WHAT IS GOTH?

Goth is a bohemian musical movement, subculture and fashion style that first emerged in the UK in the early 80s. After the mainstream punk movement, a new wave of bands - Bauhaus, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Cure, Joy Division, the Sisters of Mercy and more - have mixed love with glam rock, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, thriller, cult dress and goth literature to create what's called is 'Goth', a sort of dark side to the rise of the new pop wave.

WHERE IS THE NAME 'GOTH' FROM?

The Visigoths or goths, were an ancient people from the ancient lands of what is now Germany and Scandinavia, also known as the barbarians, famous for their sacking of Rome in 410 AD. Gothic art and architecture flourished in medieval Europe and was first used negatively, to describe the building as barbaric or crude.

The word 'goth' is associated with the music of the early '80s in the British press - used in a literal sense, grandiose and haughty. But unlike heavy metal, very few bands associated with this scene have ever heard of the name.

Visit Tatkuink for more skull hoodie mens!

WHAT DOES GOTH REALLY wear?

One of the reasons goth thrives is its distinctive look and the ease of dress code that anyone can adopt.

Popular elements include black leather/PVC, fishnet, curly barbed hair, black lace, felt jackets, lace wraps, pointed toe shoes and more.

Over the years, goth fashion took on elements of Edwardian and Victorian clothing, steampunk, cyberpunk, rave, fetish costumes, cosplay and more.

WHAT BAND IS GOTH?

- Bauhaus

- Siouxsie & The Banshees

- The Cures

- Joy Division

- The Sisters of Mercy

- The Birthday Party

- Cocteau Twins

- Southern Death Cult (aka The Cult)

- Specimen

- Flesh for Lulu

- Sex Gang Children

- UK Decay

- Virgin Prunes

- Killing Joke

- Play Dead

- The Claytown Troupe

- Gene loves Jezebel and more, while The Damned uplifts their gothic elements with the 1985 album Phantasmagoria.

GOTH IS JUST SOMETHING OF THE UK?

No. Goth is international.

The original 'movement' - i.e. look and sound - also evolved in America. Christian Death and 45 Grave lead the goth in the US, while punk/psychobilly Cramps are also a natural fit, and UK bands like Love And Rockets, founded by former Bauhaus members, have had hits in the United States.

In the late 80's and 90's, music and appearance spread all over the world: Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, Scandinavia. Basically, anywhere there is internet.

Today there's also beach goth (goth in sunny places), athletic goth (wearing cool black sports), cholo goth (Mexican gang goth), ...etc....

If you are looking for 3d skull t shirts, visit Tatkuink now!

WHAT IS METAL GOTH?

In the late '80s and '90s, goth disappeared as a youth subculture, and was the source of some ridicule in the music press.

The effect of this on the industrial and metal music scene is that it lives on in the music of Type-O Negative, Paradise Lost, Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein, Ministry, Marilyn Manson, White Zombie, HIM, Lacuna Coil, . ..v...v... They use shadows, melancholy vocals, guitar tones, and goth looks to tie it to gritty industrial sounds or loud riffs.

It helped rescue the goth image: what was once ridiculed as sad and pathetic turned dangerous, sexy and erotic.

INTERNATIONAL GOTH DAY?

May 22 is World Goth Day.

It dates back to 2009 when BBC6 Music ran a series about musical cultures. Having the 'official' website, Facebook, etc. is really just an excuse to celebrate goth culture every year.

The internet has revived goth again. As the influence of music journalism fades and like-minded people can gather online in forums and on social media, with events becoming increasingly popular like the Whitby Goth Weekend, goth has revived. .

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMO AND GOTH?

The origins of emo come from the post-hardcore movement of the early 90s, not in a goth context. Some emo bands like My Chemical Romance are influenced by goth, the commonalities in fashion and worldview of both emo and goth schools make them more easily confused/conflicted.

Music fans don't mix the two. Mostly, it's all ignorant prejudice: people mock emo the same way they used to goth - like sad misfits.