Music writer/bassist Aaron Joy (former owner of Roman Midnight Music label/marketing) takes a look at the enigma that is the popular rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra and its roots as Savatage. Loved by some, decried by others for leaving its metal roots
Final episode. A look at the climactic Savatage album Hall Of The Mountain King, plus a rare demo from original bassist Keith Collins.
A look at the Savatage album 'Fight For The Rock', the first album with bassist Johnny Lee Middleton
A mention of some Savatage tribute bands - Avatage, Sirens, Legions, The Unholy, Streets, Madmen & Poets, Strange Wings, Ghost In The Ruins.
A look at 'Edge Of Thorns', the final album to feature Criss Oliva and the first without Jon Oliva as vocalist, and 'Ghost In The Ruins', the live album released in tribute to Criss.
A look at Jon Oliva's post-Savatage band featuring guitarist Matt LaPorte, plus an update from Italian tribute band Strange Wings.
A look at a recent vocal addition to TSO - Jeff Scott Soto. JSS has performed with Journey, is the first singer of Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, numerous bands as a guest & member & has an active solo career.
A look at current events of TSO, including the Beethoven's Last Night Tour and first European tour & changing line-up
A look at the Paul O'Neill penned Savatage concept album 'Streets: A Rock Opera'. This would be the last album to feature Jon Oliva until the final Savatage album.
A look at three vocalists familiar to TSO audiences who all have Broadway backgrounds - Bart Shatto, Michael Lanning & Rob Evans  Â
A look at two of the featured violinists with TSO. New Yorker Caitlin Moe is known for avant-garde violin music and exciting stage shows. Outside of playing violin for such musicians as Celine Dion, Elton John & Shania Twain, Roddy Chong is also an inspirational speaker
A look at the Italian Savatage cover band Strange Wings & the Savatage tribute EP by the Backhill Project.
A look at the events surrounding the most extensive album by TSO 'Night Castle' that also took the longest to compose & introduced a new array of musicians to the TSO family. It also is the first TSO album to include numerous Savatage songs & a guest musician.
A look behind the scenes of Savatage/TSO at musician, studio & tour sound engineer Dave Wittman. Wittman has been working with producer Paul O'Neill since their 1970's work with the prog-rock band Slowburn & has also worked with Kiss, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Billy Idol, Psychedelic Furs & many more.
A look at Van Helsing's Curse, the classical/rock fusion Halloween album and tour created by Dee Snider after being inspired by TSO. Included TSO members Al Pitrelli, Jane Mangini, Mark Wood, Tommy Farese.
A look at innovative violinist/composer/luthier Emmy-winning Mark Wood whose famous for his electric violin work. He's played with TSO, Steve Vai, Lenny Kravitz, Celine Dion, Billy Joel in addition to becoming a reknown treacher with his own rock orchestra camp with wife Laura Kaye.
A look at Trans-Siberian Orchestra two regular faces behind the bass, outside of Savatage member Johnny Lee Middleton, David Z & Chris Altenhoff. David Z also plays with Chris Caffery, Z02Â & is on the tv show 'Z Rock'. NYC music degree holder, Chris Altenhoff has played with O'2L & Queen V.
A look at the very important Narrators that string the Christmas story together during a TSO concert: Philip Brandon, Tony Gaynor, Bryan Hicks & Tim Cain.
A look at the Chicago based Savatage tribute band the Savatage Experience, formed from the metal band Sacred Dawn with singer Troy Daniels of the official Savatage tribute band Streets. The band has been endorsed by Jon Oliva and drummer Steve Wacholz. Also looks at the Trans-Sylvanian Orchestra, a trio that released the Halloween themed take-off of TSO 'Music Of The Night'.
A look at the 3 albums by the jazzy largely instrumental 0'2L led by TSO's Jane Mangini & Al Pitrelli & also featuring an array of TSO members including Maxx Mann, Kelly Keeling, John O'Reilly, Chris Altenhoff, Johnny Lee Middleton, Mark Wood, Tommy Farese, Erin Henry plus Megadeth/Y&T's Jimmy DeGrasso, Blue Oyster Cult/Queen+Paul Rodger's Danny Miranda & Dream Theater's Mike Mangini. No other band has featured so many TSO members.
A look at TSO pianist Jane Mangini whose been in the band since their expanded tour, playing aside her ex-husband guitarist Al Pitrelli. Jane has also played with Rick Berlin, Van Helsing's Curse, Einstein, with GTR's Jonathan Mover, and her own band O'2L featuring numerous TSO members.
A look at the 2004 TSO album "A Lost Christmas Eve" which was the first to include an expanded band beyond the Savatage core and the last of the Christmas Trilogy. It features the song "Wizards In Winter" which became famous as the soundtrack to a home holiday light show that was later featured in a beer commercial.
A look at TSO during the time of making their fourth album 'A Lost Christmas Eve' & expanding into two groups, TSO West/TSO East, for the annual winter tour, including the return of Alex Skolnick plus many new members both on the album & on tour.
A look at the third album by Trans-Siberian Orchestra the seemingly out of place non-Xmas rock opera 'Beethoven's Last Night' that a decade later would find a home on stage for a couple year mini-tour. Featured Jon Olivia & Patti Russo of Meatloaf
A look at the new release '365 Days A Year' by The Kings Of Christmas, featuring TSO alumni Tommy Farese, Maxx Mann, Guy LeMonnier, Tony Gaynor, David Silva & Paul Morris. Outside of O'2L & Doctor Butcher this is the only band with such a numerous amount of TSO members
A look at the final guitarists of Savatage that only toured & never recorded: Jeff Waters of Canada's Annihilator & Jack Frost of Seven Witches plus opening with a discussion of controversy with The Kings Of Christmas.
The finals years of Savatage featuring the return of guitarist Al Pitrelli following the release of final album "Poets & Madmen" while the final tours include singer Damond Jiniya & guitarists Jack Frost & Jeff Waters.
A look at the final Savatage album "Poets & Madmen" that saw the return of Jon Oliva to a larger more traditional role in the band following the decline of his side projects & departure of vocalist Zak Stevens and guitarist Al Pitrelli. Often considered one of the most hardest rocking albums since their earliest output.
A look at the final Savatage album "Poets & Madmen" following the loss of Zak Stevens & Al Pitrelli & the third TSO album "Beethoven's Last Night", featuring Patti Russo from Meat Loaf's band, that moved away from the Christmas theme to creat a rock opera that has gone from failure to cult favorite.
A look at the Christmas themed bands in the style of TSO the Kings Of Christmas & 12/24. Debuting in 2011 the Kings of Christmas features TSO alumni Maxx Mann, Tommy Farese, Paul Morris, Tony Gaynor & Guy LeMonnier. Pennsylvania's 12/24 started as a TSO imitator in 2002, even including Maxx Mann for awhile & have moved into their own entity with their debut album "Miracle On Rock St." on the eve of their 10th anniversary.
A look at the 1999 PBS broadcast/home video release of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "The Ghost Of Christmas Eve" featuring a staged live performance of TSO with a new story, including guests Jewel and Michael Crawford and narrator Ossie Davis. It also featured TSO singers Daryl B. Pediford & Tommy Farese who would become favorite performers of the touring show. Pediford passed away in 2004. Farese was with the group since the first album through joining the Kings Of Christmas TSO alumni band in 2011. He has also done many projects with fellow TSO guitarist Al Pitrelli, including working with Dee Snider & O'2L.
Two roads are mapped out as Savatage records 'The Wage Of Magellan' and Trans-Siberian Orchestra does 'The Christmas Attic' plus a discussion of the lack of a live album by TSO.
A look at one of the many tribute bands dedicated to Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Savatage. Devastage is a Brazilian band. Featuring a medley of songs from a live concert, the only known public recording of the band. Devastage has been recognized for its contributions by Savatage vocalist Zak Stevens.
A look at original Savatage bassist Keith Collins, 1981-1985, who performed with Savatage in its earlier incarnation as Avatar through their first three albums: 'Sirens', 'The Dungeons Are Calling' & 'Power Of The Night'.
A look a the original Savatage drummer David "Dr. Killdrums" Walcholz, 1980-1993. He played on a majority of the Savatage albums: Sirens, The Dungeons Are Calling, Power Of The Night, Fight For The Rock, Hall Of The Mountain King, Gutter Ballet, Streets: A Rock Opera, Edge Of Thorns.
Looking at the musical career of Mary Wooten whose cello infamously runs through the Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra hit "Sarajevo (Christmas Eve 12/24)".
A look at the career of Bob Kinkel co-founder/composer/producer of Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Paul O'Neill, building on a career in the studio working both as a musician and engineer with Savatage, Badlands, Aerosmith, Was (Not Was) and more. 2 part episode due to unexpected computer problems.
A look at the career of Bob Kinkel co-founder/composer/producer of Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Paul O'Neill, building on a career in the studio both as a musician and behind the scenes working with Savatage, Was (Not Was), Aerosmith and others. 2 part episode due to unexpected computer problems.
Bob Kinkel and Paul O'Neill's transformation of Savatage into Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the making of the the first TSO album "Christmas Eve & Other Stories"
A brief look at the varied career of guitarist Al Pitrelli of Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra that has included band memberships in Asia, Danger Danger, Widowmaker, Megadeth, Alice Cooper, O'2L, Savatage and TSO plus extensive session work and writing credits with such folks as T.M. Stevens, Joe Lynn Turner, Tony Harnell, Y&T, Lita Ford, Doro and more.
The career of jazz-rock guitarist Alex Skolnick on Savatage's "Handful Of Rain"Â and of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Testamet and the jazz outing the Alex Skolnick Trio.
Taking a look at late Savatage guitarist/co-founder Criss Oliva, brother of Jon Oliva of Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra/Jon Oliva's Pain.
Looking at the history of Savatage with the entrance of former Alice Cooper/Asia guitarist Al Pitrelli and the recording of 'Dead Winter Dead' featuring the chart-topper "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)"
A look at singer/composer/pianist and 'Mountain King' Jon Oliva, founding member of Savatage, Jon Oliva's Pain and Doctor Butcher, and composer with Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Spotlight on Savatage/TSO drummer Jeff Plate, also of Metal Church, Machines Of Grace and the solo albums of Chris Caffery.
The death of guitarist Criss Oliva & his replacement Alex Skolnick of Testament, Zak Stevens fronting the band following exit of Jon Oliva into Doctor Butcher with Chris Caffery, enter of drummer Jeff Plate
A look at Trans-Siberian Orchestra's 2011 PBS special 'The Birth Of Rock Theater'
Spotlight on Savatage/TSO composer/producer Paul O'Neill who creates the lyrical concept albums that have attracted TSO fans.
Spotlight on Savatage/TSO guitarist Chris Caffery, also of Doctor Butcher, a solo career and numerous guest appearances.
Spotlight on Savatage/TSO bassist Johnny Lee Middleton including his forthcoming debut solo release. With special contribution just for this show from Johnny Lee himself.
Entrance into Savatage of composer Paul O'Neill leading to 'Hall of the Mountain King', 'Gutter Ballet', 'Streets: A Rock Opera' & 'Edge Of Thorns', plus the entrance of guitarist Chris Caffery & vocalist Zak Stevens & loss of the Oliva brothers
The founding of Savatage (aka TSO) with brothers Jon & Criss Oliva, recording the first albums 'Sirens' & 'The Dungeons Are Calling' as Avatar before becoming Savatage, being discovered by Atlantic Records & recording through 'Power Of The Night' & the unpopular 'Fight For The Rock'
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