I was greeted this morning with the Peter Steele Memorial Gallery created by TON's WebMistress and contributed by all of you. A personal favorite is posted here .... Amanda Reeves ... thank you for this painting.
All yesterday I thought about what we should post on today's blog being it's the anniversary day leading up to tomorrow's 1 year anniversary. I thought we'd honor Pete by showing videos and giving you some personal backgrounds, stories, reactions and other funny moments surrounding the songs. If you know anything about Peter, you know his songs come from his life experiences. Some of the sounds and phrases in those songs are paying tribute to the people and pets that are dear to him. It was his way of giving back to the people who helped bring him into this world. And in some ways the animals that comforted him through all the downs.
Let's start this off with one of my favorites. It's a play an idea of what Catholics believe that you receive god within you. He's not being anti-religion. He's just looking at the idea from a different more sinister way. Just listen to the words. As you will see, this a different video version of the song. It's not the MTV version. The end of the video which shows the band playing the song is fantastic because (blushing) Pete really shows off his incredible body and gorgeous looks.
Pete spent days building the cross in his parent's backyard. He erected it, however in Josh's backyard. But, you should have seen the looks from the Italian lady who lived next door. She'd see Peter working on the cross, and she'd do the sign of the cross and say something in Italian, putting her hands up to the sky.
However it was this version of the video that made them STARS... And let me tell you, it's a talent to be able to roll your eyes back so you only see the whites. I should know, he'd have us do this all the time as a contest to see who could do it and who couldn't. Proudly I could ... and we'd all laugh doing it. Is it any wonder we all turned out to be tom boys?
aren't the guys of life of agony the ones dressed in the druid robes i think the band mentions that on the after dark dvd commentary
ReplyDeleteI hadn't seen that extended video before. Have to thank YouTube for borking the search results. I like the original better. It's very cool. Thanks for sharing that link. 12 fun minutes to chill my morning.
ReplyDeletethanks for this interesting insight into this video which is visually arresting and so multilayered - the image treatment, the stills, the complete change in ambiance closer to the end, the juxtapositions.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would love to know what the Italian lady was saying... probably offering a prayer of gratitude, I would venture.
Yes, there was blushing.
Peter's music transcended belief systems. I remember reading the Decibel article around the time of Dead Again and seeing that he got back to the Church. Unlike some of my friends who basically had a cow over it, all I said was "It gets him through his day, I respect him no less for it"
ReplyDeleteI can't roll my eyes back that far... My eyes hurt when I try lol
ReplyDeleteWe are glad you enjoyed this posting and that you could see the difference between the two videos -- one a little more raw, and the other more polished. I actually like both versions.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for commenting on the blog. I hope you come back soon.
i love both vids but i do think the extended version was more fitting the topic. A great artist is someone that makes you think & pushes your boundaries and that's exactly what Pete did
ReplyDeleteChristian Woman, that was the song that got me into Type O. People told me, "it's gothic metal" but when I first listened to it, it didn't seem exactly that... It was metal, yeah, and the guy's voice was deeper than the ocean, but... it was also somewhat cool. Stylish. Witty. Sexy. Fun. Not at all the typical "gothic metal" song.
ReplyDeleteI loved it from that very first time, because it was different, original, catchy but not commercial. And the video (the "butt-kissing, sell-out" version) just blew me away. It was like nothing I'd seen before (and I discovered Type O pretty late, around 2004). Anyway, I agree with Deborah, I like the extended version better because it is more authentic, more Type O.
That italian lady probably said (spelled totally wrong) "Madonna Mia! Jesu Greest!"
ReplyDeleteLove the stories! More more more!!!!
The songs he wrote about his father (Todd's Ship Gods, Above All Things) is still one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteNettie's a great song, too! ;)
Thank you Brent, Danielle, Vero and Deb for your comments. I'm glad that you connected with the deepness of the music and were able to pick up on his witty phrases and sense of humor in the lyrics. The videos, well, I love all the guys in them ... but there's always a special place in my heart for Josh too.
ReplyDeleteHave a question... how can I be part of Peter Steele Memorial Gallery? Couldn't fin the link to it...
ReplyDeleteDeadAnkh - Mexico City
No ones music has made me cry, laugh , and say holy crap, as much as his. I started bringing my daughter to TON concerts about 5 years ago, when she was 13. We went to 4 of them here in Milwaukee, Man I wish there were more. I am still grieving very hard.
ReplyDeleteVery cool that Christian woman would be the video you would pick. *waves hi to the Ratajczyk family* I really love this blog!!! I'm a fan, which is probably obvious, of your lil brother. The Christian Woman video is the very first one I ever saw. I got to grow up with Peter through his music as I became a teenager when this video was released. I'm 32 now, yeah old I know. Now my kids listen to Type O Negative and enjoy the music. Your brother gave more than he ever realized. Kindred spirits some of us are. My own blog features Peter today. In honor of an amazingly talented man, who changed the face of music and helped shape my life. I'll be back to read your blog often. Thank you so very much for opening yourselves up and creating this place. Where we can come and hear stories and learn about him through your eyes.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite TON videos. Peter once called himself a 'hypo-christian', I'd like to think of myself as a recovering Catholic. Mind you, that video made a lot of us Catholic girls think ANYTHING but pure thoughts!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! All of the songs and the videos are wonderful and awesome and i love them all. Peter has a voice like no other and it gives me chills every time i listen to him sing. Peter is a ,talented,smart,remarkable,beautiful person not just on the outside but on the inside as well and thats what counts.
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