Hey Asia fans -- I hope you have your tickets in hand, because the reunion tour is about to begin again in North America. The band begins in Sarasota, Fla., on June 13 then hits our home here in Clearwater at Ruth Eckerd Hall on June 14.

I talked to Asia drummer Carl Palmer for about a half hour yesterday from London, where rehearsals are about to begin again, and Carl says the band is excited about hitting some cities the band has never seen before. Seems that back in 1983 and again last year during the first leg of the reunion tour, the number of U.S. venues was kept pretty small. This time, though, they're going to try to hit all the major markets.

What else did Carl and I talk about?

• The making of the debut album 25 years ago.
• The surprise entrance and exit of singer Greg Lake.
• MTV's Asia in Asia concert in Tokyo.
• The band's current set list.

I'm sure we talked about lots more but at one point, I think I had a stroke after Carl said, "Tell the manager to let you backstage ... I'd like to meet you in person and introduce you to the band." (Sound of Steve hitting the floor).

Look for the full Asia podcast along with the Carl Palmer interview early next week!