Emo does not stand for "emotional" as many people think, nor is it a stereotype of whiny kids with stupid fringed hair.
EMO = EMOTIVE HARDCORE. IT'S A MUSICAL GENRE.
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After Minor Threat broke up in late 1983, the vibrant DC hardcore-punk scene that exploded in 1981 seems to start to run out of steam and fresh ideas within the established DC hardcore sound. The wistful, posthumous Minor Threat 7" "Salad Days" comes out in 1984 and drives the final nail into the coffin of DC hardcore punk. Bands all over the country begin casting about for new things to do : DRI and Bad Brains start going cheeze-metal, New York bands start doing tough-guy mosh, 7Seconds goes jangly U2 alternative, etc. The prevailing change in D.C. is toward melodic rock with punk sensibilities.
1984 marks the release of Zen Arcade by Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü, documenting their new mature sound combining furious, intense vocal delivery and driving guitars with slowed-down rockish tempos and more-complex, melodic songwriting.
In spring 1984, a new band called Rites Of Spring forms from members of The Untouchables/Faith and Deadline. This band retains a punk speed and frenzy, but brings a totally new vocal approach to the mix. Singer Guy Picciotto keeps an out-of-breath punk style most of the time, at times delving into intensely personal lyrics dripping with emotion and sweat. His voice breaks down at climactic moments into a throaty, gravelly, passionate moan.
The summer of 1985 becomes known as "Revolution Summer" when a new wave of rock-tempo, melody based, sung-vocal bands forms out of the DC punk musician pool with diverse rock sounds - Three, Gray Matter, Soulside, Ignition, Marginal Man, Fire Party, Rain, Shudder to Think, etc. Few bands retain the fast hardcore punk-based sound with the new vocal approach, Dag Nasty being the notable exception.
Minor Threat's singer, Ian MacKaye's, sings for a band called Embrace (compare the band name to earlier DC bands Minor Threat, Void, and State Of Alert) whose lyrics are emotional and deeply self-questioning, but still clear and unambiguous. Musically, the group (formed mostly of ex-Faith members) writes midtempo, somewhat jangly music with a lot of pop guitar hooks. MacKaye's vocals retain his trademark bold enunciation, with only occasional sparks of emotive delivery.
These bands' sound eventually becomes known as the classic "D.C. sound." Some of it is derisively labeled "emo," as shorthand for "emotional." One account has this term first appearing in a Flipside interview with Ian MacKaye. Shortly thereafter DC bands aquire the tag "emo-core."
Slightly later (1986), some bands begin to focus on the "emo" element itself. The Hated in Annapolis (near D.C.) seem to be the first post-Rites of Spring to do this. Shortly thereafter, Moss Icon appears in in the same town. Moss Icon strips the "emo" element down to the core, and adds a great deal of intricate, arpeggiated guitar melody (by Tonie Joy, later of Born Against, Lava, Universal Order of Armageddon, etc.) with a strong focus on loud/soft dynamics. The vocals, too, break new ground by building up to actual top-of-the-lungs screaming at songs' climaxes.
Moss Icon, as a relatively well-known band that toured some, introduces the punk scene to music that has core emphasis on emotion instead of punk energy. As such, I consider them the starting point for the emo movement, not Rites of Spring as is more commonly asserted. Later emo bands draw heavily from the Moss Icon dynamics, guitar style, and vocal delivery.
EMO = EMOTIVE HARDCORE. IT'S A MUSICAL GENRE.
READ THIS:
After Minor Threat broke up in late 1983, the vibrant DC hardcore-punk scene that exploded in 1981 seems to start to run out of steam and fresh ideas within the established DC hardcore sound. The wistful, posthumous Minor Threat 7" "Salad Days" comes out in 1984 and drives the final nail into the coffin of DC hardcore punk. Bands all over the country begin casting about for new things to do : DRI and Bad Brains start going cheeze-metal, New York bands start doing tough-guy mosh, 7Seconds goes jangly U2 alternative, etc. The prevailing change in D.C. is toward melodic rock with punk sensibilities.
1984 marks the release of Zen Arcade by Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü, documenting their new mature sound combining furious, intense vocal delivery and driving guitars with slowed-down rockish tempos and more-complex, melodic songwriting.
In spring 1984, a new band called Rites Of Spring forms from members of The Untouchables/Faith and Deadline. This band retains a punk speed and frenzy, but brings a totally new vocal approach to the mix. Singer Guy Picciotto keeps an out-of-breath punk style most of the time, at times delving into intensely personal lyrics dripping with emotion and sweat. His voice breaks down at climactic moments into a throaty, gravelly, passionate moan.
The summer of 1985 becomes known as "Revolution Summer" when a new wave of rock-tempo, melody based, sung-vocal bands forms out of the DC punk musician pool with diverse rock sounds - Three, Gray Matter, Soulside, Ignition, Marginal Man, Fire Party, Rain, Shudder to Think, etc. Few bands retain the fast hardcore punk-based sound with the new vocal approach, Dag Nasty being the notable exception.
Minor Threat's singer, Ian MacKaye's, sings for a band called Embrace (compare the band name to earlier DC bands Minor Threat, Void, and State Of Alert) whose lyrics are emotional and deeply self-questioning, but still clear and unambiguous. Musically, the group (formed mostly of ex-Faith members) writes midtempo, somewhat jangly music with a lot of pop guitar hooks. MacKaye's vocals retain his trademark bold enunciation, with only occasional sparks of emotive delivery.
These bands' sound eventually becomes known as the classic "D.C. sound." Some of it is derisively labeled "emo," as shorthand for "emotional." One account has this term first appearing in a Flipside interview with Ian MacKaye. Shortly thereafter DC bands aquire the tag "emo-core."
Slightly later (1986), some bands begin to focus on the "emo" element itself. The Hated in Annapolis (near D.C.) seem to be the first post-Rites of Spring to do this. Shortly thereafter, Moss Icon appears in in the same town. Moss Icon strips the "emo" element down to the core, and adds a great deal of intricate, arpeggiated guitar melody (by Tonie Joy, later of Born Against, Lava, Universal Order of Armageddon, etc.) with a strong focus on loud/soft dynamics. The vocals, too, break new ground by building up to actual top-of-the-lungs screaming at songs' climaxes.
Moss Icon, as a relatively well-known band that toured some, introduces the punk scene to music that has core emphasis on emotion instead of punk energy. As such, I consider them the starting point for the emo movement, not Rites of Spring as is more commonly asserted. Later emo bands draw heavily from the Moss Icon dynamics, guitar style, and vocal delivery.
Emocore bands:
Rites of Spring, Embrace, Gray Matter, Ignition, Dag Nasty, Monsula, Fugazi kind of, Fuel, Samiam, Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, Elliot, Friction, Soulside, early Lifetime, Split Lip/Chamberlain, Kerosene 454
Post-emo indie rock the kind most people mistake to be true emocore:
Sunny Day Real Estate, Christie Front Drive, Promise Ring, Mineral, Boys Life, Sideshow, Get-Up Kids, Braid, Cap'n Jazz, then later Joan of Arc, Jets To Brazil, etc. Lots of Caulfield and Crank! Records bands, more lately a lot of stuff on Jade Tree for instance.
Rites of Spring, Embrace, Gray Matter, Ignition, Dag Nasty, Monsula, Fugazi kind of, Fuel, Samiam, Jawbreaker, Hot Water Music, Elliot, Friction, Soulside, early Lifetime, Split Lip/Chamberlain, Kerosene 454
Post-emo indie rock the kind most people mistake to be true emocore:
Sunny Day Real Estate, Christie Front Drive, Promise Ring, Mineral, Boys Life, Sideshow, Get-Up Kids, Braid, Cap'n Jazz, then later Joan of Arc, Jets To Brazil, etc. Lots of Caulfield and Crank! Records bands, more lately a lot of stuff on Jade Tree for instance.
by finding emotive December 24, 2005
A word whose definition has been so butchered by so many people that most people just make up their own definition of the stereotype, which is usually complete bullshit. If ANYONE wants to know the REAL, ORIGINAL definition of the word, here it is (otherwise, fuck off): a genre of music which branched off of 80's punk music to create a soft, unique form of rock. NOT to be confused with punk, metal, screamo, or alternative rock. NOT to be confused with angsty teens, boys who wear tight pants, people who are depressed, cutters, goths, or a combination of all six. I know lots of people will disagree, but I KNOW I'm right.XD (Yes, I already know that I'm a stuck-up bitch who thinks she's always right, so don't even bother telling me something I already know)
Person #1: "I've been listening to some Moss Icon lately."
Person #2: "Wow, that's pretty emo, isn't it?"
Person #1 "Damn straight."
Person #2: "Wow, that's pretty emo, isn't it?"
Person #1 "Damn straight."
by KatherineChaos January 10, 2009
Kids who are very depressed because they spend hours on their make-up and hair but no one gives a shit.
by RaawB January 11, 2009
A relatively new form of douchebaggish behavior (sometimes, a complete lifestyle) where usually well off teens ignore the fact that they can be an individual without having to look stupid to get attention. The "look" can involve multi colored scarfs which don't match a damn other article of clothing worn, even leg warmers have been seen, multiple piercing's seem to be a must, the ever enlarging earlobe hoops which can get so big you can stick an erect penis in them, dyed hair of any color, and once again, it won't even match the scarf, and it's only part or parts of the hair, usually the front or top. Then the hair is cut in different ways, almost always it is combed to an angle across the face, sometimes covering an eye. Goofy glasses, men with makeup, women without, lots of black outfits, wristbands that actually may match the scarf, but seriously doubt it.
Kid to parent- "hey, look at that person with the green hair, and why are they wearing winter clothes, it's July?"
Parent to kid- "Remember when you asked me what emo was?"
Parent to kid- "Remember when you asked me what emo was?"
by kingmidas April 16, 2008
It can mean a lot of different things as you can see. My definition of "Emo" is someone who is Emotional. What i mean by this is one person (guy or girl) being overly emotional over one thing. It can be overly happy or overly mad and the most common one is overly sad. I must add that not all Emo's cut! In fact this is commonly confused with depression or suicidal thoughts. Some may because its the stereo type or because they have depression but also act this way. In fact Emo has become confused by so many things.
That girl/guy is overly emo about getting an A on the test.
The women was emo when her husband was put in jail for a crime he didnt commit.
I was emo over a break up.
The women was emo when her husband was put in jail for a crime he didnt commit.
I was emo over a break up.
by Tea-cup September 27, 2017
by PH34R April 20, 2005
1. An slang adjective, or noun, describing a person who is emotional.
2. An adjective describing a culture of people who frequently wear somewhat long hair, dark clothes, dark makeup, and guys who wear girl-style pants. Emo's sometimes (but not always) cut themselves, as a way to relieve depression.
3. An adjective for a diverse style of rock music usually containing emotional lyrics.
2. An adjective describing a culture of people who frequently wear somewhat long hair, dark clothes, dark makeup, and guys who wear girl-style pants. Emo's sometimes (but not always) cut themselves, as a way to relieve depression.
3. An adjective for a diverse style of rock music usually containing emotional lyrics.
Person 1: "Dude was that a goth?"
Person 2: "No, they're an emo"
Person 1: "How can you tell?"
Person 2: "They had a hoodie on, and they weren't headbanging to metal"
Person 2: "No, they're an emo"
Person 1: "How can you tell?"
Person 2: "They had a hoodie on, and they weren't headbanging to metal"
by Fred Weasley December 21, 2006