But I was sad to read of the death of Peter Steele, the lead singer, who was 48 years old.
***
Now, you might be thinking, why does Althouse even have an opinion of Type O Negative? But the fact is, I was the driver/chaperone for a lot of concerts in the 1990s, and I saw them — and many other musicians of that era — in concert. Despite my advanced age, I actually enjoyed everything I heard except Type O Negative. Of course, that's a point in their favor, is it not?
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My mom tolerated all the recored music I blared in the '70s (it would have been uncool for her to chaperone a concert though). I recall she did draw the line at a Nazareth's Hair Of The Dog which she heard once and asked me to never play again.
"driver/chaperone"?
I know exactly whatthat is. Whoa, Ann.
Oh, that's right. It took on a different meaning beyong the Stone Ponies.
No, it's not a point in their favor. Type O was simple. Simple and lazy.
Roadrunner records was the perfect place for them, and I'm sure it was a lot of fun for boys to listen to IKYFSE and rip offs. Actually one of their Sabbath ripoffs was really good... because it wasn't simple.
A lot of really great bands that conveyed the same general black evil thing while being more artistic. This band was simple inferior, and it's good that Althouse saw value in bands of the genre that were better.
I saw Type O Negative open for Pantera — and completely enjoyed Pantera.
Pantera: because Texas really does produce a higher quality.
We're like the Medici family with cows and oil.
I haven't watched Beavis and Butthead in 36,000 years. I didn't realize they were so clever. It's like having a funny asshole in your living room.
You went INTO the concerts with your son? Who else did you see?
I went to many concerts then. Off the top of my head, I can recall: Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Bush, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, The Vandals, Sonic Youth, Tori Amos, Henry Rollins, Mike Watt, L7, The Melvins, Throwing Muses...
Sometimes it involved going all the way to Milwaukee (and back on the same night).
Veruca Salt, The Breeders....
Keep in mind that I also had bands practicing in the basement of my house for years.
Ann wrote:
> I actually enjoyed everything
> I heard except Type O Negative.
> Of course, that's a point in
> their favor, is it not?
Not so much - they suck. I love your love of pop music; a reason I stayed long enough to enjoy everything else :) Insanely great pop, brill building pop, bubblegum, sunshine & pop-psych, paisley pop - that's how some would label it.
As a retort, how about 88-92's Boston band O Positive?
“RIP Pete Steele – a nice (and very funny) man,” Trent Reznor wrote on his Twitter page. “I’m smiling recalling a funny story involving Pete, a microphone, an -all-girl lipstick lesbian band and a can of tuna. Ahh, the good old days…”
That was the Self Destruct Tour of ballrooms in 1994. The "all-girl lipstick lesbian band" (redundant?) was Fem2Fem, who paired with Type O Neg for some of the stops (Hole and Marilyn Manson, etc. for other stops).
Fem2Fem had two versions of their show, and I was at one of the "explicit" renditions. All I remember of that show: Fem2Fem going down on each other on stage, a body surfer cracking his skull on the cement floor, Larry Mullen of U2 stopping by (in town, knew people on crew), and finishing early enough to make it to a Cracker show at another club with enough time to get drunk out my mind and hear Low.
I have no specific memory of O Negative.
(Funny Popville should mention local band O Positive. They never made an impression on me either. Maybe it's a blood thing?)
Peter Steele is Dead
"I was the driver/chaperone for a lot of concerts in the 1990s ... "
(a.k.a. "groupie")
Explains all fascination with black dresses.
"Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Bush, Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, The Vandals, Sonic Youth, Tori Amos, Henry Rollins, Mike Watt, L7, The Melvins, Throwing Muses...Veruca Salt, The Breeders...."
Though I played with Sonic Youth (did a show at Prince's First Avenue with them and Billy Bragg) except for Marilyn Manson (who, depending on the song, I like sometimes) Green Day (I own all their albums on .mp3 but find myself throwing their songs away, constantly, for interrupting the flow of good music in my iPod) and Mike Watt (the only really good, original artist in the list) I've purposely avoided all those bands. Each one is a re-tread (or re-re-tread) of someone else (Nine Inch Nails = Ministry's pre-Metal collection) and all of them are more important for their liberal Burning Man politics than their musical output.
I'd be ashamed to say I saw them - here's my image: the know-nothing kids dragging the know-nothing parent to see a bunch of know-nothing bands, and they all come away thinking they know something about music - or politics - except for noticing how bad it all is. (These bands, like Ann and her kids, are also responsible for Barack Obama's rise: Way to go, guys! Thanks for nothing!)
Somehow, the world was a better place back when El Pollo Real played a good album and his mom didn't recognize it for what it was. (My Foster mom did the same thing with Queen's "News Of The World": We Will Rock You sealed the deal: "That's not music for black people".) Ann's comments, when I've never heard her even suggest a good song on her blog, just kinda creeps me out. Why?
Because - until those with influence admit they've been wrong (which, being hippies and their kids, they'll never do) or a new Punk finally emerges to wash away the liberal conformity such bands represent - we will be trapped listening to fevered applause for the death of our cultural heritage.
BTW, playing your brutal game - I notice, Miss I See Race, there's not one black artist on that list - could that be racism?
Crack, I've never made any claims to musical sophistication. All my stuff about music is just about things that have a place in my own personal emotional history. There's no wrong there.
Type O Negative was one of my favorite bands. They had a rather unique sound to them and Peter Steele was a most interesting personality. The music world lost one of it's most interesting personalities last week.
Thank You Ms. Althouse, I never thought I would read anything about Type O Negative at your blog. And I have read nearly all the tributes to Peter Steele.
His lyrics are a fun read.
Christian Woman from Bloody Kisses 1993
Forgive her, for she knows
not what she does....
A cross upon her bedroom wall
From grace she will fall
An image burning in her mind
And between her thighs
A dying God-man full of pain
When will you come again?
Before him beg to serve or please
On your back or knees
There's no forgiveness for her sins
Prefers punishment?
Would you suffer eternally
Or internally?
For her lust
She'll burn in hell
Her soul done medium well
All through mass manual stimulation
Salvation
Corpus Christi
She needs
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi
See needs
Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi
Body of Christ
She needs
Body of Christ
Body of Christ
To Love God
She'd like to know God
Ooh love God
Feel her God
Inside of her
Deep inside of her
J.C. Looks Like Me
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ looks like me
" Ann Althouse said...
I saw Type O Negative open for Pantera — and completely enjoyed Pantera."
I envy you!
Oh men shut up, shut the fuck up.
Firstly, beavis and butthead gave type o a positive reaction, so the video does not appeal to you
Secondly, you haven't ever listened to type o. Buy or download the fucking albums and make your opinion.
Also get yourself a good pair of ears
God, the things you read everyday...
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