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Turning October Rust To Gold: Type O Negative
by Chris Ayers
My Dying Bride. Paradise Lost. Both reign supreme over the mega-trendy goth metal movement most prevalent in Europe, but the current masters of American gothic are undoubtedly NYC's Type O Negative. You know the stats: 1993's late bloomer, Bloody Kisses, is certified gold; they contributed to '94's Black Sabbath tribute album, Nativity In Black; bassist/vocalist/hulkomaniac Peter Steele was featured as the centerfold of the August '95 Playgirl; and of course, the endless touring. So what's on the docket for '96 is, after long last, a brand new album. October Rust is a luxurious collection of meticulously crafted tunes that allows the band to transcend popular expectations. Guitarist Kenny Hickey patiently gave me the whole scoop recently.
Why so long between albums, for crying out loud? "We were pretty indecisive about supporting Bloody Kisses when it first came out," he explained. "We steadily climbed, though, touring the small dives around the country. Then the offers just kept coming and coming; we got an offer to tour with Motley Crue, then Danzig, then Pantera and Queensryche! We kept selling albums so there was no reason to go back in the studio and end it at that point. We didn't go gold after just one tour; we felt every inch of the road."
On such high profile tours (and they just got off the road with Sepultura and Ozzy!), there are bound to be stories to tell, and Kenny was quick to relate one. "The best tour we've been on was with Pantera, mainly because they were entertaining, down-to-earth guys. I spent more time in Phil's [Anselmo, Pantera's vocalist]dressing room than in my own and we just clicked immediately. It wasn't like we were a support act, but just like we were playing with them every night."
Even though Peter Steele writes all the songs for the band, it's not a tyrannical, Billy Corganesque situation. "When I first joined, it was already recognized that Peter was going to do the writing, and that's always been fine with me. Most of the songs for the albums, especially the new one, were written in the back lounge of the tour bus on a small Casio keyboard. When we rehearse them, they evolve from there. The songs are very raw even when they first get into the studio, and a lot of embellishment comes from that point on."
Critics have been bothered by the band's decisions to edit their songs and videos for objectionable lyrics, but Kenny has a justifiable rebuttal. "Basically we had to mutilate them, whether it was for time or substance. Society bends you back so far and you gotta bend with it or else you snap. In order to get things rolling, get the art out there, we had to comply. We try not to compromise, we don't wish to compromise, the point is this: Is anyone ever gonna get out there and hear the real version if they don't hear the edited version? The truth is no."
With seductive lyrics and Peter's rippling muscles, the band is seen by many female fans as inherently sexy. Even with so much carnal imagery being propagated, Kenny feels he can handle it. "Well, I like sex; I don't hate it, but I don't value it as much as most Americans do. I go along with it, if they want to scream and squeak out there, let them do so. As long as they aren't passing any sexually transmitted diseases, I'm fine with it."
And there's no pressure on the rest of the band to follow Peter into the pages of Playgirl. "If they ever asked me, for some ungodly reason, I would not someday want a picture of my own dick staring back at me in somebody else's hands!"
A new album means that the ban will finally give up the same old set list that they've been playing for the past three years. The reason for not playing new material up until now is simple, Kenny says. "It's hard enough for fans to discern it and understand what's going on when they do know the music! If we go on to brand new material and nobody knows what the hell we're playing, they just sit there with this look on their faces and it upsets us. It's awkward, an it turns the show into something awkward....[Now] we'll do all the new stuff, as much as we possibly can." With their integrity intact, Type O Negative have grabbed the reins of their destiny and are now on the verge of grand success, as October Rust is their finest moment. And they still remain one of the coolest bands you might hear on the radio.
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