SAVATAGE Recruits Two Keyboard Players For Upcoming Shows: 'They Are' Also 'Great Vocalists'

In a new interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery and singer Zak Stevens spoke about the reactivated band's upcoming shows in Europe and South America. Joining Chris and Zak in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar and Jeff Plate on drums. Asked if SAVATAGE has rehearsed already for the upcoming dates, Zak said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes. We've had rehearsals already. We got the keyboard players that [are] coming along with us… We've got two keyboard players.

Added Chris: "Johnny said it today. We're not saying names. And they asked me what the names were. I said, 'I could tell you thousand keyboard players it's not. [Laughs] But Johnny did mention that one of the guys is actually from Colombia. So not only do we have a keyboard player, we have an interpreter [for the upcoming shows in the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries]."

Asked if the two keyboard players will also contribute vocals to SAVATAGE, Zak said: "I'm gonna handle all that stuff, but they are great vocalists, I'll tell you that. The situation vocally with the band is great right now because I'm having a great time because we've got more vocal stuff going on than we were able to do before. So now the vocal level of the band is taking a huge step forward and is the highest level ever. And Mr. Chris Caffery there is singing very well, and he's doing his part. And so we've got two great new singers who are also keyboard players, but also we've got Al, myself. Johnny's putting in a few things there. Chris is singing even more than ever. I'm loving it, man. We've got a lot of good vocal stuff going on. And so until Jon [Oliva, SAVATAGE mastermind] gets back, I'm just handling the main load of the lead vocal."

Said Chris: "There was a lot of times when the two lead vocals would sing together in parts and that's what they'll be doing with Jon. Plus when you have five-point counterpoint stuff, all those parts get harmonized. And when we had all five parts going, you never really had a chance to get the harmonies too. So we're gonna be able to mix and match harmonies moving along. And with the keyboard situation, once the keyboards started coming into play, there was always piano parts and string parts. Even with 'Prelude To Madness', it was a mixture of orchestration, and then when you got into 'Temptation Revelation', it was piano and the orchestration. And then, of course, that kept moving on as we went further into the records when things got deeper. And when we added songs like 'Chance', the vocal harmonies not only got bigger, but the amount of parts got bigger.

"Our goal is to try to be as close to the record as possible without using anything other than ourselves," Chris explained. "So we've got a really good lineup going. Of course we want Jon to be there, and I think him not being there is gonna be inspirational for him to get back into play. He's gonna be at all rehearsals. He's a big part of choosing the setlist. It was his decision to say, 'Okay,' and go play. I mean, it's still SAVATAGE."

Jon Oliva, SAVATAGE's founding vocalist and keyboardist, in 2023 suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his exit. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

Photo credit: Josh Ruzansky