TYPE O NEGATIVE - Live In Concert

Live In Concert
"TYPE O NEGATIVE"

Artist:	"TYPE O NEGATIVE"
Title:	"October Rust"
Label:	Roadrunner Records
Release Date:	8/20/96
Available:	Any Major Music Store
Reviewed By:	Mary Ellen Gustafson
Rating:	5

For "Type O Negative" fans, "October Rust" will be a natural progression from their previous LPs. The description used by SPIN magazine for "Bloody Kisses" -- "Tuneful gloom and doom" -- still applies on "October Rust." The musical portions are in turn dark, melodic, touching, orchestral, folk, metal and everything in between. The lyrics, mostly following the themes of paganism and the "female persuasion" are in sharp contrast to the melodic, pop oriented or folk musical backgrounds that accompany them. However, "TON" manages to blend these deceptively mild beginnings into pounding rock/progressive metal endings to their songs.

Most of the tracks have a very depressing bent to them, but are typical fare from "TON." The first single, "My Girlfriends Girlfriend" is Peter Steele's tongue in cheek (and possibly auto-biographical) take on threesomes, done in that deep throaty voice that sounds like it comes from a tomb. "Green Man" IS based on his past work for the NYC Parks Dept. An interesting cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" is the only non-TON written song on the CD, and is a staple during their sets on tour. All in all, if you are a fan of "Type O Negative" you'll like this CD. It has an interesting sound, wild lyrics and a few little surprise tracks I'll let you discover on you're own.

In the Press Kit, I discovered that during the making of "October Rust", the band took time off for some outside projects, including an instrumental version of their original "Haunted," which is featured in the new video game "Descent II." I have to agree with the press release which states "Earthy, tactile and infused with Pagan influences, fire imagery and salacious sensuality, 'October Rust' is ear candy for a diabetic world. Have a taste."

I found some other interesting facts and tidbits in TON's Press Kit. The one that really got me was in the Liner Notes. It says "Much to his discontent, Mike Marciano was forced to engineer this recording. Please note that the views and opinions represented herein are by no means endorsed or supported by Mike Marciano." When you get a little further, and read who the band wants to thank, the first names mentioned are "Mike and Nancy and Joe Marciano, without whom this project could never have been done." Talk about contradictions . . .! I know most people never read Liner Notes or all the "Thanks to:" part of them, but it's often surprising what you find there.

Pre-Concert Interview with Josh Silver Keyboards for TYPE O NEGATIVE 2/12/97 Interview Conducted by Mary Ellen Gustafson
AMZ - I haven't been following your band prior to "October Rust," so that's what I'll be concentrating on. I've listened to the album dozens of times, and read all the lyrics, and find a lot of paradoxes in what I've seen and heard. Some of the songs are very respectful of women and love, others are more focused on sex and lust but still have the underlying theme of wanting to satisfy a woman. Are relationships the bottom line of what you sing about?

JS - I think relationships are the bottom line of most art period, whether it's music or any other medium of expression. I think the human condition is based on relationships and it's something we're always trying to capture. I don't think it's disrespectful to discuss lust, because lust is a fact of life - for both men and women - and we just happen to be men so that's the way the music is written.

AMZ - There is also the theme of paganism here. Is this a philosophy that the band follows, or is it more for the natural progression from "Bloody Kisses?"

JS - Well, I don't think I know if Pagan is the right word. There are Pagan elements in the artwork and in some of the lyrics, but I think it's more of a respect for nature than true Paganism. I mean we have no God. We know that. It's my philosophy anyway, that there is no religion and the only thing left to respect is nature. We're not living as Paganists. I mean how much of a Pagan can you be if you get in your car and drive away and pollute the air. Then you're not living the Pagan life. You'd have to leave the city to do that.

AMZ - You have quite a variety in your fans - from kids who think they're vampires to college students to older people like me. Do you have a feel for why you appeal to such a large and diverse audience?

JS - I think the music is very eclectic basically, and now that we've toured with so many different kinds of bands I think we've just pulled a larger audience of people. I think the music itself is pretty ambiguous. It doesn't really fit in any catgory so we're not going to be able to draw people from any particular genre.

AMZ - Unfortunately a lot of people are pegging you Goth. I don't like to categorize bands, but . . .

JS - Exactly! I agree. Catgories aren't usually an asset, but they've got to put you on the record shelf somewhere, so . . .

AMZ - The cover of "Cinnamon Girl" on the album, and, according to the bio a staple in your live show - what made you choose this song to do a cover of - especially since you write all your own music?

JS - It fit melodically and sematically with the album. We also like to do covers that will sound entirely different when we're finished, because it's our way of doing the cover. "Cinnamon Girl" seemed like it would work with the album and it did.

AMZ - Does it have anything to do with an admiration of Neil Young or just the song itself?

JS - Neil Young is a great song writer. I really don't like listening to him, but I can appreciate somebody's song writing talent even if their voice isn't my particular bag. It doesn't mean I think he stinks, it's just that as a performer he's not my thing.

AMZ - I found the song "Red Water" one of the most disturbing, yet most interesting, songs on the album. Where did that idea come from, and is the use of the words "red water" to leave the listener to draw their own conclusion as to what that is? (blood, wine, something else)

JS - That's my favorite song on the album. As far as what "red water" signifies, blood and wine are virtually the same thing in a religious sense, so it is open to interpretation, but wine was the intention. And when your talking in the realm of Christmas and Catholicism and Christianity then of course blood and wine are virtually the same thing.

AMZ - I really enjoy the music on this album - and the way it clashes with the lyrics. Peter Steele's voice is tailor made to sing these particular kinds of lyrics, but yet some of the heaviest lyrics are accompanied by some of the lightest, almost folk/pop music. I assume this is intentional, but how do you come up with the ideas for the combinations?

JS - I think it's essentially what happens. The material that's played by the band is what's presented to the band, and pretty much it's which selection goes sonically. I think it's nothing intentional. We do it if we want to do it and it happens.

AMZ - Do you all jam to come up with a song, or does Steele pretty much do all the writing and then the rest of the band adds their signature to it?

JS - Yeah, it's more like that. He'll come down and the band will play it for one or two months and things go through evolutions and that's the process and it works.

AMZ - Your bio refers to a lot of the lyrics as being a tongue in cheek look at things. I caught that when I listened to it, but what about these kids that take this stuff so deadly serious?

JS - I think you're right. There's definitely a humorous side to the songs, and whether people see it or not that's really not a concern. The people that get it, like you said, that's fine and you can sit back and laugh, and the people that take it seriously can take it seriously. We're not out to preach, tell people how to live, or tell them what to do.We have an opinion and are expressing it. If you really get it that's great, if you don't that's cool because there's also an ambiguity to music that allows people to read into it what they want to. I think that's what's fun about music. Pick any song where you really couldn't understand the lyrics and you end up singing what you want to.

AMZ-These days, some kids, as fans, emulate and take whatever you say as gospel truth. I wondered - are you concerned that kids pick up a message that you never intended to be there?

JS - Good question, and quite honestly it's something I've been personally fighting with for a long time now. Is it the responsibility of an artist to censor his expression because it may be mis-interpreted or over-dramatized by some young kid that's going to have a few problems, or is it the parents' responsibility to raise them to handle different points of view, and all kinds of art forms, and not end up with problems? What an artist does is a form of expression, and any form of repression is censorship. Do I feel responsible? I don't like to hear about tragedies that might be attributed to a form of expression, but I don't feel responsible. It's a very gray area, and like I said, I'm not trying to preach to people, but inevitably I think that someone that's gonna go out and commit a mass murder because he puts on a Type O record is probably gonna do it if he turns on his TV - because without that Type O record he's just going to find another reason. If a person's crazy enough to do something really serious like that, they will find a way whether we're here or not. I mean murder and suicide have been going on for milleniums without the influence of a Type O record.

AMZ - But it seems that kids are looking for the dark stuff and the Satanic stuff, WHICH YOU DO NOT DO, I'm not saying you do. . .

JS - Not Satanic, but the dark side of life. You know, again, there are a lot of influences out there that cause murders. But I think if you raise your child right they're not going to be a murderer no matter what influences are around. That's the bottom line. It's esoteric how involved in this child's life you're gonna be, and what he/she will do.

AMZ - I like the your philosophy.

JS - It's not my philosphy, it's true.

AMZ - But you said you think about it, and that's important. At least you think about it.

JS - There have been instances. I feel bad when tragedies occur, but not responsible, because like I said, things like that have been going on for ten thousand years and I certainly haven't been around that long.

AMZ - I appreciate the interview and your honest answers. I know you have a show to do so I'll see you on stage!

CONCERT REVIEW
"Type O Negative" pays attention to detail when they perform live. From the stage set to the lighting to the arrival and arrangement of each musician on stage, everything is carefully orchestrated for maximum effect. Following the theme of their current CD "October Rust," the stage was decked in partially nude saplings, vines wrapped the mic poles, and fog rolled through the venue.

Since "TON" was scheduled to play at "U-Fest" in Phoenix in October, but it never happened because of an incident between fans and "The Deftones" before "Type O" played, the venue was packed with fans chanting their name. And when they finished their first number, Peter Steele made a short speech about letting "bygones be bygones" and promised the crowd they'd make up for it that night. Of course that was more than well received by concert goers, and the audience was almost louder than the band! This was followed by an extended version of "Love You to Death" from the "October Rust" CD.

"Type O Negative's" cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" really had the crowd rocking since it was a faster version of the number than the one on the album. By the way, they mentioned that Neil Young doesn't like their cover - but the fans, including me, sure do. After this number, Steele finally let his hair down - literally (Up to this point it had been tucked into a baseball cap.) and things REALLY started to groove. "TON" did a good mix of older songs and covers, along with numbers from their most recent album and a lot of odd but exciting instrumentals added in to several of the songs. The sound system in the venue was not very good and it made it hard to catch the name of every song they sang from where I was, but whenever the audience knew the song, they joined in enthusiastically.

Another song from the album, "Baccus" was followed by a very strange cover of "Light My Fire" by the "Doors." It took a while to even recognize the song. A few of their older numbers were followed by a cover of "It's Too Late," and their hit single "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend." To wind up the show, the band played "Black #1" with Steele exhibiting his "talent" of playing his guitar with one hand, while drinking a beer with the other one. An interesting sight, and he never missed a note. There were no encores at this concert, but it was in a considerably smaller venue than they had previously been scheduled to play at in October. Also, since it was a club, they had to be off the stage by midnight. A bummer for the fans who waited to see them through warm up sets by "DRAIN S.T.H." and "SISTER MACHINE GUN." (Who were both very good by the way.) Regardless of the slightly shorter show, and the venue where it was held, the fans had a good time, the band had a good time, and everybody left talking about how awesome the concert was. I guess that's what it's all about!

Return to Table of Contents