The rumors have been confirmed. On Wednesday, April 14th, Peter Steele passed away from heart failure at age 48. Peter was the lead singer and bassist for Type O Negative, a heavy metal band -- one of very few I have ever listened to.

My favorite album was "Bloody Kisses", which was released in 1993, but I didn't discover it until a couple years later. The 90's were my dark decade and where I first became enamored with vampires and their lore. The album, and especially the title track, "Bloody Kisses", exemplified dark, goth, vampiric emotions. It is a great album to have in the background when writing.

"Black No. 1" also has a very special place in my heart, as it is the song that played the first time Michelle and I ever danced together.

Here's to you, Peter.