TSO’s Jeff Plate On Tour, Music & More With GRD

Jeff Plate has been the long time drummer for Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Savatage. Jeff checks in with 979 GRDs Tommy Carroll about the TSO show at Van Andel Arena.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra was the brainchild of producer/songwriter Paul O'Neil who began producing the band Savatage from their fourth album on until his death in 2017. O'Neil and Savatage became the Trans-Siberian Orchestra which has become a holiday tradition for fans for nearly 30 years.

Jeff Plate

TSO drummer Jeff Plate has the best seat in the house high atop his mighty drum throne. Plate didn't start off with TSO, he also plays drums for Savatage, and was a member of Metal Church from 2006 to 2009, and 2012 to 2017.

Plate hails form Montour Falls, New York, and grew up on a farm in Horseheads, New York. His first dream was becoming a pitcher for the New Your Yankees, but an injury to his hip when he was 12 changed the direction of his dreams.

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Like a lot of musicians, once Plate saw Kiss perform, he knew what he wanted to do and that was become a drummer and began taking lessons. He joined Savatage in 1992 and has been in the band ever since. It was in 1996 that TSO was born and Plate joined the fold in 1999 when the Trans-Siberian Orchestra began to tour, and the rest is history.

Read More: How to Win Tickets to TSO in Grand Rapids

GRD’s Tommy Gets The Scoop From TSO’s Jeff Plate

979 GRDs Tommy Carroll recently spoke with TSO drummer Jeff Plate about the new tour, 'The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO & More.' The two also chat about TSO founder Paul O'Neil, the connection of TSO and Savatage, and some of the history of the biggest Christmas production on Earth. Below is that conversation.

👇BELOW: Trans-Siberian Orchestra Live in Concert👇