cooper several times, and I had no idea of the title or the group. I just knew that I liked the song and seemed to have the lyric "your insincerity" stuck in my head. I did a bit of searching and discovered that the song was by Asia, and the title was "Only Time Will Tell." Hmm... I don't think I ever realized that! I watched the video and sort of vaguely remembered it. It came out in 1982, and I suppose I may have seen it once or twice. The television sets in the video seemed familiar, but I don't think the video received much airplay back in the day. Watching it this evening, I'm not sure I completely follow the concept, but early videos didn't always have a theme/concept/plot that matched the song's lyrics or message. Nope. I think this one was merely a "hey, this new music video thing is cool and modern" -- hence the many televisions. I think it was pretty new technology to have one image spread over the multiple t.v. sets, which was pretty cool. I'm not sure I follow the gymnast idea, either, but I think there were a few videos with gymnasts in the '80s. It does kind of give a sense of perpetual motion, and hey, only time will tell...
So, what will time tell? Well, the song is about a man who was in a relationship with a woman who just used him and pretended to be in love. It was all a lie. Her insincerity is the part of the lyric I remember! I guess only time will tell what happens with this woman. I have no idea. Sounds like it was a good thing that the man discovered "the lie" and ended this thing. Or maybe she did. I don't know. It doesn't really matter, anyway, because it's just a good tune. It may be one of few songs I can remember where the guitar has a really melodic line that sort of echos the singer. Now that is cool. Cooler than television sets and gymnasts...
I just saw Asia Featuring John Payne Aug. 25 at a local casino. The price was right; Free. Thing is there were no original band members there. John Payne joined the band 1991-2006 and in 2007 took over the legacy as Asia feat J.P. They sounded good and played many hits from the heyday era. I stumbled on this web page from an enigmatic Google search looking for who the gymnast in the video is or was. I actually recognized 6 of their concert songs from radio airplay and MTV. I graduated H.S. in 1982 when Asia was formed.
ReplyDeleteHeat of the moment
Only Time Will Tell
Don't Cry
Time Again **rocks**
Soul Survivor
wildest dream
Alice Cooper will be playing here Dec. 1, 2012. ooohhhh friggen yeah!!!! ROCK ON!!!
Hi Mike -- thanks so much for stopping by. I am already jealous that you will get to see Alice Cooper in December! I certainly would love to have seen Asia, too, and you can't beat a $0 price tag. I've really wanted to see some '80s bands play live this year, even though so many have different personnel as you mentioned. Asia had some good tunes. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the changes... but I would probably go anyway. Nothing like live rock music!
ReplyDeleteHey Becky, During my fruitless search for the name of the gymnast I also stumbled onto the official Asia website. The original Band has reformed and recently released a new album titled 'XXX' which is the roman symbol for 30 yrs. (not adult rated). It could get rather confusing to have two bands out there touring named Asia. The 'XXX' tour does not list any dates in the U.S. yet.
ReplyDeleteA funny and true story:
Back In the days when MTV actually played music I went over to a friends house and we watched a 'YES' concert on a Friday night special. My buddies dad, who was a master sergeant in the navy and was very gruff walked into the room during a Guitar solo. During the roar of the crowd following the solo a man on a Mic says "Let's hear it for Steve Howe on the guitar!" and that was all my buddies dad needed to hear as he started grumbling about how Steve had a great pitching career ahead of him till he started doing drugs and now he's playing that lousy rock and roll crap. He was referring to Steve Howe of the L.A. Dodgers who was let go do to a cocaine addiction. We couldn't laugh out loud as he was too intimidating, so we proceeded outside at the commercial break to let it out.
Hi Mike -- wow! That is a really funny story. It must have taken all your and your pals' energy to hold in the laughter -- especially after hearing "that lousy rock and roll crap!" I can just imagine the burst of laughter outside during the break.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out the Asia site. Thanks for clarifying the XXX title -- I wonder if it has to do with the number of years the group has been around. I read they started back in '81. I do hope they add some U.S. tour dates!