Asia release live video of Sole Survivor with Greg Lake

Asia with Greg Lake 1983 — (Image credit: Adrian Boot)

Asia have released a live video of Sole Survivor from 1983, when Greg Lake fronted the band for a short period, which you can watch below.

It's taken from the upcoming Asia In Asia – Live At The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983 box set which is due out via BMG on June 10. The bumper package includes a 40-page book and memorabilia from the multi-platinum selling band's historic shows. The album will also be available in standard double LP, 1CD and digital formats.

John Wetton had left the band a few moths after the release of their second album Alpha, curtailing the band's US tour. Greg Lake stepped in to front the band for a short run Japanese dates, including the show at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on 6 December 1983, which was the first concert broadcast over satellite to MTV in the United States, and forms the basis for the new box set

“It was a grand and sumptuous affair," recalls Geoff Downes of the show. "The stage was the iconic ‘A-frame’ shape we had for the US tour. I think we pulled it off admirably in the end. There were some good people behind us: crew, lighting designers, cameramen and backing singers, it was quite a production."

“Greg Lake did a great job jumping into John’s shoes," adds Carl Palmer. "So many songs to sing, he did it so well. It was impressive."

The new box set features exclusive new artwork by Roger Dean; colour vinyl of the original MTV Telecast concert audio, remixed 2022 from the master tapes, with two previously unreleased, post broadcast encore tracks; audio CDs comprising the MTV satellite telecast concert (December 6, 1983, USA time) and the previous night's show (December 6, 1983, Japanese time); audio-visual Blu-ray of the restored original broadcast concert with 2022 remixed audio plus restored original concert laserdisc featuring alternate camera angles; 40-page 12" book with rare and unseen band photos, memorabilia and new sleeve notes; and a bespoke metal and enamel Asia logo pin badge.

Pre-order Asia In Asia – Live At The Budokan, Tokyo, 1983.

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Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.