Type O Negative was an American gothic metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1989, by Peter Steele (lead vocals, bass), Kenny Hickey (guitar, co-lead vocals), Josh Silver (keyboards, backing vocals), and Sal Abruscato (drums, percussion), who was later replaced by Johnny Kelly. 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). The band went platinum with 1993's Bloody Kisses, and gold with 1996's October Rust, and gained a fanbase through seven studio albums, two best-of compilations, and concert DVDs.
Steele died on April 14, 2010, at the age of 48; some sources report the cause of death as heart failure brought on by an aortic aneurysm, while others list sepsis caused by diverticulitis. Hickey and Kelly stated in a November 2010 interview with French music magazine Rock Hard that Type O Negative had broken up following Steele's death.