10-15-2016, 09:00 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-17-2016, 10:19 PM by edmcardle.
Edit Reason: Mi-spelling
)
20 years ago today (Oct. 15, 1996) something very magical happened. It was one of those life-impacting days you remember forever. Here’s my story of discovering the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And thus it begins…
I anticipated this project featuring members of my favorite band Savatage after first learning of it from Metal Edge magazine. It sounded quite interesting and unique beyond unique, a Christmas-themed concept album created by a heavy metal band. A risky move, but rock music in general was starting to get stale, so why not? The Internet was somewhat new and I garnered the exact debut CD release date from Savaweb & Savatage.com.
At the time I was awaiting a kidney transplant, placed on the waiting list in 1995- being diagnosed with end-stage renal failure after living 20 years with diabetes. I was in need of hope. And then IT happened.
The release date (Tuesday, 10/15/96) was marked in red on my calendar. I drove to Camelot Music in my hometown of Saginaw, MI at 10:00 a.m. and could not locate the CD in their new release section. As the store just opened, I asking if they had stock and the salesperson replied, “We don’t put Christmas albums out until after Halloween.”
Not satisfied with that answer, I asked to speak with the store manager who said, “We have the CD but we can’t sell it until 11/1.” Idiotic rationale. Atlantic/Lava Records marketing department thought to introduce the album to the world on 10/15 for a reason and their intellect was good enough for me.
I countered, “So you’re telling me you have the CD and you’re going to forsake a sale to a customer in your store specifically to make that purchase? You gotta be kiddin’ me!” I was not happy with this ridiculous roadblock. There was no Amazon.com back then and online ordering was only offered through CDUniverse.com. I didn’t want to wait any longer for a physical copy. Digital download? MP3? Never heard of them.
He half-heartedly went to the back and retrieved the “CEAOS” CD and sold it to me. I never went back to that place of business. It soon closed and Paul O’Neill & Jon Oliva are now multi-millionaires. Karma!
Returning home, I placed the long-sought CD in my player and lay on the couch as I had become overly fatigued from the illness. Usually new music takes a while to grow on me. There was no advance airplay or promotion (even though Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) had been heard before on Savatage’s classic opus "Dead Winter Dead" one year earlier). The highly anticipated release caught my ear almost immediately even with the Holiday season 5 weeks away.
I vividly remember jumping to my feet when “This Christmas Day” brought the album to a climax. I just thought “Wow!” The uplifting feeling was immediate. I put the album on repeat and digested the incredible story and lyrical prose contained in the CD booklet. It took on more impact reading the lyrics and brought tears to my eyes. What a powerful, moving & fantastic piece of art. For quite some time, this majestic music consumed me.
I had just discovered something new and brilliant but had no one to share this feeling with. I tried to get the word out. You may have read my posts to the AOL music forums. I’m Metal-Ed & SaginawMusicFan. I didn’t know any heavy metal fans and it was 1996 (Metallica had just released "Load" fergodsakes!!!).
I’d never heard anything like this before. Though a longtime fan of concept albums (“Streets” & “Operation:Mindcrime” remain my favorites). Awesome!
TSO soon became a major focus of my life…and not much has changed to this day.
Fast forward 3 years - State Theater Detroit Rock City on Dec. 19, 1999 (one of 7 shows on the debut tour). I was blessed to be there! Metalheads celebrating Christmas. It was a far different crowd in the beginning.
Every day became Christmas day for me on Sept. 26, 2000 when I finally received the life-saving kidney transplant. Waiting 5 years for someone to die so that you can live is much easier when inspired by positive, uplifting, emotionally-riveting music supplied by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Paul O’Neill & TSO for creating this lasting masterwork. I anticipate each day more now than ever and attack life with renewed vigor. After all, after receiving the Gift of Life I have extended play in life’s bonus round, why not celebrate?
Moving forward to 2016. 17 years of touring. I’ve seen every Detroit area show and several in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL (the home of Savatage). Plus 5 other Michigan cities during the 3 Beethoven Spring Tours. 33 shows in all and still going strong!
You know the passion don’tcha? This feeling we share is unbelievable! Let the grand journey continue…
I anticipated this project featuring members of my favorite band Savatage after first learning of it from Metal Edge magazine. It sounded quite interesting and unique beyond unique, a Christmas-themed concept album created by a heavy metal band. A risky move, but rock music in general was starting to get stale, so why not? The Internet was somewhat new and I garnered the exact debut CD release date from Savaweb & Savatage.com.
At the time I was awaiting a kidney transplant, placed on the waiting list in 1995- being diagnosed with end-stage renal failure after living 20 years with diabetes. I was in need of hope. And then IT happened.
The release date (Tuesday, 10/15/96) was marked in red on my calendar. I drove to Camelot Music in my hometown of Saginaw, MI at 10:00 a.m. and could not locate the CD in their new release section. As the store just opened, I asking if they had stock and the salesperson replied, “We don’t put Christmas albums out until after Halloween.”
Not satisfied with that answer, I asked to speak with the store manager who said, “We have the CD but we can’t sell it until 11/1.” Idiotic rationale. Atlantic/Lava Records marketing department thought to introduce the album to the world on 10/15 for a reason and their intellect was good enough for me.
I countered, “So you’re telling me you have the CD and you’re going to forsake a sale to a customer in your store specifically to make that purchase? You gotta be kiddin’ me!” I was not happy with this ridiculous roadblock. There was no Amazon.com back then and online ordering was only offered through CDUniverse.com. I didn’t want to wait any longer for a physical copy. Digital download? MP3? Never heard of them.
He half-heartedly went to the back and retrieved the “CEAOS” CD and sold it to me. I never went back to that place of business. It soon closed and Paul O’Neill & Jon Oliva are now multi-millionaires. Karma!
Returning home, I placed the long-sought CD in my player and lay on the couch as I had become overly fatigued from the illness. Usually new music takes a while to grow on me. There was no advance airplay or promotion (even though Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) had been heard before on Savatage’s classic opus "Dead Winter Dead" one year earlier). The highly anticipated release caught my ear almost immediately even with the Holiday season 5 weeks away.
I vividly remember jumping to my feet when “This Christmas Day” brought the album to a climax. I just thought “Wow!” The uplifting feeling was immediate. I put the album on repeat and digested the incredible story and lyrical prose contained in the CD booklet. It took on more impact reading the lyrics and brought tears to my eyes. What a powerful, moving & fantastic piece of art. For quite some time, this majestic music consumed me.
I had just discovered something new and brilliant but had no one to share this feeling with. I tried to get the word out. You may have read my posts to the AOL music forums. I’m Metal-Ed & SaginawMusicFan. I didn’t know any heavy metal fans and it was 1996 (Metallica had just released "Load" fergodsakes!!!).
I’d never heard anything like this before. Though a longtime fan of concept albums (“Streets” & “Operation:Mindcrime” remain my favorites). Awesome!
TSO soon became a major focus of my life…and not much has changed to this day.
Fast forward 3 years - State Theater Detroit Rock City on Dec. 19, 1999 (one of 7 shows on the debut tour). I was blessed to be there! Metalheads celebrating Christmas. It was a far different crowd in the beginning.
Every day became Christmas day for me on Sept. 26, 2000 when I finally received the life-saving kidney transplant. Waiting 5 years for someone to die so that you can live is much easier when inspired by positive, uplifting, emotionally-riveting music supplied by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Paul O’Neill & TSO for creating this lasting masterwork. I anticipate each day more now than ever and attack life with renewed vigor. After all, after receiving the Gift of Life I have extended play in life’s bonus round, why not celebrate?
Moving forward to 2016. 17 years of touring. I’ve seen every Detroit area show and several in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL (the home of Savatage). Plus 5 other Michigan cities during the 3 Beethoven Spring Tours. 33 shows in all and still going strong!
You know the passion don’tcha? This feeling we share is unbelievable! Let the grand journey continue…
