JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra is coming back to VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on December 11 for their “Ghosts of Christmas Eve Tour.”

Al Pitrelli, the guitarist and musical director of TSO, sat down with WOKV’s Chase Bunker to talk about what it feels like to perform in front of crowds, how TSO revived his Christmas spirit, and how he was almost the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne.

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When talking about what it feels like to perform in front of a large crowd, Pitrelli says, “There’s two things, the first is that it’s a dream come true ever since I was a kid. You know, when first saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan [Show] in ‘64, I was two years old at the time, but I remember I was transfixed to, you know, the old black-and-white TV with the rabbit-ear antennas and going ‘oh my god this is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.’ And then going through the public school system and the music department, and being in the large ensembles playing for, you know, parents in the audience, that was fun. And you know, your first cover band in junior high, there was Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Leslie West, and Johnny Winter cover tunes, and you know, young ladies acting in a positive manner, and I was like ‘oh, I’m onto something.’ Then just playing live and just enjoying it and playing in clubs, and then the venues got bigger, and to play in arenas that are sold out is fantastic. But the more important part is that I look out and I go, ‘people are enjoying something that I helped create.’ And that, to me, is the equivalent of watching my children go out into the world and having people fall in love and admire them and exceeding all my expectations, and that’s what really hits with me. Here’s something I did 30 years ago that’s still important, and people love it, and I’m really proud.”

Tickets are on sale now. Check out the full interview to hear how one song helped rejuvenate Pitrelli’s Christmas spirit and how he was almost Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist.

You can hear more of Chase’s interviews in the Chase Chats section.