JOHNNY LEE MIDDLETON of SAVATAGE & TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA 

Criss oliva is one of my biggest inspirations! I’d love to see Jon oliva talk about criss’ playing and his inspirations and how they grew up playing music together! Love these Interviews man Johnny seems like a solid dude

Man the tears hit me too at 31:00.

One of the nicecest person i was able to met, hope i will be able to see him again

Awesome Interview Johnny! He is a Cool person, love these stories from the 80's! since the Hall of the Mountain king was my first album i heard from Savatage!! very awesomeman!!

Absolutely love Savatage, especially Criss he was a truly gifted guitarist!

You do killer interviews Jason!!! I've been a big Savatage fan for years. Lot's of unheard stories in this one...

One of my favorite bands ever. So glad I got to see the band numerous times when Chris was alive.

i love seeing all the savatage interviews what i REALLY want to see is a interview with everyone together jon, johnny, caffery and wacholz all together doing a interview

I was at that show in Queens (L'Amour East) when Savatage opened for Poison. I still shake my head to this day with that pairing. But I was there and miss those days.

Jason is a ridiculously great interviewer !! Watch as he guides Johnny through the intense Oliva passing talk. Incredible , a master class !!🔥🖤.

Didn't know this dude before, but what a great interview. Love that signed Dead Boys album on the background. One of my all time fave albums!

Great interview Jason!

Very nice interview! JLM bass is incredible important for Savatage, sadly you won´t see many interviews with Johnny around. He´s a solid metal bass player. Thanks for sharing!

Now we're talking..Love the Metal bands between 84 and 90..that wave of American power metal ..Crimson Glory,Leatherwolf ,Savatage , Obsession. Vicious Rumors, Sanctuary , Lizzy Borden

Thanks for this. Long time Savatage fan and nice to hear some history

my old friend Johnny Lee, we go back to when I was shooting his promos for his band Lefty.

My fav vid so far .. Savatage fan since 85.. The story about Mountain King throwing Dave Mustaine into the wall was great..

This is an amazing interview. Thank you so much!!

Jason....Seriously you really have a fantastic interview program. LOVE IT. Hall Of The Mountain King blew me away. Never heard anything kinda similar other than maybe Manowar. Discovered both bands about the same time.

Awesome band, Gutter Ballet is one of my all-time favorite albums.

Being in another local Florida band back in the day I got to know Jon, Criss, and Doc, but never really got to know Johnny. He seems like a nice guy. I miss those days…and Criss. Good interview!!

Had gotten in with Savatage and love all their music. Saw them on that 88 tour in Dayton. Saw TSO in 2005.

Another great interview,man! Power of the Night was my Savatage intro,Warriors blew me away

Savatage rules! Power of the night!

We traded cassette copies of the first Savatage albums in Germany. Couldn't wait to get the vinyls. Those first 3 records... What a band. Loved some of the Zak Stevens fronted albums, too.

Great interview. Savatage is one of my top bands ever. I once drove 4 hours one way by myself to see them and they didn't disappoint. Would absolutely love a new Savatage album; I hope it comes to fruition. Of course I have seen TSO a few times, but it's not the same.

He seems like a guy you can shoot the shit with all day. I’ve always wanted to see TSO, but never got the chance. I hope I can one year.

Fantastic interview with one of my favorites Johnny Lee Middleton of Savatage. Great guys! I remember seeing them at HammerJacks in Baltimore Maryland! What a show. Thank you!!!

I don't know what magic this interviewer has, but this is one of the best Florida music interviews I have ever heard, and definitely to get JLM to open up. Kudos for documentating so much. Whoever gave it a thumbs down is banned from listening to anything but techno for life!

What an unexpected yet awesome interview. I practically wore out a few copies of the Mountain King album back in the day. Another outstanding band from the Tampa area was Crimson Glory. Sure would love if Jason could interview whoever is left from that band.

Another great interview Jason Verde! Keep bringing excellent interviews man.

An all around excellent interview - so very deep on all levels. Just recently had a chance to finally see TSO in 2019 (right before all this craziness) - and best of all front row seats! It was incredible. This gives me hope for a Savatage reunion. Seriously solid interview Jason. Lots packed in one hour!

I never had a chance to see Savatage live but did catch TSO back in 2000 in Portland, Oregon. I got to meet Johnny, super nice guy. We talked about Criss and he just went on about how much he missed him. Johnny mentioned just a little after the 25 minute mark that the four guys on the Streets album cover are the ones who recorded the album. I belonged to Savatage Legion fan club back in the 90's and every three months we got this newspaper like fanzine I believe that was put together by Clay Marshall. In that fanzine was an interview with a Savatage member or former members. There was an interview with Steve Wacholz and he mentioned that he did not play drums on Streets due to not having enough money. He said Jon Oliva played drums on that album. It was a real interesting interview with Steve. Hopefully Jason will interview Doc soon. Great interview Jason.

Great episode man. Diehard Sava fan here!!! A way underated band!!!! Never truly got the respect they deserved. Johnny, Thank You for the incredible music. Still miss Chris. Very talented guitarist who passed way way to early!!!

Really Great interview!

Another good interview, Love a bit of Savatage,

Thanks! Great interview. I've been a Savatage fan since early 80s when I heard Sirens. I stuck with them, saw the first ever TSO show, and the second one...I met my wife through our mutual love of the band years later. We even created a local cover band "Edge of Thorns" LOL! On top of all that, I moved to the mountains of northern GA about 6 years ago, bought a restaurant/bar "Armadillo Grill" and only found out after I closed it and moved back north, freaking Johnny and Doc were only 10 or 15 miles north of my place! I lived there and never knew it! In fact, I used to play TSO during Christmas time and I got shitty reviews blasting me for it by my patrons! ha ha! I do know of the local band he's in. Their drummer played in another band that played my place. Awesome guys. I miss it there. We need new Savatage any way they can make it happen!

can't wait to see Savatage

JLM is a great dude . I know because on the Savatage "Streets "tour .My good buddy Fran was friends with the band. JLM asked me if I'd take him to the Hotel .So I did and got to see the show free. IT WAS AWESOME.

Great Interview Jason. I Love Rock Opera. Savatage was a very underrated band back in the day. MTV & Headbangers gave them heavy rotation. I had the pleasure of seeing them in Vegas 1990 Have all there albums ;of course Gutter is my favorite . Looking forward to hearing new material.

great interview. Had hall of the mountain king on vinyl...underrated album and band.

Excellent interview. Savatage is one of my favorites band--been a fan since Sirens.

Hey Jason , Looking forward to this one ! Sorry i haven't been around lately for the interviews. I watch the replays though :)

Great interview Jason. my favorite band is Savatage :)

One of the greatest interviews! Savatage!

Excellent interview my friend. 🤙🤘

Been a Savatage and Oliva fan forever, recently recorded a "Gutter Ballet" cover. Saw them live with Testament in '90

Great interview.

Great interview,thx! It is sad to see he still has tears while talkin about Criss' death :/ Sava rules

Best interview ..

beautiful interview

In San Jose CA. I attended TSO and had him sign my Savatage cap. Johnny said wow I don't even have one of these. It was brand new and told him you can have it. He said I can't take your cap. He wouldn't take it! I saw TSO many times in Sacramento CA. I saw the Handful Of Rain tour there

Great interview

I Enjoyed this one :) Johnny seems really cool !

Jason you have best interviews

Kool interview

Thanks Jason!! JLM is da Man!! Bass & intro to "Legions" always psyches me up!!!! Love Savatage for 35 years & my old band opened for them in Hartford, CT around 2000.

Love Savatage W/ Oliva Bros! Chris was bad ass,RIP.

Awesome interview Jason now interview Jon Oliva

Hes awesome

More irony: the guy who plays in the premier Christmas band on the planet sold all his Christmas ornaments in the 90s.

Wow master bee keeper

Poets is a masterpiece

Gotta get Jon on now!

This was a cool show. Savatage were great. Maybe Fight for the rock is not perfect but even this album is a good listen. And Gutter ballet or Hall of the mountain are simply two of the best rock albums of all time.

Man, would love to see Jon Oliva

Did his previous band Lefty release a CD years ago called 5-4-3-21..??!!!..if so I've got it..great little indie album..!!

Ray Guillen was a huge lost, he was an amazing singer.

👍👍👍👍

Savatage rules all🤘🤬

Savatage is the best band!

Wow! Did he just admit to selling cocaine to Megadeth and Dio?! Jon Oliva and Dave Mustaine had a fight. I'm so surprised...NOT!

Crowd fund a new Savatage record if necessary and just watch the internet melt down.

\,,/'9'\,,/ You will have no trouble selling tickets, I can guarantee!!!!! Great interview!!!! \,,/'9'\,,/

First show i saw Savatage was when they opened for Great White & Winger And they stole the show Then saw them open for Ozzy

Criss Oliva... killed in a car accident by a drunk driver before a summer run with.... vehicular homicide perpetrator Vince Neil. Kind of ironic.

Cris oliva was the next randy Rhodes