TYPE O NEGATIVE Members 'Not Cooperating' In Telling Of PETER STEELE's Story

Jeff Wagner ("Mean Deviation: Four Decades Of Progressive Heavy Metal" book, former Metal Maniacs editor),is currently assembling his next book, "Soul On Fire - The Life And Music Of Peter Steele", about the late TYPE O NEGATIVE and CARNIVORE frontman who passed away on April 14, 2010 from heart failure at the age of 48.

Writing on the book's official Facebook page, Jeff says: "I'm disappointed in the recent decision of the surviving TYPE O NEGATIVE members to not cooperate in the telling of his story. Between January and April, I established contact several times with each of them. Despite e-mails and phone conversations which were cordial and, I thought, positive, they have made this decision for reasons still unclear.

"On the upside, more than 40 people have participated and shared thoughts, emotions and recollections for this project. This includes people verifiably close to Peter — family, close friends, music industry figures, members of FALLOUT, CARNIVORE and session musicians for TYPE O NEGATIVE. This book is being written in tribute to Peter and it is going forward at full steam.

"Josh, Kenny and Johnny have my contact information. The door is always open for them to take part, albeit prior to its release, currently scheduled for October 31st.

"I'd like to believe Peter is having a good laugh at all of us right now."

Steele was born Petrus T. Ratajczyk on January 4, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York. He stood 6' 7" (201 cm) tall, and had a low, bass-heavy voice, which was one of the most recognizable features in TYPE O NEGATIVE's music.

Before forming TYPE O NEGATIVE, Steele played for the metal group FALLOUT and the thrash band CARNIVORE.

"Going through a midlife crisis and having many things change very quickly made me realize my mortality," Steele told Decibel magazine in 2007. "And when you start to think about death, you start to think about what's after it. And then you start hoping there is a God. For me, it's a frightening thought to go nowhere. I also can't believe that people like Stalin and Hitler are gonna go to the same place as Mother Teresa."

Wagner is a music connoisseur and metal historian, and a former editor of Metal Maniacs magazine. He has penned incisive liner notes for releases by EMPEROR, POSSESSED, DARK ANGEL, CONFESSOR and others. A music industry professional since 1994 and a lifelong music obsessive, Wagner lives for what he writes about and writes about what he lives.