Goth

 Background

Goth did not spring from a specific political goal nor did it actively seek converts, as opposed to the recruitment spirit of the hippie movement. Rather, the goths chose to separate into an underground culture, seeking refuge from the popular culture of the time. Although the subculture was not a political reaction, the political climate of the era set up the framework that goth, in essence, rejected. In the latter parts of the Cold War, the nation decided upon a conservative leader, partly out of a direct rebuttal against the liberal 1960s generation. The Cold War permeated popular culture even into the ‘80s, especially as computer technology improved. “Yuppies” - trendy, Baby Boomer-era young adults with extensive education and much disposable income - headed consumer culture, being more fixated on material goods than the generations directly before them were. The newly created MTV contributed further to popular culture’s strength by injecting popular music videos directly into families’ living rooms. 

Goth’s ancestor, punk, was a more classic rejection against prevailing politics. An economic crisis in England in the late 1970s caused an outcry as it stripped numerous youths of their access to employment and education. Fueled by this and jaded by the prevalent culture, the punk counterculture took form. British art school graduates supported the growth of the culture and contributed a distinctive image, paired with avant-garde elements of creativity. As the years passed, punk leaned more towards political commentary, even directly veering into anarchy advocation.  Approaching the 1980s, different fragments of punk emerged. Among these was post-punk, the parent of the goth subculture. Goth as well split into different subgenres, although this splintering resulted from experimentations in music and style rather than from disagreements. The subculture still exists to this day to offer a dark, underground escape from the bright colors of pop, sometimes mirroring the hippies in their rejection of the corrupt outer world.

Culture and Music

Although literature and art set up the characteristics of the goth culture (especially through the gothic literature of the Romantic era), the subculture began through music, its chief cornerstone. It is difficult to precisely define “goth music,” as the small subculture spawned an extensive repertoire of interrelated genres. Furthermore, some musical styles directly link to the subculture, while others share enough characteristics to earn the label “goth friendly.” Overall, goth music features dark, melancholy lyrics often with a poetic flair, mysterious or morose vocals, and the use of reverb in the instruments.  

Post-punk, the first section of goth, was led by artists such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, and the Cure. Gothic rock, the first and most prevalent goth genre, borrows many elements from post-punk with repeated chords and rhythmic guitar patterns, performed by artists such as The Birthday Party, Sisters of Mercy, and Bauhaus. 

In contrast, darkwave features a heavier focus on synthesized instruments rather than on guitars and tends to have a more ethereal sound. This can be heard in the music of older bands Dead Can Dance, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, and Faith and the Muse, as well as the newer bands Switchblade Symphony and Esoterik. 

Goth friendly musicians include David Bowie and Adam Ant with their dark decorum, new romantic fashions, and ethereal rhythms.

 

Out of post punk also came new wave, a synthesizer-driven genre once again outside of the norm. New wave is characterized by bright costumes, danceable rhythms, and a rejection of the mainstream genres, especially arena rock. Examples include a-ha, New Order, and Elvis Costello.

 

Read More: The Hunger

The band Bauhaus - known for releasing "Bela Lugosi's Dead," the first gothic rock song - recall the night they met David Bowie on the set of the vampire film The Hunger.