February 5th, 1995 is a night I won't ever forget. I was 16 years old and on my way to Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas to see one of the greatest metal bands in history, Pantera. I had seen them twice before and knew they were going to tear it up. What I didn't know was very much about their opening act that night, Type O Negative. I had seen the videos for Black No.1 and Christian Woman on Headbanger's Ball but didn't really know what to expect. What I got was one of the most amazing live performances I have seen in my life.
The first thing that was noticeable was this gigantic man taking center stage. He looked all of 6'10" and jacked to the gills. It was a look more suited for a professional wrestler than the frontman of a Goth Metal band. Next was the actual sound of Type O Negative. I've always described it as Pink Floyd meets Black Sabbath meets Bela Lugosi. It really almost defies description. Peter Steele's vocals were unlike anything I'd heard before or since. But it was mesmerizing and unique. I became a fan instantly.
It wasn't long after this show that I went out and purchased copies of Bloody Kisses and Slow, Deep and Hard. If you could wear out a CD, I would have done it. With each new release my love for the band grew. For me it was almost like knowing some undiscovered secret. Getting to tell people about this great band they hadn't heard of was always fun for me. And when I met someone who already knew, it was was like we shared the secret together.
My only regret is never getting to see them live again. Sure they came around where I lived many times in the years since, but something always came up that wouldn't let me go. Now sadly, it appears that night will be my only experience with Type O Negative live and in person. The loss of Peter Steele really hits me. A brilliant songwriter, musician and performer is now gone. The back of Bloody Kisses says "Don't mistake lack of talent for genius." Well I made that mistake. Peter Steele was a genius, and the world is a little worse off today without him.
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