I must thank you for this video my little brother was totally underated its sad but thanks to people like you he lives ....also ur a lefty like me love that
@@NickLaytonGuitar can you do some lessons on Savatage? Can you send me some tones I can't figure out how to get it set right on my amp I'm new at playing and could you do King Diamond Mercyful Fate or Metal Church? Thanks man you're awesome!and it sucks that Savatage was such an underrated band when they were so fucking talented!!
Lived in the Tampa area in the 80s and got to see Savatage many times. Criss was an amazing talent. He was the master of that octave metal riff. Great lesson, thanks!
Outstanding video .. power of the night was my introduction in 85 .. I went and spent two weeks allowance on power of the night.sirens and dungeons are calling . .Leftys are right in my book
I met Criss near tour bus and said "why don't you do a guitar lesson video"? He smiled I think I made him feel honored, and he said join us on the tour bus. Sirens and Hall I listened to so many times they were so refreshing to my mind and soul. Thank for taking the time to show us some cool riffs Nick! I love octave sound \m/
Hello from Brazil! Thank you for sharing these stuffs. You show the powerful art of 80´s Metal with lessons and tips. It´s rare to find guys like you here in youtube! Thank you!!!!
I love this, the Unholy is one of my favorites, honestly Savatage was one of those bands were every single song on the albums were great. Perhaps you can do another Savatage riff video.
Sweet video, man! I would have included On The Run, but awesome job! Criss is a huge inspiration for me. I can only imagine what he would be putting out today if he were still around. So happy I found this video.
Great choices dude.You know,Criss' trademark was using octaves.Best examples are sirens,potn and jesus saves.I would also add agony ae as well.He was by far the most unique...
Yeah man, it was really hard to choose only 11 riffs. I could have easily chosen a different 11 and it would still be a great list. Thanks for watching!
I never understood why Chris Oliva never got credit for being such a great player from the 80s ,he’s never mentioned in list of best guitarist of that era but was definitely one the absolute best and such a tragic loss took way too soon,awesome lesson !!
I think Criss didn't get the credit he deserved by the masses because Savatage never really broke through in a big way. But those of us 'in the know' realize what a genius Criss was!
Believe it or not, not one single guitar magazine featured Criss Oliva until long after he had passed - its a weird thing. Same thing happened to the guitar player of Znowhite/Cyclone Temple, although he is still alive and playing. Criss wasn't the type that was on TV all the time doing coke with supermodels and wrecking cars and trashing hotels and shit so maybe that is why. They could never get him to act like a muppet and an idiot
As for Savatage as a band, I think they never broke huge because it is really hard to lump them in with other bands of the time. Think Judas Priest during "Stained Class" - it wasnt prog, classic rock, classical, jazz, blues, punk rock or metal but kind of all of the above at once. Savatage operated that way until the absolute end.
@@NickLaytonGuitar yeah you and I.we're on the same page. The.problem is the people who.decide.what's good music or a viable "product" dont have any taste in music. Lets face it Top 40 sells more records to people with no taste in music. Dick.Clark, Casey.Kasim and Clear Channel are governed by what they promote and play. Every time you hear a fuggin Eagles song or Mellencamp or Reo Speedwagon song tbose bands get a deal that says we'll overplay you to death till people want to.puke.and youll get 75 cents everytime we do at radio stations Clear Channel has dictated revenues. I heard Power of the Night and Hall of the Mountain King and was all in MTV Headbangers ball or if you had school radio that had a metal kid.in there spinning tapes you just werent gonna here these guys. Their not underated they were under promoted. Come In Here Dear Boy Have a Cigar WE'RE Gonna Go Far.... By the way which one is Pink? They care only.about the units sold. Death Metal ie...in particular lile Slayer.#1 obviously grossly underpaid. So.much.so thats why Lombardi left. He.wasnt.making money, he.said.the.gave.Araya $200k just to keep him happy but they rip.off artists yhat make big bucks you cant even buy.a car with a.gold record, you owe the label. Platinum sure.now youre able.to buy a hot car and.bang bimbos with AIDES triple Platinum.youre band can buy houses but.arena rock is over internet killed radio album/tape/CD sales. I used to hang out.with.Morbid angel when they came.locally They said.we dont make.shit.unless.we sell merch. Most of the time.werw.struggling to get gas yo.make it.to yhe next.small gig. In short i.really fucking.cant stand the.tired douchenozzle word "underrated" its only used by titwits who.cant offer up anything.intelligent.to say and they.believe in their own minds other.tooley.douchebags that arent as smart as the user of.the word will wanna pander him or touch his jiggly buns or.something. I.digress and.apologize to.any.one.out.there.for.my diatribe on douchenozzles and Tooley douchebags who.lile their jiggly buns attached to these types.of people. Im not.judging you. Im judging.these other fags.
Oooh hell yeah brother you got that right Sava lives for ever in my heart and always will ,,, but you got to remember criss is only half of the power ,,, John Olivia ,,, omg his screeming voice and paino playing ,,,,, yeah savatage is rock and roll,. God bless Y'ALL
Wonderful video ! I came across your channel just now and I instantly subscribed. Thank you for taking time and making an effort to make this kind of videos.
So underrated and quite literally a decade ahead of there time. I can only think of a handful of metal bands who were tuning down a whole step, using drop D in their song writing back in the 80's and those who were did it for a song or two as almost a novelty.
@@NickLaytonGuitar thanks to you too....to bad I didn't read it...."24HOURS AGO"...LOL Just kidding..would be ironically Pre-delivered. I a alternative universe kinda way...(but I Digress)..Sorry....sometimes it still feels like I'm there..when I watch or listen or play some of the best kick ass rock of it's time..and so copied by wanna be bands that made it really big...yet give no recognition to savatage..sometimes it burns me to the core..
Just curious if that white LTD was a criss Oliva inspired purchase? Got the style of the white charvel from some of the album art, with the feel of his esp m2 gargoyle guitar. I recently picked up one of the esp ltd elite m2 and really dig it. Also thanks for the savatage lessons. Good stuff! I'd like to see a lesson on the unholy if you can some time. Love that song. Killer riffs!
10:52 A, Power of the Night, it's probably the 1st time I've heard low C :D Personally I like the riff mid way through the solo on Follow Me, same riff was used in the unreleased material - Strange in the Night. Awesome stuff.
THANK YOU FOR THIS NICK !!!!!! Criss fucking RULED .. him and randy are MY gods !!!!! like MANY others have said, he NEVER got the recognition he TRULY deserved except for us that know !!!!!! TRULY ONE OF A KIND SHREDDER..
Wow that’s really fantastic man. Check out my friend Pete Rossi Doing an instrumental summers rain from the gutter ballet LP. I filmed it and split screen. I’m sure you were really dig that. Pretty much note for note.
I could recommend some other bands with Great Guitarist to you. Maybe you haven't heard of them : Sword from Montreal Canada . Axel Rudi Pell from Germany. White Wolf from Canada. All the Best 👍🤘
@@NickLaytonGuitar Check out White Wolf's early Albums Standing Alone & Endangered species. Great stuff. They were signed to a major label in the 80' s one of the best bands to come out of Canada. The Guitarist Cam McLeod is Unreal. They put out some newer material as well. Most recent one is Victim of The Spotlight
Nice video! But unfortunately you play only one riff of the individual tunes...the second one during the verses in Jesus saves for example is also killer. Its so much fun to play Savatage, I can absolutely understand why you dig Criss' playing. His riffs are not overly complicated, but still super dope!
Should have done "Sirens" and "Hall Of The Mountain King" as full songs and anybody who complained they weren't "riffs" could get eaten alive in the comments. Regardless of my opinion, fucking SICK! Sub'd for slaying, shred on. Proceed.
I don’t think he was “underrated.” I think people don’t know what that means. Everybody that I’ve ever talked to about Criss are blown away and respect him highly. I think what he IS however, is one of the best unknown guitarists out there. There’s a difference between unknown and underrated.
I must thank you for this video my little brother was totally underated its sad but thanks to people like you he lives ....also ur a lefty like me love that
I'll always keep Criss's memory alive as well as the magical Savatage music. Thank you!!
Love a most respect,ALLWAYS.
Well done. Most underrated guitarrist ever. Mr Oliva
Agreed, thanks for watching!
@@NickLaytonGuitar can you do some lessons on Savatage? Can you send me some tones I can't figure out how to get it set right on my amp I'm new at playing and could you do King Diamond Mercyful Fate or Metal Church? Thanks man you're awesome!and it sucks that Savatage was such an underrated band when they were so fucking talented!!
@@kingdiamondgod5824 Thanks man, I will definitely do some King Diamond and possibly Metal Church riffs in the near future. Thx for watching!
Just wanted to say thank you for this. Keep spreading the word about Criss.
My pleasure, thanks for watching!
Hounds and I believe were epic..Criss was the best guitarist in the 80's! R.I.P.
Lived in the Tampa area in the 80s and got to see Savatage many times. Criss was an amazing talent. He was the master of that octave metal riff. Great lesson, thanks!
Very cool! Thanks for watching. 🎸
By the grace of the witch is also one of my favorite riffs - and songs. John's singing in this is also amazing.
Yeah, such a fabulous tune! Thanks for watching!
Criss had some killer riffs for sure and definitely one of Metal's Finest! Thanks for the help and sharing this!
Outstanding video .. power of the night was my introduction in 85 .. I went and spent two weeks allowance on power of the night.sirens and dungeons
are calling . .Leftys are right in my book
Met Chris in Cleveland. A gentleman and a legend.
A genius!
Top 5 band and a seriously underrated guitarist.
Power is epic!
Absolutely! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@NickLaytonGuitar did you say you were in Fire Wolf? Armed Forces? Feel the Thunder!
@@sadwingsraging3044 Yes, I'm one of the founding members and guitarist for FireWolfe.
I've been following you for not a long time, but you didn't surprise me with Savatage
Cool! Thx
@@NickLaytonGuitar Criss Oliva is my favourite guitarist too. It gave me great pleasure to watch you playing Savatage passionately
Love the video Bro 45 yrs old grown up on this Rocks !! your video makes me want to start playing Its been years Thank you :)
You should definitely start playing! Thanks for watching🎸
I love the fade out editing on the crazy ramblings.
I met Criss near tour bus and said "why don't you do a guitar lesson video"? He smiled I think I made him feel honored, and he said join us on the tour bus. Sirens and Hall I listened to so many times they were so refreshing to my mind and soul. Thank for taking the time to show us some cool riffs Nick! I love octave sound \m/
Awesome story! Thanks for watching :-)
You make my day man! I have spent a lot of time looking for somebody to learn those riffs from. Thanks a lot! cheers from Barcelona!
It's my pleasure! Thanks for watching, cheers!
Great band and great guitarist
Hello from Brazil!
Thank you for sharing these stuffs. You show the powerful art of 80´s Metal with lessons and tips. It´s rare to find guys like you here in youtube! Thank you!!!!
Hey thanks! I appreciate you folks who are into this kind of music and guitar playing. There will be more of this to come in 2020!
Great riff selection!! Thank you!
Thanks for watching! SO many great riffs to choose from!
I love this, the Unholy is one of my favorites, honestly Savatage was one of those bands were every single song on the albums were great. Perhaps you can do another Savatage riff video.
I’d love to do another video on Savatage...so many great riffs!
Great riffs! Criss was one of a kind!
Sweet video, man! I would have included On The Run, but awesome job! Criss is a huge inspiration for me. I can only imagine what he would be putting out today if he were still around. So happy I found this video.
Thanks! Yeah, so many great riffs to choose from. More Savatage coming soon!
Definitely on of my influences for sure. Criss was a riff master. 🤘
Savatage is one of my favorites, too! Thanks for this!
You are welcome, keep rockin’! 🎸
Great choices dude.You know,Criss' trademark was using octaves.Best examples are sirens,potn and jesus saves.I would also add agony ae as well.He was by far the most unique...
A riff that i really like is living for The night
Yeah man, it was really hard to choose only 11 riffs. I could have easily chosen a different 11 and it would still be a great list. Thanks for watching!
Nick Layton i can imagine how hard it was. I'd add the fight for The rock riff. Really enjoyable one
Wow I love that song..I learned it about 5 years ago..total badass song !
I never understood why Chris Oliva never got credit for being such a great player from the 80s ,he’s never mentioned in list of best guitarist of that era but was definitely one the absolute best and such a tragic loss took way too soon,awesome lesson !!
I think Criss didn't get the credit he deserved by the masses because Savatage never really broke through in a big way. But those of us 'in the know' realize what a genius Criss was!
Believe it or not, not one single guitar magazine featured Criss Oliva until long after he had passed - its a weird thing. Same thing happened to the guitar player of Znowhite/Cyclone Temple, although he is still alive and playing. Criss wasn't the type that was on TV all the time doing coke with supermodels and wrecking cars and trashing hotels and shit so maybe that is why. They could never get him to act like a muppet and an idiot
As for Savatage as a band, I think they never broke huge because it is really hard to lump them in with other bands of the time. Think Judas Priest during "Stained Class" - it wasnt prog, classic rock, classical, jazz, blues, punk rock or metal but kind of all of the above at once. Savatage operated that way until the absolute end.
@@neilpatrickhairless Indeed!
@@NickLaytonGuitar yeah you and I.we're on the same page. The.problem is the people who.decide.what's good music or a viable "product" dont have any taste in music. Lets face it Top 40 sells more records to people with no taste in music.
Dick.Clark, Casey.Kasim and Clear Channel are governed by what they promote and play. Every time you hear a fuggin Eagles song or Mellencamp or Reo Speedwagon song tbose bands get a deal that says we'll overplay you to death till people want to.puke.and youll get 75 cents everytime we do at radio stations Clear Channel has dictated revenues. I heard Power of the Night and Hall of the Mountain King and was all in
MTV Headbangers ball or if you had school radio that had a metal kid.in there spinning tapes you just werent gonna here these guys. Their not underated they were under promoted. Come In Here Dear Boy Have a Cigar WE'RE Gonna Go Far....
By the way which one is Pink?
They care only.about the units sold.
Death Metal ie...in particular lile Slayer.#1 obviously grossly underpaid. So.much.so thats why Lombardi left. He.wasnt.making money, he.said.the.gave.Araya $200k just to keep him happy but they rip.off artists yhat make big bucks you cant even buy.a car with a.gold record, you owe the label. Platinum sure.now youre able.to buy a hot car and.bang bimbos with AIDES triple Platinum.youre band can buy houses but.arena rock is over internet killed radio album/tape/CD sales. I used to hang out.with.Morbid angel when they came.locally
They said.we dont make.shit.unless.we sell merch. Most of the time.werw.struggling to get gas yo.make it.to yhe next.small gig.
In short i.really fucking.cant stand the.tired douchenozzle word "underrated" its only used by titwits who.cant offer up anything.intelligent.to say and they.believe in their own minds other.tooley.douchebags that arent as smart as the user of.the word will wanna pander him or touch his jiggly buns or.something. I.digress and.apologize to.any.one.out.there.for.my diatribe on douchenozzles and Tooley douchebags who.lile their jiggly buns attached to these types.of people. Im not.judging you. Im judging.these other fags.
Fun fact: According to Chris Caffrey the riff for Of Rage and War was actually written by Jon Oliva on their bus during the (iirc) HOTMK tour.
Cool! 🤘
Oooh hell yeah brother you got that right Sava lives for ever in my heart and always will ,,, but you got to remember criss is only half of the power ,,, John Olivia ,,, omg his screeming voice and paino playing ,,,,, yeah savatage is rock and roll,. God bless Y'ALL
Jon Oliva is equally as brilliant as Criss was for sure. I miss Savatage!
City beneath the surface what a outstanding riff definitely one of Chris,s best 👍
No doubt!
Wonderful video ! I came across your channel just now and I instantly subscribed. Thank you for taking time and making an effort to make this kind of videos.
Welcome aboard and thanks for watching! More videos like this coming soon.
Recently got a DigiTech Whammy DT, so I'm definitely going to try and learn some of Criss' D standard tuned riffs.
Cool man!
So underrated and quite literally a decade ahead of there time. I can only think of a handful of metal bands who were tuning down a whole step, using drop D in their song writing back in the 80's and those who were did it for a song or two as almost a novelty.
Agreed! Love this band. 🤘
Badass. The sounds of metal never die.
Indeed!
As I always say: Criss Oliva was at the same level as Randy Rhoads, Dimmebag and other great guitarists. Don't know why he is so underrated.
I think he was underrated because Savatage never broke through the way Ozzy or Pantera did. But Criss was up there with the best of em!
You are so right ..i personally knew criss...he was great and a great friend.....Rip criss...
Awesome man!
@@NickLaytonGuitar thanks to you too....to bad I didn't read it...."24HOURS AGO"...LOL Just kidding..would be ironically Pre-delivered. I a alternative universe kinda way...(but I Digress)..Sorry....sometimes it still feels like I'm there..when I watch or listen or play some of the best kick ass rock of it's time..and so copied by wanna be bands that made it really big...yet give no recognition to savatage..sometimes it burns me to the core..
Also Nick you rock...keep up what ya doing brother.
obscure metal fact: Vicious Rumors used octaves really well on "Worlds and Machines". Thanks for this upload.
Love that reference…and I would bet money he got it from Criss 😉
Very cool man. I like jamming Damien once in awhile.
Epic riffs. Thanks for sharing.
Just curious if that white LTD was a criss Oliva inspired purchase? Got the style of the white charvel from some of the album art, with the feel of his esp m2 gargoyle guitar. I recently picked up one of the esp ltd elite m2 and really dig it.
Also thanks for the savatage lessons. Good stuff! I'd like to see a lesson on the unholy if you can some time. Love that song. Killer riffs!
Probably only subconsciously! More Savatage coming soon! Cheers.
Hall of The Mountain King,Sirens,The Unholy & Summer's Rain are some of my faves.
Mine too!
NICK LAYTON, can you make a video showing a lot of different Criss Oliva harmonic minor licks and neoclassical MODES licks?
Chris Olivia was an Unreal Amazing Guitarist. So sad he's gone.
Totally!
He was one of a few guitar-players with a recognisable style
Absolutely true! Thanks for watching.
great work! liked, and subed!
Mine too!!! Great Great band to me that was overlooked. Criss was a master. Awesome.Thanks for posting.
RU a lefty too?
Thanks! Yes, I am a lefty. Rock on!
Savatage-Devastation
No Gutter Ballet? Of course you did do a large percentage of the album as it is. But that violin-esque riff is just so iconic!
Problem was there are so many great Sava riffs. Maybe I’ll do a lesson just on Gutter Ballet :-)
10:52 A, Power of the Night, it's probably the 1st time I've heard low C :D Personally I like the riff mid way through the solo on Follow Me, same riff was used in the unreleased material - Strange in the Night. Awesome stuff.
🤘
Nice Riffs.
Are you a lefty or is it the reflection of the Camera?
I’m a lefty!
Damn that was awesome and you are a lefty like me
Thank you 🤘
I like Mountain King, and Gutter Ballet!!
Rip criss he was a bad ass guitarist
Yes he was!
gj bro
THANK YOU FOR THIS NICK !!!!!! Criss fucking RULED .. him and randy are MY gods !!!!! like MANY others have said, he NEVER got the recognition he TRULY deserved except for us that know !!!!!! TRULY ONE OF A KIND SHREDDER..
Criss was a genius! Thanks for watching!
THANK YOU,FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH IS ONE OF THEIR BEST,YOUR A SMART DUDE,NEED A BASS PLAYER? IM VERY GOOD.
Thanks man!
Handful of Rain??, Edge of Thorns??
Wow that’s really fantastic man. Check out my friend Pete Rossi Doing an instrumental summers rain from the gutter ballet LP. I filmed it and split screen. I’m sure you were really dig that. Pretty much note for note.
Thanks Don! I will definitely check that out!
I'm curious how you got the tone for this video.
Not sure...this was a few years back. I’m guessing it was my Marshall DSL.
I could recommend some other bands with Great Guitarist to you. Maybe you haven't heard of them : Sword from Montreal Canada . Axel Rudi Pell from Germany. White Wolf from Canada. All the Best 👍🤘
I know the others but I will look up White Wolf. 🤘
@@NickLaytonGuitar Check out White Wolf's early Albums Standing Alone & Endangered species. Great stuff. They were signed to a major label in the 80' s one of the best bands to come out of Canada. The Guitarist Cam McLeod is Unreal. They put out some newer material as well. Most recent one is Victim of The Spotlight
Nice video! But unfortunately you play only one riff of the individual tunes...the second one during the verses in Jesus saves for example is also killer. Its so much fun to play Savatage, I can absolutely understand why you dig Criss' playing. His riffs are not overly complicated, but still super dope!
Really?
Cheers from Ohio.
Cheers!
You should redo this video and record it direct . The sound quality here's not good .
I’ve been considering Re recording a few of my popular older videos. I think this one would be worthy. Thanks for the reminder. 👍
Should have done "Sirens" and "Hall Of The Mountain King" as full songs and anybody who complained they weren't "riffs" could get eaten alive in the comments.
Regardless of my opinion, fucking SICK!
Sub'd for slaying, shred on.
Proceed.
Haha, not a bad idea! Thanks for watching! 🤘
No HOTMK?
Of course there is! Check the video @12:47. Thanks for watching.
You knew criss is guitar playing it like 20 seconds like George lynch or def leppard guitarist they had a recognizable sound
I miss criss so much it's sad his wife killed her self with greff a few years later after criss was killed by a drunk driver,,,
Me too! Very sad what happened to his family. Criss is legendary in my book.
Stop talking just play the riff..
I don’t think he was “underrated.” I think people don’t know what that means. Everybody that I’ve ever talked to about Criss are blown away and respect him highly. I think what he IS however, is one of the best unknown guitarists out there. There’s a difference between unknown and underrated.
Either way the world needs more Criss Oliva!
@@NickLaytonGuitar absolutely!