After Johnny Lee, it’s Chris Caffery’s turn to answer my questions.  Amazing Chris will play the game with his usual good humour but most importantly won’t talk about clichés.  Don’t worry, Chris knows where he treads and where he goes.

Jean Luc: You’re back from Germany. Can you tell us more about your experience with Metalium?

Chris: In fact I co-produced the album of this young band, I even co wrote some songs and played on a few tracks. That was cool, even if I came to know what it is like to produce.

Jean Luc: Happy with the results?

Chris: Yes, I believe the band is a good compromise between European Heavy Metal and what I’ve done with Savatage and to a greater extent with Dr. Butcher.  But, don’t you be deluded; it’s powerful, very powerful and modern sounding.

Jean Luc: When can we hope to find this CD on sale and who will market it?

Chris: It should be available by the end of June on Massacre Records.

Jean Luc: You seem to be more and more involved in various side projects: Metalium, Dr. Butcher and TSO. It’s not really the case with TSO. Oh yeah, you are not happy to be part of such an enterprise?

Chris: Not at all, it’s not really that. Let’s say that in TSO my creativity is limited.  I’m just a performer and I aspire more to write, create and produce.  You see, with Metalium I found out what was the day of a sound engineer like, of a producer.  It’s extremely interesting.  With Savatage and Dr. Butcher I write. But let things be clear: if I like my stuff to be more rocking, I believe that TSO is awesome and by the way the new album will blow you away, by far the best according to me and I’m proud to be part of it.

Jean Luc: Back to Savatage, I talked to Jon a few days back and he was saying that the new album would be very heavy.

Chris: Maybe it’s a bit early to talk about it but what we’ve written so far is more aggressive.  We’ve not forgotten that our early fans like this side of us.

Jean Luc: By going back to your roots, you want to break loose from the concept album/rock opera formula?

Chris: Yes and no.  Actually we write the way we feel but we don’t forget that we like to play the heavier songs live and fans love to hear them.  However, it’s true that after the last two concept records it’s good to move on to something else even though there will be some similarity.

Jean Luc: You are now very involved with Savatage.  It’s hard to believe that you left the band in full glory! Any regrets?

Chris: Not really.  At the time I had my reasons and I was young too.  My biggest regret is to have never been able to record by the side of Criss Oliva.  On the other side, if I had stayed in the band I would have remained a mere rhythm guitar player whilst I got the chance to become a good enough lead guitar player to be able to play with Savatage.  We must not have regrets in life but rather draw something from our experiences.  Believe it or not, I always knew that I would come back to Savatage.

Jean Luc: Precisely, was it not hard when you came back?

Chris: It was, but not for the reasons that you would think of.  The guys have been great with me and Jon and I have also worked together in Dr. Butcher.  On the other side, what was really hard was to suddenly find myself in the lead guitar spot. I had to live up to it, not to fail the task.  No matter how I was pumped up, the stake was important.

Jean Luc: How was your collaboration with Al?

Chris: At first it was hard for both of us.  He was not used to playing with another guitar player and I had only known Criss Oliva in Savatage.  I had to adapt, understand that another Savatage would rise from this relationship.   From then on, everything is working out well.  We even write together. And Al is a great guitar player.

Jean Luc: You had the chance to be part of the two most important line-ups of Savatage.  What’s the biggest difference between the two?

Chris: There were fewer girls at our shows (laughs)! No, seriously I believe we were very, very wild.  We were Rock n’ Roll to the bone, younger, more rebellious; we had to be awe inspiring and our attitude on stage reflected that a lot.  You know we have been an opening act very often and it makes you give everything you’ve got to deserve your rank.  Due to that we were like mad, we worked like crazy and we got on stage to kick the ass of the headliners. Our songs were very heavy, our attitude was even heavier than today. You know there were times when I look at the damage that we had done, that feeling of being at the top, the slap in the face that Criss inflicted on the crowd, I said to myself that I really pitied the band that would play after us.

Jean Luc: So you have lost that aggressive side?

Chris: You’re kidding!  No, in fact our shows are longer and our music a bit more complex.  We have matured and we don’t feel our live performances in the same way.  However, I believe that we can find that in some of our songs.  No matter what, the magic of live performances is still alive and we always tour with a lot of pleasure.

Jean Luc: And where does Dr. Butcher stand?

Chris: We’re thinking about it! We’re thinking about it! I think that we will finally be able to do that damn second album.  Meanwhile, we will reissue the first one and make it available worldwide.  It’s only available as an import in the States. Disheartening, isn’t it?  For the second one, if we find the time between the end of the recordings of the new Savatage record and the tour, we’ll do it.

Jean Luc: Will there be a Butcher tour, and with whom?

Chris: Playing live will be great. We’ll have Jon Osborne on drums.  We’ll see for the bass player! Whatever, it will not be before the year 2000.

Jean Luc: Back to Metalium, have you been influenced by the way Paul O’ Neill produces?

Chris: Not really.  Paul is unique, an unusual guy.  He records while others are asleep.  He’s got an insane work pace: he is unique.  We moan a lot, as he’s stubborn and sometimes slow but he drives us to the wall to get the best out of us.  To be always right is to be unique, and he is.  He can do anything: he writes, the TSO thing, plays live and backs Al and I on guitars.  He’s the seventh member of the band and not the least.  To answer your question, to work like him is impossible!  He’s one in a million!

Jean Luc: You have become an excellent lead guitarist.  What’s your secret?

Chris: Hard work, dude, nothing but hard work.  When I left Savatage, I was ambitious, a bit too ambitious, but once again I was young.  However, the fact that I broke my face a lot of times with my solo projects got me experience on the one hand and I learned the virtues of perseverance and hard work.  Also, I got the chance to spend my time to improve my guitar playing, specially the leads.

Jean Luc: Were you hung up by Criss Oliva?

Chris: No, but I knew that if I wanted to try to reach his level of playing, I had to leave and work hard. Criss did not hang me up. In fact, he was the trigger.

Jean Luc: We feel that you are keen on keeping his music alive, his trademark style.

Chris: Yes, that’s true. I try to stay true, to spread the spirit of the old Savatage that Jon, Johnny and I had the chance of knowing.  During Handful Of Rain, I saw Savatage live and no matter how good Alex Skolnick was, I found out that it was not like before; the sound was not there.  So, if I can humbly contribute to keep the Criss Oliva style alive, then I’m really proud.

Jean Luc: Save Criss, of course, who are your influences?

Chris: Oh, there’s a lot.  Somewhere I’m still a fan.  The guitar players in Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Tony Iommi, Vivian Campbell and specially Michael Schenker are my biggest influences.  Oh! I forgot two guys that I really like a lot: Rick Emmett of Triumph (excellent Canadian Melodic Hard Rock band), this guy is sublime.  Not very famous if you ask me.  And then there’s Ted Nugent.

Jean Luc: Wow!  Nugent, I’m a big fan of Ted.

Chris: You’re right, this guy is a genius despite his life full of excess.  Listen to Double Live Gonzo and you’ll get to know whom you are dealing with.  He’s one of the few survivors of the era when Rockers were charismatic, outrageous, guys you wanted to look like at all costs.  And what a musician he is! There are no more guys like him.  Dave Mustaine of Megadeth is the last crazy horse of this dying breed.

Jean Luc: To round things up, a message for the French fans.

Chris: I’m always taken aback since the French fans know everything about us.  They know our music by heart. This goes straight to the heart.  Playing for you is a pleasure.  So, see you soon, I hope

Jean Luc: I hope you liked this short interview. So, I say till next month, but with whom? Surprise!!!