Higgy wrote:
History has already proven you wrong. Asia did indeed sell out most of their dates (which they played alone). Asia had two platinum albums and two gold albums. Plus, they have the history of Yes, ELP, King Crimson, etc that they also play.
I don't think Styx opening for Asia is even an issue. I don't think its the same market for the two bands anymore. Styx is apparently playing to the same market as Def Leppard (nostalgia, classic rock, heavy metal), whereas Asia is still courting a more Yes-based prog rock audience (yes, still nostalgia, but not quite the Def Leppard audience).
Early years
Asia's eponymous debut album enjoyed considerable commercial success, spending nine weeks at number one in the U.S. album chart. The singles "Only Time Will Tell" and "Heat of the Moment" became huge Top 40 hits, with the latter cracking the Top Five, and remaining a stadium favourite at U.S. sporting events.
"Sole Survivor" also received heavy air play on rock stations across the US.
The US tour also did extremely well, selling out every date on the '82 and '83 tours, while the MTV channel played their videos on heavy rotation. Billboard named the Asia debut as album of the year.
Asia became known as pioneers of phase two of the progressive rock era by avoiding long-winded forays, and by including (to at least a greater extent than phase one) enough commercial polish to attract radio airplay outside of album-rock circles. Yes' 90125 and Big Generator, ELPowell's Emerson, Lake & Powell in 1986, and the GTR album would all follow in the Asia debut album's footsteps.
However, neither the second nor any following Asia album repeated the chart success of the first. "Don't Cry" entered the Top Ten in 1983, while "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," a fan favourite for John Wetton vocal performance, charted inside of Billboard's top 40. But Rolling Stone panned Alpha as an over-produced commercial album [3], while others lamented that Howe and Palmer were effectively reduced to session musicians. However, many Asia fans favour Alpha over the debut. The tracks "Eye To Eye" and "My Own Time" became huge fan favourites. "Open Your Eyes" and "The Heat Goes On" became concert staples. Alpha received indifferent reviews from various critics, while still attaining platinum status. Alpha reached #6 on the USA Billboard album chart.
In 1983, Wetton was forced out of the group on the heels of the comparatively disappointing sales of Alpha, while ELP frontman Greg Lake replaced him for the highly publicised "Asia in Asia" concert in Japan, which was the first concert broadcast over satellite to MTV in the US, and later made into a home video. Asia reformed with Wetton in 1985 to start work on their next album, but Steve Howe soon left to be replaced by Krokus guitarist Mandy Meyer. Howe then enjoyed brief and very minor success with GTR, another supergroup, formed with Steve Hackett of Genesis and produced by Downes.
In July 2006, tour dates were announced with the 1st leg of the tour beginning on August 29 in Rochester, NY and ending in London on December 3, 2006. The setlist will feature most or all of the first album as well as a couple of songs from the second. In addition, as mentioned previously, one selection each will be played from Yes, ELP, King Crimson, and the Buggles to acknowledge the history of each member of the band. There will be dates in 2007, as well, with venue size based on the success of the 2006 shows
where the band is mainly playing in clubs and theaters. According to the book Asia: Heat of the Moment the Asia website, they have sold out various venues. In fact, the
7 dates in Japan during March of this year were completely sold out.
Maybe history hasn't proven me so wrong after all. In the Southeastern United States, Styx kicks Asia's ass
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