Criss Oliva/Alex Skolnik fun facts...

[TheGraveDigger]

I was reading the A-Z book on power metal yesterday at a friends house and came across two interesting tid bits I never knew before. Was wondering if you guys knew this stuff and if you had any in sight on it...

After the failure that was 'Fight For The Rock', Jon Oliva fell into a heavy depression with drinking and I believe drugs which put Savatage on ice for a short time. During this time both MEGADETH and OZZY OSBOURNE approached Criss about playing guitar but Criss decided to remain loyal to Savatage. --- The thought of Criss playing in either band absolutely blew my mind. I can just picture him being amazing in Ozzy and the thought of him playing Megadeth's brand of thrash metal is very interesting and something I wouldn't have minded hearing had it happened.

The other thing I learned is that right before Handful of Rain when Savatage picked up Skolnick, Ozzy was actually interested in Skolnick and I believe the book said that Alex did one gig with Ozzy but then he went on to Savatage. Does anyone know anything about this? Was he considering giving Zakk the axe back then and replacing him with Alex? This is another thing that took me by surprise.

 

[TheGraveDigger]

Just found an article on Blabbermouth from Feb 2004 about the Skolnick/Ozzy situation...

Former TESTAMENT/SAVATAGE guitarist Alex Skolnick has spoken out about the experience of auditioning for — and ultimately landing — the guitarist gig in OZZY OSBOURNE's band, only to be told less than a month later it had been given to someone else. Asked via his message board what was it like playing with Ozzy and how long he played with him, Alex said, "I flew out to London, auditioned, Oz told me he liked me and let's work together some more. Next thing I know, we had this unannounced show at Rock City in Nottingham (where I had played a few years earlier with TESTAMENT). The show [which took place in June 1995 — Ed.] seemed to go great (Ozzy choked me at one point to get me to move around more...it worked!) After the show, the crew thanked me and said they hadn't seen Ozzy look so happy in a long time. Ozzy gave me a big hug and hired me on the spot. I was on cloud nine. But what followed was a major lesson in the music business: I go home and don't hear anything for three weeks. Finally I called Sharon [Osbourne]'s assistant, who was surprised that she hadn't called me yet and that I should expect a call from Sharon. I sensed bad news. When Sharon called, she told me they really liked my playing and appreciate the time I put in but they've decided to hire someone else, Joe Holmes. With all due respect to Holmes, to this day everyone I've spoken to has no idea why they (or she) made this decision. I was told it might have been because Holmes was a former student of Randy Rhoads.

"Anyway it worked out for the best, as the whole experienced motivated me to get my jazz thing together and I wouldn't have taken the path I did if I'd stayed with Ozzy. And I'm grateful for the experience. How many guys get to say they were onstage playing 'War Pigs' and 'Paranoid' with Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler?"

 

[TheGraveDigger]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okg89q-GbcI&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmYY1_0xTk&feature=channel[/ame]

We'll it looks like I answered my own curious questions about Skolnick and Ozzy.

 

[edgeofthorns]

I was reading the A-Z book on power metal yesterday at a friends house and came across two interesting tid bits I never knew before. Was wondering if you guys knew this stuff and if you had any in sight on it...

After the failure that was 'Fight For The Rock', Jon Oliva fell into a heavy depression with drinking and I believe drugs which put Savatage on ice for a short time. During this time both MEGADETH and OZZY OSBOURNE approached Criss about playing guitar but Criss decided to remain loyal to Savatage. --- The thought of Criss playing in either band absolutely blew my mind. I can just picture him being amazing in Ozzy and the thought of him playing Megadeth's brand of thrash metal is very interesting and something I wouldn't have minded hearing had it happened.

The other thing I learned is that right before Handful of Rain when Savatage picked up Skolnick, Ozzy was actually interested in Skolnick and I believe the book said that Alex did one gig with Ozzy but then he went on to Savatage. Does anyone know anything about this? Was he considering giving Zakk the axe back then and replacing him with Alex? This is another thing that took me by surprise.

Honestly, I haven't heard anything about either one of these tidbits! Criss with Megadeth would've been interesing, but I'm glad things worked out the way the did!

~Brian~

 

[ICEDEARTHFAN]

Honestly, I haven't heard anything about either one of these tidbits! Criss with Megadeth would've been interesing, but I'm glad things worked out the way the did!

~Brian~

In a way,I agree.But Criss would probably still be alive and shredding guitars today if he had left Savatage.

 

[TheGraveDigger]

In a way,I agree.But Criss would probably still be alive and shredding guitars today if he had left Savatage.

I thought the same exact thing! I am grateful for what Criss has given us and love all of the Savatage albums with him on it but perhaps he would have been somewhere else in the world on tour when that terrible accident occured.

 

[batmura]

I knew about Alex doing the London audition with Ozzy because he says so in the liner notes of his first jazz album. I *never* heard Criss was asked to join Megadeth or Ozzy Osbourne and will remain skeptical unless Jon Oliva confirms it. Not that I think Criss would ever play with Ozzy.

 

[eaeolian]

Hmm. I knew about the Criss stuff - especially Megadeth - but I did not know about Skol and Ozzy. That would have been interesting...