02-16-2015, 08:47 AM
What an interesting thread!
First of all - what a great interview with Guy! Thanks to whoever did that. I love the perspective of folks who aren't just yes-men and gives you real insight into what goes on. I hear Al's interviews and they always start with"My boss Paul O'Neill....". It got me wondering though - he mentions the drama that surrounded his firing - but doesn't go much further. Its not my business, but any idea why he was fired? The dude has an amazing voice.
squinty (squinty??) - what a long, rambling essay! Some interesting points you try to make, but it seems like you look through a particular lens with your points and apologize for Paul/TSO quite a bit. You also state a lot of opinions as if it is fact.
I too don't get where are you going with this. Savatage at their height did not have any kind of extravagant production.
And many bands don't. This is where things go awry, imho.
Again, you make it seem like this is too hard for Paul to do. The bottom line is that the production - the bells and whistles - are the most important part of the show and is what they push - not because it is too hard for Paul to mention the music or the performers he hired. It is not that hard to do to mention new vocalists or musicians added or new songs. Many bands do this in their interviews.
I still enjoy TSO - I think everyone that posts here would enjoy them to some extent, or why else be here? But as others have mentioned, it is pretty easy to see the progression from where the music came first to when the show took over (someone earlier in this thread said "How much is too much") and the lights and effects became the focus. Heck, even the performers talk about this. Does that make them "disgruntled" because they say it out loud? Ha!
aaron- funny that you point that out about Al's interviews - I have heard him talk about the Beatles being the point that changed his life - didn't realize he was 2 years old! lol But it sure sounds good, eh?
First of all - what a great interview with Guy! Thanks to whoever did that. I love the perspective of folks who aren't just yes-men and gives you real insight into what goes on. I hear Al's interviews and they always start with"My boss Paul O'Neill....". It got me wondering though - he mentions the drama that surrounded his firing - but doesn't go much further. Its not my business, but any idea why he was fired? The dude has an amazing voice.
squinty (squinty??) - what a long, rambling essay! Some interesting points you try to make, but it seems like you look through a particular lens with your points and apologize for Paul/TSO quite a bit. You also state a lot of opinions as if it is fact.
(02-12-2015, 03:05 AM)squintyt4e Wrote: Most of the band and management grew up inspired by the largest shows of the time: Kiss, Floyd, the Who, Genesis, ELP, etc. Those shows were the biggest productions of their time and the plan was always to build up to recreate that. Savatage had that at their height as well, they didn't keep it minimal.
I too don't get where are you going with this. Savatage at their height did not have any kind of extravagant production.
(02-12-2015, 03:05 AM)squintyt4e Wrote: As the stage got bigger it became more important to keep people spread out across the stage so that people have someone in front of them for much of the show - many bands do this.
And many bands don't. This is where things go awry, imho.
(02-12-2015, 03:05 AM)squintyt4e Wrote: I've heard/read numerous interviews with Paul and Al and others who have commented on the talent onstage, including new faces, etc. it's just not that easy to do typically when you've got a 5 minute press interview that's a 30,000 feet overview when you're talking to people around the country who are seeing one coast or the other, etc. It's easier to fall into a simple pattern of running through the same talking points that don't change from interview to interview for those high-level press blitzes where they're talking to 10 stations in a row.
Again, you make it seem like this is too hard for Paul to do. The bottom line is that the production - the bells and whistles - are the most important part of the show and is what they push - not because it is too hard for Paul to mention the music or the performers he hired. It is not that hard to do to mention new vocalists or musicians added or new songs. Many bands do this in their interviews.
I still enjoy TSO - I think everyone that posts here would enjoy them to some extent, or why else be here? But as others have mentioned, it is pretty easy to see the progression from where the music came first to when the show took over (someone earlier in this thread said "How much is too much") and the lights and effects became the focus. Heck, even the performers talk about this. Does that make them "disgruntled" because they say it out loud? Ha!
aaron- funny that you point that out about Al's interviews - I have heard him talk about the Beatles being the point that changed his life - didn't realize he was 2 years old! lol But it sure sounds good, eh?