Jeff Scott Soto

Jeff Scott Soto
Soto performing with Journey in 2007
Background information
Born	November 4, 1965 (1965-11-04) (age 46) Brooklyn, NY, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock, AOR, heavy metal, power metal, neo-classical metal
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, drums, trumpet
Years active	1983–present
Labels	Frontiers Records
Associated acts	Yngwie Malmsteen, Soul Sirkus, Talisman, Journey, Axel Rudi Pell, Brian May, W.E.T.
Website	jeffscottsoto.com

Jeff Scott Soto (born November 4, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican^[1] descent. He is best known for being the lead singer for the group Talisman from 1990 till the end of Talisman in 2007, the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and for stepping up to the job of lead vocalist for Journey on their 2006-2007 tours after Steve Augeri had to leave the band because of an acute throat infection. His style is typical of heavy metal vocalists of the 1980s, but he is also influenced by classic soul music singers such as Sam Cooke as well as Journey vocalist Steve Perry, and Freddie Mercury from Queen.

Career

Soto came to prominence in the early 80's via his involvement with several Yngwie Malmsteen records. The bands Soto has been involved in included Panther, Axel Rudi Pell, Eyes, Talisman, Takara, Humanimal, Human Clay, Kryst The Conqueror, Redlist, The Boogie Knights and Soul Sirkus.

Soto has sung background vocals on several albums by artists such as Lita Ford, Steelheart, Fergie Frederiksen, Glass Tiger, House Of Lords, Stryper, Saigon Kick, and many others.

He has released several solo albums as well. Soto also sang for the fictional band Steel Dragon, which featured Zakk Wylde, Jeff Pilson and Jason Bonham for the soundtrack of the movie Rock Star along with Michael Matijevic of the band Steelheart, whose second album featured Soto on background vocals.

He has also sung lead vocals on an album inspired by the TV series Biker Mice From Mars.

Soto performed at the 2000 annual [OIQFC 'Freddie Mercury Birthday Party' at Reading in the UK, where he performed “Dragon Attack” with Brian May. Since that first meeting, Soto and May have become friends, and Soto has appeared with the SAS Band (Spike’s All Stars), Queen sideman Spike Edney’s band. Jeff also appeared with Brian May and Roger Taylor at the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' bash for the Official International Queen Fan Club.^[2]

In 2006, Soto replaced Steve Augeri in Journey after Augeri left the tour due to an acute throat infection. On December 19, Soto was confirmed as the official lead singer for Journey and a press release was posted on the band's official site. On June 12, 2007 it was announced on the same website that Journey had dismissed Soto as their lead singer. Soto addressed the issue by saying "I was looking forward to a long, prosperous future with these guys but it seems they wanted something different than I brought to the table. No love lost though, they know what's best for the preservation of their legacy. I wish them all the best but now it's time to continue working on my own path again".^[3]

Since his departure from Journey, Soto has continued to tour on his own account and has undertaken tours with Talisman, Tempestt and, most recently, with a new band to promote the Beautiful Mess album released on download in 2008 and on Frontiers in February 2009.

He toured with Trans Siberian Orchestra on their Winter Tours of 2008, 2009 & 2010 and their Beethoven's Last Night spring concerts of 2010.

Soto has also come together with musicians of Work Of Art and Eclipse to co-create the new band W.E.T., Soto being of Talisman, hence the first initials of each band spells: W.E.T. The new band has released a self-titled debut album, out November 2009. Videos have been made for the tracks "One Love", "Comes Down Like Rain" and "Brothers In Arms".

On March 11, 2011 was released the single "Last Time" from the Italian band Evolution, duetting with Jeff Scott Soto. This duet is getting a great success in Italy and abroad: in just a few hours after the release, the single placed 93 on Top 100 Best-Selling Pop Singles and stayed there for almost a week. The day after the release, the single also ranked 172 on the Italian Best-Selling Singles on iTunes. This track will also feature on the Evolution new album, out in April 2011,^{[dated info]} where in addition to Jeff Scott Soto also played Derek Sherinian, Otep Shamaya and italian drummer Mario Riso.

Soto has recently announced the release date for his next solo release Damage Control which will be released on Frontiers Records in March 2012. Soto will also be re-joining W.E.T. for a brand new album which will be the follow up to the successful 2009 debut self titled. Release date and title are currently unknown.

Personal life

Soto currently resides in Los Angeles, California when he is not on tour. He is married for the second time and he has a son from his first marriage named Jason and who made the cover of his solo album Love Parade (1994).

Discography

Solo albums

• Love Parade - 1994
• Holding On (EP) - 2002
• Prism - 2002
• JSS Live at the Gods 2002 (live) - 2003
• Live at the Queen Convention 2003 (live) - 2004
• Believe in Me (EP) - 2004
• Lost in the Translation - 2004
• Essential Ballads - 2006
• Beautiful Mess - 2009
• One Night in Madrid (live) - 2009
• Live at Firefest 2008 - 2010
• Damage Control - 2012

Talisman

Albums:

• Talisman - 1990
• Genesis - 1993
• Humanimal Part II - 1994
• Humanimal - 1994
• Five out of Five (Live in Japan) - 1994
• Life - 1995
• Best of... (Compilation, different from above) - 1996
• BESTerious (Compilation) - 1996
• Truth - 1998
• Live at Sweden Rock Festival - 2001
• Cats and Dogs - 2003
• Five Men Live - 2005
• 7 - 2006

Singles:

• "Just Between Us" (1990)
• "I'll be Waiting" (Sweden, 1990)
• "Mysterious (This Time is Serious)" (1993)
• "Time after Time" (1993)
• "Doing Time With My Baby" (1994)
• "Colour My XTC" (1994)
• "All + All" (1994)
• "Frozen" (1995)
• "Crazy" (1998)

W.E.T.

Albums:

• W.E.T. - 2009
• TBA - TBA

Singles:

• One Love (2009)
• Comes Down Like Rain (2009)
• Brothers In Arms (2009)

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

• Night Castle - 2009

Takara

• Eternal Faith - 1993
• Takara - Taste of Heaven - 1995
• Eternity: Best of 93 - 98 (Compilation) - 1998
• Blind in Paradise - 1998

Human Clay

• HumAn cLay 1996
• u4ia 1997
• Closing the Book on Human Clay - 2003

Axel Rudi Pell

Albums:

• Eternal Prisoner - 1992
• The Ballads - 1993
• Between the Walls - 1994
• Made In Germany (Live) - 1995
• Black Moon Pyramid - 1996
• Magic - 1997

Singles:

• "Forever Young" (1994)
• "Cry Of The Gypsy" (1994)

Humanimal

• Humanimal - 2002
• Find My Way Home E.P. - 2002

Yngwie Malmsteen

Albums:

• Rising Force - 1984
• Marching Out - 1985
• Inspiration - 1996

Singles:

• "Studio/Live '85" (1985)
• "I am a Viking" (Japan, 1985)
• "Carry On Wayward Son" (Japan, 1996)

Eyes

Albums:

• Eyes - 1990
• Windows Of The Soul - 1993

Singles:

• "Calling All Girls" - 1990
• "Nobody Said It Was Easy" - 1990

Others lead vocals

• Threashold - Threashold - 1983
• Panther - Panther - 1986
• Dragonne - On Dragons Wings - 1988
• Kuni - Lookin' For Action - 1988
• Kryst the Conqueror - Deliver Us From Evil (Credited as Kryst the Conqueror) - 1989
• Alex Masi - Attack Of The Neon Shark - 1989
• Skrapp Mettle - Sensitive - 1991
• Biker Mice From Mars - Original Soundtrack - 1993
• Da Black Side Brown - Da Black Side Brown - 1994
• Gary Schutt - Sentimetal - 1994
• Hollywood Underground - Hollywood Underground - 1996
• The Boogie Knights - Welcome To The Jungle Boogie - 1997
• Steel Dragon - Rock Star soundtrack - 2001
• Ken Tamplin And Friends - Wake The Nations - 2003
• Chris Catena - Freak Out! - 2003
• Christian Rivel's Audiovision - The Calling - 2003
• Laudamus - Lost In Vain - 2003
• Edge of Forever - Feeding The Fire - 2004
• Soul Sirkus - World Play - 2005
• Michael Schenker - Heavy Hitters - 2005
• Redlist - Ignorance - 2007
• Jorge Salán - Chronicles of an Evolution - 2007
• Tempestt - Bring'em on - 2007
• Michael Schenker - Doctor Doctor: The Kulick Sessions - 2008
• Taka Minamito - "AngelWing" - 2009
• Jorge Salán - Estatuas en la calle- 2010
• Danger Angel - Danger Angel - 2010
• Pushking - The World as We Love it- 2011
• Evolution - "Last Time" (Cd Single) - 2011
• Evolution - "Evolution" (Album featuring Jeff Scott Soto, Derek Sherinian, Otep Shamaya & Others) - 2011
• Michael Schenker - By Invitation Only - 2011

Various Artists tributes albums

• Smoke On The Water: A Tribute to Deep Purple (1994): "Hush"
• Dragon Attack: A Tribute To Queen (1996): "Save Me "
• Hot For Remixes: Tribute to Van Halen (1999): "So This Is Love (Sheep On Drugs Remix)"
• Head Soup: A Tribute To Ozzy Osbourne (2000): "Shot In The Dark"
• Little Guitars - A Tribute To Van Halen (2000): "So This Is Love" (Re-released)
• Let The Tribute Do The Talkin': A Tribute to Aerosmith (2001): "Cryin'"
• An All Star Lineup Performing The Songs Of Pink Floyd (2002): "Us & Them"
• We Salute You A Tribute to ACDC (2004): "Problem Child"
• Numbers From The Beast – An All Star Salute To Iron Maiden (2004): "Aces High"
• The Sweet According to Sweden: A Tribute to The Sweet (2004): "Love Is Like Oxygen" (Audiovision fect. JSS )
• Frankie Banali]] & Friends 24/7/365 - Tribute To Led Zeppelin (2004): "Royal Orleans"
• The Crown Jewels - A tribute To Queen (2005): "We Will Rock You"
• 80s Metal Tribute To Van Halen (2006): "So This Is Love" (Re-released)
• Butchering The Beatles (2006): "Magical Mystery Tour"

Others background vocals

• House Of Lords - House Of Lords - 1988
• Glass Tiger - Simple Mission - 1990
• Stryper - Against the Law - 1990
• Stryper - Can't Stop the Rock - 1991
• Saigon Kick - Saigon Kick - 1991
• Lita Ford - Dangerous Curves - 1991
• McQueen Street - McQueen Street - 1991
• Randy Jackson's China Red - Bed of Nails - 1992
• Steelheart - Tangled in Reins - 1992
• Babylon AD - Nothing Sacred - 1992
• Lita Ford - Black - 1992
• Mitch Malloy - Mitch Malloy - 1992
• Slaughter - The Wild Life - 1992
• Pariah - To Mock A Killingbird - 1993
• Thomas Vikstrom - If I Could Fly - 1993
• Monster - Through The Eyes Of The World - 1995
• Amalgan - Delicate Stretch of The Seems - 1997
• Paul Gilbert - Alligator Farm - 1997
• Fergie Frederiksen - Equilibrium - 1999
• Neil Turbin - Threatcon Delta - 2003
• Takara - Invitation to Forever - 2008
• Dokken - Lightning Strikes Again - 2008
• Mad Max - Here We Are - 2008

Others as songwriter

• Khymera - A New Promise - 2005: "You Can't Take Me (Away from You)"

Notes

1. ^ "The unexpected Journey of Jeff Scott Soto". Blogs.tampabay.com. 2008-09-16. http://blogs.tampabay.com/80s/2008/09/jeff-scott-soto.html. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
2. ^ "The Genesis of Jeff Scott Soto". Jeffscottsoto.com. 2008-09-16. http://jeffscottsoto.com/home/page14/page14.html. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
3. ^ "JSS: The 'Journey' Forward". Jeffscottsoto.com. 2007-06-25. http://jeffscottsoto.com/home/page18/page41/page41.html#2506. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 

External links

• Jeff Scott Soto Official Site
• Jeff Scott Soto Official MySpace Site
• Official JSS Facebook Site
• Fan Board/Forum
• Yahoo Group
• Photo Gallery from JSS/Tempestt concert in Madrid

Preceded by Steve Augeri

Journey lead vocalist 2006 – 2007

Succeeded by Arnel Pineda

Persondata
Name	Soto, Jeff Scott
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 4, 1965
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death