Gothic literature: Literature primarily about horror and romance, and includes supernatural and victorian themes.
Writers:
Edgar Allen Poe, Anne Rice
History: Goth can be traced back to victorian ages. But it was launched in the UK by punk bands like Siouxsie Sioux who began wearing bondage clothing and topics of victorian age and gothic literature and art and more intelligent thoughts.
Goth Music: Music including dark atmospheres.
Examples include and genres:
Post Punk: Siouxsie Sioux, The Cult
Goth Rock: Clan of Xymox, London After Midnight, The Cure, Bauhaus
Deathrock:
Christian Death, 45 Grave, Frank the Baptist, Alien Sex Fiend
Dark Cabaret: Voltaire, Emilie Autumn
Gothtronic: Anders Manga, Gary Numan, Blutengel
Genre's and bands that aren't goth.
Marilyn Manson, AFI, Slipknot, Cradle of Filth, KoRn, Type O negative, HIM.
Any form of metal music
Gothic metal, and death metal, are not goth.
Most likely if its mainstream, its not goth.
Fashion:
There are many kinds of gothic fashion. But the basic things are boots, mostly dark attire, pale skin, hair that isn't brown. The "do it yourself" is a heavily emphasized part of the culture. Check gothic tribes for more detail.
General Pieces: Fishnet, Black nail varnish, colored hair, dark eyeliner, leather, metal (steel), buckles, bondage pants, hobble skirts, dress shirts, ties, top hats, red lipstick, black lipstick, dress shoes,
combat boots.
Truths and False.
From the point of goth creation, its been morphed many times. Goth has been hit by many different accusations such as violance and satanic rituals.
Myth: Goths are violent
Truth: Its wrong to accuse a whole group based on one person's action, so its a maybe. But goth does not support violence.
Myth: Hot topic is goth
Truth: No, hot topic is a coporation. Goth originates from punk, and punk has emphasized on anti-corporation/government. In short terms, hot topic markets for mass appeal and attention, so no its not.
Myth: Goths are satanic.
Truth: Although many arts can depict vampires and death, even Satanist do not stand for evil or harm to others. Some goths could be satanic, but goth has no real links between satanism. Most goths are secular, but some are religious.
Myth: Goths have tattoos and piercings from head to toe.
Truth: Some have them, some don't.
Myth: Goths are sad
Truth: Not all of them, sure goth emphasizes the darker things in life, but not all of them are sad people, normal people can be sad, sadness is an emotion, emotions make you human. And goths are human.
Myth: Goth is nothing but a clique.
Truth: This is apart of the "morphing and warping". Goth was never centered around excluding others or trying to be different. Like many counter-cultures, its about being yourself and doing what you like, yet has similar interest and beliefs. Being goth isn't pidgeon holing yourself. Pidgeon holing is when you take someone's belief and claim it as your own.
In the mainstream
Even though goth isn't mainstream, there are some mainstream things that are gothic.
Mainstream Things
Movies: The Crow,
Queen of the Damned, Interview with a Vampire
Books: The Vampire Chronicles
Music: The Cure
Goth Tribes
Although there are no "rules" in goth that someone must follow, there are a particular scene.
Victorian Goth AKA Romantigoth: Goths with a touch of victorian age in their life such as dress shirts, capes, cloaks.
Interest: Renaissance, Medieval age, Paganism, Occult,
Mallgoth: Probably the biggest uproot in the mainstream, but not goth even though mostly judged as goth. Without judgment on the individuals
personality, a mallgoth is someone who has no knowledge of goth history, and labels bands like Marilyn Manson and Slipknot as goth, and shops at hot topic. Usually in the teen era.
Interest: Hot topic, metal,
alternative rock,
Cyber Goth AKA Rivethead: A mix between cyber culture with goth elements and appearence. Usually baggy pants and neon with cyber like hair. Has more of an interest in EBM and
Industrial Bands.
Interest: Dancing, cyber culture, technology
Fetish Goth: A goth with an interest in bongage and takes BDSM fashion and lifestyle.
Interest: Bondage, PVC, fetish material.
Deathrocker: A goth with an interest in deathrock, horror punk and psychobilly music. Fashion wise fishnet and torn dark clothing with
combat boots.
Interest: Deathrock, Psychobilly, DIY fashion.
Elder Goth: A goth who has been around since goth creation or a goth over 40.
Vampire Goth: I'M A VAMPIRE!!! LOL
Goth-Related Terms and People
The Batcave: A club in England where goths have met since its creation
Columbine: A violent shooting that presented the first so called "goth violence" (NOTE: shooters were not goths)
Rozz Williams: The frontman of
Christian Death, who founded american goth, and founded the Deathrock genre.
Siouxsie Sioux: The godmother of Goth, one of the first post-punk/goth bands that influenced bands later on.
Dinah Cancer: The frontwoman of 45 Grave, one of the first deathrock bands. "The Queen of Deathrock"
Bela Lugosi: Not a goth, but played and had a cult following in his horror movies, even after death.
Personality: There is no "rule" of
personality, but most goths are
open minded, witty, anti-prejudice, deep, quiet and artistic.
Don't judge a group based on one person's action, were all different, but similar sometimes.
Conclusion.
Goth is a culture that emphasizes the darker, deeper and romantic sides of life that strays away from the mainstream and pays attention to
individuality.
