8.01.2011

When Peter Died , TON Died With Him

Swedish television network TV4 conducted an interview with drummer Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG, SEVENTH VOID) at this year's edition of the Getaway Rock festival, which was held July 7-9, 2011 in Gävle, Sweden. You can now watch the chat below. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.


On the day he got the news that TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman Peter Steele died:

Johnny: "I was in shock. I was completely blown away. It's still pretty unbelievable to me, to think he's not here. He's somebody I spent a good portion of my adult with. Not only being in a band together and stuff, he was one of my closest friends. Grabbing onto the fact that he's not here anymore is still very mindblowing. Not so much how fans see it, people that really didn't know him, or people that were touched by his music and stuff, it's a little bit of a different situation compared to me, Kenny [Hickey, guitar] and Josh [Silver, keyboards] being involved — and his family and stuff. For us, it hits us a little bit different than a fan or people that met him interviewing him. As far as colleagues and peers, it's a little bit different."

On what Peter Steele was like as a person:

Johnny: "He was a very, very complex person. He was always a clown, always trying to make a joke. He was very self-deprecating, so he had no problems making jokes about himself. As a band, we were very brutal with each other; you didn't hold back anything. If somebody did something stupid, we would all make fun of you and ridicule you for what you did that was dumb. And we still… Kenny and I, when we've travelled together on the road, stories constantly come up. 'Do you remember this time when this happened?' There's a lot of similarities. I'm convinced that he rides with us — wherever we go, he's there with us. It's very unfortunate. He was young. He was only 48 years old. And he had gotten his act together. He cleaned up. He wasn't doing drugs anymore, he wasn't drinking anymore and stuff. He was really, really looking forward to start working on a new TYPE O record. We were getting ready to do that. We had just signed a new deal with Napalm Records. Peter was moving back to New York. We had just found a studio where we were gonna start working and stuff. We were getting ready to get back into it and get back to work, and to have Peter in a good headspace and stuff, who knows what we could have done? But it didn't happen.

We were just getting ready to start the writing process. The first thing that was important to us was to get a new record deal in place, 'cause there were some problems with our old label, SPV — they had some insolvency issues and stuff, and so then we had to find a new record label. And then we finally got that taken care of. Peter was living out of state, he was living in Pennsylvania, and it was impossible to work with him while he was 200 miles away. So he was moving back. We were just getting ready to start writing. So if he had anything written, we didn't hear it. And he wasn't the kind of person to put it on tape, so there's nothing. Whatever's been released, that's it. There might be one song left over. Whatever legacy he left, it's out there already; there aren't any unreleased recordings or anything."

On whether TYPE O NEGATIVE died with Peter and if there is anybody that can his place as a singer so that they could continue with the band:
Johnny: "If there is somebody that could take his place, it wouldn't matter. We don't have any interest — the three of us — in continuing it. It's impossible to continue TYPE O NEGATIVE without Peter. It's impossible. It hasn't even come up in any kind of discussion, like, 'Hey, what do you think? Are there possibilities?' When Peter died, TYPE O NEGATIVE died with him."

 

17 comments:

  1. Sure TON died with Peter. But he pioneered new ways to make music, and that will reverberate for decades to come. How many of us can say we've left that sort of mark? Thanks for the post!

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  2. No Type O' without the characteristically voice and wide influence of Peter.
    I understand their decision... :/ ♥

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  3. How stupid I just sent Johnny a message asking him if he ever reads the stories on the blog. As I have said before its is bad enough as a fan to not have Peter anymore, I cant image what its like for his actual close friends and family. He seemed to be such an active figure in everyones lives, the hole he has left must be enormous. Peter was a funny man, his humor makes me laugh but also makes me sad because people who are always funny are coving up sadness. It really sucks how everything was falling into place for Peter and the band and it all came to a shocking end. Life really throws us crap that sometimes we just cant come to terms with no matter what our beliefs are. I was so looking forward to hearing new work from Peter, drug/alcohol free..pure Peter. I think his music was going to get heavier again. Johnny, Kenny and Josh I wish you all the best for the future and always have long hair!!

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  4. Johnny is right it's not the same without peter. It's still unbelievable that he is not here..... Thinking what if and wishing that one day we will all wake up and this is nothing but a bad dream. Peter's spirit is with us all and always will be ...Peter's legacy will live on forever. Thank you for sharing.

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  5. As sad as it is, I have to agree when Peter passed so did Type O Negative :( But we have his music N memories to carry us on.... thank you for the post

    Amy Wigle

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  6. PETER STEELE "IS" TYPE O NEGATIVE. PLAIN & SIMPLE. IT IS BEST THIS IS LEFT ALONE AS I DONT THINK MANY FANS WOULD WELCOME THAT IDEA OF "A NEW FRONTMAN". TYPE O NEGATIVE IS PETE'S BABY. JUST LIKE CARNIVORE...I FEEL FOR BOTH BANDS OF BROTHERS WHO ARE MISSING THEIR BROTHER IN MUSIC. THEIR COMPOSER. THEIR FRIEND. TRULY SAD FOR BOTH BANDS. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THE FAMILY & CLOSE FRIENDS WHO WILL FOREVER BE MISSING THIS MAN LOST IN TIME...

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  7. Only family and close friends know what it's really like to miss him....us fans and far-off admirers only know a bit of the loss. And yep, TON died with him. Peter WAS Type O Negative. Nobody could EVER take his place. I don't think anyone would want that anyways...

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  8. Johnny, Josh, and Kenny are great musicians in there own right, but the magic that was TON was Peter along with them. They know it could never be duplicated with anyone else. It was so special and we were lucky to have it as long as we did. Not too many bands have had that kind of longevity. I can't imagine the pain that they along with his family must feel. I know how I feel and I didn't even know him. I hope the guys have success in what ever they do. I wish them and the Ratajczyk family peace always. Thanks so much for the post.

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  9. It would be impossible to listen to Type O Negative without Pete singing... I would constantly be thinking "yeah, but it just isn't the same". As sad as it is to let go, I think it's best to let Pete keep what was really his, and not turn it into a bad copy.

    As Connor MacLeod said in "Highlander"... "There can be only one."

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  10. Pete certainly knew who he could trust. He knew his bandmates would make conscientious decisions with or without him. I wish Johnny, Kenny and Josh all the success they care to have in their future endeavors, wherever they may go. They seem like great people, and if Pete is able to pull the ocaisional prank on 'em from beyond, I'm sure he will!

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  11. I can't even imagine anyone who could replace Peter, he was an original thru and thru period! Their is no one on this earth who could possibly belt out those songs like the Green Man!!! I do hope Johnny and Kenny keep Seventh Void alive though and maybe Josh could join them on the next album...that would be cool! (-)

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  12. Thank you for this post & I can only agree with Johnny and all previous comments. Peter - unmatched & I could never imagine any one else taking his place & I also think that the unity and perfect chemistry that was between those 4 guys cannot be matched anymore - special and unique. The spirit is still alive & we the fans will always keep this memory - we were lucky to have this unity for a certain amount of time. Johnny, Kenny & Josh - all brilliant musicians in their own right & I want to wish them all the best for their way (btw hope to see Seventh Void & A Pale Horse Named Death at a festival near home in a few weeks ..)To the Ratajczyk family: Thank you for this blog, lot's of love & respect
    -Sabine-

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  13. In total agreement with Johnny Kelly's perspectives ; especially about Peter's enduring rock&roll spirit! May his memory be a blessing to his bandmates.

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  14. Rose from NY in CALIF now8:08 PM, August 02, 2011

    I knew this reality was going to come about sometime...of course no TON w/o Peter. That would be a dishonor to his memory and Johnny, Kenny and Josh understand that. They were brothers, you can't replace a brother. He does stand beside you all, I know that. When you say his name and recall a memory he's there again. The blessings he brought to all fans, his band, his family...that doesn't end. Relationships are forever not just in this life but afterlife too. Just look up the Heavens and feel his spirit. That song Halo always gets to me when I hear it but in this case, Peter has one....noone is an angel, you gotta have a little devil in you...not evil devil..the fun devilish humorous kind. That's what made him so attractive to all. Wow, I miss him so. Thanks for your words guys. My heart goes out to you too.

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  15. "Whatever legacy he left, it's out there already; there aren't any unreleased recordings or anything."

    I call bullshit on that. Prometheus (a song that was on the October Rust demo and was talked about in interviews from the time) is just one fairly well-known song that's never been released.

    Come on guys! There has to be some more.

    JKLTO

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  16. Rose from NY now in CALIF5:10 PM, August 06, 2011

    And it's so sad to know we won't be hearing any more new TON. Peter's music, words are all out there now. Well I for one will get the entire TON discography soon, working on that now. Got to have them all, playing them every day in honor of a great man, and a great band. WE love you Peter, we miss you. Johnny, Josh, Kenny we feel for you. It's still hard to believe even though we know it is...keep him close to your heart. He was such a larger than life man in life, he will remain so after life. That kind of power and energy will not go away. Spirit guides exist, Peter's spirit lives on until etenity. THank you TON..thank you all for sharing your thoughts w/us. We appreciate more than you all know.

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  17. With all due respect to the guys, there can never be TON again - it's better that they realized it and I hope they won't get fooled by record companies and so on into attempting any kind of parody of the band that has meant so much to so many.

    Type O Negative = Peter Steele

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