Questions for an Interview I'm doing...

Maiden33 · #1 03-17-2010, 07:17 PM

Hey - I don't expect to get too much feedback on here - I know this place isn't exactly jumping with Savatage and Circle II Circle fans - but I'm going to be interviewing Zak Stevens (Savatage vocalist, 1992 - 1999, Circle II Circle, Machines of Grace) for my radio show. It's going to be a written interview / Q&A type of deal, and we're accepting fan questions.

If anyone here is a fan of Zak and has any serious questions, post them and I'll put them in the interview with your first name and location.

ravenheart · #2 03-17-2010, 07:46 PM

How long do CIIC have left on their deal with AFM, and when it's up will you be seeking a label with actual distribution so fans have a chance of actually buying your CDs?

(Don't sign to Frontiers)

overkill13 · #3 03-17-2010, 09:19 PM

Will there be a U.S. tour for their new album, particularly shows in the PA/NY/NJ area? I'm dying to see them again! The last tour with JOP was awesome. Great show in Allentown.

overkill13 · #4 03-17-2010, 09:21 PM

By the way, my name is Andrew and I'm from Exton (suburb of Philly). Also, please let me know where I can hear this interview or if you could send me an mp3 or something, that would be awesome! Thanks.

Maiden33 · #5 03-17-2010, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overkill13

Will there be a U.S. tour for their new album, particularly shows in the PA/NY/NJ area? I'm dying to see them again! The last tour with JOP was awesome. Great show in Allentown.

I don't know how early you came to that show, but before Manticora went on, there was one local band on that stage - that was my band.

The interview won't actually be audio - it's gonna be a written interview / Q&A, since we can't do real-time audio interview over the air. We did a similar interview with Nick Van Dyk from Redemption last year.

overkill13 · #6 03-17-2010, 09:32 PM

Oh, ok. Well, be sure to post whatever he says somewhere here, haha. Anyways, yeah I was there pretty early. I'm guessing you were in the band with the female singer who did the Savatage cover? If so, you guys were really good!

Maiden33 · #7 03-17-2010, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overkill13

Oh, ok. Well, be sure to post whatever he says somewhere here, haha. Anyways, yeah I was there pretty early. I'm guessing you were in the band with the female singer who did the Savatage cover? If so, you guys were really good!

Yeah, that was us - we specifically learned Strange Wings just for that show because Savatage was one of all of our favorite bands. I play guitar, by the way. Thanks for the compliment.

That night was so much fun - and we hit it off really, really well with the band and crew and got invited to come see and hang out with them all in New York the next night, which was probably even more fun.

overkill13 · #8 03-17-2010, 09:42 PM

Dude, thats awesome. That was one of my favorite shows I've ever been too. And I've been to a shitload. I think I enjoyed Circle II Circle the most. JOP was amazing, though. It was great to see Zak come out and do the song Chance with them. I never thought that song could be pulled off live. Believe was another highlight. I did get to meet Zak by the merch stand, he's a really nice guy, and he seemed generally surprised when I told him he was one of my favorite vocalists.

Maiden33 · #9 03-17-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by overkill13

Dude, thats awesome. That was one of my favorite shows I've ever been too. And I've been to a shitload. I think I enjoyed Circle II Circle the most. JOP was amazing, though. It was great to see Zak come out and do the song Chance with them. I never thought that song could be pulled off live. Believe was another highlight. I did get to meet Zak by the merch stand, he's a really nice guy, and he seemed generally surprised when I told him he was one of my favorite vocalists.

Yeah, I met all the guys over the course of the two days - most of them more than once. Zak is one of the nicest people I've ever met - band member or not, he's just a genuinely great and friendly guy. And yeah, seeing Zak sing with JOP was great - probably the closest I'll ever get to seeing Savatage. Actually in New York the next night Chris Caffery came out to do Edge of Thorns - so Zak, Jon, and Chris were all on-stage together. "Believe" was so intense - I'm not ashamed to admit I cried - that's a strong candidate for my favorite song of all-time, and Jon just always gives such a powerful performance. I was going through a lot of rough shit at that time (I was actually homeless that week, just staying with a friend), but those 48 hours with all those guys just made my whole world seem 1,000x better. I can't thank them enough for that experience.

... also, I probably exhausted Jon Oliva by having him sign like 20 CD booklets.

overkill13 · #10 03-17-2010, 09:51 PM

Yeah, thats awesome man. I wish I was at the NY show too. Thats cool those shows were able to brighten up your life at that time.