It’s been a few days since the news of Peter Steele’s death came out and I am still wondering if it’s real. Shock can be a beautiful thing…sure. But to tell you all the truth I wasn’t very close to Peter and I really don’t fully understand why I am feeling so sad over his death. I am having the normal selfish fan thought of….”Oh fuck I’ll never hear a bass line being played from his fingers or new lyrics being sung from that mans mouth…” just like most fans have thought. That should just be sad in itself, but to really fully cry over someone you don’t KNOW! Sure I’ve been a fan for a long time…built casketcrew.com for the love of the music, told everyone and their mother about this band and tried like hell to go to every show I could go to when they came to California. Still when I heard it literally felt as if my world was coming down. And I cried like a baby more then a few times since hearing the news.
But on the night of the 14th I started getting IM’s, text messages and phone calls, Facebook wall posts from other fans asking me if I knew anything or was this just like back in 2005 when they put up a tombstone on the front of TypeONegative.net with Peter Steele’s name and the dates of birth and death on it. Sick joke, but whoever thought of it was a marketing genius…I remember back then it brought all the old fans back and in general made people interested in the band all over again. So why would it be any different now? I mean every 5 thousand years or so (okay not THAT long) the band would produce a new album and the fans might stop bitching for a minute (if that).
What was weird for me on that day, I just started listening to my Type O Negative stuff and a few people who I just met asked me about them because of a poster i have on my all. And I remember making a joke about Peter being the “Jolly Green Giant” and how you might not wanna see him naked in a dark alley…thanks to the August 1995 Playgirl issue everyone knew the guy had a weapon of mass destruction hiding in those pants. When I said that it made the girls laugh and we left to go have lunch. And then a few hours later he died…I don’t think I will ever make another joke about a mans penis! Seriously. (Yeah right…)
I have to be serious for a second though, I believe one of the reasons why it has hit me so hard was when my father died a few years back Type O Negative was the band I listened to. Even though their music is literally negative, it lifted me up. Made me feel like I wasn’t alone in my world of pain and despair. That others have gone through the same thing…I mean “Everyone I Love Is Dead” is the PERFECT song for what I was going through at the time.
So I say good bye Green Man…you are loved and your beautiful soul will be missed by so many that you have touched with your art and your humor. I am so glad that I got to share a moment or two with you. Thank you for everything….See ya on the other side! ~ Carrie Lewis
If you haven’t seen the official release here it is from the band:
Posted: April 15, 2010, 06:19:19 PM on TypeONegative.net.
It is with great sadness that we inform you that Type O Negative front man, bassist, and our band mate, Peter Steele passed away last night of what appears to be heart failure.
Ironically Peter had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music for our follow up to “Dead Again” released in 2007.
The official cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results. The funeral services will be private and memorial services will be announced at a future date. We’d like to share our thoughts and those of Peter’s family below.
We are truly saddened to lose our friend and appreciate the tremendous outpouring today from around the world.
Sincerely,
Josh, Kenny and Johnny
Josh Silver: “Peter, My endless source of frustration, (as I’m yours) you have really done it this time. You have changed and touched countless lives through music, comedy and often brutal honesty. You’ve made life both interesting and irritating and I could not imagine not having known you for 37 years. It still isn’t true in my mind but in time I will miss you and the creating that we all endured together. We certainly disagreed constantly and I believe (and hope) we all learned from each other. Should I call you my brother, friend or neighbor? I can only call you Peter (and usually after 2 PM). We laughed at ourselves more times then I can count. Knowing humans are preposterous creatures and I know we reveled in that fact. I will miss you in time, but at this moment your premature departure seems surreal and has pissed me off to no end. Though I never told you that I harbor a deep respect for you, I do. Goodbye my friend.”
Kenny Hickey: “Peter Steele was one of the most brilliant and funny personalities in music and it was all for real. Half the time people thought he was joking, but he was actually telling the truth. Part of me died with him.”
Johnny Kelly: “It’s impossible for me to put into a few sentences what I am feeling at the moment Peter. I’m not sure if I should eulogize or roast you. Both good and bad, we went on one hell of a ride together and sadly, the ride has come to an end. You truly were a unique person. Your music touched many people. Myself included. Whether it was talking about The Beatles, power tools, how Pluto was no longer considered a planet or calling me at 3am asking me to drive to your house to have a fistfight with you, you always kept it interesting. It was a privilege to have been your bandmate. It’s something that I will always cherish.”
In a statement issued today by Steele`s family: “Legendary Goth/Heavy Metal musician Peter Steele died suddenly Wednesday, April 14, 2010, after a short illness at the age of 48. He wrote and orchestrated the music for the Brooklyn-based band Type O Negative, a groundbreaking group known for its dramatic lyrical emphasis on the themes of romance, depression, and death. Steele, renowned as much for his striking physical appearance as his musical talent, was the creative force behind the bands 20-year success writing most of the material for the their albums. Type O Negative and Steele have been lauded as a major influence by numerous alternative and metal bands. The band gained a worldwide following through touring and recording seven studio albums, two best-of compilations, concert DVDs and music videos. Their 1993 album “Bloody Kisses” went platinum, and the 1996 follow-up “October Rust” went gold.
The music world has lost a great talent, and music fans worldwide are mourning, but for our family we are mourning a beloved brother, uncle, cousin, friend and funny man. Peter Steele was a complex man, known for his brooding looks, his self-deprecating sense of humor, unique view of the world, and most of all his loyalty to his fans, friends and family. Survived by five sisters, the eldest living sister notes that he was more than our brother, he was our son. His untimely death is tragic – a great loss to us and to music. The official cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results, and funeral plans at present remain unknown. The family thanks fans for their loyalty to Peter and band members, but request that fans and media respect their wishes for privacy.
In addition to his success in music, Peter Steele also tried his hand at acting, appearing in HBO`s Oz and the cult classic film Bad Acid. He also composed music for the film soundtracks “Freddy vs. Jason” and “Mortal Combat”, the television movie “Nosferatu: The First Vampire”, and the soon-to-be released “Living the American Nightmare.”
Statement from Sal Abruscato: There are not many words that can describe how you affected my life Peter. From the times of hanging in your basement as a kid, the first meetings we had about Type O Negative, to getting chased all over Europe by radical left wing groups with bomb threats and eventually creating one of the most influential albums of all time. You affected me and influenced me as an artist and as a person, you were one of the funniest and most generous friends I ever knew. It is an honor to have been there with you through the rough times we call the beginning and now the end. I am the musician I am today because of you and I thank you with all my heart my friend. I will miss you and I love you.
This is truly the end of an era.
He was such a big part of your life Carrie, No matter how well Peter knew you, you knew him, his voice, his words, everything he put out was an influence. I think it’s hitting us all really hard, the fact we wont see him on stage again, feel the pulse of that bass and his lyrics in person
THIS sucks!
Yeah I keep remembering Peter making fun of my name calling me Jerry Lewis….and not being able to see them play again is shitty….just shitty.
Wow, we certainly did lose a wonderful singer. I could not believe it when I first saw Loriellei’s post on Facebook. I was so shocked. Wow. He was young! May God be there with his family, friends, as well as bandmates, and all their fans and loved ones.
RIP Peter Steele!
Nicely said Carrie
I was just thinking about the tombstone the other day, how a bunch of us on the message board made one for ourselves…i think mine had some line about Pee-tah’s sock on it. The other thing about the last time being genius is that this time we are all like “it’s another joke, right?? Right???” And maybe no more penis jokes, but at least we still have the mighty arse—HAILZ! rip Pee-tah. rip TON.
Carrie.. I think what you’re experiencing and feeling is totally normal, and I sympathize with you. I never was a Type O Negative fan, but I think often of how I would feel if Valo died. I’d probably lose my mind. Do I know him or his family or friends? No. Do I have any connection to him whatsoever? Not in the slightest. But that’s not what’s important. The music (whether we’re talking HIM or TON) has touched all our lives, in different ways, and for different reasons. The band/artist has always been there to serve as an inspiration, and to pick us up when we’re feeling down. Or to make us feel like we aren’t alone in the world; there are other people feeling the pain we’re feeling, and sharing in that pain. All in all, it makes us feel like we’re not so insignificant.
The important thing to remember is, while he may no longer be around to publish new music or to play in concert, the music will always be around. The impact he has had on your- and all the TON fans’- life will forever remain with you. I learned this the hard way after my Grandmother passed last September. While you will mourn his death for the first few days, over time it gets easier. I didn’t think I’d ever get over the death of Gram, but with time I learned to not dwell on the “she’s no longer around”.. and I learned that what’s important is to remember the good times; the memories. Cherish those, and he will never truly be gone
The majordomo list so long ago started me off with you (and the lovely Myron) and so many other friends, Carrie. In the past 2 days I’ve been thinking about the reasons I loved TON so much, and how I’ve changed as the years passed. I went from vehement defensiveness about their music to anyone who disagreed with my love for them to realizing just how tongue in cheek they really were, and how much they loved to laugh at themselves, just as much as sharing pain, and desire. We’ve matured (I hope) along with the boys, and it’s like losing a distant family member, really. I cried, like you, and will probably still tear up from time to time when I listen to those four dicks from Brooklyn…And I’m perfectly fine with that. I <3 you Carrie!
I would just like to say those who mourn Peter should not question why. Those of us fortunate enough to know him, whether personally or as a fan who refused to go home until autographs were signed and photos taken, have reason to grieve and be sad. Someone we love has been taken from us. I live in NY and have had the most wonderful luck to have had seen the band many times live and run into them in the most oddest of places (car washes and starbucks and sam ash). I will not lie and pretend I was closer than I was or that I was a friend. I was a fan who showed his ugly mug around enough and pushed and shoved his way up front to every show (sorry if i knocked u out of your spot) and managed to get backstage on a few occasions. I have my Peter stories like everyone else, and I will cherish them forever. So, If you weep, scream, punch the shit out of something or just sit in silent reflection. Do not question why. Our commitment and love and support for Peter and Type O have given us the right to grieve.
Rest In Peace Peter, Thanks For The Memories
You Will Never Be Forgotten
I got the opportunity to see Type O at the Charlotte Ozzfest show in 97. They were the only band I have ever seen (and my favorite to boot) that sounded perfect.. Dimebag came out to do the solo for Kill All the White People.
As I have never met any of the band, I cannot claim to know them, but just share my story of how “negative” music uplifted my soul. In 1998, I was dating a gal that ended up cheating on me. I drove 45 minutes to confront her about it, the whole way I had Unsuccessfully Coping With the Natural Beauty of Infidelity on loop.. I was jacked up mentally by the time I got there. No more whimpering, blithering idiot that would have only bowed down and groveled for a second chance… only strength, self confidence, and a middle finger pointed in her general direction when I saw her pathetic being. Someone else’s pain I could empathize with.
My first tattoo was of the hammergear logo. I carry with me the reminder every day that self worth and a stout soul can be found in the deepest agony and pain.
Thank You, Peter. And thank you, Type O Negative.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but it’s starting to piss me off that an entire week has gone by, and we don’t even know if there was a funeral, where Petrus is buried (or if he was cremated)…. this is starting to become ridiculous.
Nobody knows ANYTHING?????
How did he die? Where was he? Who found him? What the hell happened??????
Will miss you Peter saw Type O in Chicago last 3 years now its the end RIP
Carrie, it is normal to feel the way u do about the loss of one of the GREATEST MEN to ever live. I, myself cried for hours after learning about the death of Peter and still cry over him. He will be missed by many.Our World Came Down the day he died. I never got the honor to meet him, but I have met Kenny,Johnny and Josh,but I feel that I knew Peter through his music.I will meet him on the other side. R.I.P. PETER!!!! I will love you to death.
It’s weird how things come full circle. I remember posting to your site Carrie waaayyy back when they were touring, and we chatted a few times.
I feel devistated, not because I knew him closely, but more like because his music impacted me in such a personal way I can’t really comprehend. People will say how can a lyric like “I’ll do anything to make you cum’ be considered memoriable, but logically the shock of it made it so. And that was Pete. He was everything I’m not, and it’s why I respected him so much. Type O gave this fantastic voice to things you don’t say outloud but he wasn’t afraid to say, and in turn it gave more of us the balls to be more progressive even if it was in smalls ways.
I find myself mourning for the loss of someone with such amazing geinus, who was on the precpice of beginning anew, only to leave us too soon. It’s so much less about the music, but so much more about wow just when it started getting good for him he was gone.
So yea, I’m sad, I’m totally freaking bummed out. I won’t hear him live again. Type O won’t be a band anymore, but thank all that is holy Type O exsisted so we could know the genius of Pete. That really would have been the saddest thing of all.
Au revoir Peter…sob…i never met you, never spoke to you, yet I could pick your voice out of any darkness. I never got to see you live, and that is a heartache I will live with forever. Thanks for being my fav for 14 years. vous vouloir soit pleurer, Prince fonce…