Did MOTLEY CRUE Help TYPE O NEGATIVE'S CAREER?

The band Type O Negative would mix themes of romance, drugs, depression, and death and would be credited as bringing goth rock to the masses Their third record Bloddy kisses would be their commercial break through and the biggest album of their career. It also made them the biggest band on the then fledging label roadrunner records. But it took nearly a year for the record to get noticed and they owe a lot of their success to Motley Crue.
It was following the release of Bloody Kisses Type O negative wasn’t planning on touring nationally, mostly doing weekend jaunts to connecticut, and massachusetts as the members were still working day jobs. Frontman peter steele was employed by the new york city parks department who were going through a hiring freeze so if he left they couldn’t hire a replacement and if he left he couldn’t come back. His employer wasn’t enthusiastic about giving him months off so he could tour with his band. He’d even remark in interviews that working for the parks department was one of the best jobs he had. It was this attitude that led to original drummer Sal Abruscato leaving the group and joining fellow new york band life of agony. Of course their label roadrunner records was also pushing for the band to tour nationally and quit their day jobs. Monte Connor the A&R guy for their label would recall to loudersound
“Peter was content being a local hero and playing locally,” Monte says. “He liked the security of a job and life, so he wasn’t really ready to give that all up on a whim. In a way, that contributed to Sal leaving the band; Sal wanted to go in fully and tour nationally, which the guys weren’t ready to do. When he left, Josh sent a load of pizza to the Roadrunner offices - it was his way of telling us he thought the band were through.”
But all the resistance against touring was no match for the opportunities the band got in 1994 including opening for life of agony for six weeks. Peter had accumulated so much vacation he could take time off. They then got an offer to do some west coast dates for nine inch nails for two weeks and the band were hated by the band. Then they returned home and got an offer to open for motley crue. The record had been out for a year and it wasn’t doing very much commercially. . It would be the tour with motley crue that was helped get bloody kisses on a lot of people’s radars in addition to of course radio and mtv.
Nikki Sixx and his Crue bandmates were big fans of Bloody Kisses listening to the album while they were working on their self titled record. But even motley crue’s own manager and booking agents didn’t understand the ask and pushed back thinking type o negative weren’t popular enough to fill seats.. But despite this the Crue got their way and while type o negative was a little hesitant to tour with motley crue since stylistically both bands had little in common they agreed to open for them. Motley Crue at the time had john corabi fronting them and they were touring their self titled album which came out in march of 94 nearly half a year after bloody kisses landed in stores. Johnny Kelly would tell knotfest that despite the tour being a lowpoint for motley crue who were playing small theaters to a few thousand people it was a turning point for type o who started to see an upward climb in sales moving about 2,000 having previously sold 50 copies a week. The band also started winning the crowds over. Soon enough Christian Women and Black No.1 was getting airplay on headbangers ball and on beavis and butthead with the shows characters giving their stamp of approval. You also had rock radio playing their music. The band from there started touring more playing some shows on their own and filling rooms. The album went on to become roadrunner records first gold record, eventually going platinum and becoming the band’s biggest record of their career.

[@LeviathantheMighty]

We saw them open for Motley Crue, then left before MC even played.

[@Madkalibyr]

Dang! What a cool show to have seen:)

[@rogeliofernandezjimenez3053]

we were worriEd if you left before Motley, thanks for clearing that up. CRUE CRUE CRUE CRUE........

[@TravisBrady-wn8fr]

Saw them with Pantera. Man I was in heaven the best times of my life!

[@rexbrumbelow1550]

Saw them opening up for motley. Then with pantera. Fun shows!

[@typeonegative13]

thank u so much motley crue

[@Madkalibyr]

Ah, I love all the TO- love. My first concert was Type O with cradle of filth and moonspell, years after this MC your of course hehe but still a great memeory and I feel privileged

[@1ssjesus]

I saw that tour in Louisville KY. and it was Crue's best sounding line-up live. Type O' was okay received but at the time they were a new band for me. The following year they came back twice, first opening for Pantera and then Queensryche. Buddy of mine that went to the Crue show with me went to both of those concerts and said they improved with sound majorly.

[@theirishman9617]

Saw TON with Cradle Of Filth and Moonspell .

[@BrendonHerbert-dw2lj]

I saw them together in the summer of 94 in Merriville, Indiana at the Star Plaza Theater. The audience didn’t really give them any reaction, positively or negatively. Aside from a few guys I knew from my hometown that were in front of the stage with type O shirts on cheering, that’s it. Peter Steele made some snarky comment about have fun with Motley Crue as he drank his wine bottke leaving the stage.

[@thatonedudeoverhere]

Gotta love the Crue!!

[@PP22104]

👹His face changed a lot👿

[@rogeliofernandezjimenez3053]

Motley Crue always helping other bands: Type o negative, GNR, F Pussycat, Warrant, Megadeth, Whitesnake, Cheap Trick, Loudness, Godsmack, Alice Cooper, Poison, Ratt etc etc.....

[@aaronscrewface]

peter steele is just goth fabio

[@JackG79]

I met and drank a beer with him and his guitar player and drummer in 1996 outside Saratoga winners in UPSTATE NY. It was a Carnivore show. They played as a power trio. It was so sick.

[@JackG79]

In person...Peter steel was FKN HUGE!!! Wide like a goddamn pool table.

[@Debra-k1f]

Loved him ❤

[@Joseph-j9h7q]

Saratoga Winners

[@arturoalmazan5262]

how in the hell did crue help this band ? lol.. they were so different. they didn't play the hair metal crap. they were emo metal kinda 😂