Peter Steele

American musician Peter Steele was born in New York City. He's mostly known for his work as the lead vocalist, bassist and composer of gothic metal band Type O Negative. His interest in music started at an early age, and he started taking guitar lessons at age 12. Steele formed his first band in 1979, but it split only three years later. He released two albums with his next band, Carnivore, but would only reach success with his third project, Type O Negative. Their debut album, "Slow, Deep and Hard" (1991), has the music written by Steele in just one night, and it delved in dark topics such as heartbreak, revenge and suicide. The musician would prove a controversial figure throughout most of his career, but would often incorporate the criticism he received into his musical endeavors, like in the band's second and third albums, "The Origin of the Feces" (1992) and "Bloody Kisses" (1993). He explored themes of addiction, death, his experiences in a psychiatric hospital and his political beliefs in subsequent works over the late 1990s, with "October Rust" (1996) and "World Coming Down" (1990). Throughout the 2000s, the themes of his songs would remain dark, but also often tongue-in-cheek about his own experiences. "Dead Again" (2007), the band's last album, would also be less melancholic than the rest, according to Steele himself. He has made appearances in "Oz" (HBO, 1997-2003) and the films "Dirtbags (Armpit of Metal)" (2003) and "Bad Acid" (2005), as well as in a variety of talk shows. Additionally, he was one of the many musicians featured in the documentary "Living the American Nightmare" (2011). Steele passed away in 2010, at the age of 48, which also marked the end of Type O Negative, although his influence in music still remains.