Goth Music: A Brief History Pt 1-1978-1990: The Beginning

In the late 70s, a scene known as post-punk was flourishing. It was out of this scene that the roots of what is now known as 'goth' emerged.

Two of the most prominent proto-goth bands to from the post-punk era were Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy division. These two bands, with there haunting sound and dark lyrics, were quickly labeled as being 'gothic' in sound, although 'goth' did not yet exist as a music genre. Most of the bands associated with the birth of the goth scene were either new wave or post-punk such as Killing Joke, Christian Death, Sex Gang Children, Virgin Prunes, and Xmal Deutschland. Then, in 1979, along came the Bauhaus with their debut single "Bella Lugosi's Dead" which is considered to be the beginning of what is stylistically known as 'goth rock'. It was not until 1983 however, that the term 'goth' was used to describe a particular music scene. Originally labeled as 'positive punk', the music of The March Violets, The Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, Danse Society, and many others became the music of what became known as the 'goth' scene. The first group of people ever called 'goths', by Ian Astbury of The Cult, were the fans of the UK band The Sex Gang Children.

By the mid 80s 'goth' had become a distinct scene and began to attract mainstream attention with bands like The Sisters of Mercy, who charted on the British Top Ten with their debut album'First, Last, ans Always'. Other bands had significant mainstream attention and radio play such as Dead Can Dance, The Cocteau Twins, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cult, and Fields of the Nephilim. Fanzines started to pop up and the first club specifically devoted to goth was established; the Batcave in London. Goth music even made its way into popular film, with the Bauhaus making an appearance in the movie 'The Hunger' starring David Bowie. It was also at this time that goth and industrial music began to cross paths, with bands such as Dog Pile, Crash Worship, and Skinny Puppy. Goth even saw itself combined with pop music, in the form of Depeche Mode, and to a lesser degree, The Cure.

NEXT: Pt II- 1990-Present: Modern Goth

Recommended Listening:

Joy Division- Substance
Siouxsie and the Banshees- The Scream
Bauhaus- In the Flat Field
Sisters of Mercy- First, Last, and Always

Does anyone give a FUCK about what's worth a SHIT?

Honestly, it's like the only goddamn fucking issues people care about is whether Britney can see her spawn, and the fact that J-Lo is gonna pop a brat out. does anyone care about third world genocide anymore, or have we all gotten tired of that and moved our little american media-sheep heads to something a little less sobering. i think people hold on to the bullshit trivial gossip so often called "news" by the ignorent fuck-wits who run pop culture and gossip/trash mags like People and Entertainment out of fear and a desire to avoid everything 'real' that would make them feel less comfortable in their nice, systematic or even chaotic American sanctuaries. They even go so far as too call other people's problems 'news'. why does no-one seem to realize that its NOT FUCKING NEWS!!!!!!!! it's bullshit and honestly, why would i need to focus on some dumb-fuck celebrity's menstrual problems or Snoop Dog's 50th arrest when i can't affort to pay my fucking rent? this shit has no bearing on anything significant in the world. maybe we should start focusing on something slightly more important like our fucked up education system or the fact that we are a country brainwashed by fear and held in place by the shock of constant dramatized and overpublished violence. Fuck Hollywood, Fuck E!, Fuck MTV, Fuck Entertainment and People, Fuck BET, Fuck sensationalism. Get a fucking life.

Ministry crucifies Bush. Necessary?

In the world of very politically supercharged bush-bashing bands, on stands a head and shoulders above the others. a band that has been bashing George Bush sr. since before bush-bashing was a sport. This band is Ministry, who have released a trilogy of anti-bush themed albums. Houses of the Mole, Rio Grande Blood, The Last Sucker. The first sign of specifically anti bush themed material was the song N.W.O. off the album Psalm 69 released in 1991. The particular song in question being a protest against the Persian Gulf War attacking Bush personally. On their 2006 release Rio Grande Blood, Ministry even goes so far as to imply that the Bush administration had a direct hand in the attack of 911. Now, is devoting this much material to bashing a specific president really necessary or worth it? Personally I love Ministry. However enough is enough! this much excessively cruel Bush-bashing simply gets old. The album cover for Rio Grande Blood featured an image of George W Bush crucified with a crown of thorns on his head. This type of cover is extremely unnecessary. Bush may be a crappy president, but he doesn't quite deserve this treatment. I am definitely not one to avoid controversy, in fact i encourage it, but this level of single-themed, single minded hatred and controversy is ridiculous. Lets at least diversify our controversial interests and start hating on some other shit too, not just Bush!

On an interesting side note, founder and singer of Ministry Al Jourgensen attended CU boulder. He has also announced plans to disband Ministry after the next tour.

last of the Underground

Of all the so called music "scenes", one of the few that has, for the most part, avoided mainstream bastardization, is the goth and industrial music scene. However, the problem this creates is a very strong misinterpretation of what 'goth' really is. When goth is mentioned, the only name most people have to throw around is Marilyn Manson, which is probably the worst possible example there is. Not to say that Manson does not have some goth and industrial influence, but he is most definitely not a representative of the scene many of us 'goths' hold dear. So if Manson isn't goth, what is it? First of all, goth is not completely devoted to shock value as Manson would have us believe. It is a type of music that simply lets out a lot of the darker and, more often than not, openly repressed of human emotion. Does this mean that we who call ourselves goth revel in the negativity of our human nature? For many goths yes, but you can not judge and entire subculture based on a few individuals. But back to the music.
Goth and industrial music, with the exception of a few bands such as Ministry, Skinny Puppy, and the Sisters of Mercy, has avoided mainstream attention. These bands receive no radio play, book smaller venues, and are sold in few record stores mostly in small quantity. However, all these factors have contributed to the fact that a lot of the music has stayed true to the original ideas and roots of the goth and industrial music of the early 80s. This does not mean that the music has not evolved and expanded, but what has happened is that it has avoided the blatant commercialization that has ruined many music scenes, such as emotional music like the Smiths and the entire punk genre. Goth is one of the last true 'underground' music scenes and is very encouraging to me, because there is still some part of what i love that has not been pissed on by the bullshit of the mainstream and pop culture. Long live goth! Long live the underground!

coming soon- the history of Goth

to smash a pumpkin.............

when i was in 8th grade, i discovered a band that would alter the course of my musical development and interest for the rest of my life. i had heard the Smashing Pumpkins on the radio many times and decided to buy an album. when i saw a used copy of Machina: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music in my local record store, i picked it up and listened to the entire album in one sitting. it blew me the fuck away! the musical complexity combined with cryptically intense lyrics and fantastically strange artwork was unlike anything i ever experienced. since then i have been a die-hard Smashing Pumpkins fanatic. only one problem-they had broken up and i would never be able to see them, a fact i lamented to great extent. when i heard that the Pumpkins had reunited, and that they would be touring and stopping in Denver at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, my elation was extreme. it was the fulfillment of a dream.
The concert itself was amazing. the band played all of their biggest hits as well as some more obscure tracks, ripping through every song with such intense power and emotion that i was left speechless and in awe. every song was played differently than on the respective album. there were added solos, extended intros and endings, and sometimes the band would simply start jamming and rocking me to the very core! to me, this was one of the most profound emotional experiences i have ever had, as well as being one of the greatest shows i have ever seen. my emotional link to the music of the Pumpkins is very deep and has played a profound role in my life, giving me strength when i was in a very dark place. all i could think during the show was how much i wanted to thank the Pumpkins for their music and the amazing show. and after the concert, i was given a brief opportunity to do just that. through an open van window, i shook hands with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and thanked him and Billy Corgan for the show. to me, this show was more than just the fulfillment of a desire, but it was an emotional fountain, a wave of electric energy, shaking me to the soul and leaving me with something very powerful. a solid and tangible connection with the source of much help and satisfaction in my life.
For those of you interested, here is the complete setlist for the show:

United States
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Hummer
Bring the Light
Drown
Stand Inside Your Love
Tonight, Tonight
Superchrist
Doomsday Clock
Glass and the Ghost Children
1979 - solo acoustic
To Shelia
Today
Trantula
Ava Adore
Zero
Heavy Metal Machine
On the Road Again -Canned Heat Cover
Encore:
Cherub Rock