Christopher "Criss" Michael Oliva (April 3, 1963 - October 17, 1993) was born in Pompton Plains, NJ. He was the lead guitarist in, and co-founder of, the band Savatage. Criss was the youngest of four children, the next eldest being brother Jon Oliva, with whom he formed the band. Savatage Criss and his brother Jon formed their first band together, Avatar, in 1978, from the ashes of their former bands Tower and Alien respectively. In 1980, the duo