Peter Steele

Peter Steele (1962 – 2010) is best known as singer, bassist, songwriter, and creative mastermind of the Platinum-certified goth metal band Type O Negative, previously having fronted the New York band Carnivore. He is the subject of Soul On Fire: The Life and Music of Peter Steele, an in-depth biography written by journalist Jeff Wagner.

While his stage persona was a sarcastically-serious goth-parody of a rock star, in his personal life, Steele was a mellow, likable man who suffered broken hearts, survived a suicide attempt, battled depression & bipolar disorder, and had a persistent cocaine habit. He also stood out in a crowd (literally) due to his height (6' 8'‘) and had a chiseled, statuesque body that landed him on the cover (and as the centerfold) of Playgirl in 1995.

Former VP of A&R at Roadrunner Records Monte Conner described him as follows:

Pete didn’t want to be in a nationally touring band. He liked being at home. He liked his routine and he really liked working for the Parks Department, so it was a pretty big thing for him to quit. Pete was like the Jolly Green Giant. You can picture him going through the park doing his thing, saying hello to all the old ladies and probably bringing bagels for the homeless. He was a larger than life character to a lot of people, from his co-workers to the various vagrants in the park.

Steele passed away at the age of 48 from an aortic aneurysm.