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.

CasketCrew

Promote Your Page Too

Check out the new song we just added from our 2009 BVR Release “Heaven Is Gone”, listen to “DROWN INSIDE” and let us know what you think!!!

Listen to the track by going here: www.myspace.com/seventhvoid

Check it out, if you are a fan of TYPE O NEGATIVE and want to support Vinnie Paul’s Big Vin Records then please check out our new artist Seventh Void and check out their new single, “Heaven is Gone”.

I promise you will dig it!! If you want an autographed copy of the CD order one here @ newburycomics.com

Seventh Void has joined STATIC X on their summer tour!!! Catch them this MAY!!!

Come to the CD Release party April 21st at the Clubhouse in Dallas where Seventh Void will be playing live with KISS!!!! Come see the show!!!

- BVR

Big Vin Records will release Seventh Void’s debut album on 4/21/2009! Vinnie Paul says, “”It’s an amazing record, I mixed the whole thing for the guys. It goes somewhere between Soundgarden meets Black Sabbath meets a little Audioslave, with some Type O thrown in there. It’s really nice, dark, sludgy… Kenny’s vocals are great.” A cd release party will be thrown in Dallas, TX at the Clubhouse, the famed nightclub started by Vinnie with his brother Dimebag Darrell Abbott.

Man I can’t wait to hear this new album! WOOOO I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Seriously go check out their MySpace…click on the banner!! – Carrie

Click on the image above to go there. And if you want to spread the word about it use this code:

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