YES - "Owner of a Lonely Heart" vs Asia - "Heat of the Moment".

Both are great. Before they had Steve Howe in ASIA, guess who was considered? Trevor Rabin.

As a whole, 90125 is a better album, but I like both of these songs equally.
 
Wow. I didn't even know Steve Howe was in Asia. After things went to CD's, we didn't have easy to read album liners anymore. CD sleeves were never quite the same.

BTW, I wonder what they both used?
 
I know Steve Howe used a LP Jr for the intro. Not sure what Trevor Rabin used. Listening to ASIA again (Steve Howe stayed until the 3rd album, then left for a long time, then came back in the early 2000s), you hear his style all over it with his quirky solos and layered rhythm parts. ASIA was really a supergroup with 2 guys from Yes, 1 from King Crimson, and 1 from ELP. Thing is, they just played smart pop music.
They came out with great stuff this side of the millennium, too.

 
The thing I love about Asia, is that riff is so easy to play. Even for a novice like me. It's one of the few times I bother the neighbors. You gotta dime that sucker. :headbang:

Come to think of it, the YES intro isn't too difficult either.
 
Both bands have much more complicated intros in their catalog, but these...just rock. BTW, Steve plays an ES-Artist in ASIA (live, anyway)..this is the model with the Moog electronics. He put some strange 'doub;e pickguard' on it, though.

Trevor Rabin was using a heavily modified 60 Strat when OoaLH was recorded. He's had signature Westone and later, a signature Washburn (with a JB and 59). He is a seriously excellent player, although very different than Howe.
 
Both are great. Before they had Steve Howe in ASIA, guess who was considered? Trevor Rabin.

As a whole, 90125 is a better album, but I like both of these songs equally.

I might give 90125 another listen. It didn't blow me away when it came out. But at that time all I was consuming was metal and was moving away from progressive rock.
 
90125 is one of those albums that I bought on vinyl, then got yet another copy on CD to "keep up with the times", so to speak. (Actually, I think I did the same with Asia.)
 
Yes was a more cohesive band, but it had over 10 years to prove that. ASIA was brand new at the time, and it was a band started by the record company (that isn't necessarily bad). ASAIA was a band of a few good songs on every album, with a lot of filler. Yes didn't have a ton of filler, and every song was essentially a showcase for the musicians.
 
I keep "discovering" new guitarists in this forum. As much as I have loved YES for decades, I'm simply not aware of the name Trevor Rabin. When I think of YES, I think of Chris Squire and Rick Wakeman. (And Jon Anderson, of course.) I'm going to have search out some YT vids to remind myself of who he is.
 
As promised I am listening to the album with fresh ears and enjoying it. Keep in mind this sound system blows away anything I had as a kid.


p8uM6js.jpg
 
Last edited:
I was doing okay then I got to "Our Song" and it sounded too much like a show tune and I had to bail

 
Which song was recorded and released first?

There’s a short instrumental on 90125 that I always thought was awesome. Had an odd beat.
 
Back
Top