Peter Steele's Best Interviews:
Candid Conversations & Rare Footage

The 2007 Metal Hammer Interview: Peak Candor on Loss and Revival

The conversation kicked off with the infamous 2005 hoax. On May 13, 2005, Type O Negative's official website posted an illustrated tombstone reading "Peter Steele, 1962-2005" and "Free At Last," sparking global panic in the heavy music world. Fans mourned the "king of goth metal," whose fusion of Black Sabbath riffs, doomy atmospheres, and gallows humor had defined the '90s. Steele dismissed it bluntly: "Nah, that was all bullshit," laughing in his signature thick Brooklyn drawl. He explained the tour cancellation stemmed from "internal problems in the band," which he wouldn't detail out of loyalty, but noted he became the scapegoat: "I'm getting these emails like 'I hope you get better' and then when it got out I was alive it was, 'I hope you fucking die asshole.'"

The hoax escalated when a fan, discovering Steele was alive, alerted authorities. "He happens to be a Type O Negative fan and he sent the cops to my house to see if I was dead or not," Steele recounted, chuckling. "I told Josh [Silver, Type O Negative's keyboardist], 'man, you have no idea what you’ve just done – you’ve just upset the New York State Supreme Court! I think it’s fucking funny too but tell me if you’re going to do that sometime!'"

As the interview unfolded in his dimly lit basement, with Steele watching morning news "just to find out if any of my family members have been murdered," he delved into deeper pain. His mother had passed away in 2005, a loss that shattered the family glue. "My mother held my family together," he said, voice cracking, the usual rapid New York cadence slowing. "I hate to sound positive but I try to concentrate not on the love that’s been lost but the love that’s been gained. All my sisters and nieces… I just try to transfer. Since she’s been gone there’s been some dissension and falling apart. I like to say blood is thicker than water but it’s harder to clean up."

This exchange, one of Steele's most emotionally naked, humanized the giant often caricatured for his pin-up goth image and bawdy humor. It tied directly to Dead Again's themes of redemption amid despair, making the interview essential viewing for fans dissecting his final creative chapter.

MTV Headbangers Ball (1994): Charisma Meets Metal

Fast-forward to 1994, during the peak of Type O Negative's breakthrough with Bloody Kisses. A standout interview aired on MTV's Headbangers Ball, featuring Steele and keyboardist Josh Silver fielded questions from Gregor Mackintosh of Paradise Lost. Captured amid live clips from the era, this footage exemplifies Steele's magnetic stage presence bleeding into conversation.

Dressed in his trademark black leather and long hair cascading like a metal Rapunzel, Steele bantered effortlessly. The Paradise Lost connection underscored the goth-doom kinship, with Mackintosh probing Type O's ironic love songs and horror-tinged visuals. Steele's responses mixed self-deprecation with bravado, joking about his height intimidating interviewers and his lyrics' blend of romance and morbidity. Live snippets interspersed—ripping through "Black No. 1" with that seismic bass—made it a time capsule of '90s metal excess. This rare clip, blending interview and performance, remains a fan favorite for its unpolished energy.

Rare Australian Interview: Down Under Revelations

Among the scarcest gems is a super-rare interview from Australia during Type O Negative's tour supporting Motley Crue. Conducted by the late Pat Peircy, this footage captures Steele in high spirits abroad, his massive frame dwarfing the setting. Likely from the mid-to-late '90s amid October Rust promotion, Steele discusses the challenges of touring with rock hedonists like Motley Crue, sharing anecdotes on cultural clashes and fan fervor Down Under.

His humor shines through tales of Aussie hospitality versus his Brooklyn grit, with candid asides on songwriting inspirations drawn from heartbreak and horror films. The interviewer’s rapport elicits unguarded laughs, rare for Steele, who often armored vulnerability with sarcasm. This piece, preserved by devoted fans like Rebecca, highlights his global appeal and the footage's intimacy—close-ups revealing the intensity behind his piercing blue eyes.

1997 Interviews: Mid-Career Reflections and Humor

1997 yielded multiple treasures, coinciding with October Rust's success. One key interview, simply titled "Peter Steele of Type O Negative interview 1997," dives into the band's evolution post-Bloody Kisses. Steele reflects on fame's double edge, his pre-Type O days in hardcore bands like Carnivore, and the gothic romance defining tracks like "Love You to Death." His baritone delivery, laced with irony, dissects how personal turmoil fueled art: breakups, substance issues, and existential dread.

Another 1997 clip echoes similar themes, with Steele quipping about his "pin-up" status in metal mags while downplaying it as "gothic wrestling." These interviews, often bundled in fan playlists, showcase his wit—dismissing diva comparisons and praising collaborators like Josh Silver. Rare in their length and depth, they bridge Type O's commercial peak with later struggles.

Home Interview with Bill Zebub: Intimate and Unfiltered

A profoundly personal entry is the older interview shot in Steele's Brooklyn house by Bill Zebub, host of the metal show The Church of the SubGenius. Despite audio glitches from dual camcorders, this raw footage feels like eavesdropping. Steele, in familiar surroundings, discusses philosophy, religion, and addiction with Zebub's probing style. His candor on sobriety attempts and spiritual quests—contrasting his atheist leanings with lyrics' occult flair—reveals layers beyond the sex-and-death persona.

Zebub's rapport elicits gems like Steele's views on mortality, tying back to his 2005 "death" stunt. The home setting amplifies intimacy, with Steele gesturing amid posters and bass gear, underscoring his reclusive later years.

Compilations and Unforgettable Moments: Loudwire's Tribute

Loudwire's "10 Unforgettable Peter Steele Moments" distills his interview legacy into a montage, including clips from the above and more. Highlights feature his deadpan delivery on absurd topics—like comparing Type O to classical composers or roasting hair metal peers. One viral bit has him flexing ironic machismo, only to pivot to poignant loss reflections. This compilation, ideal for newcomers, curates rare footage, affirming Steele's quotable genius.

Why These Interviews Endure: Steele's Lasting Legacy

Peter Steele's best interviews transcend promotion; they peel back the goth metal facade to expose a man wrestling demons amid acclaim. From the 1994 Headbangers Ball energy to the 2007 Metal Hammer vulnerability, and rarities like the Australian chat, these candid conversations—often laced with rare live footage—paint a full portrait. His quotes linger: the hoax fallout's absurdity, maternal grief's rawness, humor as armor.

Post-2010, fan-preserved YouTube archives ensure accessibility, fueling Type O Negative's cult status. Steele's baritone wisdom, delivered with Brooklyn bluntness, cements these as essential viewing. For metal enthusiasts, they're not just interviews—they're portals to a tormented soul who turned pain into poetry.

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