- Source: List of Savatage band members
Savatage is an American heavy metal band, founded by brothers Jon (vocals) and Criss (guitar) Oliva in 1979, under the name Avatar. The band's first stable line-up in the early eighties also included drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz, and bassist Keith Collins. Currently the band consists of Jon Oliva, alongside bassist Johnny Lee Middleton (since 1986), guitarist Chris Caffery (who first joined in 1987 as a touring member), singer Zachary Stevens (who first joined in 1992), drummer Jeff Plate (since 1994) and guitarist Al Pitrelli (who first joined in 1995)
History
In 1986 Collins was replaced by Johnny Lee Middleton, and the line-up was expanded in 1987, to include second guitarist Chris Caffery. The nineties began with the band again down to four after Caffery's departure. He was replaced by John Zahner on tour. In 1992 Jon Oliva stepped down as frontman though he remained involved in songwriting. He was replaced by vocalist Zachary Stevens, though Oliva continued to collaborate in the studio. Wacholz also took a hiatus from touring and was replaced by Andy James on tour. The band went on hiatus when Criss Oliva died in a car accident in 1993.
Jon Oliva reformed Savatage in 1994, recording Handful of Rain, with Stevens, new guitarist Alex Skolnick and producer/manager Paul O'Neill. Wacholz and Middleton refused to record as they were grieving Criss Oliva's death. Oliva, Stevens, Skolnick, Middleton and new drummer Jeff Plate all contributed to the supporting tour. The band had a solid lineup from 1995 to 2000 with Al Pitrelli and the returning Caffery replacing Skolnick. In 2000, Stevens and Pitrelli left the band, and Oliva took over lead vocals and Caffery took over lead guitar. In 2001 new members Damond Jiniya (vocals) and Jack Frost (guitar) joined for touring, however Frost was let go in 2002 to make way for the returning Pitrelli, though he was briefly replaced on a tour by Annihilator guitarist Jeff Waters.
In 2014, the band reformed with Oliva/Middleton/Caffery/Stevens/Plate/Pitrelli line-up returning at Wacken Open Air 2015. But were inactive until 2023 when Jon Oliva confirmed work on a new studio album. The band will play their first show in April 2025, without Oliva due to his diagnosis of both multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease.
From 1987 on, Paul O'Neill acted as the band's producer, co-lyricist and co-composer, and leads Trans-Siberian Orchestra along with Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli. Stevens, Middleton, Caffery and Plate also perform in Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and former guitarist Alex Skolnick has also performed with the group. In April 2017 it was announced that O'Neill had died at the age of 61.
Members
= Current members
== Former members
== Touring musicians
=Session and guest musicians
Avatar (pre-Savatage) members
Timeline
Line-ups
References
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- List of Savatage band members
- Savatage
- Pantera
- Sirens (Savatage album)
- Savatage discography
- Nocturna (band)
- Hall of the Mountain King (album)
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- List of Avantasia band members
- Handful of Rain
