Youth in Asia

Youth in Asia were an early 1980s UK anarcho punk band from London, whose name was word play of the word euthanasia. They were differentiated from many other bands within that scene by their prominent use of the synthesizer. The band's first live performance was in Brussels in December 1981. They played several gigs at squatted venues, including Crass's squat gig at Zig Zag in London, and the Wapping Autonomy Centre with other bands including The Apostles, Crass, Flux of Pink Indians, Twelve Cubic Feet, The Mob, Poison Girls, Hagar the Womb, Riot/Clone, DIRT and others.

The band sang 'political' lyrics about issues such as war, sexism and state terrorism.

The initial line-up was Kay Byatt (vocals), Mark Edmondson(guitar), Wayne Preston (bass guitar), Punky Pete (drums), and Olga Ashworth (vocals/keyboards). Pete was soon replaced by Eddie on drums, and Lou, formerly of The Witches joined on rhythm guitar. In 1983, Eddie and Lou both left the band with Mick Clarke and Bernie, both previously of Windsor's Disease, replacing them. The new line-up recorded a single for Crass Records, but the band split up before it was released, with some of the members forming a new band, Decadent Few.

Youth in Asia (No Wave band)

Youth in Asia (YIA) was an American no wave conceptual art noise music band from New York City in the late 1970s.

Youth in Asia members

  • Frank Schroder (bass)
  • Taro Suzuki (keyboards and vocals)
  • Steven Harvey (guitar and vocals)
  • Stephan Wischerth (drums)
  • Augmenting YIA

  • Evan Lurie from the Lounge Lizards
  • Fritz Van Orden from The Ordinaires
  • Richard Prince
  • Dike Blair
  • Nancy Arlen from Mars
  • History

    Taro Suzuki and Frank Schroder were and are practicing visual artists. Steven Harvey was an artist and now runs an art space. Both Stephan Wischerth and Steven Harvey have tracks on the Just Another Asshole compilation anthology. Thus the post-punk band members were very much interested in visual and conceptual art and thus they didn’t have much musical training. But they were more interested in making conceptual noise music with a beat than traditional new wave music. For example, Taro Suzuki played the piano with his forehead in the band.

    The group’s first appearance was at 66 East 4th Street in the summer of 1978 along with The Contortions, Theoretical Girls, DNA and others.

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    In Green

    by: Volcano I'm Still Excited

    she raises from a single bed
    and confidentally says "good bye love"
    and dresses in a shirt he wore last night
    he always liked her in his clothes
    'cause no one ever looked as vogue as her
    in green
    and no one ever felt so right as her
    at the beach
    he only broke the tv 'cause she said
    i want something more
    there's no more
    scrambling for the front door home
    he screams that she'll be back tonight
    and jokes how they always fight with no pants on
    she doesnt think its funny
    but they can wait and go for dinner takes
    she recoils
    he tells himself there must be stressful times
    at work
    but laying in a single bed at night
    she wants something more
    there's no more
    there's no more
    there's no more
    there's no more




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