So...anyone else here like/listen to the
Trans-Siberian Orchestra?
After listening to some of their music - I not only found that I really liked it, but also that, I was really impressed by the guitar work + the tone & theme to much of their music actually sounded familiar to me & reminded me of something...
After a little info-digging...I now understand why
I used to listen to a lot of
Savatage (w/ "
Gutter Ballet" being one of my favs) - it, also had a similar 'rock opera' / 'orchestral metal' type of feel (this was back in the late 80's, no less)!
Also, way back when, I was a pretty big fan of
Testament, and, playing guitar myself at the time - I was easily able to recognize that their guitarist (
Alex Skolnik) stood head & shoulders above many of the "
Hey, I've got long hair, a guitar, and know a few power chords"/dime-a-dozen metal "guitarists" of the time.
TL;DR:
Turns out that the guy who started/runs TSO was involved with (the publisher, iirc) Savatage's album Gutter Ballet.
Another founding/key person in TSO *IS* the guitarist from Savatage.
Another of TSO's 'regular' guitarists name is...wait for it...
...Alex Skolnik
