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! Chart (1985–1986)! Peakposition! scope=“row“| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)BOOK, Kent, David, David Kent (historian), Australian Chart Book 1970–1992, illustrated, Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W., 1993, 0-646-11917-6, 19, {{Album chart|Canada|66|chartid=0617|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}! scope=“row“| Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)BOOK, Pennanen, Timo, Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972, 1st, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, Helsinki, 2006, 978-951-1-21053-5, fi, {{Album chart|Germany4|48|id=340|artist=Asia|album=Astra|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}!scope=“row“|Japanese Albums (Oricon)BOOK, Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005, Oricon, Oricon Entertainment, Roppongi, Tokyo, 2006, 4-87131-077-9, ja, {{Album chart|Norway|18|artist=Asia|album=Astra|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}{{Album chart|Sweden|17|artist=Asia|album=Astra|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}{{Album chart|Switzerland|10|artist=Asia|album=Astra|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024}}{{Album chart|UK2|68|date=19851208|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024|refname=UK albums}}{{Album chart|Billboard200|67|artist=Asia|rowheader=true|accessdate=February 2, 2024|refname=Billboard 200}}

factoids
name	Astra| type = studio Asia (band)>Asia, London| genre Asia (band)>Asia| cover = Asia - Astra (1985) front cover.jpg| alt =| border = yes| released = November 1985| recorded = 1984–1985| studio = length 45:06 producer prev_year 1983 Aurora (Asia EP)>Aurora| next_year = 1986| misc = {hide}Singles {edih} }}{{Album ratings| rev1 = AllMusic	3	class=album	label=Asia: Astra > Review	last=Collar |accessdate=29 May 2018}}	Sounds (magazine)>Sounds	1		DATE=14 DECEMBER 1985	MAGAZINE=SOUNDS (MAGAZINE)	>LOCATION=LONDON, }}Astra is the third studio album by British rock supergroup Asia, released in November 1985 by Geffen Records.WEB,ultimateclassicrock.com/asia-astra/, 30 Years Ago: Asia Go Through Changes to Make ‘Astra’, Giles, Jeff, 30 November 2015, Ultimate Classic Rock, 20 August 2018, It was their last full-length studio album with co-founding vocalist and bassist John Wetton until Phoenix (2008), released after the original line-up reunited in 2006. Astra is the first of two albums from Asia—the other being Then & Now—with Swiss guitarist Mandy Meyer, who replaced Steve Howe. Background Started in 1984, it marked the return of Wetton to the group after his firing in September 1983. He had been replaced by Emerson, Lake & Palmer co-founder Greg Lake, temporarily, for the concerts at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in December 1983. The opening night of these shows, highly advertised as Asia in Asia, was the first in the history of MTV to be broadcast via satellite transmission. Following a two-month stint, Lake had left Asia and soon Wetton had been convinced to come back. The latter agreed, but made it a condition to his return that Howe depart the line-up. By the time sessions for Astra began, the group had recruited Meyer, a former guitarist of the Swiss hard rock band Krokus. This personnel change marked a shift in musical direction for Asia to a more edgy, slightly arena rock and metal sound. Production Continuing the trend from Alpha (1983), the main composers on Astra were Wetton and keyboard player Geoff Downes. Two songs, “Voice of America” and “Wishing”, were started by Wetton during his time away from the group, initially towards a solo album. “Hard on Me” was written solely by Wetton at the end of the sessions, when the label complained about the lack of a potential hit single.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} One of the out-take tracks, “We Move as One”, was used by former ABBA vocalist Agnetha Fältskog for her solo album Eyes of a Woman (1985).Astra was recorded at Westside Studios, The Townhouse Studios and Sarm West Studios, all of which are located in London. Like the two previous recordings, it was produced by Mike Stone, but this time with the participation of Downes. The album was originally intended to be titled Arcadia, but was changed prior to the release to avoid confusion, when it was learned that a side project of the same name of Duran Duran was being recorded at the same time. The cover artwork was designed by Roger Dean, who had collaborated with Asia since their debut. Reception Astra has received mixed reception from music critics. Sandy Robertson in his review for Sounds gave the album a rating of just one star out of five. However, Matt Collar has given the album a retrospective rating of three stars out of five on AllMusic. He has called Astra “a solid prog rock outing” and “a truly underrated ‘80s rock album and a must-hear for fans”.According to Downes, Geffen did not promote Astra as much as they could have, partly, because they were switching their distribution in Europe.INTERVIEW, Downes, Geoff, Geoff Downes, Joseph Christina, My Interview with Geoff Downes of Asia,www.facebook.com/notes/joseph-christina/my-interview-with-geoff-downes-of-asia/129831333702769, Facebook, 24 February 1993, 31 May 2018, Without the support from the label along with general lack of public interest, the album performed poorly commercially in comparison with Asia’s two preceding albums. It reached number 67 on the Billboard 200 and spent 17 weeks on the charts. In the group’s native United Kingdom, the album performed even worse, peaking at number 68 and staying just one week on the charts. The lead-off single, “Go”, reached number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to number 7 on the Mainstream Rock chart. “Too Late” was released as a promotion only 12” single in the United States and was a minor radio hit, peaking at number 30.MAGAZINE,www.billboard.com/artist/asia/chart-history/rtt/, Asia Chart History (Billboard Mainstream Rock), Billboard (magazine), Billboard, 1 June 2018, The lackluster reception of Astra led to cancelling a supporting tour by Geffen and by 1986 Asia dissolved despite the group not making any official statement.NEWS, Coates, Rick, 8 May 2011, Asia Brings Continent-Shaking Prog Rock,www.northernexpress.com/news/music/article-5465-asia-brings-continent-shaking-prog-rock/, Northern Express, Traverse City, Michigan, 1 June 2018, Track listing {{Track listing| headline = Side one| all_writing = John Wetton and Geoff Downes, except “Hard on Me” and “Too Late” written by Wetton, Downes and Carl Palmer	Go (Asia song)>Go| length1 = 4:09| title2 = Voice of America| length2 = 4:29| title3 = Hard on Me| length3 = 3:37| title4 = Wishing| length4 = 4:17| title5 = Rock and Roll Dream| length5 = 6:53}}{{Track listing| headline = Side two| total_length = 45:06| title6 = Countdown to Zero| length6 = 4:17| title7 = Love Now till Eternity| length7 = 4:14| title8 = Too Late| length8 = 4:14| title9 = Suspicion| length9 = 3:47| title10 = After the War| length10 = 5:09}} Personnel Asia Geoff Downes – keyboards; producer John Wetton – vocals, bass guitars Mandy Meyer – guitar Carl Palmer – drums Additional musicians The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – orchestra (on “Rock and Roll Dream“) (orchestrated, arranged and conducted by Louis Clark) Technical personnel Mike Stone – producer, engineer, mixing engineer Greg Ladanyi – mixing engineer Alan Douglas – engineer, mixing engineer John David Kalodner – executive producer Greg Fulginiti – mastering engineer Bob Ludwig – mastering engineer Roger Dean – cover design Willie Christie – cover photography Charts{| class“wikitable sortable plainrowheaders”
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References

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