My previous post was an attempt at pointing to a group psychology behind the goth subculture. This post, on the other hand, is simply to show you my psychology as a goth -- what makes me tick, the things I find interesting, my likes and dislikes, etc. The reason for this being, like I mentioned in my previous post, that goth is highly individualistic and therefore the psychology can be radically different from goth to goth. Note that not all of these things deal with being a goth, some of them just deal with me, since this doubles as a miniature autobiography.
There are some people out there who define themselves by different goth sub-types -- visit http://www.blackwaterfall.com/viewall.php to see a list -- I prefer to think of myself as a plain old goth. If you went through the "goth" folder on my mp3 player, you'd find Bauhaus, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Astrovamps, Fear Cult, The Cruxshadows, and a lot of others. But I don't just limit myself to one or two particular sub-genres of goth music, I listen to what I enjoy, even if it's not -- *gasp* -- goth music. I might be listening to some classical piece then switch to hip-hop, goth, industrial, techno, punk, ska, reggae, jazz or whatever...rarely ever country, though, I find it highly depressing.
I do wear black eyeshadow/eyeliner and lipstick from time to time, but most times I'm too lazy to put it on before I leave to go somewhere. In my perspective, the appearance doesn't make the goth, it's the opposite way around, which I imagine is why some people have felt the need to divide goth into different sub-types. I also feel that goth isn't something a person just chooses to be -- you can't just say "I'm a goth" and instantly be one. There's definitely a mindset behind goth, and for me, at least, there's a deep and profound philosophical nature to it that's difficult to put into words without writing a book on the subject -- which I may or may not attempt to do at some point in the near future.
As far as fashion goes, my clothes are mostly black, but I also have a red shirt, a white one and a blue one. My pants are all black as a matter of personal choice -- I think blue jeans and tan colored khakis look absolutely ridiculous, at least on me. I do own a black leather trench coat, which I got for free from a previous neighbor who was simply throwing it out.
Despite a popular stereotype about goths, I'm not a Satanist. Actually, I'm not religious at all. I don't believe in any gods (including "Satan/Lucifer"), the supernatural or the paranormal, however those subjects do fascinate me -- especially the darker stuff that most people label as "satanic" or "occult". Although, I may practice "theatrical satanism", which is basically just satirizing the aforementioned stereotype. I'm also not a violent person, although if you were to read any of my works of fiction, you would swear I'm criminally insane -- I'm not though. My writing is my way of dealing with a lot of the unnecessary stresses that I get put through. I have Bipolar II Disorder, and I live with my sister, uncle, and nephew; the uncle has a tendency to rant at me about petty stuff and often pushes me to the verge of a nervous breakdown, which is where a lot of my more gruesome writings come from. A lot of my writing influences come from the works of the Romantic poets/writers -- i.e. Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, Edgar Allan Poe -- so a lot of my poetry, song lyrics, or short fiction tends to be on the dark side, sometimes with elements of the supernatural, other times it could be considered psychological horror/thriller type stuff.
I love coffee, especially dark roast -- even more especially, Italian roast. I'm a cynic and a misanthrope [1]. I am chivalrous, and a romantic. Whenever I'm in a relationship, I'm committed, almost to a fault -- some might say worthy of being committed to an insane asylum, but hey, they don't call it "madly in love" for nothing. I have a tendency to be sarcastic, and my sense of humor can at times be dark (see the above "madly in love" comment for an example). I also love to laugh at myself, and at other people. I can point out the beauty in what you might consider grotesque or morbid. I love who I am and wouldn't change myself for anything.
My favorite color is black, at least until they come up with a darker color. My other favorites are blood red, blue, neon green, and silver. My favorite writer is Edgar Allan Poe. I'm currently in the process of reading "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson. I enjoy cemeteries, although I haven't been to one in ages. One of my favorite bands is Bella Morte. I often have dreams about video games, and being tied to a bed and willingly violated by a significant other, which I currently do not have.
I've walked around White Oaks Mall for an hour wearing glitter makeup and a tiara, which was on a dare for ten minutes, the remaining fifty minutes was simply for the hell of it. I paint my nails, black. If you're a woman, single and still reading this, I want to get to know you. Why? Because I love the fact that you've made it this far. Congratulations! *Throws confetti.*
I'm a complete goofball, I love it, and I'm pretty sure you will too. I act like a 10-year-old sometimes, simply because it's fun. I view life as a brief moment in time, so I enjoy it while I can, because for all I know it could end tomorrow, or tonight for that matter. Death is just a natural part of life, like breathing. Everything that lives dies in time, so why would I want to spend that time feeling like I have to "act my age"...I don't have to act my age all the time, but I do have to act like me. Honestly, I'm surprisingly mature for my age. At age sixteen, a large majority of my friends were 30+ years old, and we'd sit around and talk about politics, philosophy, literature, history, religion, a whole bunch of stuff, really.
I grew up going to a private Christian school, which sucked. I was adopted, and the only man I've ever called "dad" died when I was 6 years old. My mom and I moved around a lot when I was a kid, first to a small town called Roodhouse (Illinois) when I was 8, then back to my hometown (Springfield, Illinois). When I was 12 we moved to Chicago, where we lived for a year. At age 13, we moved to a small town 15 miles south of Springfield called Divernon, where we lived for 2 years. I'm not kidding when I say "small", everyone knew everyone, and you pretty much couldn't do anything without the whole town knowing about it.
At 15, we moved back into Springfield proper, and I started up my sophomore year of high school at Springfield Southeast High School, where I ended up falling deeply in love with a girl who I had no initial attraction to whatsoever. I dropped out of high school my junior year because of a really bad breakup. I went back to school -- a different school, mind you -- about a year later and dropped out again because I got sick of reviewing instead of actually learning. I mean, when you're 16 years old and schooling your English Lit teacher on the Classics -- i.e. "Paradise Lost" by John Milton -- then you know you have good reason to quit. I subsequently got my GED, which I scored the highest possible score in each subject (12.9) except math, which was a 12.7.
At age 17, a month or so before my birthday, my mom kicked me out of the house for smoking pot, which I no longer use, but have no issue with those who do. At age 19, due to desperation, I decided to try and enlist for the US Army. I scored 85 on the ASVAB, just 14 points shy of a perfect score. I didn't go through with it, though -- decided my life was more important than an income. At age 20, I became homeless and started living on the street. At age 21 I was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder, and began going to a psychosocial rehabilitation facility known as The West Lake Center, which was fun until it got closed down due to lack of funding. At age 22 I moved back in with my mom and her husband until she eventually lost her job and had to move to Ohio to stay with her brother, and I ended up moving in with my sister, uncle, and nephew, and I've been there ever since. My mom and step-father have since moved back to Springfield, but unfortunately I can't move in with them due to lack of an income which their apartment complex requires of anyone over 18, and the fact that I can't get along with my step-father for extended periods of time.
That's me, in a nutshell. Obviously there's more than just this, but I figure if you've made it this far, you might actually be willing to get to know me. *Gasp!*
As you can tell, this is a whole bunch of randomly ordered stuff, which is due to the fact that I'm just writing it as it pops into my head.
Oh, and one more thing, I LOVE horror movies. Not "Saw" though, that was a terrible excuse for horror.
1. Misanthrope [noun] - "a person who does not like other people", also "a person who hates or distrusts humankind" (Merriam-Webster)
Monday, November 11, 2013
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Goth: A Group Psychology
First and foremost, goths are individualistic, and as such there exists no universally accepted definition of what goth is, or what makes a person goth. The definition I will be supplying is by no means an elitist definition, simply my opinion on what separates me (goths) from mainstream society. Also, this is not a definition to be used to make claims that a person is, or is not, goth. My previous post introduced you to the history of the goth subculture, but what I will be introducing to you here is, from my perspective, a psychology behind it. So, what is goth? This is a question that is highly difficult to answer. It is not only complicated, but the definition varies between each goth. It would be impossible to even attempt at creating a universally accepted definition - one which would be agreed upon by each goth. Therefore, I will be offering you my perspective as a goth. Note that there are some parts where I refer to the goth subculture as a whole, please do not mistake this as meaning that I feel I'm some authority on the subject of what makes goths tick, I'm not -- I don't think anyone is.
It is unfortunate that we live in a society which often divides people for various reasons, whether by political preference, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I choose to divide ourselves from society, and for good reason: Society is royally screwed up. Aside from choosing to separate myself from society, I'm also social outcasts to a degree. Imagine the looks you would receive if you walked through your local shopping mall wearing predominately black clothing, black makeup, and maybe a spiked collar or a couple of spiked wristbands. Imagine what the people passing you by would be thinking. Some would see beauty, others would be disgusted, thinking you mentally disturbed in some manner. What do you think when you see someone dressed like that out in public? Do you judge them as being depressed? Looking for attention? If so, read on and discover how truly wrong you would be.
Due to the fact that we're often belittled and berated by others due to the way we look, we tend to be more receptive of others. If you're curious about the reasons why a certain person is goth, don't feel frightened by our appearance, because chances are, if you ask, we'll answer. Some of us may come off a bit snide at first, but if you genuinely make an effort to get to know us, you'll discover that we're not all that different from "normal" people. We're not the devil worshippers that are constantly depressed as mainstream society has a tendency to believe. The fact is that we laugh, smile, love, cry, and get angry just like everyone else. The difference is that where the "normal" person holds in those "negative" emotions until they're alone, or around a trusted confidant, we let ours show regardless of who's around. Yes, there are those among us who fit the stereotypes, but those "mopey" goths are extremely small in number compared to the rest of us.
Goth is more than just fashion and music for me. In my opinion what makes a person a goth has less to do with their appearance than it does with their mind. Goth is a way of thinking. To demonstrate this a bit better, take a cemetery for example. When you go to a cemetery, what do you see? Obviously you see headstones, maybe a mausoleum, grass, trees, and maybe flowers. Look deeper than that. What do you see? Well, if you took me literally, you'd see corpses, but that's not what I was getting at. If you were to walk down the aisles, looking at the ages on each gravestone, chances are you would see something that causes you sadness, and rightly so. Do you know what a goth sees?
If I were to walk into a cemetery, I would see the beautiful artwork in the gravestones, and the history. Deeper than that, I would see that death waits for nothing. It doesn't wait for you to grow old, to live a full and happy life; it doesn't wait for you to fall in love; it just comes, which for some is sooner than others. But, beyond that, there is the reminder to live, to remember that each moment of each day is a truly precious thing. Even more, I've accepted the fact that some day I will die, although the precise "when" is unknown. Goth is, for me, a "memento mori" way of life, and way of thinking.
Goth, as a whole, isn't tied to any particular religion, political preference, sexuality, or gender. If you were to poll every goth on the planet, you would find a vast array of combinations of the above things. You'll find goths who are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Pagan, or some other belief; you'll find liberal and conservative goths; gay, straight, bisexual, asexual or even pansexual goths; and you'll find male, female, and androgynous goths.
There are those out there who claim that goth has no deep, profound philosophical aspect to it; or that it isn't a lifestyle or mindset. I would say that those people are wrong. The term "lifestyle" is generally defined as "the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture". On the individual level, goth can be more of a lifestyle than it is for the whole group. For example, some goths never leave the house without their makeup on, and perhaps a small coffin-shaped backpack to carry their cosmetics and other essentials. On the group level, it can still be considered a lifestyle -- at least as far as local scenes are concerned -- since many goths enjoy going to goth or industrial clubs, or clubs which cater to the goth/industrial scene on a given night.
In my opinion, goth is not something a person simply chooses to be, it is something you either are or are not; you can't just simply put on some black clothes, turn on some Bauhaus, and immediately become a goth. I don't mean this in the sense of it being something you're born as, although there is evidence to show that genetics does play some part in a person's personality. Usually, there is some major life event, such as the death of a loved one, or some sort of tragedy, which opens up their eyes to the darker side of life.
When I speak of the darker side of life, I'm not referring to something sinister or evil. Take the common euphemism of a person being "kept in the dark" on some secret, that is the same usage as you've seen above. Something is "in the dark" if it is hidden from view, whether it be physically, or metaphorically. Now, look at the entire range of human emotions and compare them to the amount of emotions which you see others openly express. Oftentimes people hide their fear, their sadness, anger, pain, etc. and instead opt for putting on a smile and pretending that everything is alright when they know damn well it isn't. When a goth says they live on the darker side of life, they're referring to the opposite of the status quo. We don't pretend - we won't pretend - like everything is fine if it isn't. If we smile, that smile is genuine; if we cry, our tears are genuine.
Often a way of life translates into a way of thinking. Which, in the case of the goth mindset, is simply this: our way of thinking brings about a different reaction to emotional and environmental stimuli than that of mainstream society. Whereas most people might cry at a funeral, focusing on the loss of a loved one, we're more likely to smile at the beauty of the roses, the craftsmanship of the casket or coffin, or the occasionally intricate artwork displayed on the gravestone. Some may see that smile and think we're happy that the dearly departed has died, but that's not it, at least not usually. We may be glad that the dearly departed has been released from a life that is as equally frought with pain as it is pleasure, that they are now free from this often cruel and unjust world in which we live, but that does not mean that we don't mourn the loss of loved ones. There is even more to this than just our reaction to certain emotional or environmental stimuli, it also involves the way in which we view a given subject.
We are people who look beyond the superficial. We're often intellectuals who spend a great deal of time in thought, and enjoy things that are thought provoking. Beauty exists in more than just life and love, it also exists in the grave; it can be found anywhere, if you look deep enough. Tragedy can also be found anywhere, not just in death, but in love. Consider the following quote by yours truly: "Love isn't always smiles and hugs; it is pain, heartbreak, sadness, loneliness, sorrow and despair; it is the bittersweet symphony of two souls who cannot bear to be apart. It is longing for someone so much that every moment away from that person feels like your heart is being repeatedly ripped from your chest and thrown into a blender turned on frappe. It is beautiful and hideous; it is comedy and tragedy; it is hopeful and hopeless; it is pleasure and pain. Love, in its unconditional purity, is one of the things that makes life truly worth living."
Many of us are creative in some manner, whether it be through music, drawing, painting, photography, poetry, or a myriad of other artistic endeavors. In my opinion, both as an artist and as a goth, art should be thought provoking; whether you're a painter in the style of Jackson Pollock, a poet in the style of Lord Byron or Edgar Allan Poe, or a musician, you're work should provoke some measure of thought in the viewer, reader, or listener. It doesn't have to have bright colors, a happy ending, or a catchy tune - whatever it is, it should be true to life, even if the painting is abstract, the writing is fiction or metaphor, or if the music is simply what some would consider noise.
While it is true that for some goth is simply a phase gone through in teenage years, for others it is a part of who we are. It can be said that, when it comes to those for whom it is a phase, it is driven -- at least partially -- by rebellion. This type of goth is more likely to be wearing the "uniform" for nothing more than shock value, and is unlikely to go without their makeup, even if not leaving the house for any reason. Also, they are more likely to don the stereotypical whiteface so commonly associated with the goth subculture.
For those of us who, for lack of a better term, can be classified as permanent goths -- myself, for example -- we are perfectly comfortable leaving the house without our makeup on, and we're also comfortable wearing colors other than black. The reason for this is that we realize that our appearance doesn't define us as goth, instead what defines us as goth lies beneath the skin -- beneath the superficial aesthetics: the clothing, the makeup, the jewelry -- and beneath the way that others perceive us. Despite this realization, some of us will still wear those aesthetics simply because we find them appealing. After all, the way you look shouldn't be dictated by others. Of course, there are those outside of the goth community who proclaim: "You all wear black, you all like skulls and death and blood and gore, so how the hell is it not dictated by others?"
My retort is simple: At the end of the day, regardless the decision, the decision is yours and yours alone. No one can choose what you wear, when you eat, or where you go to let off steam. Your actions are not dictated by others, they are dictated by you. When you begin to make your decisions based off of someone elses desires, or when you begin letting another person make your decisions for you, that is the true definition of conformity. The fact is that goth can be considered nonconformity[1] in the truest sense of the term, considering that not one goth, nor group of goths, has developed a single, universally accepted set of principles that defines who is, or is not, goth; nor would we.
1. Nonconformity[noun] - "refusal to conform to an established or conventional creed, rule, or practice." (Merriam-Webster)
It is unfortunate that we live in a society which often divides people for various reasons, whether by political preference, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I choose to divide ourselves from society, and for good reason: Society is royally screwed up. Aside from choosing to separate myself from society, I'm also social outcasts to a degree. Imagine the looks you would receive if you walked through your local shopping mall wearing predominately black clothing, black makeup, and maybe a spiked collar or a couple of spiked wristbands. Imagine what the people passing you by would be thinking. Some would see beauty, others would be disgusted, thinking you mentally disturbed in some manner. What do you think when you see someone dressed like that out in public? Do you judge them as being depressed? Looking for attention? If so, read on and discover how truly wrong you would be.
Due to the fact that we're often belittled and berated by others due to the way we look, we tend to be more receptive of others. If you're curious about the reasons why a certain person is goth, don't feel frightened by our appearance, because chances are, if you ask, we'll answer. Some of us may come off a bit snide at first, but if you genuinely make an effort to get to know us, you'll discover that we're not all that different from "normal" people. We're not the devil worshippers that are constantly depressed as mainstream society has a tendency to believe. The fact is that we laugh, smile, love, cry, and get angry just like everyone else. The difference is that where the "normal" person holds in those "negative" emotions until they're alone, or around a trusted confidant, we let ours show regardless of who's around. Yes, there are those among us who fit the stereotypes, but those "mopey" goths are extremely small in number compared to the rest of us.
Goth is more than just fashion and music for me. In my opinion what makes a person a goth has less to do with their appearance than it does with their mind. Goth is a way of thinking. To demonstrate this a bit better, take a cemetery for example. When you go to a cemetery, what do you see? Obviously you see headstones, maybe a mausoleum, grass, trees, and maybe flowers. Look deeper than that. What do you see? Well, if you took me literally, you'd see corpses, but that's not what I was getting at. If you were to walk down the aisles, looking at the ages on each gravestone, chances are you would see something that causes you sadness, and rightly so. Do you know what a goth sees?
If I were to walk into a cemetery, I would see the beautiful artwork in the gravestones, and the history. Deeper than that, I would see that death waits for nothing. It doesn't wait for you to grow old, to live a full and happy life; it doesn't wait for you to fall in love; it just comes, which for some is sooner than others. But, beyond that, there is the reminder to live, to remember that each moment of each day is a truly precious thing. Even more, I've accepted the fact that some day I will die, although the precise "when" is unknown. Goth is, for me, a "memento mori" way of life, and way of thinking.
Goth, as a whole, isn't tied to any particular religion, political preference, sexuality, or gender. If you were to poll every goth on the planet, you would find a vast array of combinations of the above things. You'll find goths who are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Pagan, or some other belief; you'll find liberal and conservative goths; gay, straight, bisexual, asexual or even pansexual goths; and you'll find male, female, and androgynous goths.
There are those out there who claim that goth has no deep, profound philosophical aspect to it; or that it isn't a lifestyle or mindset. I would say that those people are wrong. The term "lifestyle" is generally defined as "the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture". On the individual level, goth can be more of a lifestyle than it is for the whole group. For example, some goths never leave the house without their makeup on, and perhaps a small coffin-shaped backpack to carry their cosmetics and other essentials. On the group level, it can still be considered a lifestyle -- at least as far as local scenes are concerned -- since many goths enjoy going to goth or industrial clubs, or clubs which cater to the goth/industrial scene on a given night.
In my opinion, goth is not something a person simply chooses to be, it is something you either are or are not; you can't just simply put on some black clothes, turn on some Bauhaus, and immediately become a goth. I don't mean this in the sense of it being something you're born as, although there is evidence to show that genetics does play some part in a person's personality. Usually, there is some major life event, such as the death of a loved one, or some sort of tragedy, which opens up their eyes to the darker side of life.
When I speak of the darker side of life, I'm not referring to something sinister or evil. Take the common euphemism of a person being "kept in the dark" on some secret, that is the same usage as you've seen above. Something is "in the dark" if it is hidden from view, whether it be physically, or metaphorically. Now, look at the entire range of human emotions and compare them to the amount of emotions which you see others openly express. Oftentimes people hide their fear, their sadness, anger, pain, etc. and instead opt for putting on a smile and pretending that everything is alright when they know damn well it isn't. When a goth says they live on the darker side of life, they're referring to the opposite of the status quo. We don't pretend - we won't pretend - like everything is fine if it isn't. If we smile, that smile is genuine; if we cry, our tears are genuine.
Often a way of life translates into a way of thinking. Which, in the case of the goth mindset, is simply this: our way of thinking brings about a different reaction to emotional and environmental stimuli than that of mainstream society. Whereas most people might cry at a funeral, focusing on the loss of a loved one, we're more likely to smile at the beauty of the roses, the craftsmanship of the casket or coffin, or the occasionally intricate artwork displayed on the gravestone. Some may see that smile and think we're happy that the dearly departed has died, but that's not it, at least not usually. We may be glad that the dearly departed has been released from a life that is as equally frought with pain as it is pleasure, that they are now free from this often cruel and unjust world in which we live, but that does not mean that we don't mourn the loss of loved ones. There is even more to this than just our reaction to certain emotional or environmental stimuli, it also involves the way in which we view a given subject.
We are people who look beyond the superficial. We're often intellectuals who spend a great deal of time in thought, and enjoy things that are thought provoking. Beauty exists in more than just life and love, it also exists in the grave; it can be found anywhere, if you look deep enough. Tragedy can also be found anywhere, not just in death, but in love. Consider the following quote by yours truly: "Love isn't always smiles and hugs; it is pain, heartbreak, sadness, loneliness, sorrow and despair; it is the bittersweet symphony of two souls who cannot bear to be apart. It is longing for someone so much that every moment away from that person feels like your heart is being repeatedly ripped from your chest and thrown into a blender turned on frappe. It is beautiful and hideous; it is comedy and tragedy; it is hopeful and hopeless; it is pleasure and pain. Love, in its unconditional purity, is one of the things that makes life truly worth living."
Many of us are creative in some manner, whether it be through music, drawing, painting, photography, poetry, or a myriad of other artistic endeavors. In my opinion, both as an artist and as a goth, art should be thought provoking; whether you're a painter in the style of Jackson Pollock, a poet in the style of Lord Byron or Edgar Allan Poe, or a musician, you're work should provoke some measure of thought in the viewer, reader, or listener. It doesn't have to have bright colors, a happy ending, or a catchy tune - whatever it is, it should be true to life, even if the painting is abstract, the writing is fiction or metaphor, or if the music is simply what some would consider noise.
While it is true that for some goth is simply a phase gone through in teenage years, for others it is a part of who we are. It can be said that, when it comes to those for whom it is a phase, it is driven -- at least partially -- by rebellion. This type of goth is more likely to be wearing the "uniform" for nothing more than shock value, and is unlikely to go without their makeup, even if not leaving the house for any reason. Also, they are more likely to don the stereotypical whiteface so commonly associated with the goth subculture.
For those of us who, for lack of a better term, can be classified as permanent goths -- myself, for example -- we are perfectly comfortable leaving the house without our makeup on, and we're also comfortable wearing colors other than black. The reason for this is that we realize that our appearance doesn't define us as goth, instead what defines us as goth lies beneath the skin -- beneath the superficial aesthetics: the clothing, the makeup, the jewelry -- and beneath the way that others perceive us. Despite this realization, some of us will still wear those aesthetics simply because we find them appealing. After all, the way you look shouldn't be dictated by others. Of course, there are those outside of the goth community who proclaim: "You all wear black, you all like skulls and death and blood and gore, so how the hell is it not dictated by others?"
My retort is simple: At the end of the day, regardless the decision, the decision is yours and yours alone. No one can choose what you wear, when you eat, or where you go to let off steam. Your actions are not dictated by others, they are dictated by you. When you begin to make your decisions based off of someone elses desires, or when you begin letting another person make your decisions for you, that is the true definition of conformity. The fact is that goth can be considered nonconformity[1] in the truest sense of the term, considering that not one goth, nor group of goths, has developed a single, universally accepted set of principles that defines who is, or is not, goth; nor would we.
1. Nonconformity[noun] - "refusal to conform to an established or conventional creed, rule, or practice." (Merriam-Webster)
Goth: A History
Goth music started in the early 1980s in the wake, or "death", of punk rock, and was originally known as post-punk. It began with bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, Joy Division, and a handful of others. Although many of these bands could be considered to be part of other musical styles, Bauhaus is considered the archetype for goth music. The essential background of the music came from punk rock, although influences are also seen and heard from glam rock (David Bowie), psychedelic rock (The Doors), and early proto-punk (The Velvet Underground), as well as new wave (Adam and the Ants).
The term "gothic" in reference to the music is claimed to have been first used by the manager of Joy Division, stating that the band's music was "gothic" compared to the popular music of the time. Goth music often experimented with different instrument effects such as distortion, flange, phase, delay and modulation, in order to create music as art, as opposed to entertainment. Aside from music, many of those who could be called the founders of the goth subculture were art students, or art enthusiasts. In fact, all of the members of Bauhaus were students of Fine Art. From the artistic nature of the music, goth received a small portion of its genetic makeup, for lack of a better term. Among other things, what would become goth was an artistic subculture, encompassing more types of art than just music.
Goth took a slight turn away from its punk roots, however. Where as punk tended toward the masculine, goth went androgynous, blending both masculine and feminine. There are other styles commonly associated with goth, such as industrial and black/death metal, but there are differences between these styles. Industrial, like goth, was an offshoot of punk that took a slight turn away from the punk roots. Instead of going toward the feminine side of the spectrum, it went more masculine. As far as black/death metal is concerned, although appearances can be somewhat similar - such as black clothing, occasionally pale face makeup and sometimes black lipstick/eyeliner/eyshadow - these two styles are even more masculine than industrial. The fact is, no style of metal is goth in the slightest, not even so-called "goth metal" or "gothic metal".
The first use of the term "goth" in reference to a group of people was by Ian Astbury, singer for a prominent goth band known as Southern Death Cult (also known as The Cult). He used it as a term for the fans of the band Sex Gang Children. The reason they were known as such is due to their lead singer, Andi Sexgang, being nicknamed "Count Visigoth" by Ian Astbury. Visigoth being a reference to an old Germanic tribe also known as the Goths. Ian's use of the term "goths" was overheard by a journalist for the UK magazine NME, who published an article using it.
In 1982, a British night club known as the Batcave opened up. This club was for those generally fed up with the commercial direction of the New Romantic movement - those thirsting for something new, and darker. Although the Batcave didn't provide much in the music department, aside from the bands Alien Sex Fiend and Specimen, it was a major contributor to the fashion, as well as the popularity.
When it comes to aesthetics and fashion, there are two main influences, one for each sex. Bauhaus were the influence for the male goth look. To quote Fred Berger, "The aesthetic was pretty much set by Bauhaus, who were a very gender-ambiguous group. The guys wore makeup and they were pretty, and that carried over to the fashion, which for men was lace, high heels, jewelry, thigh-high boots, fetish clothing. Sometimes skirts, but it wasn't drag. Rozz Williams from Christian Death was gender-bending, but definitely a guy. No drag queen would ever consider these gothic boys to be trannies."
To elaborate on Fred Berger's quote about goth men sometimes wearing skirts, but without it being drag, I'm going to have to provide a quick definition of what makes up a drag queen. According to Wikipedia, "A drag queen is a man who dresses, and often acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining." Furthermore, drag queens often go to lengths to make themselves physically appear as women, although they are men. For goth guys, on the other hand, even though some of us may wear skirts it isn't drag because it is still obvious that we are men.
When it comes to women, the influence was Siouxsie Sioux from Siouxsie and the Banshees. To quote Ian Astbury, "For the women it was definitely Siouxsie from the Banshees -- that S&M look with the black fishnets, the black leather thigh-high boots, the pale face paint and the dark makeup, and then the big black spiky hair." Siouxsie commented on this stating "I never wore white face makeup; I was never that clowny looking."
(For a more comprehensive history, visit: http://www.scathe.demon.co.uk/histgoth.htm)
The term "gothic" in reference to the music is claimed to have been first used by the manager of Joy Division, stating that the band's music was "gothic" compared to the popular music of the time. Goth music often experimented with different instrument effects such as distortion, flange, phase, delay and modulation, in order to create music as art, as opposed to entertainment. Aside from music, many of those who could be called the founders of the goth subculture were art students, or art enthusiasts. In fact, all of the members of Bauhaus were students of Fine Art. From the artistic nature of the music, goth received a small portion of its genetic makeup, for lack of a better term. Among other things, what would become goth was an artistic subculture, encompassing more types of art than just music.
Goth took a slight turn away from its punk roots, however. Where as punk tended toward the masculine, goth went androgynous, blending both masculine and feminine. There are other styles commonly associated with goth, such as industrial and black/death metal, but there are differences between these styles. Industrial, like goth, was an offshoot of punk that took a slight turn away from the punk roots. Instead of going toward the feminine side of the spectrum, it went more masculine. As far as black/death metal is concerned, although appearances can be somewhat similar - such as black clothing, occasionally pale face makeup and sometimes black lipstick/eyeliner/eyshadow - these two styles are even more masculine than industrial. The fact is, no style of metal is goth in the slightest, not even so-called "goth metal" or "gothic metal".
The first use of the term "goth" in reference to a group of people was by Ian Astbury, singer for a prominent goth band known as Southern Death Cult (also known as The Cult). He used it as a term for the fans of the band Sex Gang Children. The reason they were known as such is due to their lead singer, Andi Sexgang, being nicknamed "Count Visigoth" by Ian Astbury. Visigoth being a reference to an old Germanic tribe also known as the Goths. Ian's use of the term "goths" was overheard by a journalist for the UK magazine NME, who published an article using it.
In 1982, a British night club known as the Batcave opened up. This club was for those generally fed up with the commercial direction of the New Romantic movement - those thirsting for something new, and darker. Although the Batcave didn't provide much in the music department, aside from the bands Alien Sex Fiend and Specimen, it was a major contributor to the fashion, as well as the popularity.
When it comes to aesthetics and fashion, there are two main influences, one for each sex. Bauhaus were the influence for the male goth look. To quote Fred Berger, "The aesthetic was pretty much set by Bauhaus, who were a very gender-ambiguous group. The guys wore makeup and they were pretty, and that carried over to the fashion, which for men was lace, high heels, jewelry, thigh-high boots, fetish clothing. Sometimes skirts, but it wasn't drag. Rozz Williams from Christian Death was gender-bending, but definitely a guy. No drag queen would ever consider these gothic boys to be trannies."
To elaborate on Fred Berger's quote about goth men sometimes wearing skirts, but without it being drag, I'm going to have to provide a quick definition of what makes up a drag queen. According to Wikipedia, "A drag queen is a man who dresses, and often acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining." Furthermore, drag queens often go to lengths to make themselves physically appear as women, although they are men. For goth guys, on the other hand, even though some of us may wear skirts it isn't drag because it is still obvious that we are men.
When it comes to women, the influence was Siouxsie Sioux from Siouxsie and the Banshees. To quote Ian Astbury, "For the women it was definitely Siouxsie from the Banshees -- that S&M look with the black fishnets, the black leather thigh-high boots, the pale face paint and the dark makeup, and then the big black spiky hair." Siouxsie commented on this stating "I never wore white face makeup; I was never that clowny looking."
(For a more comprehensive history, visit: http://www.scathe.demon.co.uk/histgoth.htm)
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