Drummer Steve “Doc” Wacholz Seems Open to Performing With Reunited Savatage

Former Savatage drummer Steve “Doc” Wacholz hasn’t been involved with the band since 1993, when he quit following the tragic death of lead guitarist Criss Oliva who was killed by a drunk driver. That’s a completely fair reason to quit because that’s a major trauma to have to suffer. But it seems like 31 years later, Wacholz might be more open to returning to the band than he was in the 1990s.

In a recent interview with That Metal Interview podcast (that was transcribed by Blabbermouth), the interviewer talked about how disappointing it was that Wacholz wasn’t playing reunion shows with Savatage, and Wacholz claimed to have suggested it to the band:

“I told Johnny. You can keep this between us, or I don’t care if [it’s made public]. I said, ‘Look, if old Jeff has a meltdown because old Trumpy [president-elect Donald Trump] got in, you just let me know, man. I’m your backup dude.’ And I can play every damn song, because I still play. I mean, I play two, three times a week… At least the band would have a founding member [in the lineup for those shows]. But that’s okay. I do what I do and I love doing what I do.”

Don’t you just love it when Trump supporters mock others for being upset that a racist, sexist, borderline fascist lunatic was elected to the highest office in the United States? Sure, minorities everywhere are at risk of losing fundamental rights, but at least we owned the libs! Are we making America great yet? Wacholz, who currently owns a gun store in North Carolina, has been a vocal conservative for years and it’s hard to tell if he really wants to return to Savatage or if he just felt like making a jab at someone for being upset about the creeping rise of fascism in America.

Regardless, if you want to catch Savatage without a Trumper on drums, you can catch them at their two 2025 shows at the Monsters of Rock Festivals in Brazil on April 19 and in Chile on April 23.