Sal Abruscato

[Pagan Saviour]

In the midst of a meltdown it seems. This is a plague associated with the internet age, and from a fan perspective it's shite to see this things play out in public,  but he's gone on a mad one against his ex band mates over a Type O reissue. (He does happen to be correct about the new artwork, it's gunk) but has issued a full 30 minute rant that airs all kinds of laundry and even manages to accuse Life Of Agony of sabotaging his current career.

I checked his Instagram and he's gone down the rabbit hole with this  stuff all recent posts dedicated to the same topic.


https://lambgoat.com/news/40827/original-type-o-negative-drummer-slams-bloody-kisses-anniversary-peter-is-rolling-in-his-grave/?fbclid=IwAR3c3POKgewQI3OMLOziz-5q07UeDmwrIwlwHxAo3wr2DDJSsZyRxp-6JUo

[leatherface]

Rant aside, I'll just stick to my OG copy of the album, no interest in this reissue whatsoever (or the artwork, yick.)

[Carnage]

Shite artwork alright. Is there any new material on the reissue?

He comes across as being bitter that he's not cashing in himself TBH.

[The Great Cull]

Shite artwork for sure. Bullshit concept too for the reissue but having Johnny Kelly on the art and not Sal is indeed bullshit. I recall seeing a Metallica, Black album anniversary shirt years ago that replaced Newsteds face with Trujillo... that revisionist shite is just bad form.

The drums on Bloody Kisses absolutely had a sound and groove that was a major component of the overall package. Sal was also a major presence in LOA.

He's a savage drummer but sadly it seems this rant is a combo of him having a few mental issues alongside there likely being some truth in some of it about people not playing ball with him. Sadly his mental state means nobody will give any aid to his woes.

[Pagan Saviour]

He's a savage drummer but sadly it seems this rant is a combo of him having a few mental issues alongside there likely being some truth in some of it about people not playing ball with him. Sadly his mental state means nobody will give any aid to his woes.

100% agreed. It does seem like he has a few serious points. But I doubt LOA have the clout to sabotage anyones career.

[open face surgery]

Absolute bollocks to have Johnny Kelly there rather than the actual musician playing. Don't understand why Johnny Kelly would want that either.

[ldj]

Went on a bit of a Type O binge there last week, pretty much all of their stuff still holds up, surprisingly enjoyed Dead Again quite a lot too.

Interestingly , Sal has actually 'played' on more Type O albums than Kelly, they used drum machines for most of the albums after Bloody Kisses, and only returned to real drums for Dead Again.

[Eoin McLove]

Dead Again is superb. I'll have to read the drama later.

[astfgyl]

I was listening to Carnivore earlier and neither of them were on it. Argument solved!

[ochoill]

Very odd having Kelly pictured on an album he wasn't playing on.  Never knew there was an issue with Abruscato prior to this either.  I read half the rant last night but fuck me it is chaotic, clearly they all have some issues with each other that need to be sorted.

Sal has a point with a lot of it, through the madness.  If it's the case that he's being sort of written out of TON's history with reissues etc, but it would be a shame to see it all pan out into litigation shit when it sounds like the handy resolution would be to recognise him for his part in the band and make sure he's getting whatever royalties are owed.  On the other side it is all such ranting shite it is hard to actually see the point and purpose of this other than to slate the lads for continuing to make anything off TON.  Reeks a bit of a lad being sore he missed the boat.

I don't exactly like it being run ragged for merch either and the comic book holds little interest for me - art collabs with the likes of Burton C Bell on it?  Outside of both being on Roadrunner at the same time is there much of a connection here? - but I've no issues with any of them doing box sets and re-releases.  I do think Sal should have a say or be given his fair share off any of the albums he's on getting the works but I imagine if he quit the band while on a contract in the 90s then there's something behind that too, since he claims he never saw anything off the old albums.

All that aside anyway his drums are great on the first three TON albums.  Apparently Steele was very specific on what way he wanted the drums to be on everything, which is why they moved to programming them after Sal left.  The only reason they ended up with live drums on Dead Again is because Steele was in such rag order at the time they could barely get him to jam (according to either Kelly or Hickey, I read an interview within the last year about it), and they basically dragged the riffs out of him and put the album together with a lot less of Steele's control than usual - so there was no getting him to write or program the drums like mid-era records.

[Ducky]

In the midst of a meltdown it seems. This is a plague associated with the internet age, and from a fan perspective it's shite to see this things play out in public,  but he's gone on a mad one against his ex band mates over a Type O reissue. (He does happen to be correct about the new artwork, it's gunk) but has issued a full 30 minute rant that airs all kinds of laundry and even manages to accuse Life Of Agony of sabotaging his current career.

I checked his Instagram and he's gone down the rabbit hole with this  stuff all recent posts dedicated to the same topic.


https://lambgoat.com/news/40827/original-type-o-negative-drummer-slams-bloody-kisses-anniversary-peter-is-rolling-in-his-grave/?fbclid=IwAR3c3POKgewQI3OMLOziz-5q07UeDmwrIwlwHxAo3wr2DDJSsZyRxp-6JUo

Insult to injury for Abruscato here - the link in the third paragraph to the article detailing the reissue credits Kelly as having drummed on BK. Fucking hell.

"Bloody Kisses was an instant classic paving the way to the music charts with the incredible vocals by the late Peter Steele, drums by Johnny Kelly, guitars by Kenny Hickey, with keyboards by Josh Silver."

[Ducky]

Double post.

[Circlepit]

Very odd having Kelly pictured on an album he wasn't playing on.  Never knew there was an issue with Abruscato prior to this either.  I read half the rant last night but fuck me it is chaotic, clearly they all have some issues with each other that need to be sorted.

Sal has a point with a lot of it, through the madness.  If it's the case that he's being sort of written out of TON's history with reissues etc, but it would be a shame to see it all pan out into litigation shit when it sounds like the handy resolution would be to recognise him for his part in the band and make sure he's getting whatever royalties are owed.  On the other side it is all such ranting shite it is hard to actually see the point and purpose of this other than to slate the lads for continuing to make anything off TON.  Reeks a bit of a lad being sore he missed the boat.

I don't exactly like it being run ragged for merch either and the comic book holds little interest for me - art collabs with the likes of Burton C Bell on it?  Outside of both being on Roadrunner at the same time is there much of a connection here? - but I've no issues with any of them doing box sets and re-releases.  I do think Sal should have a say or be given his fair share off any of the albums he's on getting the works but I imagine if he quit the band while on a contract in the 90s then there's something behind that too, since he claims he never saw anything off the old albums.

All that aside anyway his drums are great on the first three TON albums.  Apparently Steele was very specific on what way he wanted the drums to be on everything, which is why they moved to programming them after Sal left.  The only reason they ended up with live drums on Dead Again is because Steele was in such rag order at the time they could barely get him to jam (according to either Kelly or Hickey, I read an interview within the last year about it), and they basically dragged the riffs out of him and put the album together with a lot less of Steele's control than usual - so there was no getting him to write or program the drums like mid-era records.

When you say Steele was in rag order was it health issues or was it alcohol/drug issues?
Having JK credited for that album is bizarre and that artwork looks more like something for October Rust.
I always had an impression of that band being classy but this is a bit shit.
Having said that it's one fellas side of the story and the way it's told is bit wild so who knows.

[ochoill]

When you say Steele was in rag order was it health issues or was it alcohol/drug issues?
Having JK credited for that album is bizarre and that artwork looks more like something for October Rust.
I always had an impression of that band being classy but this is a bit shit.
Having said that it's one fellas side of the story and the way it's told is bit wild so who knows.

I can't find the exact interview but some of it is mentioned here, at Revolver, it was a combination of his health and drink, mostly.  The one I read before went a bit more into how Steele was writing riffs but not songs and they were able to sort of drag the album out of him.  All newer interviews mind so this may have a hint of revisionism about it again, in light of Sal's rant.

I would have had the same impression of them as being decent and have heard & read countless stories from people who met them all and said they were lovely.  Obviously Sal knows them more than a few fan stories too and it all seems very personal so there is likely something in his bizarre rant.
 They're a dead band going through a resurgence in popularity at the minute so I'd be surprised if we heard anything off the rest of the band here in return when they can keep their heads low and make some money.  Completely shitty to replace him off the credits, but I am curious how it ever came about like that.