Gothic my Arse

Dog Soldier wrote:

These days, the term Goth or Gothic in relation to our genre is being applied to anything which is subculture.

I still baulk at the idea of camowear being considered Goth. I remember when it first began appearing in the Clubs around the mid 80’s, it wasn’t Goth then and I really don’t consider it Goth now, same goes for a great deal of Cyber. It was a genre in itself, as was Goth, Cyber was to a greater degree and extension of Punk.

I spent a great deal of time around the underground techno and trance scene during the 90’s and really saw my Goth interests as something totally separate. The club were different, and the dress code was Victorian. However, as Goth became more mainstream, we began to see and amalgamation of the various club genres and a blurring of the lines, mostly down to the media and the like of Hot Topic.

Therefore, it does not surprise me at all when I click on a link to a Gothic store only to find club wear and band shorts, it way of things these days.

Goth has evolved (or possibly mutated).
All in all that is probably a good thing, because if we'd all tried to stay dressing like like Fields of the Nephilim, Goth probably wouldn't have survived past the end of the eighties.
Unfortunately this has brought us to the point (evidenced by a million and one threads started by newbies on the old GB forums) that 90% of us cannot come up with a definition of "goth" anymore; and the other 10% are invariably wrong.

I do take some consolation from the fact that the once-a-month goth night down here usually includes a broad selection of styles and tastes from the last twenty years, and yet everyone gets along quite happily.

"Goth" should be as individual to the person as the person is individual to the planet. It should mean different things to different people since we all got into it for different reasons. In an ideal world that would hold true, HOWEVER since everything has to be thumbed down to a single definition to make people outside the culture comfortable, the debate shall last forever.

There is also the fact that most of us evolve from where we started to where we are in the culture (Thank the Gods). I laugh at what I was when I was 13 and experimenting and now lay comfortable in the nitch that is deathrock happily screaming along with my punk idols while bedecked in velvet and lace =)

I say this as I'm listening to bad 70s Irish disco music. Lifes so confusing LOL

I like my "Sad Old Goth" label.

It three words it gives strangers a very rough idea of who I am. Most of the time that is good enough for my purposes: Frankly I am too lazy and too misanthropic to explain more to people I have just met. On the rare occasions that people go beyond the "casual acquaintance" stage, then they will get to find out the detail as they get to know me.

I tend to prefer the label 'Darkly inclined'. Suits me just fine.

EvilHippyEmperor wrote:

I like my "Sad Old Goth" label.

It three words it gives strangers a very rough idea of who I am. Most of the time that is good enough for my purposes: Frankly I am too lazy and too misanthropic to explain more to people I have just met. On the rare occasions that people go beyond the "casual acquaintance" stage, then they will get to find out the detail as they get to know me.

I a agree, and those who do get to know me better, come to understand what I'm all about, even more so when they are invited into my "Special" room in the basement.

Oh EHE, I have been to the special room in the basement... it is where he keeps his belly lint.... phew!

blackorchid wrote:

Oh EHE, I have been to the special room in the basement... it is where he keeps his belly lint.... phew!

Damn you, I trusted you in my special room. I allowed to to spread your own belly lint freely. Can could you. I feel betrayed...