Post by Henny Macc on Mar 31, 2024 2:10:24 GMT
John Nicholas "Jon" Oliva (July 22, 1959 - )
Years active: 1978-present
Country of origin: United States of America
Recorded vocal range: A1-B♭5 (A1-A♯5)
Band highlights:
- 1978-1983 - Avatar (lead vocals)
- 1983-1992 - Savatage (lead vocals, keyboards)
- 1992-1994 - Doctor Butcher (lead vocals, keyboard, bass)
- 1993-present - Trans-Siberian Orchestra (keyboards, vocals)
- 1994-2000 - Savatage (keyboards, vocals, rhythm guitar)
- 2000-2002 - Savatage (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar)
- 2003-2019 - Jon Oliva's Pain (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar)
- 2013-present - Oliva (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums)
- 2014-2015 - Savatage (keyboards, lead vocals)
- 2023-present - Savatage (keyboards, lead vocals)
{Full band history}
- 1976 - Black Diamond (lead vocals, guitar)
- 1977-1978 - Metropolis (lead vocals)
- 1978 - Avatar (lead vocals, bass)
- 1978-1979 - Alien (lead vocals)
- 1978-1980 - Avatar (lead vocals)
- 1980-1981 - Avatar (lead vocals, drums)
- 1981-1983 - Avatar (lead vocals)
- 1983-1992 - Savatage (lead vocals, keyboards)
- 1992-1994 - Doctor Butcher (lead vocals, keyboard, bass)
- 1993-present - Trans-Siberian Orchestra (keyboards, vocals)
- 1994-2000 - Savatage (keyboards, vocals, rhythm guitar)
- 2000-2002 - Savatage (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar)
- 2003-2019 - Jon Oliva's Pain (lead vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar)
- 2013-present - Oliva (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums)
- 2014-2015 - Savatage (keyboards, lead vocals)
- 2023-present - Savatage (keyboards, lead vocals)
Recorded high notes:
A♯5/B♭5: "Beyond Broadway" demo, call-and-response scream live São Paulo 1998, "Hall of the Mountain King" live at Jaxx Nightclub 1998
A5: "Beyond Broadway" demo, "City Beneath the Surface" live at The Ritz 1990, "Gates of Hell" demo, "Hall of the Mountain King" live São Paulo 1998, "Holocaust" live at The Ritz 1987, "Sirens" live at Jaxx Nightclub 1998, "Stories", "The Dungeons Are Calling" live at Nassau Coliseum 1988, "War Pigs" live Clearwater 2010
G♯5/A♭5: call-and-response scream live Ponderano 1998, "City Beneath the Surface", "Devastation", "Gutter Ballet" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "I Believe", "Lady in Disguise" demo, "Metalhead" demo, "Midas Knight" live at Boomerz 2003, "Nowhere to Run", "Season of the Witch", "Stuck on You" demo, "Sundog" live Clearwater 1982, "Through the Eyes of the King", "Tonight He Grins Again" live Ponderano 1998, "Whole Lotta Love" live Lutz 2015
G5: "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" live at The Ritz 1987, "Devastation", "Dismissal of Faith" demo, "Drive", "Firestorm" live Clearwater 1982, "Gates of Hell" demo, "Ghost in the Ruins", "Guardian of Forever" live at The Ritz 1987, "Hall of the Mountain King", "Hounds", "Lady in Disguise" demo, "Metalhead" demo, "Midas Knight", "Morphine Child" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "Necrophilia", "No Hope for the Healing", "Out on the Streets" live at The Ritz 1987, "Power of the Night", "Reach Out and Torment Someone", "Red Light Paradise", "Sirens" live at Nassau Coliseum 1988, "Skull Session", "Strange Wings", "Streets", "Target" demo, "The Chair" demo, "The Evil Within", "This Is the Time (1990)" live São Paulo 1998, "Thorazine Shuffle", "Through the Eyes of the King", "Tonight He Grins Again", "24 Hours Ago", "Twisted Little Sister", "Unusual" live at The Ritz 1987, "War Pigs" live Clearfield 2010, "Warriors", "Washed Out", "When the Hammer Comes Down" demo, "White Witch", "You're Alive", "You Really Got Me" live Clearwater 1982
F♯5/G♭5: "Before I Hang" live at The Ritz 1987, "Born of the Board" demo, "Bridges", "Dismissal of Faith" demo, "Doesn't Matter Anyway", "Do You Want Me Now" demo, "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Father, Son, Holy Ghost", "Father Time", "Freaks" demo, "Help! Police?", "Hounds", "Innocent Victim", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Legions", "Mentally Yours", "Midas Knight", "Morphine Child" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "No Escape", "Pain", "Push It to the Limit", "Reach Out and Torment Someone", "Red Light Paradise", "She's in Love" live at Biskuithalle 1990, "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "Streets", "Stuck on You", "Summer's Rain", "The Altar", "The Chair", "The Picture's Wild", "The Unholy", "24 Hours Ago", "Unusual", "War Pigs" live Clearwater 2010, "White Witch", "You Really Got Me" live Clearwater 1982
F5: "All the Time", "Beyond the Doors of the Dark", "By the Grace of the Witch", "Doesn't Matter Anyway", "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Edge of Thorns" live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2012, "Fight for the Rock", "Fountain of Youth", "Global Warning", "Guardian of Forever" live at The Ritz 1987, "Gutter Ballet", "Holes", "Hyde", "In the Dream", "Iraq Attack", "Lady in Disguise" demo, "Larry Elbows", "Let It Be" live 1996, "Living on the Edge of Time" demo, "Maniacal Renderings", "Mind Invasion" live Clearwater 1982, "Necrophilia", "No Escape", "No Hope for the Healing", "No More Saturday Nights" demo, "Out on the Streets", "Pain", "Push It to the Limit", "Red Light Paradise", "Scream Murder", "Sirens" live at Nassau Coliseum 1988, "Skull Session", "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "Stranger in the Dark" demo, "Strange Wings", "Stuck on You", "Sundog" live Clearwater 1982, "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Edge of Midnight", "The Message", "The Picture's Wild", "The Whip" live at The Ritz 1987, "Timeless Flight", "24 Hours Ago", "Visions", "Walk Alone", "Warriors", "When the Crowds are Gone"
E5: "A Living Hell" live, "Before I Hang" demo, "Beyond Broadway" demo, "Born of the Board" demo, "Chester the Molester" demo, "Child in Time" live London 2012, "Devastation", "Disbeliever" demo, "D.T. Jesus", "Edge of Thorns" live at the Bang Your Head Festival 2010, "Firefly", "Freaks" demo, "Help! Police?", "Holes", "Holocaust", "Hounds", "Hyde", "I Hate, You Hate, We All Hate!!!", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Into the Arc of Time (Haamiah's Fall)", "Legions", "Lies", "Living for the Night", "Living on the Edge", "Living on the Edge of Time" demo, "Maniacal Renderings", "Mentally Yours", "Metalhead" demo, "No Hope for the Healing", "Of Rage and War", "On the Run", "Out on the Streets", "Play the Pawn", "Rage", "Rainbow in the Dark" live at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2010, "Sammy and Tex", "She's in Love", "Sirens" live at the Cleveland Agora 1987, "Soul Chaser", "Strange Reality", "Stranger in the Dark", "Summer's Rain", "Surrender", "Target" demo, "The Altar", "The Chair", "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Edge of Midnight", "The Evil Within", "The Price You Pay", "The Unholy", "The Whip", "Thorazine Shuffle", "Unusual", "Warriors", "White Witch", "Whole Lotta Love" live Lutz 2015, "You Never Know"
D♯5/E♭5: "Hall of the Mountain King", "Hard for Love", "In the Dream", "Island of the Kings" demo, "Necrophilia", "No More Saturday Nights" demo, "Reach Out and Torment Someone", "Scream Murder", "She's Only Rock and Roll", "Sirens", "The Altar", "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Message", "Time to Die"
D5: "Afterglow", "A Living Hell" demo, "Before I Hang", "Beyond Broadway" demo, "By the Grace of the Witch", "City Beneath the Surface", "Devastation", "Don't Talk to Me", "Do You Want Me Now" demo, "Dr. Surprise" live Clearwater 1982, "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Fight for the Rock", "Firestorm" live Clearwater 1982, "Freaks" demo, "Hard for Love", "Help! Police?", "Hounds", "Hyde", "I Hate, You Hate, We All Hate!!!", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Iraq Attack", "Jesus Saves", "Larry Elbows", "Living on the Edge of Time" demo, "Lost in the Dark", "Love Me Just a Little Bit" demo, "Lucifer", "Master", "Metalhead" demo, "Midas Knight", "Mind Invasion" live Clearwater 1982, "Of Rage and War", "Rainbow in the Dark" live at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2010, "Red Light Paradise", "She's in Love", "She's Only Rock and Roll", "Sirens", "Slipping Away", "Skull Session", "Strange Wings", "Sundog" live Clearwater 1982, "The Altar", "The Chair", "The Culprit", "The Dark", "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Evil Within", "The Picture's Wild", "The Price You Pay", "The Unholy", "The Whip", "Time to Die", "Twisted Little Sister", "Visions", "Warriors", "When the Crowds Are Gone", "When the Hammer Comes Down" demo, "White Witch", "Whole Lotta Love" live Lutz 2015, "You Never Know"
C♯5/D♭5: "Awaken", "Born of the Board" demo, "Crazy Train" live Clearwater 1982, "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Fight for the Rock", "Firefly", "Help! Police?", "Hounds", "If I Go Away" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "I Hate, You Hate, We All Hate!!!", "Legions", "Lies", "Mentally Yours", "Mind Invasion" live Clearwater 1982, "Misery", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Play the Pawn", "She's in Love", "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "The Chair", "The Culprit", "The Unholy", "Timeless Flight"
C5: "All for One...None for All", "Big Brother", "Child in Time" live London 2012, "Crazy Train" live Clearwater 1982, "Crying for Love", "Don't Talk to Me", "End Times", "Festival", "Forget-Me-Not", "Fountain of Youth", "Guardian of Forever", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Holocaust", "I Am" live São Paulo 1998, "I Am the Monster", "I Fear You", "If I Go Away" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "Into the Arc of Time", "Iraq Attack", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Into the Arc of Time (Haamiah's Fall)", "I Seek Power", "Island of the Kings" demo, "It's Only You" demo, "Lady in Disguise" demo, "Let It Be" live 1996, "Living on the Edge", "Lost in the Dark", "Metalhead" demo, "Morning Sun" acoustic version, "Morphine Child" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "No Hope for the Healing", "No More Saturday Nights" demo, "On the Run", "Power of the Night", "Rainbow in the Dark" live at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2010, "Raise the Curtain", "Season of the Witch", "She's in Love", "Scream Murder", "Sirens", "Someone", "Stalker", "Stories", "Stranger in the Dark" demo, "The Burning (Incubus reprise)", "The Culprit", "The Edge of Midnight", "The Evil Beside You", "The Evil Within", "The Price You Pay", "The Ride", "The Rumor", "The Unholy", "This Is Where You Should Be", "Through the Eyes of the King", "Walk Upon the Water", "Warriors", "When the Hammer Comes Down" demo, "Who's Playing God", "Winter Haven", "You Never Know", "You Said" demo
B4: "Afterglow", "Before I Hang", "Beyond Broadway" demo, "Born of the Board" demo, "Can't Get Away", "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "City Beneath the Surface", "Devastation", "Diamonds in Your Eyes" demo, "Disbeliever" demo, "Dismissal of Faith" demo, "D.T. Jesus", "Father Time", "Freaks" demo, "Global Warning", "Guardian of Forever", "Help! Police?", "Holocaust", "I Believe", "I Hate, You Hate, We All Hate!!!", "Innocent Victim", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Iraq Attack", "Jesus Saves", "Lady in Disguise", "Let It Bang", "Lies", "Living on the Edge of Time" demo, "Master", "No Escape", "No More Saturday Nights", "Of Rage and War", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Play the Pawn", "Rage", "Scream Murder", "Season of the Witch", "She's Only Rock and Roll", "Slipping Away", "Soul Chaser", "Souls" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "Streets", "The Burning (Incubus reprise)", "The Chair", "The Nonsensible Ravings of the Lunatic Mind", "The Unholy", "Thorazine Shuffle", "Tonight He Grins Again", "Unusual", "Visions", "Washed Out", "White Witch", "Whole Lotta Love" live Lutz 2015, "Who's Playing God", "Wishing Well", "You Never Know", "You Said" demo"
A♯4/B♭4: "Adding the Cost", "Afterglow", "All for One...None for All", "All That I Bleed" acoustic version, "Back to a Reason", "Big Brother", "Can You Hear Me Now?", "Chester the Molester" live, "Child in Time" live at Rex Theater 2013, "City Beneath the Surface", "Death Rides a Black Horse", "Drive", "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Edge of Thorns" live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2012, "Fight for the Rock", "Guardian of Forever", "Gutter Ballet", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Hard for Love", "Hyde", "I Am" live São Paulo 1998, "I Fear You", "If I Go Away" live at the Rex Theater 2013, "Inspector Highway" demo, "Into the Arc of Time (Haamiah's Fall)", "It's Up to You" demo, "Jailbait" live Clearwater 1982, "Man in the Mirror", "Midas Knight", "Morphine Child" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "Necrophilia", "Need Your Loving" demo, "Nowhere to Run", "Of Rage and War" live at L'Amour East 1990, "Open Your Eyes", "Outside the Door", "Painted Skies", "Paragons of Innocence", "Push It to the Limit", "Raise the Curtain", "Red Light Paradise", "She's Only Rock and Roll", "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "Stories", "Stuck on You", "The Answer", "The Edge of Midnight", "The Evil Within", "The Faithless and the Dreamer", "The Message", "The Nonsensible Ravings of the Lunatic Mind", "This Is Where You Should Be", "Ten Years", "Through the Eyes of the King", "You Really Got Me" live Clearwater 1982
A4: "Adding the Cost", "Agony and Ecstasy", "All for One...None for All", "Another Way", "Awaken", "Before I Hang", "Believe", "Beyond the Doors of the Dark", "Big Brother", "Bridges", "By the Grace of the Witch", "Can't Get Away", "Child in Time" live London 2012, "City Beneath the Surface", "Commissar", "Crown of Creation", "Crying for Love", "Dead Winter Dead" live at Jaxx Nightclub 1998, "Death Is Just a Feeling", "Disbeliever" demo, "Dismissal of Faith" demo, "Drive", "Dr. Surprise" live Clearwater 1982, "Earth Mother" live London 1986, "Edge of Thorns" live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2012, "End Times", "Father, Son, Holy Ghost", "Festival", "Firefly", "Firestorm" live Clearwater 1982, "Fly Away", "Follow Me" acoustic version, "Fountain of Youth", "Ghost in the Ruins", "Guardian of Forever", "Gutter Ballet", "Handful of Rain" acoustic version, "Hard for Love", "He's a Whore" live Clearwater 1982, "Holes", "Holocaust", "I Am", "I Am the Monster", "I Believe", "I Know", "If I Go Away", "Innocent Victim", "Into the Arc of Time (Haamiah's Fall)", "It's Up to You" demo, "Lady in Disguise", "Larry Elbows", "Let It Be" live 1996, "Lies", "Living on the Edge", "Living on the Edge of Time" demo, "Look at the World", "Looking for Nothing", "Lost in the Dark", "Love Me Just a Little Bit" demo, "Man in the Mirror", "Mentally Yours", "Metalhead" demo, "Midas Knight", "Morning Sun" acoustic version, "Morphine Child" live at Wacken Open Air 2015, "No Escape", "Only You", "On the Run", "Open Your Eyes", "Out on the Streets" acoustic version, "Pain", "Paragons of Innocence", "Peace", "Push It to the Limit", "Rainbow in the Dark" live at the Zwarte Cross Festival 2010, "Reach Out and Torment Someone", "Red Light Paradise", "Sammy and Tex", "Season of the Witch", "Sirens", "Someone", "Somewhere in Time", "Stalker", "Stories", "St. Patrick's", "Strange Reality", "Summer's Rain", "The Answer", "The Burning (Incubus reprise)", "The Chair", "The Culprit", "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Edge of Midnight", "The Evil Beside You", "The Nonsensible Ravings of the Lunatic Mind", "The Picture's Wild", "The Price You Pay", "The Whip", "The Witch", "Tonight He Grins Again", "Unusual", "Visions", "Walk Alone", "Walk Upon the Water", "War Pigs" live Clearwater 2010, "Warriors", "We're All Together Now", "When the Hammer Comes Down" demo, "Who's Playing God", "Winter Haven", "Wishing Well", "You're Alive"
G♯4/A♭4: "Adding the Cost", "A Living Hell" live, "All the Time", "Anymore" acoustic version, "Before I Hang" demo, "Crown of Creation", "Diamonds in Your Eyes" demo, "Doesn't Matter Anyway", "Ghost in the Ruins", "Guardian of Forever", "I Am", "I Fear You", "If I Go Away", "Invisible War", "Iraq Attack", "It's Only You" demo, "Jesus Saves", "Let It Bang", "Life Goes On" demo, "Look at the World", "Maniacal Renderings", "Man in the Mirror", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Play the Pawn", "Somewhere in Time", "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "St. Patrick's", "Strange Reality", "Surrender", "Ten Years", "The Zodiac", "This Is the Time (1990)" acoustic version, "Timeless Flight", "Time to Die", "Walk Alone", "We're All Together Now", "Winter Haven", "You're Alive"
G4: "Agony and Ecstasy", "A Little Too Far", "A Living Hell" live, "All the Time", "Another Way", "Anymore" acoustic version, "Armageddon", "Back to a Reason", "Before I Hang", "Believe", "Big Brother", "Born of the Board" demo, "Can You Hear Me Now?", "Castles Burning" acoustic version, "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "Chester the Molester" live, "Claws", "Commissar", "Crazy Train" live Clearwater 1982, "Crying for Love", "Day After Day", "Death Is Just a Feeling", "Death Rides a Black Horse", "Disbeliever" demo, "Do You Want Me Now" demo, "D.T. Jesus", "Edge of Thorns" live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2012, "End Times", "Father Time", "Fight for the Rock", "Firefly", "Firestorm" live Clearwater 1982, "Follow Me" acoustic version, "Forget-Me-Not", "Fly Away", "Ghost in the Ruins", "Global Warning", "Gutter Ballet", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Handful of Rain", "Hard for Love", "He's a Whore" live Clearwater" 1982, "Hyde", "If I Go Away", "I Know", "Innocent Victim", "Into the Arc of Time (Haamiah's Fall)", "Invisible War", "Inspector Highway" demo, "Island of the Kings" demo, "It's Only You" demo, "It's Up to You" demo, "Jailbait" live Clearwater 1982, "Jesus Saves", "Juice" "Lady in Disguise", "Larry Elbows", "Let It Be" live 1996, "Life Goes On" demo, "Living for the Night", "Living on the Edge", "Look at the World", "Lucifer", "Mentally Yours" acoustic version, "Morning Sun" acoustic version, "Morphine Child", "Need Your Loving" demo, "Necrophilia", "New York City Don't Mean Nothing", "No Hope for the Healing", "No More Saturday Nights", "Nothing Else Matters", "Not What You See" acoustic version, "Now, "Ode to G", "Open Your Eyes", "Out on the Streets '86", "Outside the Door", "Paragons of Innocence", "Peace", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Rock Me" demo, "Sammy and Tex", "Scream Murder", "Skull Session", "Soldier", "Son of a Bitch" live 1983, "Stare into the Sun" acoustic version, "Stranger in the Dark" demo, "Strange Wings", "Streets", "Stuck on You", "Sundog" live Clearwater 1982, "Surrender", "Target" demo, "The Altar", "The Answer", "The Culprit", "The Evil Beside You", "The Evil Within", "The Nonsensible Ravings of the Lunatic Mind", "The Ride", "The Rumor", "The Unholy", "The Whip", "The Witch", "Time to Die", "Tonight He Grins Again", "Twisted Little Sister", "Walk Upon the Water", "War Pigs" live Clearwater 2010, "Washed Out", "When the Crowds Are Gone", "Who's Playing God", "You Said" demo
F♯4/G♭4: "Earth Mother" live 1986, "Father, Son, Holy Ghost", "Follow Me" acoustic version, "Guardian of Forever", "Hey Bulldog" live Joliet 2013, "Hounds", "Invisible War", "It's Only You", "Let It Bang", "Life Goes On" demo, "Love Me Just a Little Bit" demo, "Peace", "Reality's Fool", "Sleep" live acoustic at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "Slipping Away", "Someone", "The Answer", "The Dark", "The Faithless and the Dreamer", "The Picture's Wild", "The Zodiac", "We're All Together Now", "Who's Playing God", "Winter Haven", "You Said" demo
Recorded low notes:
D3: "Afterglow", "Anymore" acoustic version, "Can You Hear Me Now?", "Castles Burning" acoustic version, "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "Child in Time" live London 2012, "Commissar", "Doesn't Matter Anyway", "End Times", "Gates of Hell" demo, "Handful of Rain" acoustic version, "Holocaust" live at The Ritz 1987, "I Am", "I Am the Monster", "Invisible War", "Iraq Attack", "Looking for Nothing", "Man in the Mirror", "No Hope for the Healing", "Nothing Else Matters", "Not What You See" acoustic version, "Only You", "Open Your Eyes", "Out on the Streets" acoustic version, "Pain", "Paragons of Innocence", "Peace", "Reach Out and Torment Someone", "Season of the Witch", "Sirens" live at the Cleveland Agora 1987, "Sleep" acoustic version, "Souls", "Stay", "Streets", "Summer's Rain" acoustic version, "Stare into the Sun" acoustic version, "Still I Pray for You Now" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "Surrender", "The Burning (Incubus reprise)", "The Culprit", "The Evil Beside You", "The Rumor", "The Truth", "The Whip", "This Is the Time (1990)" acoustic version, "Tonight He Grins Again", "Walk Alone", "Warriors", "Who's Playing God", "Winter Haven", "Wishing Well"
C♯3/D♭3: "Painted Skies", "Play the Pawn", "The Zodiac"
C3: "A Little Too Far", "Alone You Breathe" acoustic version, "Back to a Reason", "Believe", "Castles Burning" acoustic version, "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "Child in Time" live at Rex Theater 2013, "D.T. Jesus", "End Times", "Handful of Rain" acoustic version, "Heal My Soul", "I Am", "If I Go Away", "In the Dream" acoustic version, "Iraq Attack", "Lost in the Dark", "Morning Sun" acoustic version, "Sirens" live Anaheim 1990, "Sleep" acoustic version, "Soldier", "Stay", "St. Patrick's", "The Answer", "The Culprit", "There in the Silence", "The Truth", "Walk Alone"
B2: "In the Dream" acoustic version, "Morphine Child", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Season of the Witch", "Somewhere in Time" acoustic version, "Souls", "Stay With Me Awhile", "Summer's Rain" acoustic version, "Tonight He Grins Again" acoustic version
A♯2/B♭2: "A Little Too Far" soundcheck at Mojoe's 2013, "All That I Bleed" acoustic version, "Alone You Breathe" acoustic version, "Back to a Reason", "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "Heal My Soul" soundcheck at Mojoe's 2013, "I Am", "If I Go Away" acoustic version, "Open Your Eyes", "Out on the Streets" acoustic version, "Painted Skies", "Power of the Night" live at the Cleveland Agora 1987, "Scream Murder", "The Answer", "The Faithless and the Dreamer", "This Is the Time (1990)" acoustic version
A2: "Afterglow", "Anymore" acoustic version, "Chance" live at ProgPower Europe 2007, "Handful of Rain" acoustic version, "If I Go Away" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "In the Dream" acoustic version, "Invisible War", "Iraq Attack", "I Seek Power", "No Hope for the Healing", "Nowhere to Run", "Out on the Streets" acoustic version, "Peace", "Souls", "Stare into the Sun" acoustic version, "Stay", "Summer's Rain" acoustic version, "The Culprit", "The Price You Pay", "When the Crowds Are Gone"
G♯2/A♭2: "Misery"
G2: "A Little Too Far", "Claws", "D.T. Jesus", "Heal My Soul" live at Jaxx Nightclub 1998, "Hounds", "If I Go Away" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "In the Dream" acoustic version, "Man in the Mirror", "Miles Away" acoustic version, "Misery", "Not What You See" acoustic version, "Souls", "The Culprit", "The Dungeons Are Calling", "The Price You Pay" live London 2012, "This Isn't What We Meant" acoustic version, "Walk Alone", "When the Crowds Are Gone" acoustic version
F♯2/G♭2: "D.T. Jesus", "Follow Me" acoustic version, "Miles Away" acoustic version, "St. Patrick's", "Tonight He Grins Again" acoustic version
F2: "All for One...None for All", "All That I Bleed" acoustic version, "Beyond the Doors of the Dark", "Death Is Just a Feeling", "Hall of the Mountain King" live at L'Amour East 1988, "Heal My Soul" soundcheck at Mojoe's 2013, "Holes", "Hounds", "Mephistopheles", "Misery", "Season of the Witch", "The Dungeons Are Calling" live at Nassau Coliseum 1988, "This Isn't What We Meant" acoustic version, "When the Crowds Are Gone" acoustic version
E2: "Afterglow", "Born of the Board" demo, "Claws", "F.O.S. (Fields of Sorrow)", "Freaks" demo, "Guardian of Forever", "Hounds" live at L'Amour East 1990, "No Hope for the Healing", "Of Rage and War", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Piper Rap", "Season of the Witch", "There in the Silence", "Tonight He Grins Again" acoustic version, "Walls"
D♯2/E♭2: "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" live London 2012, "St. Patrick's", "The Dungeons Are Calling" live at Nassau Coliseum 1988
D2: "All for One...None for All", "Born of the Board" demo, "Claws", "Hall of the Mountain King", "I Seek Power", "Iraq Attack", "Man in the Mirror", "Misery", "Paragons of Innocence", "People Say - Gimme Some Hell", "Piper Rap", "Season of the Witch, "Sleep" live at T.N.T. Radio 2007, "Stay", "The Price You Pay" live London 2012, "There in the Silence"
C♯2/D♭2: "Claws", "Play the Pawn"
C2: "All for One...None for All", "Back to a Reason", "Hall of the Mountain King", "Hounds" live at L'Amour East 1990, "Into the Arc of Time", "Misery", "Piper Rap", "Season of the Witch", "The Ride", "Tonight He Grins Again" acoustic version, "When the Crowds Are Gone" acoustic version
B1: "Born of the Board", "Doesn't Matter Anyway", "Forgiven", "Hounds" live at L'Amour East 1990, "Mephistopheles", "Tonight He Grins Again" acoustic version
A♯1/B♭1: "Agony and Ecstasy", "Misery"
A1: "Claws", "I Know", "No Hope for the Healing"
{Questionable notes}B5: "Reach Out and Torment Someone"
C2: "The Answer"
A1: "Death Is Just a Feeling"
C2: "The Answer"
A1: "Death Is Just a Feeling"
.......................................................
*Underlined notes are found in backing vocals or otherwise obscured in the song mix.
*Italics mark non-sung notes.
{Album ranges}Avatar:
Savatage:
Doctor Butcher:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra:
Jon Oliva's Pain:
- City Beneath the Surface (1983) - D3-G5
Savatage:
- Sirens (1983) - B♭2-F3-G♯5
- The Dungeons Are Calling (1985) - G2-G5
- Power of the Night (1985) - D3-G5
- Fight for the Rock (1986) - D3-G5
- Hall of the Mountain King (1987) - F2-G♯5
- Gutter Ballet (1989) - G2-G5
- Ghost in the Ruins – A Tribute to Criss Oliva (recorded 1987-1990; released 1995) - B1-A5
- Live Devastation (recorded 1987-1990; released 1995) - E2-G5
- In the Hall of Anaheim (recorded 1990; released 2010) - F2-F♯5
- Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) - B♭1-E♭2-G5
- Japan Live '94 (1995) - C4-G4
- Dead Winter Dead (1995) - B1-B♭2-G♭5
- The Wake of Magellan (1997) - D2-C3-B♭4
- Poets and Madmen (2001) - D2-E5-G5
Doctor Butcher:
- Doctor Butcher (1994) - C2-G5-G♯5
Trans-Siberian Orchestra:
- Beethoven's Last Night (2000) - B♭1-D2-F4-D♭5
Jon Oliva's Pain:
- Tage Mahal (2004) - D2-G♯5
- Maniacal Renderings (2006) - C2-G♯5
- Global Warning (2008) - C2-G2-A5
- Festival (2010) - E2-E5-G5
- Raise the Curtain (2013) - A1-C3-F♯5
{Detailed bio}Sometimes known by fans as "The Mountain King", Jon Oliva has had an interesting career serving as the main core member of Savatage, the namesake member of Jon Oliva's Pain, and the co-founder of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Over the course of this, he has been quite the multi-instrumentalist - alternating between serving as vocalist, keyboardist, and rhythm guitarist in several of these bands, sometimes upholding several of these roles at the same time, and then also doing some studio work as a bassist and drummer. As a vocalist, he has a very distinct voice, which many consider one of the signature traits of Savatage's music. He is very easily recognizable for his snarling, over-the-top "evil madman" style of vocal performance, with a powerfully gritty chest voice that he carries well into the fourth octave and sometimes into the lower fifth. In addition to this, one of his biggest vocal trademarks are his piercing fifth octave shrieks, which appear on many songs he has sung on, frequently done on an "ah" syllable. Aside from that though, he can have an impressively wide range of not only vocal pitches, but also dynamics - you wouldn't guess it from his heavier, more aggressive singing, but he can switch gears shockingly well to do softer, more emotional singing. This variety of vocal approaches, tones, and moods that he can implement effectively complements the range of moods in the music he makes, and allows for some very interesting shifts in styles sometimes over the course of the same song.
Jon was raised playing music alongside his brother Criss, and the two of them spent roughly the first decade and a half of their careers writing and playing music together. Their first band of note that they played in was called Avatar, which they formed in the late '70s, and began gigging in while Criss was still in high school. Some early demo versions of songs they recorded together in this project can still be found on YouTube. In these early years, Jon bounced around between a number of roles instrumentally - always serving as lead vocalist, but also handling duties on bass, keyboards, and drums at various points, depending on the rest of the band's lineup. In 1980, Criss and Jon joined forces with drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz, and Avatar became a trio - with Criss on guitar, Jon on bass and vocals, and Wacholz on drums. Late on in 1981, they were joined by bassist Keith "Thumper" Collins, and Jon switched over to serving primarily as lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist. In the next year, they changed their name to Savatage - a combination of the words "avatar" and "savage", and released their debut album Sirens under that name in 1983. Even this early on, Jon's snarly belting style and high shrieking were already very audible as a major part of the band's sound, though musically they were still much more of a traditional heavy metal band than they would later evolve into. This continued to be the case for their next several releases - 1984's The Dungeons Are Calling, 1985's Power of the Night, and 1986's Fight for the Rock (for which bassist Johnny Lee Middleton replaced Collins).
In 1987, Savatage's sound made a major developmental shift, as they began working with producer Paul O'Neill, who played a major role in their musical direction from that point onward, and produced the rest of their albums during his lifetime. This collaboration gave way to one of the band's most acclaimed albums - Hall of the Mountain King, which featured a much more progressive and theatrical sound than their previous work had. In play with this, Jon began to employ his "evil madman" vocal style very prominently on this album, most distinctly heard on the album's title track. This musical progression only further continued on the band's next few albums, as their 1989 release Gutter Ballet featured grandiose string and piano arrangements playing over their typical rock instruments. Some of this was influenced directly by musical theatre, as Jon had seen Phantom of the Opera for the first time while working on this album, and was heavily inspired by it for some of his subsequent songwriting. Furthermore, the band's next album in 1991 was a full on concept album telling a story, and was titled Streets: A Rock Opera. This served as one of Savatage's most ambitious works to date, with Jon singing the roles of the various characters in the story. Unfortunately, this also coincided with a period when his vocal health was going significantly downhill, as increasing amounts of drug and alcohol abuse over the years had begun to take their toll on his voice. Some shades of this had been audible on Gutter Ballet as well, but on Streets it was particularly apparent how much strain was present in his singing at times - most of all in the mid fourth octave, where he sounded very raw, and seemed to be struggling to reach most notes above A4.
Following the conclusion of the tour for Streets in 1992, Jon decided to leave Savatage, to focus a new project that he was starting called Doctor Butcher (in collaboration with Chris Caffery, who had served as a second guitarist for Savatage in the late '80s). The demos for that band were recorded in 1992, and eventually a self-titled album was released in 1994, on which Jon recorded lead vocals, bass, and keyboards. However, it was very audible that his voice was still in rough condition at this time, as much of the album featured vocals that were even more raw and screechy than those on Streets. In the meantime, Jon had also hand-picked his own replacement in Savatage, and was succeeded in that band by vocalist Zak Stevens. With that lineup, they went on to record one of their most successful albums - 1993's Edge of Thorns, for which Jon still contributed keyboards and played drums on a few tracks. The band went on their first and only tour without him subsequently, and overall was receiving high praise and positive reception during this time. Unfortunately, this all came to a tragic halt in October 1993 when Criss Oliva was killed by a drunk driver, throwing the band's future into uncertainty. The shock of this left many of the members of the band deeply shaken and skeptical about the idea of continuing without Criss, but Jon, Stevens, and O'Neill still plowed ahead with the plan of honoring Criss' memory with further Savatage music. The three of them joined forces with at-the-time former Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, and recorded the album Handful of Rain in 1994, which featured Jon on almost all instruments - otherwise handling bass, keyboards, drums, rhythm guitar, and some backing vocals, but still leaving all lead vocal duties to Stevens. Following the release of this album, Savatage rebuilt their lineup - bringing Middleton back onboard for bass, adding drummer Jeff Plate (as Wacholz was unwilling to continue playing without Criss), and then eventually bringing back Caffery with the addition of new guitarist Al Pitrelli when Skolnick left the band.
This reformed six-piece lineup of Savatage lasted from 1995 to 2000, and released two albums together - Dead Winter Dead in 1995 and The Wake of Magellan in 1997. On both of these albums, Jon's main role in the band was as keyboardist, however they also both saw him making a part-time return to doing lead vocals, as he sang two songs on each album - "I Am" and "Doesn't Matter Anyway" off Dead Winter Dead and "Another Way" and "Paragons of Innocence" off The Wake of Magellan. During the subsequent tours, he also made a return to doing lead vocals live on more of Savatage's older material (most of which had previously been sung by Stevens during this time), usually featuring a medley of piano and vocal renditions of songs off Streets and Gutter Ballet. Another major development during this band was the band landing their first radio hit with the instrumental track "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24" off Dead Winter Dead, which received extensive radio airplay during the Christmas season specifically. The success of this track led Jon and O'Neill to explore this direction further in the form of a new side project named Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which released its first album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in 1996. With the instant success that this project saw, Jon began to focus on it more over the upcoming years, eventually getting all the other members of Savatage involved as well. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has since released six studio albums, for most of which Jon has served in the role of songwriter and instrumentalist, though he did sing the role of Mephistopheles on their 2000 album Beethoven's Last Night. The band has continuously toured since its formation, and over the past decade and a half has become an annual US tour during the Christmas season - usually featuring all the members of Savatage in its live lineups except Jon.
In 2000, Zak Stevens (along with Al Pitrelli) left Savatage during the writing process for their impending next album, Poets and Madmen. In light of this, Jon took over on lead vocals again for this album, making his first time doing so for an entire studio album since Streets. He has mentioned that this was a particularly ambitious feat for him, because he had to keep up with some of the vocal parts that Stevens had written for it, and didn't want to have to modify them for his own voice. Overall, he proved himself to have vocally recovered quite well since the early '90s, and to be pretty capable of stepping back into the role of frontman - now hitting upper fourth and lower fourth notes much more strongly and consistently than he had since the late '80s! However, for the subsequent tour of this album, the band still hired additional vocalist Damond Jiniya to sing most of Stevens' vocal parts, in addition to handling some of Jon's higher parts from the earlier albums. This tour featured Jon and Jiniya in the roles of co-lead singers (with Jon still also handling keyboard parts as usual), and there were allegedly some plans to record an album with this lineup, but in 2002 the band broke up to focus on other projects. Most of the rest of the band continued to tour with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, while Jon formed a new band called Jon Oliva's Pain, which would be come his new focus from that point on.
Jon Oliva's Pain released four albums in the span of six years - 'Tage Mahal in 2004, Maniacal Renderings in 2006, Global Warning in 2008, and Festival in 2010. Several of the tracks on these albums were actually very old Savatage demos that had been written and recorded back in the early 1980s, and were revisited and rewritten for the purposes of this band. On all of these albums, Jon sang all lead vocals, played keyboards, and contributed some keyboards, and proved to be some of his strongest vocal performances in quite some time - with every album spanning over three octaves and demonstrating some powerful belting through the top of the fourth octave in addition to some of his signature fifth octave screams, and some occasional lows as far down as the lower second octave. Though Pain served as Jon's main musical outlet for about 15 years after Savatage broke up, in 2013 he also released his first (and only to date) solo album under the name Oliva, titled Raise the Curtain. This album once again featured Jon in a wide range of roles - singing lead vocals, playing keyboards, bass, many of the guitar parts, and some drums on certain tracks. In 2015 Savatage reunited for a joint concert with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, featuring all the members of the Dead Winter Dead/The Wake of Magellan era lineup, and alternating between Jon and Stevens as dual lead vocalists. Though this initially served as only a one-off, in 2023 (four years after the breakup of Jon Oliva's Pain) it was announce that the band was officially reformed and working on a new, final album, anticipated for a 2024 release, entitled Curtain Call. Given the history that Jon has laid down with this band and the quality that much of the music he has made with them has had, I look forward to this next release, and am curious to see what it will sound like to have him and Stevens sharing lead vocals on an entire album for the first time ever!
Jon was raised playing music alongside his brother Criss, and the two of them spent roughly the first decade and a half of their careers writing and playing music together. Their first band of note that they played in was called Avatar, which they formed in the late '70s, and began gigging in while Criss was still in high school. Some early demo versions of songs they recorded together in this project can still be found on YouTube. In these early years, Jon bounced around between a number of roles instrumentally - always serving as lead vocalist, but also handling duties on bass, keyboards, and drums at various points, depending on the rest of the band's lineup. In 1980, Criss and Jon joined forces with drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz, and Avatar became a trio - with Criss on guitar, Jon on bass and vocals, and Wacholz on drums. Late on in 1981, they were joined by bassist Keith "Thumper" Collins, and Jon switched over to serving primarily as lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist. In the next year, they changed their name to Savatage - a combination of the words "avatar" and "savage", and released their debut album Sirens under that name in 1983. Even this early on, Jon's snarly belting style and high shrieking were already very audible as a major part of the band's sound, though musically they were still much more of a traditional heavy metal band than they would later evolve into. This continued to be the case for their next several releases - 1984's The Dungeons Are Calling, 1985's Power of the Night, and 1986's Fight for the Rock (for which bassist Johnny Lee Middleton replaced Collins).
In 1987, Savatage's sound made a major developmental shift, as they began working with producer Paul O'Neill, who played a major role in their musical direction from that point onward, and produced the rest of their albums during his lifetime. This collaboration gave way to one of the band's most acclaimed albums - Hall of the Mountain King, which featured a much more progressive and theatrical sound than their previous work had. In play with this, Jon began to employ his "evil madman" vocal style very prominently on this album, most distinctly heard on the album's title track. This musical progression only further continued on the band's next few albums, as their 1989 release Gutter Ballet featured grandiose string and piano arrangements playing over their typical rock instruments. Some of this was influenced directly by musical theatre, as Jon had seen Phantom of the Opera for the first time while working on this album, and was heavily inspired by it for some of his subsequent songwriting. Furthermore, the band's next album in 1991 was a full on concept album telling a story, and was titled Streets: A Rock Opera. This served as one of Savatage's most ambitious works to date, with Jon singing the roles of the various characters in the story. Unfortunately, this also coincided with a period when his vocal health was going significantly downhill, as increasing amounts of drug and alcohol abuse over the years had begun to take their toll on his voice. Some shades of this had been audible on Gutter Ballet as well, but on Streets it was particularly apparent how much strain was present in his singing at times - most of all in the mid fourth octave, where he sounded very raw, and seemed to be struggling to reach most notes above A4.
Following the conclusion of the tour for Streets in 1992, Jon decided to leave Savatage, to focus a new project that he was starting called Doctor Butcher (in collaboration with Chris Caffery, who had served as a second guitarist for Savatage in the late '80s). The demos for that band were recorded in 1992, and eventually a self-titled album was released in 1994, on which Jon recorded lead vocals, bass, and keyboards. However, it was very audible that his voice was still in rough condition at this time, as much of the album featured vocals that were even more raw and screechy than those on Streets. In the meantime, Jon had also hand-picked his own replacement in Savatage, and was succeeded in that band by vocalist Zak Stevens. With that lineup, they went on to record one of their most successful albums - 1993's Edge of Thorns, for which Jon still contributed keyboards and played drums on a few tracks. The band went on their first and only tour without him subsequently, and overall was receiving high praise and positive reception during this time. Unfortunately, this all came to a tragic halt in October 1993 when Criss Oliva was killed by a drunk driver, throwing the band's future into uncertainty. The shock of this left many of the members of the band deeply shaken and skeptical about the idea of continuing without Criss, but Jon, Stevens, and O'Neill still plowed ahead with the plan of honoring Criss' memory with further Savatage music. The three of them joined forces with at-the-time former Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, and recorded the album Handful of Rain in 1994, which featured Jon on almost all instruments - otherwise handling bass, keyboards, drums, rhythm guitar, and some backing vocals, but still leaving all lead vocal duties to Stevens. Following the release of this album, Savatage rebuilt their lineup - bringing Middleton back onboard for bass, adding drummer Jeff Plate (as Wacholz was unwilling to continue playing without Criss), and then eventually bringing back Caffery with the addition of new guitarist Al Pitrelli when Skolnick left the band.
This reformed six-piece lineup of Savatage lasted from 1995 to 2000, and released two albums together - Dead Winter Dead in 1995 and The Wake of Magellan in 1997. On both of these albums, Jon's main role in the band was as keyboardist, however they also both saw him making a part-time return to doing lead vocals, as he sang two songs on each album - "I Am" and "Doesn't Matter Anyway" off Dead Winter Dead and "Another Way" and "Paragons of Innocence" off The Wake of Magellan. During the subsequent tours, he also made a return to doing lead vocals live on more of Savatage's older material (most of which had previously been sung by Stevens during this time), usually featuring a medley of piano and vocal renditions of songs off Streets and Gutter Ballet. Another major development during this band was the band landing their first radio hit with the instrumental track "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24" off Dead Winter Dead, which received extensive radio airplay during the Christmas season specifically. The success of this track led Jon and O'Neill to explore this direction further in the form of a new side project named Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which released its first album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in 1996. With the instant success that this project saw, Jon began to focus on it more over the upcoming years, eventually getting all the other members of Savatage involved as well. Trans-Siberian Orchestra has since released six studio albums, for most of which Jon has served in the role of songwriter and instrumentalist, though he did sing the role of Mephistopheles on their 2000 album Beethoven's Last Night. The band has continuously toured since its formation, and over the past decade and a half has become an annual US tour during the Christmas season - usually featuring all the members of Savatage in its live lineups except Jon.
In 2000, Zak Stevens (along with Al Pitrelli) left Savatage during the writing process for their impending next album, Poets and Madmen. In light of this, Jon took over on lead vocals again for this album, making his first time doing so for an entire studio album since Streets. He has mentioned that this was a particularly ambitious feat for him, because he had to keep up with some of the vocal parts that Stevens had written for it, and didn't want to have to modify them for his own voice. Overall, he proved himself to have vocally recovered quite well since the early '90s, and to be pretty capable of stepping back into the role of frontman - now hitting upper fourth and lower fourth notes much more strongly and consistently than he had since the late '80s! However, for the subsequent tour of this album, the band still hired additional vocalist Damond Jiniya to sing most of Stevens' vocal parts, in addition to handling some of Jon's higher parts from the earlier albums. This tour featured Jon and Jiniya in the roles of co-lead singers (with Jon still also handling keyboard parts as usual), and there were allegedly some plans to record an album with this lineup, but in 2002 the band broke up to focus on other projects. Most of the rest of the band continued to tour with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, while Jon formed a new band called Jon Oliva's Pain, which would be come his new focus from that point on.
Jon Oliva's Pain released four albums in the span of six years - 'Tage Mahal in 2004, Maniacal Renderings in 2006, Global Warning in 2008, and Festival in 2010. Several of the tracks on these albums were actually very old Savatage demos that had been written and recorded back in the early 1980s, and were revisited and rewritten for the purposes of this band. On all of these albums, Jon sang all lead vocals, played keyboards, and contributed some keyboards, and proved to be some of his strongest vocal performances in quite some time - with every album spanning over three octaves and demonstrating some powerful belting through the top of the fourth octave in addition to some of his signature fifth octave screams, and some occasional lows as far down as the lower second octave. Though Pain served as Jon's main musical outlet for about 15 years after Savatage broke up, in 2013 he also released his first (and only to date) solo album under the name Oliva, titled Raise the Curtain. This album once again featured Jon in a wide range of roles - singing lead vocals, playing keyboards, bass, many of the guitar parts, and some drums on certain tracks. In 2015 Savatage reunited for a joint concert with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, featuring all the members of the Dead Winter Dead/The Wake of Magellan era lineup, and alternating between Jon and Stevens as dual lead vocalists. Though this initially served as only a one-off, in 2023 (four years after the breakup of Jon Oliva's Pain) it was announce that the band was officially reformed and working on a new, final album, anticipated for a 2024 release, entitled Curtain Call. Given the history that Jon has laid down with this band and the quality that much of the music he has made with them has had, I look forward to this next release, and am curious to see what it will sound like to have him and Stevens sharing lead vocals on an entire album for the first time ever!
Previous versions of this thread by Zedd Squared on TRP2 and TRP3.
