Fort Lauderdale Magazine: Your life before the Trans-Siberian Orchestra was also very musical and creative. Tell me about that.
Al Pitrelli: I was Alice Cooper’s musical director in 1989. From there, I was in a band called Megadeth for a while and obviously the band Savatage, which was the band who first recorded “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24.” I’ve had the privilege of also recording with different artists such as Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Taylor Dayne…countless numbers. What I really recall is how, unbeknownst to me at the time, each one of them was going to be part of my education musically, visually, sonically to help me get prepared for when I sat on a chair next to Paul O’Neill. Because all Paul O’Neill was doing was writing soundtracks for his stories. Some of the songs are instrumental. All I did was a very theatrical presentation. So working with these incredible artists through the years led to me being completely prepared to sit down and help him bring this thing to life on records and at the venues. It was all part of God’s plan to get me ready for what became the biggest thing ever.
FLMag: So this very powerful orchestra is a blend of progressive rock, classical, a range of vocals and theatrics. I don’t ever remember hearing this until the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. How did they or you figure out how to bring the rock and the classical and all of that to Christmas?
Pitrelli: [Laughs]. That’s the craziest story ever, isn’t it? It’s bizarre. Growing up in New York, myself and Paul O’Neill, we had access to one of the most culturally rich cities on God’s earth — New York City. Paul and I would go see Genesis or Pink Floyd at Madison Square Garden, or maybe someone was playing down the block at Radio City. The only two sounds of music I was aware of growing up were: good and bad. One minute you’ll hear classics like Barbara Streisand, the next The Beatles, Westside Story or The Sound of Music. When Paul was writing his story, he knew that he was also responsible for creating a fantastic soundtrack, that each style of music had to be specific to the character or the moral of the story. When you’re watching a movie and turn the sound off, it doesn’t have the same effect. I don’t know if it was thought through. It could be bombastic, like “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24,” or something delicate and intimate.
FLMag: How did the band acquire its name?
Pitrelli: That was Paul. The Trans-Siberian Railroad does exist, and Paul was very well-read and such a historian. When he came in, like when “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” came out, it became the number #1 requested song in America in the holiday season in 1995. He thought, “We have a hit on our hands, and we’re going to write an entire record around this song.” Then a couple of weeks later, he’s like, “I’ve got the name of the band…’the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.’” The name became something so much bigger than anything I could ever understand. Everyone knows what this thing is now.
FLMag: Let’s see…12 million albums have been sold, one multi-platinum certified, three-time triple platinum for selling 3 million copies in the US of Christmas Eve and Other Stories alone… That’s mind-blowing.
Pitrelli: Yes, especially [since] it was around the time that people stopped buying records. That’s when the downloading and the streaming started to creep up. Paul didn’t care about the money. He just wanted to make this the best thing ever that people will listen to forever.
FLMag: Is it true that Christmas Eve and Other Stories was the best-selling Christmas album of all time? Come on, of all time? More than Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole?
Pitrelli: Well, I know for a fact that Elvis Presley holds the record on that one. He is, no pun intended, the king of that. I grew up listening to Elvis, Nat King Cole, the Charlie Brown theme. The music takes you back to a safe, comfortable and familiar place. Paul has accomplished that as well.
FLMag: The season is upon us, and you’re getting ready to perform two intense shows a day with this holiday rock band. What’s the number of total shows that you’re performing this season?
Pitrelli: I think I’ve heard the number 110. 60 cities in 45 days.
FLMag: How many musicians are onstage at one time?
Pitrelli: I think it’s 17 or 18 of us, plus a six-piece string section. At any given time, you have 24 or 25 people on the stage. But what the audience will never know is that there are 80-90 people underneath the stage who put this thing together every day and make it work. We have the world’s greatest tour crew, department heads, management team. There’s got to be 300 people at once getting this up and running from 6 in the morning until we’re done at midnight.
FLMag: How do you guys stay organized and sane during the rehearsals?
Pitrelli: We’ve been doing the touring portion of this for 25 years. When we started out, there [were] only the people in the band, a couple of string players, one fog machine and a bus. So every year it grew, and we learned how to do it a little bit differently and we got better.
FLMag: Well, the late Paul O’Neill, the founder, not only had a great imagination but the vision — and this is very near and dear to my heart — to spread joy and holiday cheer to communities in need. You, then and now, have helped him to achieve this goal. Tell me a little bit about that.
Pitrelli: Every so often, I’ll take a look behind me, figuratively speaking, and say, “Wow.” Paul said from the first show we ever did in Philadelphia in 1999 that he would donate $1 from every ticket sold that night and every show we ever do. That was who he was, generous and had a huge heart. He didn’t ever talk about it again. He was the quiet guy in the room that I was always curious about…that was Paul in many regards. Somebody told me we’re over the 20 million-ticket mark right now.
FLMag: God bless you guys. There are a lot of people out there who are less fortunate.
Pitrelli: Paul made it a point to make sure it goes to the charities it is supposed to go to. It’s helped a bunch of children, women and people in crisis. The way he governed his life was, “If I could change one person’s day, maybe they’ve got a shot at a decent tomorrow.” I’m very proud of him and his family. I’m proud to be part of something that is making a difference. He has helped to change the world.
FLMag: After pushing boundaries so far, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra quickly became a top band and now a timeless holiday tradition. Not only for one generation but for all generations. Is that why people can’t get enough of it?
Pitrelli: I think there are a lot of reasons. I think people come back year after year, and it’s become a holiday tradition. They love it, and they bring new people with them. I think the enormity of the show, the articulation, music by the ensemble…there is something for everybody, and visually it’s over the top. Generationally, that’s something I started noticing awhile back. People started bringing their children or their parents, and it just became the kind of thing that is something for everyone. I’m on the stage looking at the audience — that’s my show, watching a little grandbaby on a granddaddy’s lap shrieking every time there’s a pyro hit or a laser goes off, and they’re both high-fiving after that. To me, it’s one of the most rewarding things about my job. The families are there for 2.5 hours to celebrate the holidays because the holidays are about getting together with your loved ones. And now, they just do it at an over-the-top place, which is awesome.
FLMag: It’s been a pleasure, and I wish you much success in the future.
Pitrelli: Have a wonderful holiday season!
WHEN: December 13 – 7:30pm
WHERE: Amerant Bank Arena
TICKETS: amerantbankarena.com
