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Subject: Savatage
Replies: 5 Views: 1347
lucretia 17.10.11 - 08:52pm
SOUND: Heavy/Power Metal, Progressive Metal/Rock
LYRICAL THEMES: Spirituality, humanity, fantasy
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: United States
LOCATION: Tampa, Florida
FORMED: 1983
LAST KNOWN LINEUP:
Johnny Lee Middleton, Bas* (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
Jeff Plate, Drums (Machines of Grace, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, ex-Metal Church, ex-Wicked Witch, ex-Chris Caffery, ex-Doctor Butcher)
Al Pitrelli, Guitars ( Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Van Helsing's Curse, ex-C.P.R., ex-Widowmaker, ex-Megadeth)
Chris Caffery, Guitars (Chris Caffery, John West, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Tim Ripper Owens (live), Doctor Butcher, ex-Rondinelli, ex-Metalium, ex-Sun Red Sun)
Damond Jiniya, Vocals
Jon Oliva, Vocals, Keyboards. (Jon Oliva's Pain, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Doctor Butcher, ex-Avatar)
PAST MEMBERS:
*Criss Oliva, Guitars (1983-1993) *RIP, 1983 (ex-Avatar)
Keith Thumper Collins, Bas* (1983-1985) (ex-Krunch, ex-Avatar, ex-Jack Starr's Burning Starr)
Steve Doc Wacholz, Drums (1983-1993) (ex-Avatar, ex-Crimson Glory)
Zak Stevens, Vocals (1993-2000) (Circle II Circle, Machines of Grace, ex-Trans-Siberian Orchestra, ex-Wicked Witch)
Alex Skolnick, Guitars (1994) (Testament, ex-Legacy, ex-Trans-Siberian Orchestra, ex-Ozzy Osbournelive)
Jack Frost, Guitars (2000-2001) (Bird of Prey, Jack Frost, Seven Witches, The Bronx Casket Co., ex-Farley's Ritual, ex-Frost Bite, ex-Speeed, ex-Randall Frost Project, ex-Belladonna, ex-Marshall Law, ex-Metalium)
LIVE MUSICIANS:
John Zahner, Keyboards (1991) (Crimson Glorylive, ex-Circle II Circle, ex-Jon Oliva's Pain)
Andy James, Drums (1993) (ex-Predator)
Jeff Waters, Guitars (2002) (Annihilator) *
lucretia 17.10.11 - 09:18pm
DISCOGRAPHY:
Demo (Demo) 1983
Sirens (Full-length) 1983
The Dungeons Are Calling (EP) 1984
In the Dream (Single) 1985
Power of the Night (Full-length) 1985
Fight for the Rock (Full-length) 1986
Hall of the Mountain King (Full-length) 1987
When The Crowds Are Gone (Single) 1989
Of Rage and War (Single) 1989
Gutter Ballet (Full-length) 1989
Jesus Saves (EP) 1991
Streets: A Rock Opera (Full-length) 1991
From the Dungeons to the Streets (Compilation) 1992
Edge of Thorns (Single) 1993
Edge of Thorns (Full-length) 1993
Handful of Rain (Single) 1994
Handful of Rain (Full-length) 1994
Live Devastation (Live album) 1995
Dead Winter Dead (Single) 1995
Chance (EP) 1995
Doesn't Matter Anyway (EP) 1995
Dead Winter Dead (Full-length) 1995
Japan Live '94 (Live album) 1995
From the Gutter to the Stage (Compilation) 1995
Ghost In The Ruins: A Tribute to Criss Oliva (Live album) 1995
One Child (Single) 1996
The Best and the Rest (Compilation) 1997
The Wake of Magellan (Full-length) 1997
Turns to Me (Single) 1998
Japan Live 94 [i]( *
lucretia 18.10.11 - 01:48pm
(time highway taken from the official Savatage site)...
1981- As Avatar, brothers Jon and Criss Oliva, drummer Steve Wacholz and bassist Keith Collins build an underground following in the band's home state, Florida.
1982- Avatar records two tracks for a compilation LP by Florida radio station WYNF.
1983- Avatar releases the City Beneath The Surface EP, now a collector's item. For legal reasons, Avatar changes its name to Savatage and releases its debut album, Sirens.
1984- The Dungeons Are Calling is released. Savatage then signs to Atlantic Records.
1985- Power of the Night, Savatage's Atlantic debut, is released. The band embarks on its first tour.
1986- Bassist Johnny Lee Middleton joins the group. Fight For The Rock is released. In addition to the U.S. shows with Ted Nugent and Blue Oyster Cult, , the band tours Europe for the first time, opening for Motorhead.
1987- Atlantic sends producer Paul O'Neill to see Savatage perform in Florida. The label then hires O'Neill to produce the band's new record, beginning a long-term relationship. Hall of the Mountain King, which includes the group's first symphonic instrumental, ''Prelude to Madness,'' is released. A music video - the group's first - is filmed for the title track. Upon the album's release, Savatage tours American arenas with Dio and Megadeth. Rhythm guitarist Chris Caffery joins the band as a touring member.
1988- The Dio/Megadeth tour continues. A video for ''24 Hours Ago'' is filmed. The band guest-hosts MTV's ''Headbanger's Ball.''
1989- Caffery officially joins Savatage. Gutter Ballet, Savatage's sixth album, is issued.
1990- Savatage embarks on a nine-month world tour, headlining and supporting artists such as Testament and King Diamond. At tour's end, Caffery leaves the band. Two videos - ''Gutter Ballet'' and ''When The Crowds Are Gone'' - are filmed.
1991- With O'Neill, Savatage - again a quartet - writes and records its first rock opera, Streets. Videos for ''Jesus Saves'' and ''New York City Don't Mean Nothing'' are filmed, but only ''Jesus Saves'' is ever released. Another world tour begins.
1992- Due to increasing vocal problems, Jon Oliva steps down as lead singer of Savatage, although he continues to write and record with the band. Zachary Stevens becomes the group's new vocalist.
1993- Savatage's eighth album, Edge of Thorns, is released. A world tour commences, but Wacholz and Jon Oliva decide not parti te. Music videos for ''Edge of Thorns'' and ''Sleep'' are filmed. In October, Criss Oliva is killed by a drunk driver; the last song he records is ''Shotgun Innocence.''
1994- Deciding that continuing the band is the best way to keep Criss' memory alive, Jon Oliva and O'Neill write and record Handful of Rain, with additional contributions from Stevens (vocals) and Alex Skolnick (lead guitars). A video for the title track is filmed. Another song on the album, ''Chance,'' sees the group experiment with counterpoint vocals for the first time. Although he does not perform on the album, Wacholz officially leaves the band after its release and is replaced by Jeff Plate. Oliva then joins Plate, Skolnick, Middleton and Stevens on a two-month tour. A show in Tokyo is filmed for a live alb*m and video. Meanwhile, the debut alb*m from Doctor Butcher, a side project of Jon Oliva and Caffery, is released in Europe.
1995- With Skolnick pursuing other interests, Caffery and guitarist Al Pitrelli join the group. Savatage's second rock opera, Dead Winter Dead, is released. A video for ''One Child'' is shot. The instrumental ''Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)'' becomes an unexpected radio hit. Also, the live alb*m Final Bell - later released elsewhere as Ghost In The Ruins - is issued in Japan.
1996- Savatage tours Europe (where the compilation From The Gutter To The Stage is released) and Japan. Instead of touring America, the group's members - inspired by the success of ''Christmas Eve'' - write and record the first Trans-Siberian Orchestra album, Christmas Eve & Other Stories. A ''Christmas Eve'' video is shot; it's re-released as a TSO song.
1997- Savatage's The Wake of Magellan is released in Europe and debuts at 11 on the German pop charts. A European tour commences. The compilation The Best and The Rest is released in Japan.
1998- The Wake of Magellan is released in America. Savatage tours in the U.S., Europe and South America. In Japan, the compilation Believe is released. Also, TSO writes and releases its second album, The Christmas Attic, while Christmas Eve & Other Stories is certified gold.
1999- TSO writes and records its first non-Christmas album, Beethoven's Last Night, and embarks on its first tour, which features Caffery, Pitrelli, Plate and Middleton. A TSO television special, ''The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,'' is filmed and is broadcast nationally.
2000- Beethoven's Last Night is released. For its second tour, TSO splits into two touring companies, with Skolnick joining Caffery on TSO East. On the Savatage front, Pitrelli and Stevens leave the band. With O'Neill, Savatage records a new alb*m as a quartet. The group amicably parts ways with Atlantic Records and signs with Nuclear Blast in America and SPV in Europe.
2001- Poets & Madmen, featuring Jon Oliva's return as lead vocalist, is released worldwide; it debuts at 7 on the German pop charts. A world tour commences with additional touring members Damond Jiniya (vocals) and Jack Frost (guitars). Meanwhile, TSO's ''The Ghosts of Christmas Eve'' is released on VHS and DVD, Christmas Eve & Other Stories goes platinum and the group embarks on its third tour (and second with two touring companies).
2002- Pitrelli rejoins Savatage, replacing Frost, but does not accompany the band on its summer European tour. Jeff Waters (Annihilator) fills in instead. The Christmas Attic is certified gold shortly before TSO's fourth tour.
2003- Stevens resurfaces with a new band, Circle II Circle, which features guest appearances by Oliva and Caffery. Oliva begins work on a solo project, which makes its live debut at the Criss Oliva Memorial Concert (which commemorates the 10th Anniversary of the guitarist's passing). The Tampa concert, which also features performances by Circle II Circle and Doctor Butcher, is headlined by Oliva, Wacholz, Middleton and Caffery. Soon after, Caffery and Middleton join TSO for its fifth annual tour.
2004- Caffery releases his solo debut, the double alb*m Faces/God d*mn War. He reteams with Oliva (whose own debut solo album, 'Tage Mahal, is also released) and Wacholz for a headlining performance of Savatage classics at the ProgPower USA festival. Before its sixth holiday tour, TSO releases The Lost Christmas Eve, which is quickly certified gold; also that year, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve goes gold, The Christmas Attic goes platinum and Christmas Eve & Other Stories goes double-platinum.
2005- Circle II Circle releases its second album, The Middle of Nowhere. Jon Oliva's Pain and Chris Caffery embark on a brief U.S. tour together. Another successful TSO tour takes place.
2006- Plate joins Metal Church and performs on the group's alb*m A Light In The Dark. Circle II Circle releases its third album, Burden of Truth, and Jon Oliva's Pain issues its second, Maniacal Renderings. In the midst of its eighth holiday tour, TSO's The Lost Christmas Eve is certified platinum.
2007- Caffery's second solo album, Pins and Needles, is released. Caffery, Circle II Circle and Jon Oliva's Pain all perform on the same day at Belgium's Pestpop Festival. Plate and Stevens announce plans to resurrect their pre-Savatage band, Wickedwitch. During TSO's ninth holiday tour, Beethoven's Last Night is certified gold.
2008- Circle II Circle releases its fourth album, Delusions of Grandeur; Jon Oliva's Pain releases its third album, Global Warning; Caffery releases his third solo album, House of Insanity; and Plate's second alb*m with Metal Church, This Present Wasteland, is released. Circle II Circle and Jon Oliva's Pain embark on a brief American tour shortly before TSO kicks off its 10th Anniversary tour.
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lucretia 18.10.11 - 01:54pm
*** CRISS' RIP SHOULD SAY 1993, OBVIOUSLY!*** ..trust me to do such a typo :o/ *
1vic1983 10.11.11 - 05:19pm
The 80's albums are very nice :)
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lucretia 11.11.11 - 09:36am
Streets is also a great classic :) .. ps- welcome back! :D *
