Music:
Member Since: 8/12/2008
Band Members:
Photos | Videos
Jon Oliva:
vocals &
keyboards:
Zak Stevens:
vocals:
Chris Caffery:
guitar:
Al Pitrelli:
guitar:
Johnny Lee Middleton:
bass:
Jeff Plate:
drums:
Past Members:
Criss Oliva:
guitar:
Steve "Doc" Wacholz:
drums:
Alex Skolnick:
guitar:
Keith Collins:
bass:
Savatage was born in the suburbs of Tampa, Florida in the early 1980's—the product of two brothers, Jon (vocals and keyboards) and Criss (guitar) Oliva, plus hard-hitting drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz. Savatage quickly developed a loyal following throughout Florida, and in 1983, the band released its debut album,
Sirens. The following year, Savatage signed to Atlantic records, and in 1985 they released their major-label debut,
Power of the Night. Following the band's first significant tour, the lineup solidified with the addition of bassist Johnny Lee Middleton in late 1985.
The next few years of worldwide adventures included high points like 1987’s
Hall of the Mountain King; the video for the title track saw heavy rotation on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball, and the band—with the addition of second guitarist Chris Caffery—toured the world with the likes of Ted Nugent, Dio, and Megadeth. The success continued with 1989’s
Gutter Ballet and the subsequent tour. By 1993, with the release of
Edge of Thorns—the first record featuring new singer Zak Stevens—Savatage seemed poised to finally break big. But tragedy struck in the early-morning hours of October 17, 1993. Criss Oliva, the guitar player at the heart of Savatage, was struck head-on by a drunk driver as he drove home with his wife from a concert. Criss was killed instantly.
Oliva’s death was very nearly the end of Savatage as well. But the surviving members knew they had more music in them, and they knew that Criss, wherever he was, would want them to make it. After a brief US tour to support the cathartic
Handful of Rain, the band recruited guitarist Al Pitrelli to join Caffery, as well as new drummer Jeff Plate, and returned to the studio to record
Dead Winter Dead.
The penultimate track on
Dead Winter Dead was an epic instrumental, a medley of the Christmas classics “Carol of the Bells†and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,†featuring a string orchestra alongside the electric guitars. "Sarajevo" was an overnight sensation, and Savatage producer Paul O'Neill knew he was on to something big. Savatage returned to the studio in the summer of 1996, this time with a full orchestra and a variety of singers. O’Neill intertwined a Christmas story with well-known classical pieces and the unique Savatage brand of rock and roll. This new project was christened Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and their first album,
Christmas Eve and Other Stories—which included a re-release of "Sarajevo"—was released in the fall of 1996. It has since sold more than 2 million copies, and its three followups have sold over 3 million more. The annual holiday tour consistently sells out venues across the United States and Canada. In 2007 alone, Trans-Siberian Orchestra played live for more than 1 million people.
But Savatage itself did not go quietly into the night. Two more studio albums followed
Dead Winter Dead, as did several US and international tours. And since the 2002
Poets & Madmen tour, the members of Savatage have embarked on a number of their own projects—in addition to their continued involvement with the fantastically popular Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Savatage members have formed several new bands and released a number of solo records.
But fans worldwide still clamor for the band that started it all—Savatage. As of late 2008, even the band itself doesn't yet know what the future may hold. But in 2009? Stay tuned to find out!
Type of Label: None
