Type O Negative

**Type O Negative** was an American gothic/doom metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1989. They disbanded in 2010 after the death of vocalist and bassist Peter Steele. The band's final line-up was Peter Steele (bass, lead vocals), Kenny Hickey (guitar, co-lead vocals), Josh Silver (keyboards, backing vocals), and Johnny Kelly (drums, percussion). Their lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "the Drab Four" (in homage to the Beatles' "Fab Four" moniker).

### Origins (1989–1991)

Type O Negative was formed after Peter Steele's previous band Carnivore broke up. Steele formed a new band with childhood friends Sal Abruscato, Josh Silver, and Kenny Hickey. They initially named  the band Repulsion. This was changed to Sub-Zero, and then Type O Negative. Steele was still tied to the multi-album contract he made with Roadrunner Records. After they received a demo, None More Negative, from Type O Negative (then known as Repulsion), they chose not to drop Steele. The band was signed to the label in 1991. Shortly after, they re-released the demo as their debut studio album _Slow, Deep and Hard_.

### _Slow, Deep and Hard_ and _The Origin of the Feces_ (1991–1992)

Type O Negative's first album, _Slow, Deep and Hard_, combined Black Sabbath-esque riffs with elements of hardcore punk, industrial and gothic rock. The songs were long, multi-part theatrical epics. It was a semi-concept album of a man who takes revenge on a cheating girlfriend. The man then rethinks his actions and ends up commiting suicide.

This was followed by _The Origin of the Feces_ on May 12, 1992. It's a faux-live album. It had a warning label on its cover that stated "Not Live at Brighton Beach". The album is mostly a re-recording of _Slow, Deep and Hard_, but with different song titles. It also includes a few original tracks songs as "Are You Afraid" and "Hey Pete" (a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" with altered lyrics). A cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" was also included on the 1994 reissue of the album.

### _Bloody Kisses_ and _October Rust_ (1993–1998)

Type O Negative's third studio album, _Bloody Kisses_, was released in 1993. It saw critical and listener acclaim. It was Roadrunner's first record to get certified gold status in the US. The album's success put a lot of pressure on the band. Monte Conner, who at the time was Vice President of A&R at Roadrunner, said in a 2018 interview with Revolver Magazine, "There was a lot of pressure for him to take the band to the next level, but he didn't want to quit his job... There was a point where it looked like the band might break up."

_Bloody Kisses_ has lyrics of loneliness and heartbreak in songs like "Too Late: Frozen", "Blood & Fire" and "Can't Lose You". The organ-driven "Set Me on Fire" is based on garage rock of the 1960s. "Summer Breeze" is a cover of the 1972 Seals and Crofts hit. "Christian Woman" and "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)" became the most popular tracks, after having been edited down to radio-friendly lengths (the album versions were 9 and 11 minutes long respectively). In order to promote the album, Type O Negative went on a two-year world tour. During this time, the band was featured on MTV, VH1, and in _Rolling Stone_. In the midst of this, drummer Sal Abruscato left and joiend Life of Agony. The band's drum technician, Johnny Kelly, then became a full-fledged member. _Bloody Kisses_ was re-released a year later in a limited-edition Digipak form. It included eight tracks and a new song "Suspended in Dusk", but removed the "filler" tracks.

_October Rust_ picked up where _Bloody Kisses_ left off. It explores themes of sex, nature and sensuality. First in a humorous sense on the single "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" and then taken much darker with "Love You to Death". This record also had a cover of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl". It also has the fan favorite "Green Man". While not quite as successful as _Bloody Kisses_, the album was certified gold in the US. It was also the first Type O Negative album to enter the top half of the Billboard Top 200, debuting at No. 42.

### _World Coming Down_ and _The Least Worst of Type O Negative_ (1999–2001)

After the completion of another world tour, the band started on a fifth album. Its working titles were _Prophets of Doom_ and _Aggroculture_. The end result was 1999's _World Coming Down_, which debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. _World Coming Down_ was darker and bleaker than its predecessors. It was written after a series of deaths in Peter Steele's family.

A best of album followed in 2000. It was titled _The Least Worst of Type O Negative._ Although most songs are from previous albums, some are unreleased remixes or B-sides of previously released singles. Along with these songs are some unreleased tracks from the _World Coming Down_ sessions, the band's cover of "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath, and a cleaner version of "Hey Pete" (originally released on the mock live album _The Origin of the Feces_).

### _Life Is Killing Me_ and _Dead Again_ (2002–2009)

Type O Negative's sixth album, _Life Is Killing Me_, was released on June 17, 2003. The song lengths are much shorter on this outing. The longest is the 7 and a half-minute "How Could She?", a list of female character names from television shows. The album includes a humorous cover of the song "Angry Inch" from the musical _Hedwig and the Angry Inch._ It details a sex change operation gone terribly wrong. Type O Negative left Roadrunner after the album's release. They had fulfilled their contract with the label.

Type O Negative signed to SPV/Steamhammer in June of 2004. Their only album on the label, _Dead Again_, was released in 2007. _Dead Again_ debuted at No. 27 in the United States, the band's highest chart debut to date. They also continued to tour through October of that year. This included a performance at the Rock am Ring festival in Germany.

### Peter Steele's death, the end of Type O Negative and aftermath (2010–present)

On April 14, 2010, vocalist and bassist Peter Steele died. It was reportedly due to heart failure. The cause of death was later reported to be sepsis, caused by diverticulitis. The following statement was released April 15 on the band's official website:

In a November 2010 interview with _Rock Hard_ magazine, Johnny Kelly and Kenny Hickey confirmed that Type O Negative had split up.

Roadrunner Records released a box set of all the band's albums (with the exception of _Dead Again_) for Back to Black Friday 2011, a spinoff of Record Store Day, on November 25, 2011. Each vinyl cover has no text. _The Origin of the Feces_ uses its original cover art.  A sticker sheet with six mini bumper stickers was also included.

In a June 2023 interview with _Loaded Radio_, Hickey was asked about the future of Type O Negative. He said that he was against the idea of continuing the band with a new vocalist, noting, "People have approached us to try and reform the band with a singer and go on the road...We personally don't think Peter is replaceable by anyone and it just wouldn't work." He did, however, mention that he would not be against the idea of some kind of tribute show with guest musicians saying "If somebody had the idea and got it together and got the logistics together, sure – I would be into that."

## Band members

**Final lineup**
- Peter Steele – bass, lead vocals, keyboards, guitars <small>(1989–2010; his death)</small>
- Kenny Hickey – guitars, backing and additional co-lead vocals <small>(1989–2010)</small>
- Josh Silver – keyboards, piano, effects, synthesizers, programming, sampler, backing vocals <small>(1989–2010)</small>
- Johnny Kelly – drums, percussion, backing vocals <small>(1993–2010)</small>

**Previous members**
- Sal Abruscato – drums, percussion <small>(1989–1993)</small>

**Touring**
- Scott Warren – keyboards <small>(2009)</small>

## Albums

- Slow, Deep and Hard (1991)
- The Origin Of The Feces (1992)
- Bloody Kisses (1993)
- October Rust (1996)
- World Coming Down (1999)
- Life Is Killing Me (2003)
- Dead Again (2007)

## Other websites

- The Official Type O Negative Website

## Infobox (musical artist)

- **name**: Type O Negative
- **img**: Type O Negative in performance (Columbiahalle, Berlin - 15 June 2007).jpg
- **img capt**: Type O Negative performing at Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany in 2007
- **img size**: 250
- **landscape**: Yes
- **background**: group_or_band
- **origin**: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States, U.S.
- **years active**: 1989–2010
- **associated acts**: Carnivore (band), Carnivore
Danzig (band), Danzig
Seventh Void
Fallout (band), Fallout
Life of Agony
Pist.On
A Pale Horse Named Death
- **past members**: Josh Sliver
Kenny Hickey
Johnny Kelly
Peter Steele
Sal Abruscato