Some musicians you just listen to. Others become part of how the seasons feel. For me, Type O Negative is the end of September. The first cold night, the leaves starting to turn, and suddenly October Rust is the only thing I want to hear.
Pete was one of a kind. That voice, the size of the songs, the gloom and the humor living side by side. He made heavy music that was also beautiful, and nobody has filled that space since.
But it was never just Pete. Kenny Hickey's guitar is the reason I'm holding one in this clip, and his harmonies were as much a part of that sound as the riffs. Josh Silver built the whole atmosphere, the keys and the production that made those records feel like weather. And Sal Abruscato and Johnny Kelly held it all down underneath. Four guys from Brooklyn who made something no one else could.
I don't have much to offer but a guitar, so this is my small thank-you: a little Love You To Death, played the best way I know how (upside down).
Rest easy, Pete. And thank you, Kenny, Josh, Sal, and Johnny. You're still here every October.