BLACK SABBATH members Bill Ward (drums) and Geezer Butler (bass; also HEAVEN & HELL) have paid the following tributes to late TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman Peter Steele who died on the evening of April 14th from apparent heart failure at the age of 48:

Bill Ward: "The flamboyant ambassador of metal’s substratum is dead. I am diverted from my next indicated thing to do. I am compelled to pause and digress and re-listen to one of my all-time favourite bands, Type O Negative. I fall into memorable moments, to enhance my first discoveries of Peter Steele.

I don’t want to believe he’s died. I’ve felt in shock since the early morning sad news of today arrived. Peter Steele – a brilliant musician, songwriter, singer has died. His death is a tragedy and heartbreaking. His passing is an enormous loss to the Metal community and to music period.

In music, he challenged life itself in a poetic, prophetic, charismatic and extraordinarily insightful way. A world observer, a teller of tales, a renaissance man, a man from the future, a powerful force in today’s maladies and life challenges.

This man will not be forgotten. I raise my goblet of water and praise him. I thank him, and I burn candles and desire incense aromas to fill our house, now illuminated in his honour. Candles burning outside flicker, and the sea crashes onto the shore. We are still. We are in memory.

Peter, you will be celebrated forever."

Geezer Butler: "I was so saddened to hear of Pete Steele passing away. He truly was one of the nicest blokes I’ve ever met. He came to the first G//Z/R gig, in New York, showing his support for us. I last saw him in Copenhagen, on the Heaven & Hell tour, where he interviewed me for a bassist to bassist piece. We had lots of fun talking together. I always maintained that the best Sabbath cover was Type O’s version of 'Black Sabbath' on the Nativity In Black album. I always looked forward to hearing what he’d come out with- he was always surprising, musically, and such a very special person. One of the truly great ones has now left the stage. R.I. P. Pete- Bog Blast yea."