Type O Negative has been a band that has acquired a prominent and respectable status in the Goth metal culture. This Rock n’ Roll Tragedy story is based on Peter Steele, lead singer of Type-O-Negative that gave us so much to relate to. The band’s emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname ‘The Drab Four’ in homage to The Beatles ‘Fab Four’ moniker. April 14, 2010 marked the day of Peter Steele’s death.

Steele was born as Petrus T. Ratajczyk in New York on January 4, 1962. He was the youngest of six siblings. He was of Polish, Icelandic, Scottish and Russian heritage. He stood at 6 feet 8 inches tall. Before Steele began touring with Type O Negative, he worked for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, where his job included driving garbage trucks and steamrollers, and often spoke of it later in his life that his happiest days were when he picked up garbage. Steele was known for his rich baritone vocals, and a dark sense of humour.

Following the release of their second album, Carnivore went on a hiatus. Two years later, Steele recruited long time friend, Sal

Abruscato. Soon Silver was convinced to join, with fellow childhood friend Kenny Hickey following suit. They originally named themselves Repulsion and Sub-Zero, but realised Sub-Zero had already been taken. Since the band already had ‘O’ negative tattoos for Sub-Zero, they decided to name the band ‘Type O Negative’. The band released a demo, which caught the attention of Road Racer Records which later became Roadrunner Records. Roadrunner signed them to a five-album record deal, and in 1991 the band released their debut album, Slow Deep and Hard.

Initially produced under the working title ‘None More Negative’, Slow Deep and Hard had songs with lyrical topics ranging from heartbreak to getting revenge on a cheating lover, and even contemplating suicide. After an unsuccessful tour following the album’s release Roadrunner Records held Type O Negative to a contractual obligation of recording a live album. With the money they received from the label to facilitate the recording of the album, the band instead used it to buy cheap vodka, and re-recorded their debut in Silver’s basement. They later dubbed in live noises, and improvised a fake fight between the band and the hostile crowd. Entitled ‘The Origin of the Feces’, a warning label was put on the album cover: ‘Not Live at Brighton Beach.’ The cover was also controversial, as it originally depicted a man’s anus (believed to be Steele) being spread by his hands, until later copies featured a different cover depicting skeletons.

Type O Negative’s second album, Bloody Kisses, was released in 1993. It gained much critical and listeners’ acclaim, and eventually became the first record for Roadrunner to reach certified Platinum status in the US. Steele, by now, had a signature action during concerts of playing bass with a large chain instead of a normal guitar strap.

The unexpected success of Bloody Kisses brought on the pressure of recording a successor. The record label began pressuring Steele and company to write even more commercial-friendly songs. The band tried to strike a balance between the commercial and the creative, and the result was 1996’s October Rust. Picking up where Bloody Kisses left off, this album continued to explore themes of sex and sensuality, explored in a humorous sense on the single ‘My Girlfriend’s Girlfriend’. This record also saw a cover of Neil Young’s ‘Cinnamon Girl’. While not quite as successful as Bloody Kisses, it was the first Type O Negative album to enter the top half of the Billboard Top 200, debuting at No. 42.

The next album, World Coming Down (1999) focused on death, drug addiction, depression, and suicide. Songs such as ‘Everyone I Love is Dead’ and ‘Everything Dies’ were reflections of Steele’s mindset at the time as there had been a number of deaths in the family. It debuted at # 39 on the Billboard Top 200 charts.

Their sixth studio album, Life is Killing Me was released in 2003. The band’s classic elements of melody was much felt in the album, and it also saw them return to their trademark humour that had been absent on their previous album.
After the album was released, Steele spent a brief time in prison for narcotics possession and endured a stint in drug rehabilitation. The band soon split from Roadrunner Records upon a better offer from SPV Records and released Dead Again in March 2007. The album debuted at # 27 in the US; the band’s highest chart debut to date.

In the midst of all this there were unconfirmed rumours of Steele’s death after the band website posted an image of a tombstone bearing his name and the dates 1962-2005. Steele was not dead; the gag was related to their fresh signing with SPV Records. The website discontinued the tombstone picture in October 2005. The band’s last album Dead Again, was again a mirror to Steel’s current emotional state. His mother had recently died, he had gone through rehab for substance abuse and his personal life was in shambles.

Despite all his problems Steele did not give up, he re-formed Carnivore and hoped to release a new album with them, as well as another Type O Negative record.
By this time he also had a new motivation, which he discovered after his mother’s death, Steele had become religious. In April 2007 after decades of self-professed atheism he regained his faith in God.
On April 14, 2010 Peter Steele succumbed to death of heart failure, he was just 48. Prior to his death, Steele had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music.

His personal life is largely a mystery. Steele was complex and contradictory. He was articulate, well read and intelligent. He was friendly, funny and had a reputation for being generous to his longtime bandmates and kind to the bands he toured with. Though he was obsessed with mortality and prone to depression, on several occasions, he was very forthright about his battles with alcohol and cocaine and chastised himself about his lack of self-discipline. He loved to make people laugh and he masked his pain with his morbid sense of humour. Steele made a joke out of his misery. His contribution to Metal has been immense and his music is something everyone can relate to. He shall be missed.