Jeff Scott Soto has been a popular and established name in the rock and metal scene for many years. He is the vocalist for a number of projects, ranging from his participation in the band of legendary guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen to the progressive metal project Sons Of Apollo , which brings together several famous musicians, such as guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and guitarist Billy Sheehan .
Soto is one of the confirmed acts for the second edition of Summer Breeze Brasil , which takes place on April 26, 27 and 28 at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo. The vocalist will perform on the second day of the festival, alongside Within Temptation , Hammerfall , Epica and several other artists.
In an exclusive interview with Wikimetal , the musician talked about the most challenging project of his career, his participation in Summer Breeze, his time in Journey, and more.
Check out the full interview:
Wikimetal: You've been involved in many projects and played with different people throughout your career. Looking back at everything you've done, what was the most challenging?
Jeff Scott Soto: The most challenging ones were those that didn't last as long as I wanted. So many people see me doing so many things in my life, but that's not by choice; many are due to circumstances, and nothing makes me sadder than putting so much time and effort into something that doesn't survive.
WM: Talisman released “Save Our Love,” an incredible song with a catchy chorus that’s been stuck in my head since it came out. Could you talk about it?
JS: The two recent Talisman songs were written with the idea of honoring Marcel [ Jacob ] (Talisman's bassist). Both lyrics, "Save Our Love" and "Never Die," were my personal letters to him for bringing so much joy to my life, both musically and personally. I miss him so much…
WM: Angra has announced a tour with you and already has some dates confirmed. Could you give us more details and maybe some spoilers?
JS: I'm doing a 30-minute acoustic set containing many songs that people know from the last few decades, and the plan is I'll play some songs with them, but I can't say what yet haha, we need surprises in life!
WM: What would you say was the best part of working during your time at Journey?
JS: I spent most of my life singing these songs in the shower, in the car, with friends at parties… then I got to sing them WITH that band FOR their audience! It was a great moment, but also stressful because 1, it's not easy to sing these songs the way people expect to hear them and 2, Steve Perry is still alive and people prefer to hear him than me haha.
WM: You're the new vocalist for Art of Anarchy and recently released "Let There Be Anarchy," your first album with the band. What are the next steps?
JS: We're starting our tour tonight, which is short, but we're just getting a feel for the new lineup. Since the album's already been released, we hope people will accept it and want to see more of us on tour. I love the songs and the vibe we captured in them.
WM: What can fans expect from your performance at Summer Breeze Brazil? Any surprises in the setlist or plans to maybe do something with Mr. Big, since you've already played with Billy Sheehan and Eric Martin?
JS: Unfortunately not, Mr. Big plays a day before me and I don't think they'll be there when I play, but I know [ Dino ] Jelusick will be… and Dino is one of my best friends… I'll see what I can do haha.
READ ALSO: David Ellefson and Jeff Scott Soto are planning something together again.