Type O Negative were a band that didn't give a damn about what anyone else thought. They made music that they loved, and they didn't care if it didn't fit neatly into any genre category. Their 1993 album—and breakthrough masterpiece—, Bloody Kisses, is the perfect embodiment of that attitude.
In a recent interview with Guitar World, the band's guitarist Kenny Hickey—who is now involved in a new band called Eye AM—reflected on Bloody Kisses' nostalgic value for him, and how he can still connect with it deeply as a fan.
"It means a lot, man. It's very nostalgic for me. Musicians—and maybe more so guitarists—have this thing where they look back, hear certain songs, and take you back to certain places based on whatever effects, amps, and guitars you were using at the time. I look back on Bloody Kisses, and I feel all of that. I get a good feeling that's still connected deeply to my heart, you know?"
"That album connects with me deeply because I played on it, so I'm affected. But now, I can also look at it almost like a fan, which I couldn't do when I was still close to it. I love the alternative guitar sounds on "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)", and the 12-string on "Christian Woman" is fucking awesome. And there's ambient stuff, which equated to some dream-like moments on guitar. That's what turned me on most then and still does now."
Hickey also explained about the gear he used, that helped define the album's characteristic sound: "Since it was in the early-'90s, I would have had a huge rack system. So, I had the rack system going, which, believe it or not, was an old A/DA. This was before they made the noisy shit; it was one of the earlier ones they made."
"And I had a [Fender] Quad Reverb, a product of me trying things out to figure out what worked. As far as guitars, I was playing Gibson stuff, so I woulda had a few SGs."
Bloody Kisses is a record that's both dark and sexy, melancholic and hopeful, capturing the essence of the band's Brooklyn roots. There's always something new to discover, whether it's a hidden nuance in the lyrics, a subtle guitar riff, or a haunting melody.
Both unique and universal, Bloody Kisses is a masterpiece of contradictions, and a testament to the band's talent, blending so many different elements together into something so cohesive and compelling. And that's what makes it so special. So if you haven't listened to it recently, go ahead and correct that mistake as soon as possible.
