Trans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Joel Hoekstra has forcefully refuted persistent online rumors that the band uses backing tracks, calling the accusation “totally offensive” and explaining that the group’s commitment to playing 100% live is a core principle established by their late founder, Paul O’Neill.
Speaking in a new interview with Detroit’s WRIF radio station, Hoekstra addressed the speculation, which he believes stems from how “polished musically” the show is.
“It’s so annoying that people think that we do that. I hate when I read that. It’s totally offensive, ’cause we spend a lot of time and value that we don’t do that,” he stated. He clarified that while the band does play to a time-coded track, it is not for musical accompaniment. “That’s just running with time code to sync the lights and the pyro and things like that to us, so everybody’s on the same page. But that’s it. There’s no tracks with TSO, I mean, there’s no need to. We have so much talent in that band. I mean, you’ve got nine singers in each band.”
Hoekstra explained that this commitment to live authenticity was a foundational doctrine from the band’s visionary creator, the late Paul O’Neill.
“Obviously, Paul was the guy to hire me, and that was all part of the opening ‘I’m hiring you’ rap, one of the things he hung his hat on,” Hoekstra said. “You don’t want somebody to question the integrity of what it is you’re doing… There’s no way, if Paul were alive right now, that he’d let us. It would just never happen.”
The interview comes as Trans-Siberian Orchestra prepares to launch its massive 2025 Winter Tour. This year’s 106-concert run will feature an all-new production of their beloved holiday story, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve,” alongside a second set of the band’s greatest hits and fan favorites.
