Jon Oliva's Pain

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Jon Oliva's Pain
Origin Clearwater, Florida USA
Genre(s) Heavy Metal
Progressive metal
Years active 2003 – present
Label(s) SPV/Steamhammer Records (2004–2006)
AFM Records (2006 – present)
Associated acts Savatage
Circle II Circle
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Website www.jonoliva.net
Members
Jon Oliva
John Zahner
Shane French
Matt LaPorte
Kevin Rothney
Christopher Kinder
Former members
Jerry Outlaw

Jon Oliva's Pain (sometimes referred to as JOP) is the latest project of former Savatage co-founder and frontman Jon Oliva.

Contents

[edit] Band history

Initially the project consisted entirely of solo recordings by Oliva, but after several months of work he was joined by former members of Circle II Circle to form a band[1].

Initially, the band went out on tour in December 2003 under the name "The Jon Oliva Project", but, this was later changed to "'Tage Mahal". The band's first performance was at the Criss Oliva Memorial Concert in 2003, where Oliva played a set of 6 songs from Jon's solo catalog plus "In the Dream" from Power of the Night, "Hey Bull Dog" by The Beatles and a classic cover of "Wishing Well" by the band Free (which was covered by Savatage on their album Fight for the Rock)[2]. Joining Jon on stage that night were Matt LaPorte (guitar), John Zahner (keyboards), Jason Jennings (bass), and Christopher Kinder (drums). However, the band's name was forced to be changed after discovering the blues musician Taj Mahal and the laws surrounding consumer confusion, Oliva instructed the band's name be changed to Jon Oliva's Pain, with "Pain" being the working title of the band's first album.

After hearing the results of their earliest studio sessions together, Oliva then decided to repeat the solo work from scratch with the band[1]. The band embraced the opportunity without hesitation, and brought in former Circle II Circle bass player Kevin Rothney, to solidify the line-up. The band released their first album 'Tage Mahal on the SPV label in 2004[3]. Originally slated to be released on the same label in May 2006[4], JOP subsequently signed to AFM Records for the release of the follow-up entitled Maniacal Renderings, due on September 4th 2006[5]. Oliva cites SPV's reluctance to promote the previous record as a major factor in his decision to move labels[6]. Oliva credits his late brother Criss (with whom he had founded Savatage) as co-writing some of the work on this latest album (particularly the track "The Answer"), after finding some working tapes they had recorded together immediately before Criss' death in a road accident in 1993[1].

The music and themes bear comparison with the likes of Alice Cooper, focusing as they do on elements of obsession, pain, confusion and insanity. Oliva himself cites The Beatles, Queen and The Who amongst his and hence the band's influences[1].

A tour taking them through most of Summer 2006 saw the band appearing at festivals in Europe. The tour reportedly included the performance of two Savatage songs at each concert.

During a performance at the UK's ProgPower festival in March 2007, Oliva and the band paid tribute to one of Savatage's works, Streets: A Rock Opera, by playing a majority of the album in running order for the first time as a "gift" to fans. Oliva remarked that some of the songs had never been performed live, even in the 16 years since the album's first release.

Interviews[7] pointed to a third album being recorded by the band in late 2007 ready for a release by AFM Records in January or February 2008. In January 2008, a release date in April via AFM was confirmed for the new album, entitled Global Warning, with the band announcing that the new album has now been both mixed and mastered.[8]

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Current Members

[edit] Previous Members

  • Shane French (guitars) (2004-2006)
  • Jerry Outlaw (guitars) (touring member, 2004)

[edit] Guest Members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Jon Oliva & Chris Kinder. Interview with Jon Patrick (aka Twang). Jon Oliva Special. The Twang Show on Totalrock.com. London. 2006-08-04.
  2. ^ Jon Oliva's Pain (band biography). JonOliva.net. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  3. ^ Jon Oliva's Pain (band biography). AFM Records. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.
  4. ^ JON OLIVA'S PAIN To Enter Studio In January. Blabbermouth.net (2005-12-24). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
  5. ^ AFM press release
  6. ^ ProgPowerUK II programme. Interview with Jon Oliva, page 7.
  7. ^ JON OLIVA'S PAIN Drummer Issues Update On Upcoming Album. Blabbermouth.net (2007-05-21). Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  8. ^ Jon Olivia's Pain: Global Warning Now Finished; Tour Dates Announced. Komodo Rock. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.

[edit] External links