In order to commemorate the legendary Drab Four, I will be publishing series of blogs dedicated to them. No copyrights, only good intentions to share the stuff with the TON fans. I've purchased Type O bootlegs and dug old interviews from dusty corners of the internet so you didn't have to. I'll be publishing them in this blog including credits as much as possible (if I miss any credits, just send me an e-mail), then continue with the official releases and all the interesting Type O stuff I've collected since 1995. If you have suggestions, old interviews or content you'd like to share with me for this blog series, feel free to e-mail me: jablkadalekoodstromu@gmail.com
Part#1 ⏭️ Part#2 ⏭️ Part#3 ⏭️ Part#4 ⏭️ Part#5
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Table of Contents:
- Interview#1996/5: LUBBOCK AVALANCHE JOURNAL (Peter Steele, 1996)
- Slow, Deep and Hard (1991)
- Interview#1996/6: GALLERY OF SOUND (Josh Silver, September 1996) by Alex Mulcahy
- Interview#1996/7: GUITAR WORLD (Peter Steele, Kenny Hickey October 1996) by David Grad
- Interview#1996/8: SoHo (Peter Steele, November 1996)
- The Origin of the Feces: Not Live at Brighton Beach (1992)
- Interview#1996/9: "The Last Word" KERRANG (Peter Steele, December 1996) by Jason Arnopp
- Interview#1996/10: BLACK MOON (Peter Steele, December 1996)
- Bloody Kisses (1993)
- Interview#1997/1: OOR (Peter Steele, January 1997)
- Interview#1997/2: SoHo (Peter Steele, January 1997)
- Interview#1997/3: "Rust Never Sleeps" LIVE WIRE (Peter Steele, Josh Silver February 1997) by Jeffrey Keller
- Interview#1997/4: "Interview With the Vampire" THEROC.ORG (Peter Steele July 1997) by Alex Zander
- Christian Woman (SP, 1993)
- Black No.1 (SP, 1993)
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Interview#1996/5: LUBBOCK AVALANCHE JOURNAL (Peter Steele, 1996)
Peter Steele says he wants what everyone wants - ''peace and quiet and happiness,'' as he puts it. But he's picked a really tumultuous, crazy way to achieve those things by being the singer and bassist for a rock band - the provocative quartet Type O Negative.
He thinks financial independence will help him reach his goal.
''I just want enough money to live off of, have my little house and my pet wolves and any woman who would have me and spend the rest of my life with her,'' Steele said. ''This is a challenge for me - to attempt to make something out of myself without anyone else's help.''
So far, he's succeeding. Type O Negative has released its fourth album, ''October Rust,'' on the heels of its predecessor, ''Bloody Kisses,'' which went gold. The new album continues in the tradition of ''Bloody Kisses'' in its sweeping Gothic sound.
Delicate, evocative keyboards are undercut and shredded by gravelly layers of guitar. TON's music can be profoundly beautiful or profanely goofy and they're equally adept at both.
Steele is most interested in what he called ''the psychological foundations of tones.''
''I've always analyzed music from a psychological point of view, like why does this passage invoke such sadness? What is going on? Is it the tempo? Is it the passion of the players?'' he said. ''I pick everything apart and I analyze it and then I apply it to the songs that I write.''
He thinks financial independence will help him reach his goal.
''I just want enough money to live off of, have my little house and my pet wolves and any woman who would have me and spend the rest of my life with her,'' Steele said. ''This is a challenge for me - to attempt to make something out of myself without anyone else's help.''
So far, he's succeeding. Type O Negative has released its fourth album, ''October Rust,'' on the heels of its predecessor, ''Bloody Kisses,'' which went gold. The new album continues in the tradition of ''Bloody Kisses'' in its sweeping Gothic sound.
Delicate, evocative keyboards are undercut and shredded by gravelly layers of guitar. TON's music can be profoundly beautiful or profanely goofy and they're equally adept at both.
Steele is most interested in what he called ''the psychological foundations of tones.''
''I've always analyzed music from a psychological point of view, like why does this passage invoke such sadness? What is going on? Is it the tempo? Is it the passion of the players?'' he said. ''I pick everything apart and I analyze it and then I apply it to the songs that I write.''
Steele uses the basso range of his singing voice only sporadically this time, saving it for moments of drama or humor. But his speaking voice is very deep with a heavy New York accent.
He's a many-faceted guy; he can be so sexually explicit in describing his songs or his motivations that he makes you blush. He talked about the nude layout he did for the August 1995 issue of Playgirl. He insists he did it for the publicity; the rest of the band gave the proposal thumbs-up.
''The money was not the issue,'' he said. ''I was not getting off on it; I was actually quite mortified, but I got used to it. It was a job - sometimes you don't have to like your job, you just have to do it.''
He also can make you feel genuinely sorry for him, especially when he talks about his childhood. He has five older sisters.
''I was introverted,'' he said. ''I had no friends, simply because I felt that I could not make a worthy friend.
''I always felt like a burden to my parents. ... I also really wanted to please my parents, especially my mother. ... I just felt extremely uncomfortable with myself and I always felt like I was in the way.''
That theme crops up repeatedly in Steele's lyrics. For all the songs about forbidden trysts with fantasy ''spirit lovers'' (''Haunted'') and campy threesomes (''My Girlfriend's Girlfriend''), there are ones about the pain and emotional devastation he's felt when real-life relationships fail (''Die With You'' and ''Burnt Flowers Fallen'').
His rampant sexuality is often laced with vulnerability and insecurity; in ''Love You to Death,'' he desperately asks, ''Am I good enough for you?'' as if he's afraid to hear the answer.
He's a many-faceted guy; he can be so sexually explicit in describing his songs or his motivations that he makes you blush. He talked about the nude layout he did for the August 1995 issue of Playgirl. He insists he did it for the publicity; the rest of the band gave the proposal thumbs-up.
''The money was not the issue,'' he said. ''I was not getting off on it; I was actually quite mortified, but I got used to it. It was a job - sometimes you don't have to like your job, you just have to do it.''
He also can make you feel genuinely sorry for him, especially when he talks about his childhood. He has five older sisters.
''I was introverted,'' he said. ''I had no friends, simply because I felt that I could not make a worthy friend.
''I always felt like a burden to my parents. ... I also really wanted to please my parents, especially my mother. ... I just felt extremely uncomfortable with myself and I always felt like I was in the way.''
That theme crops up repeatedly in Steele's lyrics. For all the songs about forbidden trysts with fantasy ''spirit lovers'' (''Haunted'') and campy threesomes (''My Girlfriend's Girlfriend''), there are ones about the pain and emotional devastation he's felt when real-life relationships fail (''Die With You'' and ''Burnt Flowers Fallen'').
His rampant sexuality is often laced with vulnerability and insecurity; in ''Love You to Death,'' he desperately asks, ''Am I good enough for you?'' as if he's afraid to hear the answer.
He delves into Celtic mythology on the pastoral ''Green Man,'' which deals with the cycles of nature. The title also refers to his nickname from his days working for the New York City Parks Department.
Mythology from many cultures peppers his writing.
''I am definitely proud of my ancestry, which is Icelandic and Russian,'' he said. ''There is not too much written about Slavic mythology, because there were so many different tribes and they were so violent.''
Mythology from many cultures peppers his writing.
''I am definitely proud of my ancestry, which is Icelandic and Russian,'' he said. ''There is not too much written about Slavic mythology, because there were so many different tribes and they were so violent.''
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Interview#1996/6: GALLERY OF SOUND (Josh Silver, September 1996) by Alex Mulcahy
"Before I answer that I just have to correct you."
Uh oh. Josh Silver, Type O Negative's keyboardist/vocalist, wants to make sure I get the story straight.
"You mentioned before that we are considered pessimists, but that is really inaccurate. And I can't let it go uncorrected. I would have to say it is others who are foolishly optimistic, and it's not that we're pessimists. Reality will smack everybody in the face eventually. And whether we admit it or not, it's coming. So, I just wanted to make that perfectly clear. Now we'll continue on with your next question." He finishes with a laugh.
Welcome to the dark and damaged world of Type O Negative. It's grim and funny, comic and tragic - and it's not a secret anymore.
But who could have guessed when their album Bloody Kisses was released in 1993 that it would sell a half a million records? Their songs, never-ending goth/metal dirges, stretched on for eight or nine minutes each; MTV would have to cancel an episode of The Real World to play just one of their videos, and what if nobody liked it? Radio doesn't really take a shining to songs with multiple movements, either, which makes you wonder how "Stairway To Heaven" ever got on the air.
Nevertheless, what Type O did have going for them was enthusiastic fans and a good work ethic.
"I think we earned it a little more than many bands who just get serious media push. I mean, fifty spins on MTV will sell a half a million records, or you can play 450 shows in 18 months. I think for that extra effort you'll get a grass roots following that will probably end up a little more loyal than an MTV following that's waiting for the next thing to get fifty spins. I'm happy that we went that route."
Uh oh. Josh Silver, Type O Negative's keyboardist/vocalist, wants to make sure I get the story straight.
"You mentioned before that we are considered pessimists, but that is really inaccurate. And I can't let it go uncorrected. I would have to say it is others who are foolishly optimistic, and it's not that we're pessimists. Reality will smack everybody in the face eventually. And whether we admit it or not, it's coming. So, I just wanted to make that perfectly clear. Now we'll continue on with your next question." He finishes with a laugh.
Welcome to the dark and damaged world of Type O Negative. It's grim and funny, comic and tragic - and it's not a secret anymore.
But who could have guessed when their album Bloody Kisses was released in 1993 that it would sell a half a million records? Their songs, never-ending goth/metal dirges, stretched on for eight or nine minutes each; MTV would have to cancel an episode of The Real World to play just one of their videos, and what if nobody liked it? Radio doesn't really take a shining to songs with multiple movements, either, which makes you wonder how "Stairway To Heaven" ever got on the air.
Nevertheless, what Type O did have going for them was enthusiastic fans and a good work ethic.
"I think we earned it a little more than many bands who just get serious media push. I mean, fifty spins on MTV will sell a half a million records, or you can play 450 shows in 18 months. I think for that extra effort you'll get a grass roots following that will probably end up a little more loyal than an MTV following that's waiting for the next thing to get fifty spins. I'm happy that we went that route."
It's certainly paid off for them. Josh is calling just hours before his flight to England, where they will be playing before 100,000 people at the Donnington Festival. When they return, Type O will be headlining a tour that will support their new album October Rust, which will bring them on September 10 to the Kingston skating rink the End Zone.
"Maybe we'll skate instead, might be an improvement," Josh offers.
The Type O saga began in 1991 when Josh joined forces with his lifelong friend Peter Steele. Peter had just called it quits with his band Carnivore. Once guitarist Kevin Hickey hopped on board, the nucleus for Type O was complete.
The band tried to discreetly shop for a label, but Peter had signed a contract when he was with Carnivore that made leaving Roadrunner Records impossible. Roadrunner found out about what they were trying to do, of course, and the two have been bedded together ever since.
After the success of Bloody Kisses, which notched Roadrunner their first gold record, their label must be treating them like kings, right?
"King of the crap pile, I guess." He stops, reconsiders the situation, and says, "Or maybe we're the biggest fly on this pile. It's a small pile, it really doesn't make that much difference.
"We always got the budgets we needed as far as recording and stuff. But I can't say (we're being treated) better, I can't say worse. They'll always be Roadrunner, and we'll always be wondering why."
Know that Josh delivers these lines completely deadpan. If you have a dry, apocalyptic sense of humor, he'll crack you up. In fact, it's necessary to understand their humor to approach their music, because that's how they deal with the absurdity of life.
"Maybe we'll skate instead, might be an improvement," Josh offers.
The Type O saga began in 1991 when Josh joined forces with his lifelong friend Peter Steele. Peter had just called it quits with his band Carnivore. Once guitarist Kevin Hickey hopped on board, the nucleus for Type O was complete.
The band tried to discreetly shop for a label, but Peter had signed a contract when he was with Carnivore that made leaving Roadrunner Records impossible. Roadrunner found out about what they were trying to do, of course, and the two have been bedded together ever since.
After the success of Bloody Kisses, which notched Roadrunner their first gold record, their label must be treating them like kings, right?
"King of the crap pile, I guess." He stops, reconsiders the situation, and says, "Or maybe we're the biggest fly on this pile. It's a small pile, it really doesn't make that much difference.
"We always got the budgets we needed as far as recording and stuff. But I can't say (we're being treated) better, I can't say worse. They'll always be Roadrunner, and we'll always be wondering why."
Know that Josh delivers these lines completely deadpan. If you have a dry, apocalyptic sense of humor, he'll crack you up. In fact, it's necessary to understand their humor to approach their music, because that's how they deal with the absurdity of life.
Take a peak at the lyrics to "Red Water (Christmas Mourning)" which, by the way, is an amazing song. "The table is set for seven/Last year I dined with eleven/God damn ye merry gentlemen." It sounds pretty funny, but there's more to it than that.
"It touches upon some seriously deep issues. Quite honestly I've dealt with a couple deaths in recent years of friends and relationships and so on.
"Humor is the best defense against all serious emotion. People make jokes in the face of absolutely adverse conditions - and you have to - because you will lose it if you don't. There's no other way to keep it together. Sometimes people have to hate, sometimes people have to make jokes, it's all parts of the big defense mechanism. I think that's how we mix it up."
Not all of their songs are that emotionally charged. Their first single, "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," is a poppy, tongue-in-cheek tune, probably the least representative of the Type O aesthetic. Then there's the cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," which is bound to make you smile. Sometimes they're just plain annoying, which is the case with the thirty five second opening of October Rust that sounds like your CD is broken.
"It's my favorite song, what are you saying? To me it's hilarious. I want people to go return them and think that they're broken. We've gotten calls from the pressing plants, 'What's wrong with this. Obviously the first song is screwed up and you have to remaster.' So it goes right down the line.Why be any more serious than we ever have been?"
The last time I got tangled up in an interview with Josh was a couple years ago. What has changed about Type O, either musically or personally, in the time between Bloody Kisses and October Rust?
"I think inevitably, both have changed. I think both walk hand in hand. You get older, you know. The last time we talked, I was probably closer
to thirty and now I'm closer to thirty four. If I haven't changed, than I'm in deep, you know?
"It touches upon some seriously deep issues. Quite honestly I've dealt with a couple deaths in recent years of friends and relationships and so on.
"Humor is the best defense against all serious emotion. People make jokes in the face of absolutely adverse conditions - and you have to - because you will lose it if you don't. There's no other way to keep it together. Sometimes people have to hate, sometimes people have to make jokes, it's all parts of the big defense mechanism. I think that's how we mix it up."
Not all of their songs are that emotionally charged. Their first single, "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," is a poppy, tongue-in-cheek tune, probably the least representative of the Type O aesthetic. Then there's the cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," which is bound to make you smile. Sometimes they're just plain annoying, which is the case with the thirty five second opening of October Rust that sounds like your CD is broken.
"It's my favorite song, what are you saying? To me it's hilarious. I want people to go return them and think that they're broken. We've gotten calls from the pressing plants, 'What's wrong with this. Obviously the first song is screwed up and you have to remaster.' So it goes right down the line.Why be any more serious than we ever have been?"
The last time I got tangled up in an interview with Josh was a couple years ago. What has changed about Type O, either musically or personally, in the time between Bloody Kisses and October Rust?
"I think inevitably, both have changed. I think both walk hand in hand. You get older, you know. The last time we talked, I was probably closer
to thirty and now I'm closer to thirty four. If I haven't changed, than I'm in deep, you know?
"But that's not impossible either. Musicians are a famously infantile breed and it's not impossible that I haven't learned a damm thing and I'll still be repeating the same ridiculous patterns that I have been my entire life. Maybe now I'll just realize and accept it, but I won't change a damn thing. I'm not sure yet.
"Musically, we did try to come up with a style that was conducive to Type O's older material as well as branching out into something new. So we tried to come up with something that we could feel comfortable playing, but also sounded like some of the old Type O stuff. We didn't want to lose it entirely.
"We don't mind changing, but the developmental process is a gradual one. So I think we have become perhaps more sedate and even more depressed.
I'm having a hard time putting it into words right now. I think sedate might be the most accurate term I can offer. I think age inevitably breeds the acceptance of certain things. I think we just accept life for what it is. If we're in the toilet tomorrow, I'll be satisfied with what we did."
"Musically, we did try to come up with a style that was conducive to Type O's older material as well as branching out into something new. So we tried to come up with something that we could feel comfortable playing, but also sounded like some of the old Type O stuff. We didn't want to lose it entirely.
"We don't mind changing, but the developmental process is a gradual one. So I think we have become perhaps more sedate and even more depressed.
I'm having a hard time putting it into words right now. I think sedate might be the most accurate term I can offer. I think age inevitably breeds the acceptance of certain things. I think we just accept life for what it is. If we're in the toilet tomorrow, I'll be satisfied with what we did."
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Interview#1996/7: GUITAR WORLD (Peter Steele, Kenny Hickey October 1996) by David Grad
"Sometimes women ask me if they can taste my blood, and even though I know it's not a safe thing to do in this day and age of AIDS, I occasionally give in to their wishes and open up a vein with a razor and let them stick their tounges into my flesh," confesses Peter Steele, bassist, vocalist and guiding light of Type O Negative. If his words strike you as nothing more than the idle boast of a repulsive tale teller, guess again. The hulking bassist has multiple scars on his arm to back his nauseating claim.
Actually, Steele is no stranger to letting his love interests eat him alive. On Slow, Deep and Hard (Roadrunner, 1991), the band's debut release, his
suffering at the hands of unfeeling women caused him to bellow like some wounded creature of the night; even the band's faithful listeners feared for his sanity. But a funny thing happened to Steele on his way to the asylum. He got over the women who had done him wrong, reestablished his equilibrium and became America's newest, extremely heavy, underground sound and sex sensation.
"I think people were really sick of hearing male vocalists who sound like little girls having their feet tickled," he says. "We are the answer to that."
Along the way, Type O Negative transformed themselves from Brooklyn metalcore ruffians into sophisticated, soundscaping goths. Asked about the "metal morphosis," which turned the band into a brutal blend of Sabbath and the Cocteau Twins, Steele laughs, then says seriously, "We have gone from being a hate band to a love band." Well maybe, but the twisted sexuality and brooding obsessions showcased on 1994's Bloody Kisses (Roadrunner) are a more appropriate soundtrack for a hell-bent dungeon romance than they are for a wholesome walk in the park. Fans, however, have responded to the band's iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove aesthetic. As a result, Bloody Kisses, helped along by successful tours with Ozzy Osbourne, Nine Inch Nails, and Motley Crue (not to mention Steele's posing, scars and all, for Playgirl), went Gold last year.
To Type O Negative guitarist Kenny Hickey, the band owes much of its success to "people who want to escape from their boring lives and fantasize." While Hickey admits that playing night after night before thousands of rabid women waving Steele's Playgirl centerfold "gets tiresome," he adds that looking at pictures of Steele in his birthday suit is a small price to pay for success for someone who played for years with "metal punk yokels in Brooklyn." There is little doubt that, like Hickey, drummer Johnny Kelly and keyboard player Josh Silver are ready to follow the group's front man to the very gates of hell.
Guitar World: So, are you pleased with the new record?
Peter Steele: I think it will make the record company some money; I'm not so sure about us. What I'm really happy about is that after being together for six years, we have finally developed a style that we're totally comfortable with - something soft and fluffy on the outside but with a foundation that's rock-solid and heavy. This is our style now. We like to hit our fans over the head with a fur-covered sledgehammer.
Kenny Hickey: It's the most focused thing we've ever done.
Steele: We had a much larger budget for this record, so we didn't have to settle. It has depth and strata and I love it's lushness.
GW: For a band whose roots are in New York hardcore, Type O has become a very melodic outfit. How do you explain the evolution?
Steele: It's a strange thing. When I was in my former band, Carnivore, people would come up to me and say "You know Pete, I think you're a dick and I hate your fucking band, but I can't get your songs out of my head." That, to me, was the ultimate compliment, and after I shook their hands and thanked them, I punched them in the mouth. Type O has always been into memorable songs and melody; if you listen closely to SD&H, they're in there. It's just on that one I also screamed my head off. Then on the next album, BK, I thought it would be more of a challenge if I sang on key and came up with more interesting melodies. I kept thinking of what the Beatles said, that you should write every song like it was going to be the single.
Actually, Steele is no stranger to letting his love interests eat him alive. On Slow, Deep and Hard (Roadrunner, 1991), the band's debut release, his
suffering at the hands of unfeeling women caused him to bellow like some wounded creature of the night; even the band's faithful listeners feared for his sanity. But a funny thing happened to Steele on his way to the asylum. He got over the women who had done him wrong, reestablished his equilibrium and became America's newest, extremely heavy, underground sound and sex sensation.
"I think people were really sick of hearing male vocalists who sound like little girls having their feet tickled," he says. "We are the answer to that."
Along the way, Type O Negative transformed themselves from Brooklyn metalcore ruffians into sophisticated, soundscaping goths. Asked about the "metal morphosis," which turned the band into a brutal blend of Sabbath and the Cocteau Twins, Steele laughs, then says seriously, "We have gone from being a hate band to a love band." Well maybe, but the twisted sexuality and brooding obsessions showcased on 1994's Bloody Kisses (Roadrunner) are a more appropriate soundtrack for a hell-bent dungeon romance than they are for a wholesome walk in the park. Fans, however, have responded to the band's iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove aesthetic. As a result, Bloody Kisses, helped along by successful tours with Ozzy Osbourne, Nine Inch Nails, and Motley Crue (not to mention Steele's posing, scars and all, for Playgirl), went Gold last year.
To Type O Negative guitarist Kenny Hickey, the band owes much of its success to "people who want to escape from their boring lives and fantasize." While Hickey admits that playing night after night before thousands of rabid women waving Steele's Playgirl centerfold "gets tiresome," he adds that looking at pictures of Steele in his birthday suit is a small price to pay for success for someone who played for years with "metal punk yokels in Brooklyn." There is little doubt that, like Hickey, drummer Johnny Kelly and keyboard player Josh Silver are ready to follow the group's front man to the very gates of hell.
Guitar World: So, are you pleased with the new record?
Peter Steele: I think it will make the record company some money; I'm not so sure about us. What I'm really happy about is that after being together for six years, we have finally developed a style that we're totally comfortable with - something soft and fluffy on the outside but with a foundation that's rock-solid and heavy. This is our style now. We like to hit our fans over the head with a fur-covered sledgehammer.
Kenny Hickey: It's the most focused thing we've ever done.
Steele: We had a much larger budget for this record, so we didn't have to settle. It has depth and strata and I love it's lushness.
GW: For a band whose roots are in New York hardcore, Type O has become a very melodic outfit. How do you explain the evolution?
Steele: It's a strange thing. When I was in my former band, Carnivore, people would come up to me and say "You know Pete, I think you're a dick and I hate your fucking band, but I can't get your songs out of my head." That, to me, was the ultimate compliment, and after I shook their hands and thanked them, I punched them in the mouth. Type O has always been into memorable songs and melody; if you listen closely to SD&H, they're in there. It's just on that one I also screamed my head off. Then on the next album, BK, I thought it would be more of a challenge if I sang on key and came up with more interesting melodies. I kept thinking of what the Beatles said, that you should write every song like it was going to be the single.
GW: On October Rust, you seem to be going for a really synthetic sound.
Hickey: Yeah, I use a Fernandes guitar with a lot of chorus, distortion and delay. There is never one dominent guitar sound or line. There's alot of layering - with a heavy sound, an alternative sound on top of that, and then the keyboards embellishing that.
GW: So you write the guitar parts?
Hickey: Not really. Peter writes the basis of the songs - the guitar, bass, and keyboard lines - and we go into the studio and it grows from there. We never deviate far from what he writes originally, though.
GW: So Peter, you really run this band.
Steele: Yeah, it's a dictatorship. We will talk about things, but if something can only go one of two ways it's going to go my way.
Hickey: Yeah, I use a Fernandes guitar with a lot of chorus, distortion and delay. There is never one dominent guitar sound or line. There's alot of layering - with a heavy sound, an alternative sound on top of that, and then the keyboards embellishing that.
GW: So you write the guitar parts?
Hickey: Not really. Peter writes the basis of the songs - the guitar, bass, and keyboard lines - and we go into the studio and it grows from there. We never deviate far from what he writes originally, though.
GW: So Peter, you really run this band.
Steele: Yeah, it's a dictatorship. We will talk about things, but if something can only go one of two ways it's going to go my way.
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Interview#1996/8: SoHo (Peter Steele, November 1996)
The Origin of the Feces: Not Live at Brighton Beach (1992)
What was the speech you had prepared for your fans at Darlington, but didn't get time to read?
"Donington was very hot and very surprising. I was expecting one-tenth of the people to turn up for the glorious half-hour we got to play. It is very important for us to play shows here for our fans and not leave them feeling neglected.
"I didn't have a speech prepared. It was just my crude attempt at humour. It was just something to say between songs."
Why do Type O Negative choose cover versions of songs such as 'Cinnamon Girl', which people would never imagine you to do?
"Always expect the unexpected from Type O Negative."
What is the one thing that you and the other members of Type O Negative agree about?
"Which songs to include/exclude in our 75 minute headlining set."
Have you ever had an AIDS test?
"Yes, when I worked for the New York City Parks Department, I was stuck with a hypodermic needle while cleaning a playground. Fortunately, the test result was negative. I do, however get tested periodically."
"Donington was very hot and very surprising. I was expecting one-tenth of the people to turn up for the glorious half-hour we got to play. It is very important for us to play shows here for our fans and not leave them feeling neglected.
"I didn't have a speech prepared. It was just my crude attempt at humour. It was just something to say between songs."
Why do Type O Negative choose cover versions of songs such as 'Cinnamon Girl', which people would never imagine you to do?
"Always expect the unexpected from Type O Negative."
What is the one thing that you and the other members of Type O Negative agree about?
"Which songs to include/exclude in our 75 minute headlining set."
Have you ever had an AIDS test?
"Yes, when I worked for the New York City Parks Department, I was stuck with a hypodermic needle while cleaning a playground. Fortunately, the test result was negative. I do, however get tested periodically."
Do you believe in capital punishment?
"I certainly do. These crimes definitely warrant it: those involving children, crimes that are premeditated murders, and the method of how the murderer killed the victim. I am not going to say every crime of passion is automatically the death sentence or anything.
"There are definitely some things that warrant death. I would think that anyone that was definitely a menace to society. If I had me own political party, I would call it the 'Pro Death Party'. There is Pro Life, Pro Choice; I am no pro death, because I am pro capital punishment, I am pro abortion, pro euthanasia and pro suicide. If people want to kill themselves, we'll help you. If you are going to kill someone, then we'll kill you.
"The only reason I am pro abortion is - first and foremost, I will say that I think abortion is murder. However, there are so many unwanted children is this world, there are definitely things worse than death and so I think this is almost a mercy killing."
Do you think everyone has the capacity to kill?
"I know I do. If I didn't have to suffer the consequences for killing someone, there are many people in the past, and I must say, presently, I would like to kill with my bare hands, and it wouldn't be like for some sadistic satisfaction."
"I certainly do. These crimes definitely warrant it: those involving children, crimes that are premeditated murders, and the method of how the murderer killed the victim. I am not going to say every crime of passion is automatically the death sentence or anything.
"There are definitely some things that warrant death. I would think that anyone that was definitely a menace to society. If I had me own political party, I would call it the 'Pro Death Party'. There is Pro Life, Pro Choice; I am no pro death, because I am pro capital punishment, I am pro abortion, pro euthanasia and pro suicide. If people want to kill themselves, we'll help you. If you are going to kill someone, then we'll kill you.
"The only reason I am pro abortion is - first and foremost, I will say that I think abortion is murder. However, there are so many unwanted children is this world, there are definitely things worse than death and so I think this is almost a mercy killing."
Do you think everyone has the capacity to kill?
"I know I do. If I didn't have to suffer the consequences for killing someone, there are many people in the past, and I must say, presently, I would like to kill with my bare hands, and it wouldn't be like for some sadistic satisfaction."
"These people who fucked me and are laughing about it, and who think they have got away with it. Maybe they have.... "
"There is no karma, no spirit, no after-life, no before-life, no heaven, no hell, no God, no Satan. There is dirt before, and there is dirt afterwards. What is between is that we can pull ourselves from one mound of shit to the other, and that's life."
Is there anything you wouldn't do for money?
"I wouldn't hurt myself, someone I care about or an animal, for money."
.
"There is no karma, no spirit, no after-life, no before-life, no heaven, no hell, no God, no Satan. There is dirt before, and there is dirt afterwards. What is between is that we can pull ourselves from one mound of shit to the other, and that's life."
Is there anything you wouldn't do for money?
"I wouldn't hurt myself, someone I care about or an animal, for money."
.
Do you think marijuana should be legalized?
"I believe pot to be on the same level as alcohol. Marijuana should be legalized, regulated by the government, taxed and should only be used in permitted areas."
If you saw someone getting beaten up, would you walk part or intervene?
"If it was a fair fight, I would not intervene. If I was a man beating a woman, I would stop him."
Have you ever tasted human blood?
"Yes, past girlfriends have asked me to taste their blood and visa versa. I don't consider menstrual blood to be offensive."
Do you prefer sex with lights on or off?
"I prefer sex by firelight."
If you were to die tomorrow, is there anything you would wish you'd done that you haven't?
"I would still like to see my ancestral homelands of Iceland and Russia."
Do you have Sisters Of Mercy albums?
"I do have 'Floodland'. I've never seen them live. I think they're great, but I don't consider them to be an influence, and no, I was never a goth!"
"I believe pot to be on the same level as alcohol. Marijuana should be legalized, regulated by the government, taxed and should only be used in permitted areas."
If you saw someone getting beaten up, would you walk part or intervene?
"If it was a fair fight, I would not intervene. If I was a man beating a woman, I would stop him."
Have you ever tasted human blood?
"Yes, past girlfriends have asked me to taste their blood and visa versa. I don't consider menstrual blood to be offensive."
Do you prefer sex with lights on or off?
"I prefer sex by firelight."
If you were to die tomorrow, is there anything you would wish you'd done that you haven't?
"I would still like to see my ancestral homelands of Iceland and Russia."
Do you have Sisters Of Mercy albums?
"I do have 'Floodland'. I've never seen them live. I think they're great, but I don't consider them to be an influence, and no, I was never a goth!"
Is it comfortable wearing a chain guitar strap?
"It is not comfortable, but as readers of Metal Hammer know, you have to suffer for fashion. I've just gotten used to it over these part 15 years. A five foot length of chain costs about £5. A nice comfortable leather strap might cost as much as £30 or £40. I'm just a cheap bastard."
"It is not comfortable, but as readers of Metal Hammer know, you have to suffer for fashion. I've just gotten used to it over these part 15 years. A five foot length of chain costs about £5. A nice comfortable leather strap might cost as much as £30 or £40. I'm just a cheap bastard."
What's your favorite Metallica song?
"I don't have one... I was never really a fan and I don't have their new album."
In your opinion, what is the worst trait of human nature?
"1) The fact that homo sapiens believe that they (we) are superior to other species. 2) Name dropping."
If you won the National Lottery tonight with a jackpot over £1 million, what would you do with the money and how would it change your life?
"I would take care of my family and friends. I would probably put a lot of that money into Type O Negative."
Do you have traditional values / morals apart from you foray into nude modelling?
"Oh, definitely. When I talk to people in other bands, especially women, they find it shocking just how pro-government I am. I consider myself to be a conscientious conservative. I am a Republican back in the States, which is like your Conservative Party here, but I don't fully agree with everything they stand for."
"I don't have one... I was never really a fan and I don't have their new album."
In your opinion, what is the worst trait of human nature?
"1) The fact that homo sapiens believe that they (we) are superior to other species. 2) Name dropping."
If you won the National Lottery tonight with a jackpot over £1 million, what would you do with the money and how would it change your life?
"I would take care of my family and friends. I would probably put a lot of that money into Type O Negative."
Do you have traditional values / morals apart from you foray into nude modelling?
"Oh, definitely. When I talk to people in other bands, especially women, they find it shocking just how pro-government I am. I consider myself to be a conscientious conservative. I am a Republican back in the States, which is like your Conservative Party here, but I don't fully agree with everything they stand for."
Is there any famour character from the history you can identify with?
"Frankenstein's monster."
Why is physical fitness / working out so important to you?
"Low self-esteem, vanity and insecurity. A strong mind produces a strong body."
Would you rather go to a strip club or go for a walk through a forest?
"I'd rather go to the woods with a woman and we'd strip each other. I am one with nature."
What has been the best gig of the 'October Rust' tour?
"So far, every show has been great."
How important is good management to the success of a band?
"There are many factors that go into the success of a band. For example, you can be the best band in the world, but if your management sucks, you won't go anywhere."
"Frankenstein's monster."
Why is physical fitness / working out so important to you?
"Low self-esteem, vanity and insecurity. A strong mind produces a strong body."
Would you rather go to a strip club or go for a walk through a forest?
"I'd rather go to the woods with a woman and we'd strip each other. I am one with nature."
What has been the best gig of the 'October Rust' tour?
"So far, every show has been great."
How important is good management to the success of a band?
"There are many factors that go into the success of a band. For example, you can be the best band in the world, but if your management sucks, you won't go anywhere."
============================================================================
Interview#1996/9: "The Last Word" KERRANG (Peter Steele, December 1996) by Jason Arnopp
THE LAST WORD
The ultimate questions on life, sex and body odour. This week, TYPE O NEGATIVE'S Pete Steele talks to Jason Arnopp.
Last time you flew into a jealous rage?
"Probably when I tried to kill myself, which was October 15, 1989. I was really fucking out of my mind back then, but I've learnt that no one is worth hurting yoursewlf for. And you can't base your happiness around someone else, because when he or she leaves, there goes your little world. So now I'm trying to be happy with myself, and when I meet someone I don't expect them to make me happy. I try to share my happiness with them."
Last time you did something you regretted?
"There are times during touring because the four of us are constantly trapped together, when I do say things that I don't really mean. I'm mad at myself, I'm mad at the world, and as a human being I take it out on people that I care about. Things that I'm not proud of."
Last time you shared a "menage-a-trois" with two young ladies?
"That would have been after one of our Carnivore shows, in new York. I happened to meet two nice young ladies, and one thing led to another. One above, and one below. A sandwich of love."
The ultimate questions on life, sex and body odour. This week, TYPE O NEGATIVE'S Pete Steele talks to Jason Arnopp.
Last time you flew into a jealous rage?
"Probably when I tried to kill myself, which was October 15, 1989. I was really fucking out of my mind back then, but I've learnt that no one is worth hurting yoursewlf for. And you can't base your happiness around someone else, because when he or she leaves, there goes your little world. So now I'm trying to be happy with myself, and when I meet someone I don't expect them to make me happy. I try to share my happiness with them."
Last time you did something you regretted?
"There are times during touring because the four of us are constantly trapped together, when I do say things that I don't really mean. I'm mad at myself, I'm mad at the world, and as a human being I take it out on people that I care about. Things that I'm not proud of."
Last time you shared a "menage-a-trois" with two young ladies?
"That would have been after one of our Carnivore shows, in new York. I happened to meet two nice young ladies, and one thing led to another. One above, and one below. A sandwich of love."
Last time you masturbated in a public place?
"I'm so into privacy that this would have to be about 15 years ago. I'd met some girl in a Brooklyn club, one thing would lead to the next, and genitals would be squirting shit all over the place, in the back of the car. So that would be my car, 15 years ago."
Last time you dabbled with hard drugs?
"Does cocaine qualify? I've done it maybe 10 times. The last time was well over a year ago. I got really drunk, and I guess I wanted to feel even better. Somebody had some, and I filled up one of my sinuses with it. I was wide-awake drunk for a day, which is always fuckin' fun. but nothing is as much fun as the headache that follows."
Last time you drank so much red wine onstage that the show suffered?
"You know, it's not so much when I drink too much red wine. It's when I run out of red wine, and start drinking beer. The two really don't mix. Years ago, during a gig in Brooklyn, I remember waking up on the floor of the stage entangled somehow in the strings of my bass. It was like a fucking medieval torture device. Everyone thought it was a great show, but I have no recollection of it. It's everything in moderation now."
Last time you said, "That's the last time..."?
"Probably every time I vomit through drinking too much. Also, there was a time about three years ago when I had sex with a woman without a condom. She was acting really hot and we didn't catch anything from each other, but after that I vowed to never do that again."
Last person you'd like to be trapped in a lift with?
"Anyone who doesn't wear deodorant. Body odour makes my eyes water."
Last time you wanted to punch somebody?
"I've been under a lot of pressure lately with this band, and there are certain people who work within this organisation who I'd love to beat to death. But I will try to deal with matters contractually, not physically. Generally, only ignorant people have to resort to violence."
Last time you heard great new music?
"It's usually by accident. I'm in the car with the radio on and I hear something which passes before I can even get the name. It's usually not rock music. What I'm into right now is science fiction and horror soundtracks. Ultimately, after Type O Negative dissolves - all good things and bad things must come to an end - perhaps soundtracks are something I might want to get into."
"I'm so into privacy that this would have to be about 15 years ago. I'd met some girl in a Brooklyn club, one thing would lead to the next, and genitals would be squirting shit all over the place, in the back of the car. So that would be my car, 15 years ago."
Last time you dabbled with hard drugs?
"Does cocaine qualify? I've done it maybe 10 times. The last time was well over a year ago. I got really drunk, and I guess I wanted to feel even better. Somebody had some, and I filled up one of my sinuses with it. I was wide-awake drunk for a day, which is always fuckin' fun. but nothing is as much fun as the headache that follows."
Last time you drank so much red wine onstage that the show suffered?
"You know, it's not so much when I drink too much red wine. It's when I run out of red wine, and start drinking beer. The two really don't mix. Years ago, during a gig in Brooklyn, I remember waking up on the floor of the stage entangled somehow in the strings of my bass. It was like a fucking medieval torture device. Everyone thought it was a great show, but I have no recollection of it. It's everything in moderation now."
Last time you said, "That's the last time..."?
"Probably every time I vomit through drinking too much. Also, there was a time about three years ago when I had sex with a woman without a condom. She was acting really hot and we didn't catch anything from each other, but after that I vowed to never do that again."
Last person you'd like to be trapped in a lift with?
"Anyone who doesn't wear deodorant. Body odour makes my eyes water."
Last time you wanted to punch somebody?
"I've been under a lot of pressure lately with this band, and there are certain people who work within this organisation who I'd love to beat to death. But I will try to deal with matters contractually, not physically. Generally, only ignorant people have to resort to violence."
Last time you heard great new music?
"It's usually by accident. I'm in the car with the radio on and I hear something which passes before I can even get the name. It's usually not rock music. What I'm into right now is science fiction and horror soundtracks. Ultimately, after Type O Negative dissolves - all good things and bad things must come to an end - perhaps soundtracks are something I might want to get into."
Last time you felt embarrassed?
"Usually when I hurt someone that I love and care for, by speaking before I think. That happens all the time."
Last time you cried laughing?
"During the course of the last Carnivore shows. Me and Louie the drummer go back a long way, and it got really funny, talking about the old days over a few drinks. It was funny to the point where the liquor starts coming out of your nose."
How long can you last?
"I can last as long as there is a need for me to last."
"Usually when I hurt someone that I love and care for, by speaking before I think. That happens all the time."
Last time you cried laughing?
"During the course of the last Carnivore shows. Me and Louie the drummer go back a long way, and it got really funny, talking about the old days over a few drinks. It was funny to the point where the liquor starts coming out of your nose."
How long can you last?
"I can last as long as there is a need for me to last."
============================================================================
Interview#1996/10: BLACK MOON (Peter Steele, December 1996)
SE: Even though your group is currently riding a huge wave of success, are there ever times when you find yourself missing the days when the New York City Parks Department signed your paycheck?
PS: I would have to answer that question "of course". I have to disagree with you when you say we're hugely successful. Successful to me would mean financial independence, which is not the same as being rich. We are just about paying our bills right now and I believe we are a long way from being hugely successful...but what I miss most about working for the Parks Department is not so much the paycheck - which was a glorious forty thousand dollars a year - but knowing that I would be at work to and from a certain time and that I could make plans after work. When you're in a band you no longer have a life. Your live belongs to the record company, to managers, the public and to people like Syd Edwards.
SE: How was your European tour this time? Was there any backlash from the incidents that transpired on your first tour over there?
PS: No. That seems to be way in the past, where I hope it stays. We haven't had any problems over there whatsoever. The only time these, uh, unpleasant memories come up is when I do interviews with the press, usually in Germany and Holland. There are very active anti-fascist groups over there who still are in search of a scape goat.
SE: So you think you've shed all of the misconceptions about you and the racist, misogynist, any word that end in "ist" tags?
PS: Most of them, yes. Some of them (the press) still want to come in and interview me with their arms and their legs crossed and they have this really serious look on their face. I tell them, "Look man, you should lighten up because Type O Negative is no more than four assholes from Brooklyn trying to make money and trying to make music. Sorry, but this is not the Fourth Reich."
PS: I would have to answer that question "of course". I have to disagree with you when you say we're hugely successful. Successful to me would mean financial independence, which is not the same as being rich. We are just about paying our bills right now and I believe we are a long way from being hugely successful...but what I miss most about working for the Parks Department is not so much the paycheck - which was a glorious forty thousand dollars a year - but knowing that I would be at work to and from a certain time and that I could make plans after work. When you're in a band you no longer have a life. Your live belongs to the record company, to managers, the public and to people like Syd Edwards.
SE: How was your European tour this time? Was there any backlash from the incidents that transpired on your first tour over there?
PS: No. That seems to be way in the past, where I hope it stays. We haven't had any problems over there whatsoever. The only time these, uh, unpleasant memories come up is when I do interviews with the press, usually in Germany and Holland. There are very active anti-fascist groups over there who still are in search of a scape goat.
SE: So you think you've shed all of the misconceptions about you and the racist, misogynist, any word that end in "ist" tags?
PS: Most of them, yes. Some of them (the press) still want to come in and interview me with their arms and their legs crossed and they have this really serious look on their face. I tell them, "Look man, you should lighten up because Type O Negative is no more than four assholes from Brooklyn trying to make money and trying to make music. Sorry, but this is not the Fourth Reich."
SE: Isn't it funny how things can get so blown out of proportion?
PS: Yeah. i think they realize that they've made an error, you know? We've played shows over there where we've played to over one hundred thousand people. So, I say to these interviewers - If you want to imply that Type O Negative is an extremist band, well then I think that you've just insulted not only me, not only the band, but all of the people who come and see us. I don't think that one hundred thirty thousand people would have shown up to see a fascist band. So, do your homework.
SE: Is it true that you stopped work on "October Rust" to do the tour with Ozzy?
PS: We didn't exactly stop. We rushed through the album in order to get on to that tour, because it was supposed to start much later. Halfway through doing the album, we got a call saying that they wanted us on the tour two weeks earlier than scheduled. That really threw a wrench into things. I don't think that the album would've come out any worse or any better. I just feel that we had done something differently and I just wish that were were able to work under a less stressful situation.
SE: The album doesn't sound rushed to me.
PS: That's because...well, instead of sleeping and eating and going to the bathroom and working out and kissing pretty girls, we spent our -- what we thought we'd have -- free time in the studio continuing with the project, trying to maintain some kind of objectivity as far as realizing that we were under stress and that you shouldn't spend eighteen hours recording vocals. It's not good fof the person trying to execute them and it's not good for anyone else around, you know? Eighteen hours is just too long anywhere, except if you're back home -- then it's okay.
SE: Do you think "October Rust" is the final step in the evolution of Type O Negative's sound or just one more stop along the way?
PS: I think that I have changed a lot as a person since like 1990 and I've learned one thing, and that is never to say never. Now, I think that we've found our style but if one of us becomes enlightened somehow, or learned how to play one of our instruments, then maybe there might be some kind of major change in the future.
SE: Okay, this one is kind of meaty... You touched upon many pagan themes on this album and you've been quoted as saying you consider yourself a Pagan. Yet, many of your personal beliefs don't seem to fall in line with most pagan ideologies. What are your beliefs in the after life, death and reincarnation?
PS: Okay, that's a meaty question.I must lay the foundation for this answer by saying that the general public are a bunch of idiots and there is no way that I can express my beliefs in one single work, although I'll try. The closest I can get to it that most people would understand, without going into a book trying to explain how I feel about things, is just simply stating that I am a Pagan. I know Pagans and I know that it's a bit more practicing than what I'm into. Basically, I have the utmost respect for nature. I don't believe in animal sacrifice. I don't believe in magic or rituals. I don't believe that I've lived before. I don't believe that I will live again after death again. I think that I, like everyone else, is here just by a matter of chance - possibly controlled chaos. I consider myself to be nothing more than two hundred and forty pounds of chemicals...or perhaps an inefficient meat machine.
SE: (laughs) Do you think your wish to be closer to nature is a result of being born and raised in the city?
PS: I would say yes. I think that if I were raised on a farm or raised in the mountains, I probably would've taken that stuff for granted. But, I must say that whenever I go to the woods - especially in autumn - this feeling comes over me like all of the stress has been taken out of me and I just feel so at peace and so at one with everything else around me. That's the only time I don't feel like there's some four hundred pound monkey standing on my back.
SE: Tell me what inspired you to write "Christmas Mourning?"
PS: My father passed away on Valentine's Day 1995 and so last Christmas was not too easy for me because not only was I thinking of him not being there, but being born to older parents and being the last of six children, I've seen a lot of my family pass away these thirty four years of life. So, needless to say, last Christmas I was seeing quite a few ghosts sitting there at the Christmas table with us. When I talk about red water, it, of course, does not mean blood - it's wine.
SE: Holidays are tough for anyone who has lost a loved one...
PS: I know a lot of people who get extremely depressed around the holidays. I think that I'm over it now, of course, but when it first came about, there were so many memories floating around ... it put a damper on the holidays.
SE: Have you encountered any problems with Neil Young over your version of "Cinnamon Girl" like you did with Seals & Croft over "Summer Breeze"?
PS: Absolutely not. I don't expect there to be any problems. The problems that we had with Seals & Croft stemmed from a miscommunication between myself and the record company. When I told "them", meaning Roadrunner, that I wanted to change some of the lyrics on "Summer Breeze" they said go ahead and they did not check with Seals & Croft before giving me the answer. So the problem came from them being displeased that I had tampered with their lyrics.
SE: But those lyrics don't make any sense!
PS: Well, I guess that if you're on the right drugs they do. I guess coffee and Prozac just aren't cutting it.
SE: Was the band's decision to use lowered tuning a result of your deep voice or a result of experimentation?
PS: It was a result of listening to (Black Sabbath's) "Master of Reality" all of my teenage years. That was the first album that you could obviously hear that something was going on with the tuning. I don't think they tuned a minor third lower; I believe they tuned their E string down to C sharp. After hearing that, when we formed Carnivore, we tuned down a minor third, and when I formed Type O Negative we took it one whole step further, so now I tune my bass B-E-A-D. It plays havoc on the instruments. It has nothing to do with my vocal range. It has more to do with sounding heavier and more drone like. Not to offend any of your Christian readers, but it sounds a bit more Satanic.
SE: Ah!! That word! Let's just say is sounds a bit more... evil.
PS: Evil... satanic... menacing... what have you.
SE: How did you get into doing the soundtrack for a video game like "Descent II"?
PS: That's something I can't answer because a couple of months ago, some kids came up to me and said that one of our songs was on there. Apparently, when I signed the record contract, it said that if the record company did not tamper with a recording at all, they did not have to ask my permission or the band's permission to solicit or to sell a song to anyone that would buy it. And so this thing wound up on a video game without me even knowing. I don't mind that it's on the game. I just wished that I knew it was going to be, so I didn't look like a complete moron when I was approached by these kids, you know?
SE: Here's another meaty question - Do you think that the spread of Christianity across the world has been responsible in any way for civilization's decline?
PS: I will say that Christianity basically hampers creativity but at the same time there are a few good things that have come out of Christianity, one of which is the twelve-tone scale that was created by Pope Gregory. And he also came up with the modern calendar. So, I think it's safe to say that for every good thing that the Church has done, they have done six hundred and sixty-six bad things.
SE: How far away do you think we are from a one world order and do you think it will take some sort of violent overthrowing of the establishment for it to gain control?
PS: I think that it is going to take someone with a very high testosterone level that is going to have to just get up there and tell people how it is and it's going to have to be done by force.
SE: So you do think it'll have to be violent?
PS: I think that's the only way that it's going to happen because human beings, as species, resist change. There are people that would rather stay miserable and not make a change. They just won't go through the effort of changing and possibly leading a better life. I'm the type of person who actually thrives on change and I look forward to it because, when I try to change my life, even if I fail, I still consider that the ultimate learning experience. You know failure is not a bad thing, it is a great thing if you learn from it.
SE: It seems that the anger and cynicism of your previous efforts have been replaced by something closer to melancholy. Has your outlook on life changed or is it another facet of your personality showing through?
PS: I believe that my outlook has changed. I realize that you cannot go through life fighting the world because you can't win. An army of ants can overcome an elephant, so even if you're smart, or strong or motivated, there are just too many roadblocks out there. I'm not saying that I've given up or anything like that, I just think that there are other ways to get what I want out of life other than being confrontational with people.
SE: Is your goal still to get as far from civilization as possible?
PS: Yeah! Ultimately, I want what everyone else wants in life and that is peace and happiness. I'm still not exactly sure what that means. I've decided I do want this glass house in the woods and I think that I would like to be with about three or four women.
SE: Some would consider that a double-edged sword...
PS: It's not an age thing. It's just that, after having five older sisters and a bunch of younger nieces and aunts, I'm just really used to being with women. There are some people who have said in the past that I'm a sexist and that I have to say that's true because I dislike men. I think they're the useless half of the species and they're only good for two things - making war and making babies. I would rather take myself away from the pants and bearers.
SE: I understand you are good friends with Thomas Thorn of the Electric Hellfire Club. How are they doing since the loss of Shana?
PS: Well, I've hear some things that I probably shouldn't comment on because I can't verify them, but I think it's safe to say that they have been having some problems. I understand we're supposed to be doing some shows with them soon, but that too is a rumor.
SE: I've heard you were recently spotted at a Switchblade Symphony show...
PS: I saw them at the Wetlands, back in New York, and I thought there seemed to be a lot of passion in their music and their playing and it came through quite well. I think the songs are catchy. They have two women in the band who are quite attractive, so of course you know that gets my attention right away. I think we're going to be doing some shows with them as well, but I'm not totally sure about that right now.
SE: That sounds like a great package for a tour, actually...
PS: They had a really big crowd there and they played on like a Tuesday night, I think. That was kind of impressive. Even if we don't get to tour with them, the next time I'm someplace they are I'll definitely make it a point to go and see them. I would probably have liked to have lined this tour up much differently. We did shows with Lycia and The Electric Hellfire Club last October and I thought that line-up was great. But the management wasn't happy with the line-up because everything seems to come down to money these days and they would rather put people on the bill that they are sure will draw a lot of people to the show. It sucks that finances have to rear their ugly head.
SE: Sometimes management just misses the boat and winds up having to wait for it to come within grappling hook range once it's become a hot property.
PS: Yes, that's happened.
SE: Well, I know you're getting ready for a show, so I'll let you go.
PS: Yes, I have to get to the venue and I have to work out.
SE: Have a good show.
PS: Thanks, I'll see you soon.
============================================================================
Interview#1997/1: OOR (Peter Steele, January 1997)
Once Peter Steele was a provoking rebel with dubious ideas. Nowadays we may consider him as a friendly womanizer. Repented, or is there more to it? So we went for a talk with him. In the end one thing was for sure: Steele will *always* be misunderstood.
Me - a womanizer? Steel is surprised when confronted with this fact. ‘I can tell you this: If people come to listen to us these days and they know nothing of our bad reputation, then they just like our music. A womanizer....maybe they’ll start liking me as a real person. Not that I want to be liked, though, all I want to do is make music and give our fans a good time.
Why don’t you want to be liked?
It’s not that I don’t want to, it just doesn’t matter at all to me. I give myself entirely to people, hoping that they will then get to like me. Only to discover that they confuse nicety with stupidity.
Does that happen to you a lot?
All the time. So nowadays I don’t go through the trouble anymore of being liked. I think it’s better for
people to hate you for who you are than that they love you for what you are not.
Are you happy with your present life?
I was a lot happier when I still worked for the dept of Parks and Recreation.
So why did you give it up for Type O Negative?
Ah, but I’m a masochist. I like ruining my own life and that’s what I did.
Me - a womanizer? Steel is surprised when confronted with this fact. ‘I can tell you this: If people come to listen to us these days and they know nothing of our bad reputation, then they just like our music. A womanizer....maybe they’ll start liking me as a real person. Not that I want to be liked, though, all I want to do is make music and give our fans a good time.
Why don’t you want to be liked?
It’s not that I don’t want to, it just doesn’t matter at all to me. I give myself entirely to people, hoping that they will then get to like me. Only to discover that they confuse nicety with stupidity.
Does that happen to you a lot?
All the time. So nowadays I don’t go through the trouble anymore of being liked. I think it’s better for
people to hate you for who you are than that they love you for what you are not.
Are you happy with your present life?
I was a lot happier when I still worked for the dept of Parks and Recreation.
So why did you give it up for Type O Negative?
Ah, but I’m a masochist. I like ruining my own life and that’s what I did.
You really think you’ve ruined your life?
No one who can still walk and see has the right to make complaints about anything. And, realizing all is going well with my so-called career and that my friends and family are all right .. I really should keep my trap (mouth?) shut.
Do you ever think of returning to your old job?
Every day (sigh). I keep thinking about how great that rake felt in my hands. Rakes are a lot cheaper than guitars too.
Do you consider Type O Negative as a job?
No, not right now. I really like writing and recording, but maybe it’s more of an occupation. I had a life prior to Type O Negative. I wasn’t a streetkid who threw himself on the music just because he had nothing to lose. With Type O Negative I had a lot to lose which made it so exciting to take such a big step. I gave up a comfortable job of US$ 40,000 a year so that I could fully plunge myself into chaos. (??)… It’s like jumping off a cliff.
You once said that you would quit with Type O Negative once you’d earned enough money.
I probably meant to provoke, ‘cause things aren’t that bad. I just don’t want to have the feeling that I *must* tour, since I dislike (loathe??) touring. I feel like a 2 m long penis when I’m on stage, like a complete asshole. I still don’t get it why anyone would want to see Type O Negative or buy a Type O Negative product. Every time when I’m in front of those people, I get the feeling that I’m ripping them off, that I’m making a fool of them.
It’s seems you’re hardly ever satisfied about anything
That’s right. I’ll never be satisfied (contented ??) and I think that’s a good thing, ‘cause people who are contented stop growing. As long as I hate what I’m doing, I’ll continue to change and thus grow.
October Rust is almost entirely about women. How come it’s such a different album than Bloody Kisses?
You really think so?
It’s still Type O Negative but the aggression has gone.
I can say a few things about it. Firstly: as a songwriter to this band it’s hard for me to be objective about the final result. I always write my songs through a fixed line (??), a formula .. that’s really the only thing I pay attention to. But, returning to women. I know people who think I’m exploiting women in my music. But, what’s wrong with writing songs about something you love? You should get to talk to some female Type O Negative fans; I don’t think they’ll feel exploited, rather they feel honoured for my worshiping their gender.
The lyrics of October Rust are quite passionate. Are you overdoing it, or do you really see women like that?
When I’m with a woman, I like to be of her service with anything she wants. The role of man in this world is chiefly to serve women. Men used to be good for three things: to care for women, to protect and for procreation of course. Nowadays women don’t need men anymore to care for them, and as regards protection, well this is also unnecessary since we have laws. And with artificial insemination ‘n’ all we’re not necessary for the act. Men have really become redundant. Once we were good for making babies and making war, now all that’s left is making war.
So men are inferior to women.
Any life form has a right to live and in that respect we are all equal. But as far as the usefulness of those life forms during their lives is concerned, that is the big difference. I have few male friends. I just prefer the company of women. Maybe because I grew up with five older sisters.
And what’s your opinion of, say, gays?
I have gay friends, but most people I know are heterosexuals. That’s pure coincidence. I don’t care at all in which hole someone wants to put his penis. As long as it doesn’t affect me, or the people I care for.
Your views on mankind strike me as rather cynical.
Due to all this touring around I recognized how disgusting mankind really is. I’ve learned a lot about that. For instance, I am quite convinced that we are the most inferior life form on earth; we are the only species stupid enough to foul its own nest. Not even dogs or pigs do this.
So what would be a higher life form in your opinion?
You mean, is there a God?
Yeah, something like that. Do you believe in God?
God doesn’t believe in me. It’s all right for me, we have a good relationship...But, no, I don’t believe in God. I think that the definition of God by mankind is an attempt at identifying scientific facts for which we still have no explanation. The more we learn about nature, about science and ourselves, the less we will need God to give us the answers to our questions. So: there is no life prior to this life and there is no life after death. There is nothing. I’m just 120 kgs of organic chemicals...walking meat.
With brains and a soul and a spirit.
No, none of those. None at all. If you were to cut me open right this moment, all you would find is a big black hole. An empty space, a vacuum.
In which you feel trapped?
I feel trapped in life particularly. I believe that death brings total independence. You don’t have to worry anymore about oxygen, sun, water, or finding someone who loves you. It is total freedom, the eternal black tranquility… on a nice soft blanket.
If you feel about it this way, you might as well end your life.
I would please too many people. And I only live to agitate people. It gives me so much pleasure.
That sounds very childish (?)
All right. I live to dwell upon my possibilities. I see myself as an instrument and I’m trying to found out how much stress it can endure before it breaks.
You see that as a mission?
My mission is to alleviate as much misery as possible from the people I love, as long as I’m in this world. My second mission is to make myself happy, but I think that’s impossible.
Why? What would be necessary to make you feel less miserable?
A womb big enough to crawl back into. I often think how great it would be to have some sort of tank with warm, salty water, with some heartbeat, and then to put out the light and lie in it with an oxygen mask, like a gigantic fetus…. I’m just a simple soul with few needs. I want the same things from life as anyone else, like a bit of luck. Eventually I want to spend the rest of my life with a woman in a nice house with a huge perimeter fence around my estate .. With high voltage on it, and wolves on the inside.
You just talk of your great liking for women. But, what does love really mean to you?
That’s something I still have to think about, I haven’t figured that one out yet. You see, to me love means needing something. And I try not to need anything from anyone. So how could I ever love someone? I think that when people love each other, they fit like a key and lock. It should be the good combination. Giving each other what you need.
Do you have a perfect woman in mind to live with?
There are no perfect human beings. I think that when you care about someone, when you think you love this person ….. Look, a love relationship is a compromise. So I’d like to find someone with whom I match as much as possible. If there’s things with which we don’t agree, then we’ll find a solution for it. You make it sound as if you’re trying to find someone to make a deal with. If it sounds like that, well, maybe. You should realize that I’m talking with my head now, not with my heart.
How close have you got to this perfect deal so far?
Right now I have a relationship and I think I love her. But love is something terrifying to me since it means I feel involved. It means that a particular section of my happiness, my life and my time is dependent on her, hoping that in the meantime she doesn’t change her mind. And I know what I’m talking about. There were women … you know … at 8 o’clock at night she loves me and at 8 in the morning I never see her anymore. I think that everyone has to go through this (stage?) in his life, but maybe I’m taking things more seriously. If someone asks me "Do you love me?" then firstly I have to think real hard ‘cause I don’t want to say yes when I don’t mean it. The minute you tell someone that you love him or her, the relationship gets a whole new meaning. And I feel it’s a very frightful idea to be left alone. I have always tended to get involved with people real fast and to throw myself into a relationship with way too much enthusiasm. So now it’s better for me to keep some distance, she’ll have some more space and I will too.
Returning to Type O Negative. You used to be a political band particularly, and now you confine yourselves to love, sex and romance. What’s your thing in 1997?
(thinks for a long time). The weakness of life. Whatever you do, you’re gonna die anyway. So you might as well do what you please to do. Our existence has no goal; we are in this chaos by accident. The band is nothing but a hobby, it fills the space between my birth and my death. I wait for my death and this is my pastime. Or else time goes so slowly.
So our being on earth is just an accident?
If a rock could talk, it would say that life is a virus. It would say it was very happy not to have to live. I don’t consider it an honour to live and most people should be ashamed of their species (?), if only for the way we treat each other. I’m not proud to be a human being, certainly not. This here (gestures around him), is the product of five billion years of evolution. Children are murdered, planes are shot from the air, all this pollution…. It’s so sad.
So is man good or bad?
Good and bad don’t exist. Those definitions constrain themselves to the following: everything natural is good, and all that’s unnatural is bad. How we are is the only way we can be. That’s not good or bad, it’s just so. Maybe somewhere in the universe there are creatures behaving like children but who are intellectual geni. They may have all technology as well and all they do is learn how to kill each other with it.
Would that be the tragedy of mankind?
Intelligence is a curse.
But you need intelligence to be able to say it’s a curse.
That’s true, but that still doesn’t justify having intelligence. I think, so I am? So what? A bird doesn’t care that it IS. All it wants to do is eat, fuck and fly and that is all that matters to it. Really the same as a human being, but we must walk.
Do you consider it as a burden that we are emotionally involved in so many things?
Absolutely. It would be better to have the intelligence of an ape or another animal, and no pity, no emotions, nothing.
Would that make a better world?
I am not capable enough to answer that question. It would be an entirely different world, I know that. I think that very soon there won’t be any world … "Soon" from a relative viewpoint: in the light of the entire world history. No doubt we will destroy ourselves one way or another. I don’t think it will be with arms, rather by disease. Something terrible is bound to happen to the world …. That’s why I’m laughing right here and now.
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Interview#1997/2: SoHo (Peter Steele, January 1997)
DESPiTE iT BEiNG ONLY MIDDAY, connoisseur of beverages and Type O Negative frontman Pete Steele has no objections to partaking in a few glasses of red wine. A man-sized bottle is delivered to the table and half of it is consumed ovet the next 60 minutes. ´October Rust´ has not long been released and the band from Brooklyn are bracing themselves to ride the tide of massive success. It would seem that everyone wants a piece of Pete Steele, naked or otherwise...
ROUND 1 TOPIC: DO YOU ENJOY THE THEATRICAL ASPECT OF LIVE PERFORMANCE?
PETE: "I hate every aspect of live performance, because I am a shy person and I don't like walking up onstage and having all these people looking at me. I don't like loud music and I don't like chaos in corwds, but mercifully, I am a masochist, so I deal with these things whilst I am up there. I have never felt comfortable walking out onstage."
SO WHAT DREW YOU INTO BEING THE FRONTMAN FOR A BAND, KNOWING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF CROWDS EVERY NIGHT?
PETE: "I had to confront my fear. It's not like this overwhelming thing where maybe someone who has a fear of heights has to jump out of a plane to cure it, it was something that I was not sure I could do, so I wanted to see how far I could push myself. I consider myself a tool and just want to find out where my breaking point is."
A TOOL FOR WHAT?
PETE: "Let's just say that my goal is financial independence, so I will do virtually whatever I have to do (within reason) to utilize myself. There are a few aspects of myself that I can exploit. I would use those things as tools."
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE?
PETE: "Not being rich, just having money in my bank so you can live off the interest. I don't mean material things - I'm not into fast cars, jewellery or giant houses, I just want peace and quiet and I don't want to have to deal with the human race. When I do deal with the human race after I am financially independent, it will be my choice."
ROUND 1 TOPIC: DO YOU ENJOY THE THEATRICAL ASPECT OF LIVE PERFORMANCE?
PETE: "I hate every aspect of live performance, because I am a shy person and I don't like walking up onstage and having all these people looking at me. I don't like loud music and I don't like chaos in corwds, but mercifully, I am a masochist, so I deal with these things whilst I am up there. I have never felt comfortable walking out onstage."
SO WHAT DREW YOU INTO BEING THE FRONTMAN FOR A BAND, KNOWING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF CROWDS EVERY NIGHT?
PETE: "I had to confront my fear. It's not like this overwhelming thing where maybe someone who has a fear of heights has to jump out of a plane to cure it, it was something that I was not sure I could do, so I wanted to see how far I could push myself. I consider myself a tool and just want to find out where my breaking point is."
A TOOL FOR WHAT?
PETE: "Let's just say that my goal is financial independence, so I will do virtually whatever I have to do (within reason) to utilize myself. There are a few aspects of myself that I can exploit. I would use those things as tools."
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE?
PETE: "Not being rich, just having money in my bank so you can live off the interest. I don't mean material things - I'm not into fast cars, jewellery or giant houses, I just want peace and quiet and I don't want to have to deal with the human race. When I do deal with the human race after I am financially independent, it will be my choice."
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU FIND SO REPELLENT ABOUT THE HUMAN RACE?
PETE: "I think it comes down to the fact that I find myself repulsive and would rather not deal with people as a kind of humane gesture, so I can alleviate them of my presense. "Nothing is so really bad about me, but nothing is really special either. Being two meters tall and weighing over 100 kgs, I'm often in the way a lot, so I like to keep out of the way. I don't like to make waves. I pretty much like just to be left alone."
ROUND 2 TOPIC: IS IT TRUE THAT YOU DRINK A BOTTLE OF RED WINE BEFORE YOU GO ON STAGE?
PETE: "Usually about half before going on stage, then the other half whilst I am actually on stage. A bottle of wine doesn't get me drunk, it just takes the egde off my anxiety and kind of brings out the Brooklyn in me - the falsely confident wise guy, which is the person I have to be when I perform.
"At Dynamo in '95, where we performed in front of 130,000 people, I was really excited and I think I drank two bottles of wine before playing. I was not drunk, but I was close to it, as I was really nervous."
ROUND 3 TOPIC: LIFE AFTER THE PLAYGIRL SPREADS
PETE: "I didn't feel comfortable with the Playgirl thing at all. Everybody thinks I got paid 1/4 million dollars for that when I got paid $2,000, which I used to pay some bills and do some work in my house.
"It was really strange doing it. I guess you could call it modelling. When they asked me to do the shoot, I said that in order to make it interesting, my penis should be erect. Then they said, ´Do you think you can do it?´, almost daring me.I said, ´I will make you a deal. If you bring the check with you, when I do the session, my penis will be hard.´"
WHAT DID THE BAND THINK OF IT?
PETE: "They got a good laugh out of it, the logic behind it being what we would hopefully appeal to a new audience, the new audience being the readers of Playgirl. Our little plan was successful, because after the issue came out last August, there was a noticeable increase in record sales.
"I have five older sisters and they were kinf of proud of me and bought a bunch of magazines and showed my mother. Even though she is 75 years old, she has a great sense of humour and said, ´That's why we call him Peter!´. She just put it down and got on with whatever it was she was doing."
HAVE YOU HAD ANY MORE MODELLING OFFERS SINCE PLAYGIRL
PETE: "I've been asked to do porno movies, which I don't like to do. I don't want to cross that line. I thought that the Playgirl thing was kinda tasteful. It wasn't pornographic, there was no penetration, but it is not something I want to get into."
IS IT EASY TO FIND ENTHUSIASTIC SLEEPING PARTNERS WHEN ON TOUR?
PETE: "At first I did it, but it really wasn't much of a challenge and I realized it wasn't really me that they wanted to fuck, it's who they think I am or who the media has turned me into. "They really just want a piece of me and they don't know me as a person and I have to think that someone must be crazy to be alone with me, to be alone with any man they just met. Who's to say I'm not some fucking nut?
"Now I am a bit more selective and would rather meet an average woman, some I can get to know as a person. I think by far the most attractive thing about a woman is intelligence. I think there is a correlation between intelligence and excellence in bed. There are women who have nothing to talk about, who sit there, looking beautiful, with a gust of wind blowing between their ears. I like women who have a mind of their own, a sense of humour, who are passionate and have real feelings for things."
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN CHATTED UP BY A MAN?
PETE: "Yes. I take it as a compliment, but I tell them that I am filthy hetero scum. If I'm drunk, I would say something like, 'If I ever fucked you up the arse, you would never walk again! Why don't you go and leave me alone before you get hurt?"
ROUND 4 TOPIC: PROBLEM FANS
PETE: "I have a very unusual car back home which I have made into a truck and I park it around the side of my house, as I don't have a driveway. A couple of kids see you leaving the house one day and they tell their friends, and you've got people ringing you doorbell at 4 am and leaving things on your car.
"I've actually seen kids walking down the block with bags of garbage, but I'm not going to go and chase them to get it back. Personally, I don't care, but from time to time, there are things thrown out that are not meant to be viewed by the public.
"Maybe I should push the issue and put some really interesting things in there to give them something to talk about, like those diapers for old people, condoms filled with blood, leftover food, consisting of a dog food mixed with potatoes - I'm sure I'd be the talk of the town!"
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Interview#1997/3: "Rust Never Sleeps" LIVE WIRE (Peter Steele, Josh Silver February 1997) by Jeffrey Keller
As vocalist/bassist/songwriter for Type O Negative, Peter Steele combines the vocal styling of Lurch, the strength and size of a football player, yet the tenderness of a romance novelist. It is these diverse qualities that make him such a powerful ingredient in Type O's sound and persona. But let's not forget the other members. Although these guys are not as charismatic as Peter, it should be noted that they are also important factors in Type O. Keyboardist Josh Silver lends an ear and long hours co-producing Type O albums with Peter. Guitarist Kenny Hickey, by far the loudest and brashest (and, as we found out, the latest sleeper) of the band, offers Type O versatile guitar playing that adds depth and darkness to their sound. And drummer Johnny Kelly fills the drummer's shoes with expertise and precision.
To learn more about this bunch of creative characters and their latest release October Rust, Livewire caught up with the band in the midst of their current headlining tour. The gig was at the El Dorado club in Sacramento, California. When I arrived, I was instantly greeted by Mike Amato, the band's tour manager. He told me to grab a seat and wait for soundcheck to begin. After a short wait, the band arrive on-stage to test a few songs, most notably "Blood And Fire", which had some problems and would later be omitted from the evenings set. Surprisingly, Kenny Hickey had to be dragged out of bed to be there. I was told that he is the band's vampire....I guess that they were right (after all, it was 5:30 pm!)
After the brief soundcheck, I was introduced to the intimidatingly oversized Peter Steele, and the seemingly quiet and withdrawn Josh Silver. Peter came across as a true gentleman, greeting me with a "Nice to meet you" and a friendly handshake. On the other hand, Josh seemed a little tired and
uninterested in doing an interview. Fortunately, he seemed to change his mood later as we stepped onto the bus to talk. As we entered, I was instantly surprised at how clean it was. I've been on these buses before and had never seen one this spotless. Maybe they knew I was coming and straightened up a bit? First I was given a tour of the front portion of the bus, and a raid of their refrigerator. Later, Peter would show me where these guys were supposed to sleep. I wondered how these seemingly tall band members (especially Peter) fit in these things! Peter told me that he slept in the back lounge of the bus. His room featured a fold-out bed, and a massive set of weights for his pre-show work outs. Peter then reached under his bed, and pulled out a huge pill box full of various vitamins. This guy is seriously concerned with being in shape! The other members appear to have no interest in health, other than bad health, that is.
After the tour of the tour bus, I sat down with Josh and Peter...
Livewire: How long have you guys been on the road so far?
Peter Steele: 3 1/3 weeks. But time really stands still and/or flies when you're on the road. It really doesn't matter what day, time, or month it is.
LW: Obviously this tour is in clubs with you guys headlining. Will you be venturing into the arenas as an opening act again?
Steele: Anything is possible. I think that the opening spot with someone huge would really help give us a push right now. That's how you sell albums and merchandise. We spent almost two years with Pantera, Queensryche, Ozzy, and we gained new fans in almost every city that we played. It was shown on Soundscan that in every city we played, there was a significant increase in our albums sales.
LW: Have you guys noticed a rapid increase in your popularity since Bloody Kisses?
Steele: Not rapid. It's been slow, but there is an old saying Easy come, easy go. I'd rather build a fan base slowly, that way it's more solid. We don't want to be a one hit wonder that everybody forgets about. I'd rather play to a small dedicated audience than to a larger one, where 90% of the people are milling about, or hanging out in the bathroom smoking dope.
To learn more about this bunch of creative characters and their latest release October Rust, Livewire caught up with the band in the midst of their current headlining tour. The gig was at the El Dorado club in Sacramento, California. When I arrived, I was instantly greeted by Mike Amato, the band's tour manager. He told me to grab a seat and wait for soundcheck to begin. After a short wait, the band arrive on-stage to test a few songs, most notably "Blood And Fire", which had some problems and would later be omitted from the evenings set. Surprisingly, Kenny Hickey had to be dragged out of bed to be there. I was told that he is the band's vampire....I guess that they were right (after all, it was 5:30 pm!)
After the brief soundcheck, I was introduced to the intimidatingly oversized Peter Steele, and the seemingly quiet and withdrawn Josh Silver. Peter came across as a true gentleman, greeting me with a "Nice to meet you" and a friendly handshake. On the other hand, Josh seemed a little tired and
uninterested in doing an interview. Fortunately, he seemed to change his mood later as we stepped onto the bus to talk. As we entered, I was instantly surprised at how clean it was. I've been on these buses before and had never seen one this spotless. Maybe they knew I was coming and straightened up a bit? First I was given a tour of the front portion of the bus, and a raid of their refrigerator. Later, Peter would show me where these guys were supposed to sleep. I wondered how these seemingly tall band members (especially Peter) fit in these things! Peter told me that he slept in the back lounge of the bus. His room featured a fold-out bed, and a massive set of weights for his pre-show work outs. Peter then reached under his bed, and pulled out a huge pill box full of various vitamins. This guy is seriously concerned with being in shape! The other members appear to have no interest in health, other than bad health, that is.
After the tour of the tour bus, I sat down with Josh and Peter...
Livewire: How long have you guys been on the road so far?
Peter Steele: 3 1/3 weeks. But time really stands still and/or flies when you're on the road. It really doesn't matter what day, time, or month it is.
LW: Obviously this tour is in clubs with you guys headlining. Will you be venturing into the arenas as an opening act again?
Steele: Anything is possible. I think that the opening spot with someone huge would really help give us a push right now. That's how you sell albums and merchandise. We spent almost two years with Pantera, Queensryche, Ozzy, and we gained new fans in almost every city that we played. It was shown on Soundscan that in every city we played, there was a significant increase in our albums sales.
LW: Have you guys noticed a rapid increase in your popularity since Bloody Kisses?
Steele: Not rapid. It's been slow, but there is an old saying Easy come, easy go. I'd rather build a fan base slowly, that way it's more solid. We don't want to be a one hit wonder that everybody forgets about. I'd rather play to a small dedicated audience than to a larger one, where 90% of the people are milling about, or hanging out in the bathroom smoking dope.
LW: When you open for a big band you always take the chance that people might not want to hear you at all.
Josh Silver: But even in that situation, we will win over a lot of people. Sometimes we accidentally do something right.
LW: Do you like clubs better because of the closeness to the fans?
Steele: Personally, I do. I think that as far as sound goes, it sounds a lot better. Most of these large places that we play, the sound just bounces everywhere. Large arenas are not designed for sound. When we play small places like this, it's easier to meet the fans and talk with them, and see what they think. That's important. We like to show people that we remember that we're human, and thank them for coming out to see us. They are responsible for our success.
LW: I noticed that you guys have a stage set this time out.
Steele: We have a snow machine, a fog machine, trees and bushes to make an Autumn type of situation. We have a pretty decent but gloomy light show. I think that it's all tastefully done.
LW: Talking about life on the road, what would you say a typical day is like?
Steele: I'm not sure where one day ends and the next begins. We usually leave the show after we're done. We'll take a break, meet some fans, then take another break on the bus and eat and talk. Then we go to sleep and when we wake up we're at the next hotel. Then we get to shower, and make a hundred phone calls. Then we're off to soundcheck. After soundcheck, these guys like to hang out, I usually work out. Then it's time to make fools of ourselves on stage.
LW: I interviewed Kenny before and he said that he didn't get up till 5 PM. Today he really didn't. Is he the only one like that?
Steele: He's the most nocturnal.
LW: I know that you do a lot of weight lifting. Do you do that on the bus?
Steele: It's a back room on the bus, I'll show you when we're done.
LW: Does anyone else lift weights in the band?
Steele: Johnny's got his beer can, he does a lot of curls with that.
Silver: I lift four packs.
Steele: Kenny just drags himself around, which is all the exercise that he can handle.
LW: When I interviewed him once before, I asked him what he did after shows and he said he would go find drugs...
Silver: That's Kenny. That's as an honest answer. Dealing with the stress, and living in these conditions, naturally it's nice to be completely $h!t-faced and escape.
Steele: If you can't escape physically, you have to escape mentally.
LW: I've read in other interviews that you'd like to be home.
Steele: That's true, that's my vacation.
LW: Do you find yourself getting homesick?
Steele: I am definitely homesick. But I realize that this is what we have to do. On a positive note, this makes me appreciate what I have at home a lot more. When I'm home, I love being able to go out and shovel snow all day, then crawling into a hot tub when I come in. It's like, "Aahhh". It's fu@king great. Hopefully, there is somebody waiting in bed for me when I get home.
LW: Would you say that you have a hard time getting time for yourself while you're on the road.
Silver: You take 2 Valiums, 2 glasses of Bailey's, a couple lines of coke, it doesn't matter where you sit, you are alone. You're alone sitting next to 15 people.
Steele: Everyone has to escape. Whether it's drugs, or mental retardation, or both.
LW: If you could change anything about the road, what would it be?
Silver: That's a good question.
Steele: At this point for us, it would be more days off. We never get to see anything. I want to get to see more of the places I'm visiting besides just the highways. I really wish that I could take a pet on the bus, but then someone would have to take care of it.
LW: It would probably get out and get run over, anyway.
Silver: It'll just end up on drugs, anyway.
LW: Beside the music itself, how does the band fulfill you personally?
Steele: It's like sonic therapy for me. I need a release and going out there every night and screaming my head off for about 75 minutes about the things that bother me is good primal therapy.
LW: Is there one person that plays mediator in the band if you all don't agree on something.
Silver: I don't know, we need a mediator to make that decision.
Steele: That depends on the situation. As far as songwriting goes, it's a known thing that I write the songs. I bring them to the band. If the guys want to change something, that's cool as long as it goes with that I had in mind. As far as the business, that's why we have lawyers, and a manager, and a tour manager. We're not 16 or 17 years old anymore, usually we can come to a compromise.
LW: How would you characterize October Rust? Describe what it means to you.
Steele: I feel as if this is a fifth grade English class! What it means to me, first and foremost, is songs that I enjoyed writing, songs that the band seems to enjoy, and our fans seem to like as well. It's probably one of the only albums that I would listen to even if I wasn't in the band, which was part of my goal. Some of the things that I've done in the past, I can't even listen to anymore. That old Carnivore stuff, I just can't believe. I was such a different person then. I've changed a lot. Anything that anyone might deem sacred, Carnivore attacked. Politics, religion, sexuality, we just went for it. There was a boomerang effect which we had to pay for with Type O and I feel bad about that because these guys had to share the blame with me and they had nothing to do with it. Fortunately, we have overcome those problems. The best revenge is good living.
LW: Listening to first two albums compared to Bloody Kisses, it's unbelievable how different it is. The first two remind me of something like Venom..
Steele: A couple of things happened after Slow, Deep and Hard. I think that I finally just grew up. And after the band was together for three or four years, we learned how to play with each other, and we found our style. I consider Bloody Kisses to be the first Type O album. Slow, Deep and Hard is what I consider to be a glorified demo. With October Rust, we had a lot of time to talk about the continuity of the album. We wanted every song to represent Type O Negative, and we also wanted the songs to flow together nicely. We didn't want one song to stick out from the rest. We wanted a package that people would feel comfortable listening to and not want to skip songs.
LW: It was obvious that you made an effort to keep the songs flowing.
Steele: After we got off the tour with Queensryche last August, we took a few weeks off, then started to rehearse. Then we went into the studio and demoed everything. There were a couple of songs that we had to cut because we felt that they weren't up to par. After choosing the songs we had to trim the fat off of them to make them more listenable. As a songwriter, it's sometimes hard to look at the songs objectively. There were some things that seemed droning and long, but they seemed to fit so we kept them in.
LW: You mentioned that you didn't want songs to stand out, but are there any songs that you are particularly proud of?
Steele: There are songs that are better than others, "Love You To Death" is probably one of the better songs.
LW: I love the piano intro on that song...it's perfect.
Silver: Thank Macintosh.
LW: Oh, c'mon, you played that...
Silver: I know, I'm just kidding.
Steele: "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" stands out. Maybe that's a song that simply stands out because I wrote it in 15 minutes over at Josh's house! I came up with a few small parts, and strung them all together, it sounded like a stupid poppy song, so I had to think of a stupid poppy vocal line to match.
LW: I think you found it.
Silver: Don't blame me.
LW: What are your expectations for this album?
Steele: I hope that we didn't disappoint our fans, I didn't expect anything, because if my expectations didn't come through, I would be really disappointed. I hope it does well. As I said earlier, I think that going out and supporting a big band would be a big move for us. We've been drawing about 1000 to 4000 a night, sometimes less or more.
LW: You obviously put a lot of thought into the artwork on the album.
Steele: That's exactly right, and that was my thought. I had gone to a mall somewhere, and had bought this book called Forest. It had all of these beautiful pictures, so we contacted the guy who had taken the photos and bought some from him for the album.
LW: Would you agree that October Rust is your best album?
Steele: Well, things could always be better. I hope that our next album is better. I think that this album, to date, is the one that we can live with most comfortably.
LW: Do you think that you will make another gradual progression with the next album?
Steele: I'm sure it's going to be somewhat different. I don't think that it will be as drastic as the difference between Slow, Deep and Hard and Bloody Kisses. Unless either something either wonderful or horrible happens to me. Or wonderfully horrible.
LW: Have you guys had either interesting or funny road mishaps?
Steele: I don't know if I want to admit anything. We are here to do our job first, but if anything - or someone - fun comes along, then, from time to time, we indulge in the pleasures of touring.
Silver: When he says we, he means he. Kenny was up here dancing on the table in his underwear the other morning...
LW: I thought that he wasn't up in the morning...
Steele: No, this was before he went to sleep!
============================================================================
Interview#1997/4: "Interview With the Vampire" THEROC.ORG (Peter Steele July 1997) by Alex Zander
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE Peter Steele of Type O Negative
by: Alex Zander
TYPE O NEGATIVE - /tip/o/neg-ative/-1. Blood type which is not traceable in semen samples after a rape; 2. NYC-based goth metal quartet that plays emotional, over the top music that destroys trends.
They have been called Sisters of Mercy meets Danzig meets Destroyer era Kiss. They've been called racist, Fascist, Pro-rape, Sexist. Suicidal. At some point Type O Negative have been called everything from beautiful to repulsive. And depending on your views, they are.
In my words, I'll sum them up as dark and brilliant. My friend Justin, a skinhead, turned me onto TON, He liked their debut Slow, Deep & Hard, a collection of hardcore songs that are considered by many as misogynic. The LP was written in four hours by singer/bassist Peter Steele while he was drunk and getting over a relationship turned sour. Justin knew I'd like TON because of their latest effort sounds a hell of a lot like Sisters.
I first witnessed Type O Negative at Graffiti last spring. They were mean, drunk, (singer Peter Steele pounded 22 beers during the set), and offensive. But at the same time they played one of the best sets that has passed through the Steel City (Pittsburgh) in recent memory.
The second time I was treated to TON, believe it or not Ripley, was at Star Lake when they were supporting the new and improved (?) Motley Crue. The band played a mere four song set, but four songs in 45 minutes. The average life span of a TON cut is 7-10 minutes long. Bloody Kisses boast 70 minutes of the most intense goth as it has never, and I stress never, been played. The production rivals anything Mike Oldfield has ever done. Thus creating the trademark sound of Type O Negative. Songs like Christian Woman, which is a song telling the tale of a 13 year old girl who being a Christian was told sex is bad. She goes to sleep every night looking at the nearly naked son of God on her crucifix until she eventually begins to have sexual fantasies about Christ. Black No. 1 (little Miss Scare-all) is an ode to a goth girl Pete once dated. "She was so into herself," he explains, "she once had me hold a mirror over my face so she could see herself climax." One line says, "She's got a date at midnight/with Nosferatu/Oh baby, Lilly Munster ain't got nothing on you."
The title track, Bloody Kisses, is a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. "A crimson pool so warm and deep/lulls me to an endless sleep/take your hand in mine/I will be brave/take me from this earth/an endless night/this, the end of life."
Now, as much as I am devoted to Sisters, I must confess that their covers of Gimme Shelter and Knockin' On Heaven's Door have nothing on TON's reworking of Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze." Steele originally changed the title and lyrics to Summer Girl, but Seals and Crofts abruptly put a halt to its release. Bloody Kisses is 70 minutes of suicide anthems, loneliness, and beautiful blasphemy. It is definitely the most honest expression of emotions recorded in a long time.
I met Mr. Steele after their set, backstage before the Crue show. After introductions and small talk, I sat with the nearly 7 foot Lerch of a vocalist who possesses a set of incisors guaranteed to be the envy of the most bloodthirsty vampire. In the company of the band and with the presence of Motley's Tommy Lee, we began to talk about sex, suicide, bad press, and Peter Steele's wish to disappear into the woods of Iceland.
by: Alex Zander
TYPE O NEGATIVE - /tip/o/neg-ative/-1. Blood type which is not traceable in semen samples after a rape; 2. NYC-based goth metal quartet that plays emotional, over the top music that destroys trends.
They have been called Sisters of Mercy meets Danzig meets Destroyer era Kiss. They've been called racist, Fascist, Pro-rape, Sexist. Suicidal. At some point Type O Negative have been called everything from beautiful to repulsive. And depending on your views, they are.
In my words, I'll sum them up as dark and brilliant. My friend Justin, a skinhead, turned me onto TON, He liked their debut Slow, Deep & Hard, a collection of hardcore songs that are considered by many as misogynic. The LP was written in four hours by singer/bassist Peter Steele while he was drunk and getting over a relationship turned sour. Justin knew I'd like TON because of their latest effort sounds a hell of a lot like Sisters.
I first witnessed Type O Negative at Graffiti last spring. They were mean, drunk, (singer Peter Steele pounded 22 beers during the set), and offensive. But at the same time they played one of the best sets that has passed through the Steel City (Pittsburgh) in recent memory.
The second time I was treated to TON, believe it or not Ripley, was at Star Lake when they were supporting the new and improved (?) Motley Crue. The band played a mere four song set, but four songs in 45 minutes. The average life span of a TON cut is 7-10 minutes long. Bloody Kisses boast 70 minutes of the most intense goth as it has never, and I stress never, been played. The production rivals anything Mike Oldfield has ever done. Thus creating the trademark sound of Type O Negative. Songs like Christian Woman, which is a song telling the tale of a 13 year old girl who being a Christian was told sex is bad. She goes to sleep every night looking at the nearly naked son of God on her crucifix until she eventually begins to have sexual fantasies about Christ. Black No. 1 (little Miss Scare-all) is an ode to a goth girl Pete once dated. "She was so into herself," he explains, "she once had me hold a mirror over my face so she could see herself climax." One line says, "She's got a date at midnight/with Nosferatu/Oh baby, Lilly Munster ain't got nothing on you."
The title track, Bloody Kisses, is a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet. "A crimson pool so warm and deep/lulls me to an endless sleep/take your hand in mine/I will be brave/take me from this earth/an endless night/this, the end of life."
Now, as much as I am devoted to Sisters, I must confess that their covers of Gimme Shelter and Knockin' On Heaven's Door have nothing on TON's reworking of Seals and Crofts' "Summer Breeze." Steele originally changed the title and lyrics to Summer Girl, but Seals and Crofts abruptly put a halt to its release. Bloody Kisses is 70 minutes of suicide anthems, loneliness, and beautiful blasphemy. It is definitely the most honest expression of emotions recorded in a long time.
I met Mr. Steele after their set, backstage before the Crue show. After introductions and small talk, I sat with the nearly 7 foot Lerch of a vocalist who possesses a set of incisors guaranteed to be the envy of the most bloodthirsty vampire. In the company of the band and with the presence of Motley's Tommy Lee, we began to talk about sex, suicide, bad press, and Peter Steele's wish to disappear into the woods of Iceland.
The first question was directed at me.
Pete Steele: Is that a Sisters Of Mercy tattoo?
Alex Zander: Yea.
PS: I like it. It's cool.
AZ: Actually, my undying love for the Sisters is what turned me onto your music.
PS: Thanks.
(Mike, the green-haired manager, interrupts and asks me again where they can buy beer. Sunday in Pennsylvania--and obviously the venue hasn't accommodated the needs of the band. I tell them to go to West Virginia. Steele replies, "West Vagina.")
AZ: The first thing people ask whenever the topic of TON comes up is if you guys are serious. Are you?
PS: We're completely unserious. As you see, a lot of what I say is like cornball stuff. On stage and off, we certainly don't take ourselves as serious as people seem to think we do. This is what we like to do. It isn't that we're trying to sell albums. We like slow and emotional music. We will never become trendroids.
AZ: A few years ago a review of Slow, Deep & Hard said something to the effect that if TON is serious, they should rot in the maggot filled filth of the gutter that their lives are. They should be cooked alive with their genitals shoved in their mouths. How does negative press like this affect the band?
PS: Sells albums. Negative press is better than none. And I'd like to point out that I wish the guy that said that (David M. Earle) would say it to my face (At this point, Steele's eyes widen and bulge while his face becomes red with rage.) because I would ram my fucking genitalia down his throat. Anybody who ever slams this band never has the balls to say it to me. Never! It's always some dick 5000 miles away with a big mouth. And I will catch each and every one of them and kill them with a Bic fuckin' pen.
(Tommy Lee interjects, "There are some questions you just don't ask." laughter all around.)
PS: The pen is mightier than the sword. Suck my dick you fuckin' cunt! If I lose a fight, no big fuckin' deal. I have a lot of blood to shed. Political correct fuckin' cunts! Sorry Alex!
Pete Steele: Is that a Sisters Of Mercy tattoo?
Alex Zander: Yea.
PS: I like it. It's cool.
AZ: Actually, my undying love for the Sisters is what turned me onto your music.
PS: Thanks.
(Mike, the green-haired manager, interrupts and asks me again where they can buy beer. Sunday in Pennsylvania--and obviously the venue hasn't accommodated the needs of the band. I tell them to go to West Virginia. Steele replies, "West Vagina.")
AZ: The first thing people ask whenever the topic of TON comes up is if you guys are serious. Are you?
PS: We're completely unserious. As you see, a lot of what I say is like cornball stuff. On stage and off, we certainly don't take ourselves as serious as people seem to think we do. This is what we like to do. It isn't that we're trying to sell albums. We like slow and emotional music. We will never become trendroids.
AZ: A few years ago a review of Slow, Deep & Hard said something to the effect that if TON is serious, they should rot in the maggot filled filth of the gutter that their lives are. They should be cooked alive with their genitals shoved in their mouths. How does negative press like this affect the band?
PS: Sells albums. Negative press is better than none. And I'd like to point out that I wish the guy that said that (David M. Earle) would say it to my face (At this point, Steele's eyes widen and bulge while his face becomes red with rage.) because I would ram my fucking genitalia down his throat. Anybody who ever slams this band never has the balls to say it to me. Never! It's always some dick 5000 miles away with a big mouth. And I will catch each and every one of them and kill them with a Bic fuckin' pen.
(Tommy Lee interjects, "There are some questions you just don't ask." laughter all around.)
PS: The pen is mightier than the sword. Suck my dick you fuckin' cunt! If I lose a fight, no big fuckin' deal. I have a lot of blood to shed. Political correct fuckin' cunts! Sorry Alex!
AZ: For those that don't know, why did TON stir up so much controversy in Europe?
PS: I did an interview one time with a German magazine and they were asking me how popular I thought TON was becoming. I said at this point I think TON is more popular in Germany than Adolf Hitler. And it was much the same thing Lennon said about Jesus Christ. I thought I was being a funny guy 'cause I am funny actually. But they don't get it there. (Steele mocks a German accent.) "Ah. so you are a fascist Mr. Steele!" Then there were protest, riots, and bomb threats; and it was great because it just sold albums for us. The label got bomb threats as well.
AZ: Why the change of attitude between Slow, Deep & Hard and Bloody Kisses?
PS: I think that 3 years would do the trick. We kinda grew up. We don't listen to hardcore any more, and shit like that. And when the band first got together I guess it's safe to say, was in the ashes of my old band Carnivore. We had to do a demo really quick so I wrote these songs in one night. So it was hardcore and sludge and shit like that.
AZ: You sound as though you regret the album.
PS: I do because it was only supposed to be a demo. I was drunk and pissed and I wrote the whole thing in 4 hours. Little did I know that demo would be pressed into an album. So we were pretty much trapped into something I wrote in a span of a few hours. That's why there's such a gap between Slow, Deep & Hard and Bloody Kisses. If I had to do it over, Bloody Kisses would be the first album. I gave the world a really warped idea of what TON is.
AZ: One time you said, "I don't think people who commit suicide are cowards. I think they are heroes because they are taking a journey that nobody has come back from, and nobody knows what's there." Do you consider suicide a solution?
PS: Definitely. I don't think that life is sacred. I think that life is pretty much a waste of time. And part of being successful at anything is knowing when to bow out. I'll never die of colon cancer or heart disease or of a brain tumor. When I become useless by my own standards, when I cannot function as a man, I'm going to do a swan dive off the World Trade Center-hopefully onto someone I hate.
AZ: What kept you from succeeding in your attempt at suicide?
PS: Didn't cut deep enough.
AZ: When you reflect on it, how do you feel about it now?
PS: Well, it was a symbolic death. The person I was is certainly gone. I don't consider myself that person anymore. See, here are the scars. Next time I do it, I'm ...
(Josh Silver, keyboardist/composer, interrupts, "Next time he does it, I'm gonna do it for him.")
AZ: You have to cut vertically on the vein (I demonstrate.)
PS: That's what everyone tells me.
AZ: Since people have interpreted you as pro-rape, how do you feel about marital rape.
PS: Oh god, that's a very complex question. I never really gave it any thought. Personally, when I'm with a woman, what gives me great pleasure is knowing that she wants me. I would never force anybody to do anything. I don't have to prove to a woman that I'm a man and that I have to jump on her and fuck her brains out. If she jumps on me and fucks my brains out, that's the ultimate compliment. So I wait till that happens. I will never force anybody to do anything. I mean, look at the callus on my hands, you think that's from working out? It's from jerking off. (Josh shows me his and I admit I'm impressed.)
PS: Look at the callus on his feet! That's from jerking me off. (Tommy Lee, who doesn't jerk off, leaves at this point.)
PS: Weeee! Athlete's dick!!!
AZ: The fact that people get turned on by your attitude on stage. Is it something you strive for or do you think that they identify with you.
PS: Let me say that we're trying to be anti-trend. We don't consider ourselves rock stars. If everybody is running one way, we run the other. We don't want to be grouped with anyone. We wanna do our own thing. It gives us our satisfaction. But are you asking me if my attitude is sincere?
AZ: Yea.
PS: Well, honestly, I don't think that we're the best musicians. But if people want to buy it, I'm not going to tell them not to. I just have to question if they have any hearing problems.
AZ: What about all the comparisons to you and Eldritch. Does it bother you, flatter you, or both?
PS: It certainly flatters me; however, I never meant to sound like him. Maybe he's trying to sound like me. But it's a compliment. Whenever you start to become successful in publicist terms, they try to describe you by comparing you to things that people know very well. So you're always going to be compared to something. I guess I'm proud to be compared to these guys.
AZ: Other than the Beatles, where else has TON drawn musical influences from?
PS: I guess it's obvious I should say Sabbath, although it's so trendy now to say that. I write the songs and pretty much let the guys add in what they want as long as it doesn't take away from the idea of the song. But the band is influenced by Sabbath, Beatles, '60's psychedelic music, Deep Purple, Zeppelin, bands like Judas Priest, and AC/DC; all the way up to Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance. Everything I listen to influences me.
AZ: Are you going back to Europe?
PS: We don't really know what's going to happen with this Motley Crue tour. We may do a headlining US tour which the label would love. Or we may do a support UK tour that the label would hate and we would love. So as much as we'd like to work with them, we have to work with ourselves first.
AZ: Are you anxious to go back?
PS: Yes, because as you know we have problems over there. I'm the type of person that when a problem exists I have to rectify it. I really want to go over there and get it over with--it really eats at me. I want to show people that I'm not really who they think I am. That we're just here to play lousy music.
AZ: Once you said you want to get away from everybody and build your home in the woods of Iceland and live with the wolves. Do you still want to do that or become the next big thing?
PS: I've learned to never say never. As much as I have to stick with what I said, I may change my mind. I would still like to leave with a woman I feel I could spend the rest of my life with and spend our days pleasuring each other.
AZ: How was your tour with Nine Inch Nails?
PS: The band will certainly disagree with me...As much as NIN treated us very well, their audience did not. As the band spokesman I did not have a good time on stage. I felt more like Andrew Dice Clay than Peter Steele. I was just up there insulting people. They were trendy, grundy industrial crowd that just wanted to hear 120 beats per minute, not 20 beats per minute, which we play.
AZ: Anybody that listens to the lyrics would understand that TON and NIN are the ideal combo for a tour!
PS: Well yea, I think Trent--when he requested us to go on tour--had sensed the emotion of the band. I mean, NIN is a very emotional band , which I can respect because I feel that we are the same way. But, unfortunately, I think the audience is more narrow minded than Reznor thought they would be, and just did not pick that up.
AZ: Iggy Pop told me that the strangest thing that he'd been hit with on stage was the fist of a 7 foot mountain man. What's the most fucked-up thing you've been hit with?
PS: A used tampon.
AZ: That's not so bad.
PS: It hit me in the eye. I've been hit with bottles of course, and lit cigarettes. It hasn't been that bad. No cinder blocks.
AZ: So what's going to happen after the tour?
PS: I had a meeting with the label last week and asked them when they wanted a new product. They said by September in '95. The problem with that, is when are we going to record this thing? Spring or Summer? But that's touring season. So I'd rather record around Christmas season. Hopefully, get the thing rolling for the summer review. So I'd like to come out with a new product. I'd like to play the U.S. some more, then Europe. Be home for the holidays. I really care about my parents very much and I'd like to spend the holidays with them and my girlfriend.
AZ: Are you and Josh going to produce the next LP or hire from the outside?
PS: Well, Josh and I work very close together. Josh has a lot of recording experience. He's a technician. I'm the guy with the ideas, and he helps me realize what I have in my head. So I don't think we'll hire out, because we're too cheap.
AZ: I think the production on Bloody Kisses is a phenomenon!
PS: You should be familiar with Lycia. It's dark, ambient goth music. The last album is called A Day In The Stark Corner. I would like our next album to sound something like this. It is the most depressing thing I've ever heard in my life. If I put it on in the morning when I get up...I'm useless for the rest of the day. Makes me feel like killing myself. It's like why even bother getting dressed when I can just slit my wrists. Such simple hypnotic beats, everything is drowned in reverb. Yet, the emotion comes through so loud and clear. It's just devastating, as beautiful as it is devastating. That's how I want to come through.
