TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA Vocalist Andrew Ross - "SAVATAGE's 'Chance' Is My All-Time Favorite Song That I Have Done With TSO"
January 1, 2014, 10 years ago
In a career-spanning interview with Music & Art's Dan Roth, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA vocalist Andrew Ross discusses working with TSO, his band DAREDEVIL SQUADRON (also featuring TSO's Angus Clark), CHAMELEON, and his forthcoming solo EP. An excerpt is available below:
Q: You mentioned the spring tours. With those tours, you were tasked with singing a couple SAVATAGE songs - 'Handful of Rain' and 'Chance'. Were you familiar with these songs beforehand? And did you enjoy singing these?
AR: "Oh yeah. I had some Savatage records when I was a kid. I went through this phase of getting into a lot of metal, particularly stuff that was played very technical, fast and melodic. I came from the Bluegrass scene, which, if you think about it, is also very technical and fast. So, Savatage was already on my radar.
You know, I had been singing 'Angel Came Down' for so many years, and that is only one side of my voice. I was real excited to have the opportunity to show my higher, screaming register. Those two songs really gave me the opportunity to open up and yell, more so than the Angel songs. Those are just great songs as well. 'Chance' is my all-time favorite song that I have done with TSO. I am a die-hard prog fan; if there are time signature and key changes, sign me up!
The 2011 Beethoven's Last Night tour, where I first got to sing those songs, was my favorite TSO tour so far. It was so fun. When we got to Europe, the crowd there just exploded when they heard the opening riff of 'Chance'. Especially in Germany - Savatage is like METALLICA over there - the fans were singing all the lyrics along with me! I was just thinking, I hope they like me!' (laughs)."
Go to this location for the complete interview.