Interview: Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Jeff Plate Says New Tour ‘Has Taken Several Steps Forward’

“I’ll tell you something, man, this year, this show, it looks amazing. It has taken several steps forward from last year.”

Trans-Siberian Orchestra drummer and original member Jeff Plate joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday (Nov. 12) to discuss the band’s latest tour that kicks off Nov. 13. Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.

“For the fans out there that have seen this before, you’re in for a real treat,” he told host Chuck Armstrong. “And if you’ve never seen this before, come check it out.”

As Plate discussed The Lost Christmas Eve tour, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the album of the same name, he spent some time reflecting on Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s history, too.

“Paul [O’Neill] told us this all the time, that TSO is going to be passed down from generation to generation,” Plate said.

“[It] will outlive us all, and you know, these are all very, very positive words and thoughts and everything, but the man achieved what he set out to do. Unfortunately, we’re doing it without Paul now, but he was correct. Every year, I sit on this stage and I look in the audience and there are children to grandparents and everybody in between that still makes up our audience. Every show, every tour, every year.”

Even before Plate hooked up with O’Neill to be part of Trans-Siberian Orchestra from day one, he knew he always wanted to be involved in something big and theatrical.

“Seeing KISS on television, [I went], ‘I’m going to do that,'” Plate recalled.

“I’m not going to play baseball anymore. I’m going to do that. I think about that every day.”

READ MORE: Al Pitrelli Says He Wants Trans-Siberian Orchestra to ‘Live Forever’

To this day, Plate is grateful that O’Neill found a place for him, particularly as Plate was facing a very strange time with the band he was in, Savatage.

“I joined Savatage in ’94 right after they had gone through tragedy, losing guitarist Criss Oliva, member changes — there was so much confusion,” Plate said.

“I was so thrilled to have this gig … Musically, I just love what I’m a part of.”

What Else Did Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Jeff Plate Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• Some of his favorite memories from The Lost Christmas Eve
• Why he thinks Trans-Siberian Orchestra have not hit a limit to what they’re able to do onstage with production and technology
• Why he believes they have the greatest road crew in the music business

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Jeff Plate joined Loudwire Nights on Tuesday, Nov. 12; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.