Ex-Type O Negative guitarist Kenny Hickey recently discussed the possibility of organizing a Peter Steele tribute concert and revealed what’s preventing it from happening, in an interview shared on Cassius Morris.
Hickey addressed the challenges of reuniting the surviving members of Type O Negative for a tribute to their late frontman Peter Steele. He specifically pointed to one band member’s reluctance.
“He [Josh Silver] doesn’t wanna do it. So maybe it’ll take some convincing… He would have to answer that question,” Hickey said. “He was always the kind of guy who’s 150% guy. If he’s not 150%, then he’s not gonna do it. He’s got other things going on.”
Despite the current obstacles, Hickey remains optimistic about future possibilities.
“So, we’ll see. We’ll see how things pan out. Maybe he won’t have other things going on in the near future,” he continued. “We would be into doing it in a tribute fashion, yeah. Yes. It would be cool to do maybe a dozen shows or something like that. Have some great stand-in singer — [or] singers — it would be a cool thing to do. Absolutely.”
The tribute concept would involve guest vocalists filling in for the late Peter Steele, who passed away in 2010.
Josh Silver’s reluctance stems from a significant life change he made following the band’s dissolution. Louder Sound reported that Silver retired from music entirely after Steele’s death and the band’s subsequent split in 2010, becoming a paramedic instead.
The challenge of organizing such a tribute extends beyond member availability. Chaoszine noted that Hickey has emphasized that Peter Steele’s bass playing was uniquely difficult to replicate. He pointed out that while his deep baritone vocals could be performed by other singers, his bass work was far more distinctive and irreplaceable.
The band has maintained a firm stance against full reunions with replacement members. Louder Sound revealed that the band has ruled out reuniting full-time with a replacement singer. Hickey stated in 2023 that “we personally don’t think Peter is replaceable by anybody, and it just wouldn’t work.”
This latest discussion about tribute shows represents the most concrete acknowledgment from surviving members about honoring Steele’s legacy through live performances. The proposed format of limited tribute concerts with guest vocalists appears to be the only scenario the remaining members would consider. This approach balances their desire to honor their late frontman while respecting the irreplaceable nature of his contributions to the band.
