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Was Savatage THAT badass?

CoqBelliqueux

By CoqBelliqueux
in Electric Guitars

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kherman Newbie

kherman

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I knew Chris. John, Zakk and actually all of them. I bought the studio monitors that I am using right now from their old drummer.

I Saw Chris a bunch of times back in the day, and even very early in his career, like in the early 80's, it was clear that he was on track to become a household name and held in the highest reguards with any metal shredder on the planet.


I was at the show he was returning home rom when he was killed.


Yes, if you like that style of metal shredding, he was about as good as anyone there was, and this coming from someone that saw them dozens of times live all the way from the very early 80's. when they were called Avater, all the way up to and well after Chris's death.


His death has been a long time ago now, so who knows what he would be doing today But he was driven, and a great guitar player, so I am positive we, as guitarists would all be talking about him regularly on this site had he lived.


My old guitarist went to do some work with Savatage after I left that band to go play with Brian Johnson. Our band broke up immediately after.


Then our guitar player did some work around 2000 with The Circle To Circle Project which was John Oliva's writing and producing, with Zakk Stevens on Vocals. The Fired my old guitarist, because he noodled too much and wasnt good at taking direction from others. If He had his way, the record would have just been a mindless guitar wankfest, and if you know Savatage, or any of the related stuff, it is loaded with great guitar, but it is all well placed and well produced, and they had no room for a maniacle, hugely egotistical, mindless wanking shredder. He did their demo with them for the label, and then he was promptly fired.


But, yeah, I grew up listening to those guys live, and Chris Oliva is just one of those rare names that I never hear anyone have anything bad to say abouyt. The dude was a monster and had he lived, he would have been a world class, world famous household name of a monster.



Thanks for sharing, Dave.

Criss is definitely in my top "3" of guitarists that influenced me.

He knew when to let it rip.
He knew when to just let it sing.
Criss just had such great dynamics in his playing.

I got to see him on the "Edge Of Thorns" tour.
(at T.A.Verns in Milwaukee. For those who remember those days. :D)

My first Savatage album was "Hall of the Mountain King".
Favorite Savatage album is "Gutter Ballet".

I truelly miss his playing.

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DaveAronow Newbie

DaveAronow

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Having grown up in tampa and hearing them since inception, I always thought they sucked.

 

That is a pretty generic responcse and with no background is pretty much meaningless.

 

Who do you think DOESNT suck, as for comparison? I mean, if you are a Tiffany fan, or say, Yanni, John Tesh, or Devo, or Flock of seagulls, or Tiny Tim, or millions of other acts I could randomly name..... I could see how you might think they suck.

 

Actually, no I cant.

 

I could see how you might not even remotely be into their style of music, but if you actually think they "suck", then I have to lable you incompetant to judge. You might not like them, but if you are denying the fact that they know EXACTLY HOW to play their instruments with a great degree of competency for their style, and that they are caplable of writing, and producing songs that millions of fans over the years, (and metal fans that like their style tend to be pretty picky), have found to be outstanding and badass, then I would have to encourage you to quit music of any kind forever, because you are WAY out of your element.

 

Sucking implies that they are complete hacks, cant play their instruments with any degree of competency, and that pretty much no one would ever want to hear them.

 

I understand you may not like them, even a little bit, but to actually say that they "suck", just makes you look like someone that doesnt have even the slightest clue of what people that know how to play their instruments extremely well sound like.

 

If you think they "suck", period, with no qualifications, then I would encourage you to find another hobby because music does not seem to be where your strong points are.

 

 

You dont have to like them at all, but if you deny they can play, they found a niche in a picky market, and were fairly successful pleasing very respectable numbers of fans, then I can no longer take anything you say dealing with the subject of music seriously again.

 

Out of curiousity, I would give you the opportunity to redeem yourself to the fans in this thread that are also looking at you sideways now, and explain what exactly it is about them that makes them "suck" to you, and list some examples of music that you enjoy that you think doesnt suck.

 

You could easily win back alot of respect with some well thought out and well explained answers.

 

Another explaination would be you are just trolling, and I commend you for maximum effect with minimum effort.:thu:

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EllenGtrGrl Newbie

EllenGtrGrl

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Thanks for sharing, Dave.


Criss is definitely in my top "3" of guitarists that influenced me.


He knew when to let it rip.

He knew when to just let it sing.

Criss just had such great dynamics in his playing.


I got to see him on the "Edge Of Thorns" tour.

(at T.A.Verns in Milwaukee. For those who remember those days.
:D
)


My first Savatage album was "Hall of the Mountain King".

Favorite Savatage album is "Gutter Ballet".


I truelly miss his playing.



I must have seen them the day before, or the day after you saw them Kent. I think it was in Feb. 2003 (correct me if I"m wrong). I saw them at the Orpheum in Green Bay.

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Honkers Newbie

Honkers

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Yes, Savatage was that badass. If someone did a "best obscure albums/bands from the 80's/90's," they should be on it. It's crazy that they didn't get the rep they deserved when Savatage was at their prime. Criss was a huge influence to me as a guitarist. I liked Jon a lot more than Zak, but they both were great.

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V-Type Newbie

V-Type

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I used too go too Harpos in Detroit every weekend for a couple years with various girlfriends in the late 80's. One night I caught a band Id heard of but never really listened much too before Savatage. That day in 87 made me a huge fan from that point on. And btw the live shots for the Hall of the Mountain King video were done that night in Detroit.
Chris was truly a gifted player.
RIP

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