In November, guitarist Chris Caffery will perform his 1,500th show with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the yuletide rock theater phenomenon that packs US arenas every winter.
Until last year, though, Caffery was more likely to be asked about the shows he wasn’t playing as Savatage. The metal group that birthed TSO in the mid-’90s – and whom Caffery first played with in 1987 – had been in suspended animation since their world tour in support of their 2001 album, Poets and Madmen.
He’s quick to point out that Savatage never broke up. That changed in 2025 with their first tour in more than two decades. Its success set the stage for more live shows this year, including a performance alongside an orchestra at the legendary Amphitheatre of Pompeii, and high-profile appearances at European festivals such as Wacken, Sweden Rock, and Alcatraz.
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In addition to the upcoming concerts, fans have an old one to look forward to – the release of the 1990 Hollywood show, Madness Reigns from the Gutter, which captures the Gutter Ballet era lineup at their absolute peak.
Savatage just played their first two shows of 2026. What does it mean to be able to perform that material again?
I never wanted to stop. I always got upset when people would say, “Chris Caffery, ex-Savatage,” because we never broke up. We just stopped playing. Savatage kind of sat there collecting dust for a while – but luckily, our dust was used live a lot, so we all got better as musicians.
During COVID, co-founder Jon Oliva did an interview about wanting to do one last Savatage record. There was really no plan, but festivals started making offers. Our manager got us on a conference call, and I basically was crying – it’s what I’d been waiting for.
When we got to Brazil [where the 2025 tour kicked off] and walked up on that stage, it was crazy. Even before we played the first note I was like, “We’re back home!” It felt like we’d never left; it was the place we were supposed to be. We went out there and represented that music really well.
All members of Savatage participate in TSO, and both touring troupes of TSO rehearse together every year. Did you guys ever jam in private after TSO rehearsals wrapped up?
We never jammed because everything was really scripted – rehearsals, soundchecks, when you start and when you stop. But we always spoke about wanting to do it.
It’s not like there was a time when Savatage didn’t want to play, but there were so many other elements that were not allowing the pieces to fall into the right place for Savatage to come back.
I think the main thing was that nobody wanted to go in and half-ass it. I completely understood that. We were on a very high level the entire time with TSO; production, music, business. We were like, “If it’s going to be done, it has to be done right.”
And I think the time gap created the demand that allowed us to have all the pieces fall together. Last year we played, I think, better than we ever had. We might not have been at the same tempo physically as when I was 21! But musically it was very good.
On the upcoming Savatage live album from 1990, you’re heard playing alongside the late Criss Oliva.
When you listen to me and Criss play rhythm guitar together, it’s a mirror. Maybe the tone is a little bit different with his guitar and what he was running his rig with – he was Criss Oliva, and I am not – but the way we played guitar was identical.
There was something that happened when we played together. That rhythm sound was better as an army than it was with just one. When I listened back to that recording I was like, “Wow, that band was a machine!”
You first toured with Savatage in 1987, when the band opened for Dio and Megadeth. Initially you were asked to play offstage before you joined the band officially.
I said, ‘If they think I stink, I’ll eat the ticket and go home – but if not, let me do the tour’
Paul [O’Neill, longtime producer and lyricist] wanted to make the sound a little bit bigger live because he was adding depth into the recordings – it wasn’t the band’s idea. I offered to fly myself to Florida.
I said, “If they think I stink, I’ll eat the ticket and go home – but if not, let me do the tour.” Within five minutes of playing with them they left the room, came back and said, “We want you to do this.”
That tour was incredible for me, because Dio was one of my favorite singers. Holy Diver was one of my favorite records ever, and so was Mob Rules and Rainbow’s Rising.
![Savatage - One Child (Official Music Video) [HD] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5KcdYdDCV44/maxresdefault.jpg "“There was really no plan, but festivals started making offers. Our manager got us on a call, and I was basically crying – it's what I’d been waiting for”: Chris Caffery on the return of Savatage, and his guitar partnership with the late Criss Oliva 20")
I was familiar with Megadeth, but I had no idea how big they’d already gotten. It was incredible to watch every single kid in that audience singing along with, ‘If there’s a new way, I’ll be the first in line.’ They were on the verge of taking their spot, and it was crazy to watch. And Savatage had Hall of the Mountain King, which was so epic – it was just a really powerful metal bill.
Do you still have any gear from those days?
I do. My Marshall 800 was my main stage amp back then, and I use it the same way now. I had another distortion pedal out of the front face of the amp, and that’s really all I used. I didn’t need a delay or reverb or anything else. I’ll always use one 9-volt guitar pedal – I think it adds that sound and that tone into whatever you throw on top of it.
What are you playing now?
For this run in Europe I’m taking four Jacksons – three Rhoads and my black mirrored Kelly. Dean Zelinsky made me a blue Tele and I wanted to have a gargoyle put on it, because I wanted to have a guitar to honor Criss without making a Criss Oliva Gargoyle guitar.
My goal is to find an artist at one of these festivals and have them put something on there as a tribute to Criss. It’s just a really, really great guitar.
Outside of Savatage and TSO, you also moonlight semi-regularly with Doro and the “king of polka”, Jimmy Sturr.
It’s always fun with Doro. I started working with her over 20 years ago, and ever since then, when she’s needed a guitar player and I could do it, I’ve been helping her. She’s like Lemmy, where she’s reached a different level, and it’s always an honor.
With Jimmy, I don’t necessarily play the polka songs. He adds an element of rock music into his show, and I go up and I’ll do Skynyrd. He’s even doing Walk This Way from Aerosmith now. I have fun and I do it when I can.
I’d love to see something new from Savatage – but my crystal ball isn’t working!
I wouldn’t say I’m the greatest chameleon as a guitar player. I couldn’t play in a jazz band; it would probably be a lot of practice to figure out all the different country scales and tunings if somebody wanted me to do something like that. But if somebody asks me to play in a rock or metal band, it’s just kind of natural.
Whether with Criss Oliva or Al Pitrelli in Savatage, or with Joel Hoekstra or Alex Skolnick in TSO, or filling in with Doro or Metal Church, you’ve been a part of some impressive guitar tandems.
Listen to [the Scorpions‘ 1978 live album] Tokyo Tapes – it sounds like one guitar, but it’s two. That’s my bible for how heavy metal rhythm guitars should be playing together. When you have two guitar players and one goes into a lead, you don’t become Van Halen. You become Balls to the Wall and Blackout. You fill the wall up, like a stereo sound.
People don’t understand there’s a definite art to rhythm guitar. Somebody got on me the other week; they were talking about the top 10 heavy metal guitar players, and I threw Scott Ian into that mix. One guy was like, “You don’t know anything about Anthrax. Dan Spitz was the man.”
I’m like, “You have no idea what I was talking about!” I was not talking about Scott Ian because of a lead. Scott’s like Mustaine and Hetfield when it comes to that kind of picking. Heavy metal rhythm guitar playing is an art.
This year marks three decades since the release of TSO’s debut album. Is it too early to ask how you’ll commemorate that live?
I’ve learned that I don’t say anything until TSO says it – but yeah, it’s the 30th anniversary. And fuck, do I feel old! It’s crazy what that band’s accomplished. We all have so much to be proud of.
I’m the only person that’s actually played every TSO live performance possible. I couldn’t play with both bands, but when we played together as one I was always there, and I never missed one single performance with TSO East. I’m really proud and happy about it – it’s such an iconic show and band.
As for Savatage, is it too soon to ask what 2027 might have in store?
I’d love to see something new out – but my crystal ball isn’t working! I’m just happy Savatage are playing. We want to play everywhere, and as long as it’s going to be a good situation and everybody’s going to be safe to travel, we’re going to take on what we can.
