Criss Oliva

[semagic]

Re: Criss Oliva

The musicworld changed when he passed. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[npacheco]

Re: Criss Oliva

Hall of the Mountain King is one of the best songs EVER! The whole album really kicks ass too. I like Power of the Night.

That song got me "into" Savatage. I heard the intro..."Out there, coming closer, quicker, moving with a swiftness, closing in on you" and I had to find out who this Savatage band was. I didn't know what album it was on (or even the name of the song), so I bought Hall of the Mountain King. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] Well it wasn't on there, but the album sure kicked ass. So I try Gutter Ballet. Again no luck, but the album rocked. By this time, I'm digging Savatage so I buy Power of the Night, Streets, Edge of Thorns, Handful of Rain...

RIP brother

[P I K A]

Re: Criss Oliva

My wife was cleaning out the garage and gave me some cassette tapes that were buried . Anyway Hall of the Mountain King was 1 of them how strange is that? I've been playing it ever since in my old Jeep and that whole tape kicks ass. Not 1 bad song. I always liked Savatage and that video of 24 hours ago was where I 1st heard and saw them and was hooked ever since. Criss was great.( I liked him better then Randy too)

[stevieb91]

Re: Criss Oliva

With all due respect,I don't think Criss and Randy could be compared..Criss is awesome,one of the most well balanced players to ever grace the insturment,and his departure left an immense hole in music,but unfortunately we don't have the volume of Randy's work that we do of Criss...

Ultimately,I would consider it a Master/Desciple/Desciple becomes Master situation...

[Drake S.]

Re: Criss Oliva

Chris Olivia love your music Even happier to have known you Brother [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] R.I.P.

[StarRider]

Re: Criss Oliva

Back in the early to mid 80s I did get to meet Criss when they where up here in NY.
What a cool guy!!!! I think they where doing the Power Of The Night tour/songs back then.
Even then he was a great metal guitarist. Tunning down to C and D long before it was the newest thing to do.
Heck even did a show with Savatage back in the day. From that day forward I was a Criss Oliva fan.
Savatage was like us, Real Metal. Hit em hard and heavy.
While most bands where tryin to be second rate Van Halen, Savatage and Criss where kickin it, dark and heavy
[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

RIP Criss, God Bless once again, and forever.

my fav Savatage songs CDs:
The Ghost in the Ruins Tribute CD the whole disc Criss is amazing on this
Warrior and Power Of The Night from POTN CD
Edge of Thorns CD outstand disc!!!!
Sirens and I Believe from Sirens
The Dungeons Are Calling Total Metal!!!!!
Gutter Ballet, Hounds, this song kicks butt
Hall Of The Mountain King, 24hrs Ago rocks

[Tekky]

Re: Criss Oliva

[ QUOTE ]
Chris Olivia love your music Even happier to have known you Brother [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] R.I.P.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who???

I thought this was about Criss Oliva. [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

(Sorry man, huge pet peeve of mine. Had to be done.)

[Tekky]

Re: Criss Oliva

[ QUOTE ]
For those of you who have WinAmp, the video for 24 Hours Ago is on their website....

[/ QUOTE ]

Yahoo! Music has a few of their videos as well. Although Handful of Rain was with Skolnick, it is still a great song.

http://music.yahoo.com/ar-262935-videos--Savatage

[Tekky]

Re: Criss Oliva

[ QUOTE ]
With all due respect,I don't think Criss and Randy could be compared..Criss is awesome,one of the most well balanced players to ever grace the insturment,and his departure left an immense hole in music,but unfortunately we don't have the volume of Randy's work that we do of Criss...

Ultimately,I would consider it a Master/Desciple/Desciple becomes Master situation...

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with that partially. I always looked to Randy as the perfect marriage of rock and classical. Moreso than Yngwie. Yngwie just rehashed Bach, Beethoven, and Paganini. Randy took it and made it his own.

Now with Criss, this was a different story. Criss was the answer to the ages old argument between feel and technique. He was the perfect blend of both.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Criss Oliva

Yeah, he was awesome... Nicest guy you'd want to meet. Always had a minute to talk a bit.

I styled most of my playing after him for years and my old cover band was often basically a Savatage and Iron Maiden Tribute. We'd ALWAYS open with Sirens, and end with Hall of the mountain King. And tons of HOTMK and earlier stuff in the show...

man, those were good times playing that stuff live and seeing people get off on it all...

Jon, seemingly jealous, told me once upon hearing a song list "Damn, you guys do "all" the best stuff of ours!" hehe... Quite a compliment to my ears really that he thought that...

Such emotion Criss had too... sigh... Tragic...

[semagic]

Re: Criss Oliva

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Chris Olivia love your music Even happier to have known you Brother [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] R.I.P.

[/ QUOTE ]

Who???

I thought this was about Criss Oliva. [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

(Sorry man, huge pet peeve of mine. Had to be done.)

[/ QUOTE ]

+1

[StarRider]

Re: Criss Oliva

Just threw in Ghost In The Ruins again
This entire disc is sick
From beginning to end its just amazing metal guitaring
Metal with feeling, passion, performed with skill

Listening to Criss again on this CD
I truly beleive he was one of the best Metal Guitarists

The Edge of Thorns, very much Progressive Metal
I always wonder if Criss was still with us
what direction Savatage would have taken
say: Fates Warning Dream Theater ish?
Criss is still the one thing missing from Progressive Metal

Still missed very much as well [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Shawn]

Re: Criss Oliva

Was very lucky to have known Criss and his brother . Did many events with them when I was in the radio biz here in Tampa. Was working Livestock, which was sponsored and run by our station, the day he was killed. I will always find it ironic that he was sober and killed by someone elses ignorance that day, as he was known to usually be the "life of the party".

Streets is just an incredible album. I am in contact all the time with "Doc" Wacholz. He just moved to N.C. and is now a full time Knife maker and doing quite well.

A sad story all the way around I guess. All great guys though.


Shawn

[Drake S.]

Re: Criss Oliva

Sorry about the mispelling guys I've been under heavy medication most of the day, & was not my intent.

[Endrik]

Re: Criss Oliva

I've never cared 'bout Savatage altho Streets and Edge Of Thorns are pretty good albums. But Criss was amazing, SICK lead guitar tone, very unique style, one thing that makes him more interesting compared to Yngwie, Randy etc. classical influenced guitarists that he had a lot of cool groovy/funk elements in his playing.