The first posting I kick off Gothtober with addresses what "goth" is. In this, we discuss how it is not fashion, but what you are celebrating as fashion is a reflection of the music. Most genres of music have subcultures that reflect this metal, punk, and Hip-hop being two of the most notable, though the modern EDM scene took rave culture and made it more Tiktok. Social media plays a huge influence in how we express ourselves, creating the illusion you can be whatever you want to be and just try on other cultures like cosplay outfits, why be bound to definitions?
I am a huge proponent of not being boxed in, as growing up I was too goth for the metal kids and too metal for the goth kids, but I sold drugs so found a place to have a foot in both worlds, as they were expressions of who I was as a person, and aside from being more dedicated to fitness, and not dealing drugs, not much has changed in my embrace of darkness which takes on a natural outward expression and is reflected in what I listen to which has also not changed much since I was 13 as my favorite artist be they goth metal or falling somewhere in between create music with a dark minor key frequency that is the vibration I resonate with. Regular readers could name off bands like the Cure, Type 0 Negative, David Bowie, King Diamond, Ozzy, Watain,. Christian Death, Swans, Kate Bush, Chelsea Wolfe, Converge...al different genres or subgenres that touch on similar themes.
This is why what "goth' is remains relevant as it is something that can be defined by measurable data, musical keys, chord progression, and sonic signatures., the artists have plenty of wiggle room, the Cure, Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins, Nine Inch Nails, Death In June, Zola Jesus, the Damned, and Nick Cave, all explore various sounds and emotions, not just depression, or a sense romanticized loss, and are all very different from each other but can be categorized by things like elegance, atmosphere, longing, otherworldly, eerie, surreal, tense, to the outright adoration of the macabre and creepy, but even those things can be captured in different manners for example let us use film, since it has inspired goth culture
Tim Butron and David Lynch are two directors who create art that resonates with a similar shadow that goth music casts over its dark heart., they do not make horror movies, which I would once we get into the 70s would be more due to the violence of them, but they do capture creepy. In different ways. "Lost Highway' does it in a different manner than "Ed Wood" but at the same party just wearing a different costume. What they are not is twerking while doing shots of Ciroc to Cardi B, that is a different club altogether and you can't get into it with the same wristband band you have to get back to the line and pay that club its own cover. Music has roots and traditions, Americans like to take the looks they can but online to feel cool without having any of the soul to it.
It also bears saying just because it is from the 80s does not mean it's "goth". I am not saying things have to be only "old guard" and if it is not Siouxsie or Sisters of Mercy it's not goth, I think there needs to be new music from younger artists, and I embrace it, I will be posting a top 10 Goth Albums of 2024 soon, which has maybe half or more new acts on it. But clube culture diluted the goth scene as the same crowd who went to "goth nite' went to the 80s dance party because they might get to hear 5 songs from goth artists for the night who had hits in the 80s, I am looking at your direction Siouxsie, Peter Murphy, and Mr. Gahan. But Cyndi Lauper does not belong at "Goth Nite" however Oingo Boingo does, even with their almost ska-like sound at times, as Elfman had Halloween running through his veins when he wrote the lyrics.
Of course, there are going to be those who want to argue this point to feel relevant in the eyes of younger people and to feel they are keeping up with the narratives of the day. Few are stupid enough to ask what I know about goth, but some might say something like "Why does your opinion matter" to which I will refer them to you, as you are one of the 1,060,978 readers of this blog not to mention the those who have thought my opinion on the subject mattered to read my work on it n Cvlt Nation, Treblezine, No Clean Singing or Ghost Cult Magazine, then there is the other outlets I have appeared in like ReGen, Gothic and Amazing, NPR, and more. It's at least paying to keep the lights on and me well supplied in Diet Coke. This is more than anyone can say of these idiots who want to call music whatever they feel at the moment as they have no idea about the bounds of culture and even less how music theory defines them. As Rozz Williams used to say goth is punk for kids who like Halloween, No Halloween, No Punk, No Goth, think we are in agreement then. It all about the music keep it spooky, thanks for reading , I love you guys
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