Type O Negative’s guitarist says he’s open to reunion shows paying tribute to late frontman Peter Steele.
In a new appearance on the Talk Toomey podcast, Kenny Hickey says he’s keen on the idea of the doom metal beloveds celebrating singer/bassist Steele with comeback shows featuring a revolving lineup of guest singers.
The format has already been successfully employed by the likes of Linkin Park and Suicide Silence over the years.
“I would do something like that, absolutely,” says Hickey (via Metal Injection). “Because at this point, the band seemed to transcend into a whole new generation and stuff. And I think it would be really cool to get a couple of key singers, real guys, or maybe one guy or whatever, to come and do it as a tribute. Absolutely. Maybe four or five shows, something like that.”
Hickey adds that the one thing he’d need to be comfortable with the shows is the involvement of former keyboardist Josh Silver. Silver retired from music after Steele’s death and Type O Negative’s subsequent split in 2010, becoming a paramedic.
“Josh is just, like, he’s done with music,” says Hickley. “He feels like he’s moved on, but I don’t know. We’ll see. You get nostalgic after a time, you know what I mean? So you never know. You can never say never.”
Steele died of sepsis caused by diverticulitis at the age of 48. After his passing, Hickey and former Type O Negative drummers Sal Abruscato and Johnny Kelly continued to make music with different projects.
Hickey is currently playing in hard rockers Sun Don’t Shine, who released their single The Promise Song on January 29. The band’s lineup is rounded out by Crowbar members Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange.
In 2023, Hickey ruled out the idea of Type O Negative reuniting full-time with a singer replacing Steele. “People have approached us to try and reform the band with a singer and go on the road,” he said. “’Cause everybody wants a money grab. We personally don’t think Peter is replaceable by anybody, and it just wouldn’t work.”
