Founder Paul O’Neill, a producer who has worked with acts such as Aerosmith and Savatage, formed Trans-Siberian Orchestra so he could put his own spin on the bombastic stadium rock he loved by acts such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd and Queen. He sold Atlantic Records on the idea of doing a series of six concept albums, including a trilogy about Christmas, and the major label signed them to a multirecord contract.
O’Neill recruited a band of seasoned rockers and half a dozen vocalists with the intention of recording “Romanov,” a rock opera about the Russian Bolshevik Revolution in 1918. Although that album was eventually shelved, O’Neill recently revived the story and revamped it as a lavish musical, which he hopes to mount on Broadway in 2011.
Platinum & Gold
With “Romanov” on hold in the mid-’90s, O’Neill and an expansive collection of musicians and vocalists turned their sights toward “Christmas Eve & Other Stories.” The holiday concept album was released in 1996 and was an instant smash, going double platinum and yielding the socially conscious single “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24.”
“The Christmas Attic,” the second of the seasonal trilogy, was released in 1998. It was certified platinum the following year. The final part of the trilogy, “The Lost Christmas Eve,” was released in 2004 and also went platinum. Trans-Siberian Orchestra branched out with the non-holiday concept albums, “Beethoven’s Last Night” (2000) and “Night Castle” (2009). Those didn’t fare as well commercially as the Christmas discs, but both still reached gold status.
AN AUTUMN SPECTACULAR
While TSO, initially made a name with its recordings, the group’s fortunes changed forever in 1999 when O’Neill took his ambitious music, and equally grandiose stage show, on the road. This solidified the group’s legacy as a top concert draw, and the fall tour quickly became an annual event each November and December. TSO returns to the Nutter Center on Wednesday, Nov. 10.
BY THE NUMBERS
Trans-Siberian Orchestra has sold more than 7 million albums during the past 14 years. In December 2009, the group was included alongside The Rolling Stones, The Dave Matthews Band and Bruce Springsteen on Billboard magazine’s list of the top 25 touring acts of the decade. During that period TSO mounted more than 720 concerts for a gross of more than $200 million.
Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.
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