A Taste:

Led Zeppelin, Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden

When Seventh Void drum extraordinaire Johnny Kelly whips out his iPod the first thing that plays is quite surprising. No, it’s not Venom, Black Sabbath or Metallica. It’s an episode of The Odd Couple.

“The Odd Couple is the last thing that was playing on my iPod,” laughs Johnny. “I was watching it on the plane to L.A. How awesome is that?”

Really, how metal is that?

Kenny Hickey and Johnny have been playing together in Type O Negative almost as long as Felix and Oscar have been making mischief in T.V. Land. However, with Seventh Void, Johnny and Kelly made some of their best music yet. On Seventh Void’s epic debut, Heaven Is Gone, they channel classic rock more than anything else. Nodding to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and even The Beatles, the album shows Johnny and Kenny’s knack for melody and love for a good old fashioned groove.

Their playlists also display that love for all things timeless in rock n’ roll. Kenny and Johnny each gave us a gander at their iPods in this exclusive feature. Check out what they’re spinning below.

Kenny Hickey’s Playlist:

1. Led Zeppelin — Physical Graffiti

“I’ve been listening to Physical Graffiti because we’re going to start writing the next record and I need to rip the songs off [Laughs]. I start with Zeppelin. I’ll go from Physical Graffiti to Sabotage and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.”

2. Black Sabbath — Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

3. Black Sabbath — Sabotage

4. Soundgarden

“Of course our intention was to do something fun with Seventh Void. I feel like we embraced our influences—Zeppelin, Sabbath, AC/DC, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains.”

5. Alice In Chains

6. AC/DC

7. Seventh Void — Heaven Is Gone

“There’s a funny story behind our album title. I had a friend who died on the operating table and was revived. He was religious. So when he was recovering, I said, ‘Bro, did you see the light at the end of the tunnel?’ He yelled, ‘No, it’s all a lie!’ He was really pissed off [Laughs]. That’s where we got the title, Heaven Is Gone.”

8. Type O Negative

“Our whole Type O Negative story would be a bestseller if we ever wrote a book. We basically hire outpatients to work for us just for entertainment value [Laughs]. We make the circus. That’s how we have fun. It’s an insane life. As we get older, we get odder. It’s getting worse [Laughs]. When I tour with other bands like Kingdom of Sorrow, I even bring the same nuts with me.”

Johnny Kelly’s Playlist:

1. Aerosmith

“I got on an Aerosmith kick recently. We had something that we had to do in Boston last weekend, so we drove up from New York. I sat in the car for four and a half hours by myself, and I was listening to a ton of Aerosmith. Since I was going to Boston I felt obligated. When in Rome…listen to Aerosmith [Laughs].”

2. The Beatles — Help!

3. Led Zeppelin — III

“I’ve got a Zeppelin tattoo on my arm!”

4. Led Zeppelin —IV

5. Shinedown

6. Elton John

7. Kings of Leon — Because of the Times

8. The Beach Boys — Pet Sounds

9. Alice In Chains — Facelift

10. Type O Negative

“Think of Type O like this…Put 12 guys in a bus together, add alcohol, idiosyncracies and it really makes for an incredible experience—both good and bad. It’s always memorable. Now that I’m older, I appreciate it more! When you go home, you have your family and you have to be a responsible adult. The minute you set foot on that bus, it’s a rolling mad house. It’s insane! I don’t want it to stop ever.”

—Rick Florino
05.01.09