Wikipedia

Type O Negative

American gothic/doom metal band
For the O negative blood type, see Blood type.

Type O Negative was an American gothic/doom metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1989.[1][2] 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"[3] (in homage to the Beatles' "Fab Four" moniker).[4]

Type O Negative
Type O Negative performing at Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany in 2007
Type O Negative performing at Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany in 2007
Background information
Also known as
  • Repulsion (1989–1991)
  • Sub-Zero (1991)
OriginBrooklyn, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active1989–2010
Labels
Spinoffs
Spinoff of
Past member(s)Josh Sliver
Kenny Hickey
Johnny Kelly
Peter Steele
Sal Abruscato
Websitewww.typeonegative.net

History

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Origins (1989–1991)

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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.[5] 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),[6] 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.[7]

Slow, Deep and Hard and The Origin of the Feces (1991–1992)

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Type O Negative's first album, Slow, Deep and Hard,[8] 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".[9] 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)

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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.[10] 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."[11]

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[12] 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)

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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.[13][14][15] It was written after a series of deaths in Peter Steele's family.[16]

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)

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Type O Negative's sixth album, Life Is Killing Me, was released on June 17, 2003.[17] 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.[18] Their only album on the label, Dead Again, was released in 2007. Dead Again debuted at No. 27 in the United States,[19] 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.[20]

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

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On April 14, 2010, vocalist and bassist Peter Steele died. It was reportedly due to heart failure.[21] The cause of death was later reported to be sepsis, caused by diverticulitis.[22] The following statement was released April 15 on the band's official website:[23]

“ It is with great sadness that we inform you that Type O Negative front man, bassist, and our band mate, Peter Steele passed away last night of what appears to be heart failure. Ironically Peter had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music for our follow up to "Dead Again" released in 2007.

The official cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results. The funeral services will be private and memorial services will be announced at a future date. We'd like to share our thoughts and those of Peter's family below. We are truly saddened to lose our friend and appreciate the tremendous outpouring today from around the world.

Sincerely,
Josh, Kenny and Johnny

”

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.[24]

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

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Final lineup

  • Peter Steele – bass, lead vocals, keyboards, guitars (1989–2010; his death)
  • Kenny Hickey – guitars, backing and additional co-lead vocals[25] (1989–2010)
  • Josh Silver – keyboards, piano, effects, synthesizers, programming, sampler, backing vocals (1989–2010)
  • Johnny Kelly – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1993–2010)

Previous members

Touring

Albums

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References

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  1. ↑ "Peter Steele, of Heavy Metal Band Type O Negative, Dies at 48". The New York Times. April 20, 2010. p. B10. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  2. ↑ Jenkins, Mark (October 22, 1999). "TYPE O NEGATIVE 'World Coming Down'". The Washington Post. ...the Brooklyn goth-metal band shows some unexpected warmth...
  3. ↑ Martin, Dan (March 16, 2007). "Type O Negative: Dead Again". NME. Retrieved August 28, 2012. Brooklyn's Type O Negative, or 'The Drab Four' as they're probably known to their friends...
  4. ↑ King, Jackie Lee (April 9, 2007). "Type O Negative at Metro Chicago". Unratedmagazine.com. Retrieved August 28, 2012. ...while referring to themselves as the Drab Four (in homage to Beatles.)
  5. ↑ Hobsonpublished, Rich (2021-12-24). "How Type O Negative became the ultimate goth metal icons". loudersound. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  6. ↑ Teitelman, Bram (April 14, 2020). "Everything Dies: On The Tenth Anniversary of Peter Steele's Death". Metal Insider. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  7. ↑ Stingley, Mick (April 15, 2010). "Type O Negative Frontman Peter Steele Dies". Billboard.com. Retrieved April 22, 2013. Their first release, 'Slow, Deep And Hard' (1991, RoadRunner) was notable for both its long dirges and thrash breaks, and dark, humorous lyrics.
  8. ↑ "Yahoo Music - Exclusive New Music and Music Videos". Music.yahoo.com. April 20, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Type O Negative - The Origin of the Feces (Not Live at Brighton Beach) - Reviews - Encyclopaedia Metallum". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (April 15, 2010). "Type O Negative Singer Peter Steele Dead at 48". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved August 27, 2012. Type O Negative became one of the most unlikely bands to break into the mainstream in the 1990s with their third album Bloody Kisses, which became the first album released by Roadrunner Records to go platinum.
  11. ↑ "Why Type O Negative's 'Bloody Kisses' "Sounds Like Nothing Before and Nothing After"". Revolver. 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2022-03-03.
  12. ↑ "Type O Negative flows into central Iowa - Iowa State Daily: Home". Iowa State Daily. February 4, 1997. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Remembering World Coming Down: The Fall of Type O Negative". Metalsucks.net. September 22, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Type O Negative - World Coming Down (album review 3)". Sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Retrospective: Type O Negative – "World Coming Down"". Ninecircles.co. September 30, 2015.
  16. ↑ "# TYPE O NEGATIVE # Interview with... Peter [wywiad] #". Typeonegative.rockmetal.art.pl. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  17. ↑ Wiederhorn, Jon (April 15, 2010). "Peter Steele Of Type O Negative: A Remembrance, Frontman's dark image belied his friendly, humorous personality". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2012. In 2003, Type O Negative released what turned out to be their penultimate album, Life Is Killing Me.
  18. ↑ Blabbermouth (2004-06-16). "It's Official: TYPE O NEGATIVE Sign With SPV/STEAMHAMMER RECORDS". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  19. ↑ "Type O Negative Billboard Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Type O Negative - Rock am Ring 2007". ARD Mediathek (in German). September 15, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Peter Steele, 48, Singer and Bassist". The New York Times. April 20, 2010. p. B10. Peter Steele, the singer, bassist and chief songwriter for the heavy metal band Type O Negative, died on Wednesday. He was 48. His death was announced on the band's Web site (typeonegative.net). The announcement said that the cause had not yet been officially determined but appeared to be heart failure
  22. ↑ "My Cousin The Rock Star". Talkhouse.com. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Type O Negative' Official Computer Email Page". Typeonegative.net. April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Official Record Store Day Website". Recordstoreday.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Type O Negative - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.

Other websites

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