In a significant announcement, John Payne revealed a revamped lineup for his version of Asia in late July, featuring Francis Dunnery. This exciting new collaboration was set to launch with a tour starting on Saturday, August 2, in New Paltz, New York. However, the renowned guitarist from It Bites and the former member of The Syn only performed at one show.
On Monday, Dunnery expressed his thoughts in a candid social media post, stating, “It is impossible for me to adapt to that role.” He acknowledged his inability to meet the expectations set by Payne, citing that his personality and playing style do not align with the demands of the project. “I fully understand this, as it’s what I expect from my own band, It Bites,” he added.
The band It Bites is known for its unique prog-pop sound, while The Syn was once associated with Chris Squire, a fellow bandmate of Steve Howe from Yes, who co-founded Asia. Payne has an impressive history with Asia, having recorded eight albums during his 14-year tenure as bassist and frontman, which began in 1991. He started leading his own offshoot group in 2007 after Geoff Downes, another Asia member, opted to reunite with the original lineup that included John Wetton and Carl Palmer. The loss of Wetton in 2017 and Howe’s subsequent return to Yes marked significant changes in the band’s history.
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Due to contractual obligations, the new band must officially call itself Asia Featuring John Payne. Jay Schellen, the current drummer for Yes, transitioned from the last pre-reunion version of Asia with Downes, although the lineup has experienced numerous changes since that time. The band performs music spanning the entire Asia catalog, which originally launched with their self-titled debut album in 1982, a release that achieved a remarkable four-times platinum status on the U.S. charts.
“John needs a guitar player who can come in and play all the styles and all the sounds that are on the records, and unfortunately, that’s not what I do,” Dunnery said, recognizing the caliber of musicianship required. “There are much better people at doing that than me,” he concluded.
Exciting Prospects for a New Album from Asia Featuring John Payne
As the new tour approached, Payne shared that Dunnery’s involvement had sparked the beginning of sessions for a highly anticipated new album titled Aviana. “To work with such a great songwriter and guitarist is incredibly exciting,” Payne expressed in an official statement. He noted, “Our vocal harmonies, both in the studio and during live performances, feel as though we’ve been collaborating for years. It seems like our paths were destined to intersect at this point.”
The current lineup of Asia Featuring John Payne includes the talented keyboardist Ryo Okumoto, known for his contributions to Spock’s Beard, along with drummers Thomas Lang and Aaron Olsen. Their U.S. tour is poised to continue with upcoming concerts in Texas later this month, and additional shows in Japan and the U.K. have also been arranged. A complete list of previously announced dates and venues is provided below.
Dunnery expressed his continued friendship with Payne, stating, “I love old John. He’s a good lad.” He reassured fans that there are no hard feelings, wishing Payne and the band all the success in their future endeavors. “But now, I have to close this brief chapter and return to my crazy life. … I should stick to that and do myself and everyone else a favor,” he added.
Geoff Downes has continued his journey with Asia, forming a new lineup last year that features guitarist John Mitchell, who has an impressive history with the John Wetton Band and has collaborated with both Wetton and Downes in their project Icon.
Asia Featuring John Payne 2025 Tour Dates
8/12 – Tomball, TX @ Main Street Crossing
8/13 – Arlington, TX @ Arlington Music Hall
8/15 – Plymouth, CA @ Helwig Winery
8/17 – Saskatoon, Canada @ Rock the River Festival
8/30 – MacArthur, CA @ Inter-Mountain Fair (with Lou Gramm)
9/27 – Ashland, KY @ Page Landing Days
10/2-6 – Japan, Dates and Locations TBD
10/25 – Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
11/15 – Great Yarmouth, UK @ HRH Prog Festival
11/16 – London @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
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