typical Chris Caffery - humour on the back of a 'Gutter Ballet'-tourshirt
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Chris Caffery: It's been eight years already since Christopher Caffery first joined the Savatage family. Even though the band's youngest member has quit twice since, Chris embodies the spirit of the classic four-piece line-up like no one else. Chris, who along with Jon and Zack is one of the group's main communicators, lives and breathes the legacy of Criss Oliva and Savatage. "I'd even shave my head and get the word 'Savatage' tattooed on it if I really had to!", he says. |
Happy go lucky Chris who's a die hard fan of such bands as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Accept, was close friens with all the members of Savatage and therefore "always close by, even during the making of albums like 'Streets', 'Edge of Thorns' or 'Handful of Rain'. Looking back now, I deeply regret that I let myself being talked into quitting the band following the 'Gutter Ballet'- tour at age 22."
A former straight A student ( " I was a fat kid with glasses, the typical geek") who comes from a humble background ( " My mom saved up money from years of working overtime so she could buy me my first guitar" ), Chris made his stage debut at the tender age of only 13, and three years later opened up for Overkill and Metallica with his New York area band Anti. Once Chris hit the road with Savatage, he developed a reputation as one of the most versatile guitar players around. He received offers from Ace Frehley, Megadeth, Skid Row, Lizzy Borden, Keel, Dio ( Rowan Robertson ended up getting the gig because he was only 17 - three years younger than Chris ), and UFO : Pete WAy had seen Chris live and thought of him as a reincarnation of the young Michael Schenker. Add to that guest appearances on albums by Dirty Looks, Heaven as well as the Sun Red Sun project featuring good friend Ray Gillen from Badlands who died in 1994.
It was his activities with Doctor Butcher that are partially to blame for his delayed return to the Savatage ranks: " Jon didn't think it was a good idea to have both of us involved with two albums all at the same time ."
| Thanks in large part to Chris Caffery, Savatage have noticeably returned to their roots live as was evident on their recently concluded 'Dead Winter Dead' tour after the experiment of having Alex Skolnick handle lead guitar duties never really panned out. "I was not about to let happen again what had transpired on the 'Handful of Rain' tour", says Chris. " Criss Oliva's leads are absolutely essential for Savatage, to a point where if they're not there, the songs don't work. That's why I made a pre-condition before we embarked on the DWD tour that I would be playing lead on all the old songs. If I saw another guitar player make up his own stuff where nothing but Criss' licks will do, I'd smash my guitar, kick over my amp, walk off stage and never play another show with Savatage ever again." |  |
Certainly a legitimate demand. After all, Chris is the only guitarist who has ever shared the stage with Criss Oliva - having played a total of over 250 shows together. Fortunately, says Chris, there have never been any problems with Al Pitrelli in that regard: " He was totally cool with it from the get go and is content doing leads on the songs from the last two albums". Still, Chris doesn't want for any misconceptions to arise: " I am not copying Criss, and I don't want to either 'coz nobody will ever be like him. However, it is a real honor for me to represent one of the greatest guitarists that has ever lived - and one of my best friends."
From RockHard Legends: Savatage
Translated by Chris Leibundgut