Savatage - alone you breathe

[Alvin_Wilson]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

[ QUOTE ]
I don't buy into the whole "when Criss died Savatage died" BS. No they aren't the same. But to be honest DWD and Poets are probably better overall cds than Edge of Thorns..

My biggest problem with early Savatage is that Oliva's voice just freaking annoyed the hell out of me.

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BLASPHEMY!!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

They are not the same and should have been called something else. To use hte Savatage Name was bullshit.

I met Pitrelli and thought he was a total moron. He even purposefully acted bored, rolling his eyes on stage to show his dismay when people where going wild while they played the old suff. He can kiss my ass. Get a nother hired gun job if you don't like it Pitrelli.

And, I really wasn't a fan of Edge of thorns either. I think it had a lot to do with Jon leaving the band, and Criss wasn't doing so great. That CD had some prettty seriously good tunes though. And although the new guy was a great singer (better than Jon really), it just wasn't so Savatage-ish.

When Criss died, "Savatage" just lost that vibe that he brought to the band. They became something else. It was good, and if you like that, fine. It sure isn't Savatage by any means though.

That Magellan release was horrid.

[Tekky]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

To say TSO and Savatage are similar would be somewhat of an understatement considering that most of TSO is comprised of Savatage. "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" first appeared on a Savatage album.

I'd say that just before Criss' death, Savatage was taking more of a progressive direction. It's definitely a departure from the older albums, but in my opinion it stands pretty well on it's own.

Criss is definitely a big part of Savatage's history. (which will end after one more album according to Johnny Lee Middleton) And Criss' legacy is all over anything that Savatage and TSO does. (the TSO logo is the airbrushed guitar from Streets which is one of Criss' mutt Predators and I've been told - by Angus Clark - that Paul O'Neil wants a Jackson or a Charvel with each touring group in commemmoration of Criss.)

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

I hear there is another CD in the works, but Doc told me last summer when he was here with Chris C. that although they somewhat "officially" say it is coming, he can't go on saying that it is and he doesn't think there will be another any time soon if ever.


Interesting huh?

[Endrik]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

John, have you offered yourself to Savatage?

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

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John, have you offered yourself to Savatage?

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Haha, that sounds like a tour bus thing! Doh...

Well, that would be a dream job, but never bothered to go there when talking to any of those guys other than telling Jon I was a guitarist in a cover band doing a lot of Savatage. He did smile real big and said we did all the good stuff though after seeing a setlist.

Shortly afterwards I pissed him off telling him that Pitrelli was a dick and that Chris C. should get more attention because his heart is obviously MUCH more into it than Pitrelli.

I'm sure I'd just be another fan talking shit to them in their eyes. I've talked to a few of the Tage dudes over the years, but it's always somewhat rushed and they are busy when running around on tour. No time to really get to know what's really happening with them or sell myself, haha..

Not sure they would really want a Criss clone anyways. And they Have Caffery who absolutely does an admirable job of that stuff.

[Endrik]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

well give it a shot, you never know what's gonna happen.

That Nick dude from BLS was just a regular guy and a Zakk Wylde fan and really couldn't play that good, one day he wrote to Zakk that he wants to play with him and well Zakk invited him to his band.

[Wayniac]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

Good luck if you do it (sincerely!).
They used Matt LaPorte for Circle II Circle, who does an excellent job of sounding like Criss. And he has been in Jon Oliva's Pain as well.. so they already have a guy who can sound like Criss in the "camp"
BUT.. be prepared to do a lot of sitting and waiting, since they are in no rush to get something out, even though the 25th anniversay is coming up (or has gone by depending on who you talk to)....

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

I figure there's a couple thousand guys that would be able to do it, hence, I ain't nothin special other than having had a love for Criss's slant on thing.

[Wayniac]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

Nothing to lose by trying ! That is just a BIG back catalog to learn (plus multiple tunings)
My personal guess (and that is exactly what it is - no inside info) would be they wouldn't need a guy in the studio, but possibly one for live shows if they did a tour.. and that would be assuming Pitrelli, Skolnick, and/or Laporte were approached and were unavailable...
Then add the MANY other logistics: TSO, the guys solo projects, which drummer do they use .... it could drive you insane ! [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]
Best bet - stay brushed up on the tunes, and keep an eye and ear open...

[jeff300]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

Savatage is definitely and always will be one of my favorite bands. I used to listen to them incessantly. Admittedly, now I hardly do.

I find it odd how many of you say that you only liked them in the Criss days. Or the John days. Or the Zak days, or whatever. Like any band that has been around a while, people and things change. I like to think they EVOLVE. I appreciate that their sound and lineup changed over the years, and I like it all, though not equally.

It's a shame that they lost such a gifted singer in Zak Stevens, but now its on to the next phase, if there will be one.

It's also a crying shame that they never found the second half of the Streets recordings and also that Alex Skolnick didn't stick around any longer than he did. C'est la vie.

Now, for what its worth to the original poster, my favorite albums currently are, in order:

1) Streets
2) Dead Winter Dead
3) Handful of Rain
4) Gutter Ballet
5) Hall of the Mountain King
6) Edge of Thorns
7) Wake of Magellan
8) Power of the Night
9) Sirens
10) Fight for the Rock
11) Dungeons Are Calling
12) Poets and Madmen

Spots 2-5 change over time.

[horns666]

Re: Savatage - alone you breathe

"All of those are classic Criss Oliva. After he died, Savatage died as well."

Dido..BIG TIME...Criss was "tage..

and I have EVERYTHING "tage - realated..from TSO..to "Tage Mahal to Dr Butcher which is the coolest thing they put out since Criss' passing IMO..

Me and John were the biggest Savatage NUTS on the planet..die-hards..prolly why we feel this way..the magic was just lost..much like VH without Dave..for example.

John and I have been there from their debut...and have been loyal...we wanted to like their latter stuff but it just wasn't the same...that is obvious!

The formula between the Olivas was magical...but what was I been informed by many that were "in the know" John was always an asshole to his bro Criss before he died and tormented him..he almost drowned him intentionally in a swimming pool almost killing him...this was told to me by a friend of mine that taled to Criss himself...their definitely was some resentment from Criss about that fat/fugly bro of his!

and Criss did have a big "H" prob"..that was also from the horses mouth..well he wrote great riffs because of it prolly...but he was depressed!

John and I taked to Jon at length..and although we LOVE his style he was the biggest dick I ever talked to in the biz.

I bought my main baby ..My '95 San Dimas Koa brand new...because I am HUGE Savatge/Skolnik fan...and that's what he played/endorsed at that time.

BTW...I told Jack Frost that Cleve John could front 'Tage with NO prob..and that is true!

[stephenslr]

I saw Savatage headline RockMachina and also at Wacken in 2002 with Damond Jiniya sharing the vocals and Jeff Waters on guitar.

They still Rocked.

s

[UmUt]

i grew up listening savatage
my icon band is savatage ...