Hello, first post to this forum. I've been quintessentially Goth-at-heart since around 1987. It began as a teenage rebellion/fashion and music statement mainly through having caught the tail end of the original wave, discovering the Sisters of Mercy, then Bauhaus, then (at the time) the formidable appearance of Field's of the Nephilim.
I think the music informed the mood, the clothing and general outlook.
There was a personal hiatus from identifying as Goth during the early 90's , I blame music and culture in general, the sheer diversity of interesting genres in both aspects just opened up a myriad of other expressions. I never lost affection for my roots though.
Delayed teenage angst happening in my twenties met its match in discovering Nine Inch Nails, then recognising that gothic sentiments hadn't died, they'd just gone to ground. The 90's saw the reinvigoration of bands such as Killing Joke and it was hard to ignore that much of the anger of industrial music in general had a highly valid point about society , personal angsts and doubts, the whole state of affairs around the world. I reflect that this is where goth had kind of grown up a bit and encapsulated much more of a broad palette than it's small time Poe, Stoker, weird and morbid roots.
I know I'm describing a personal journey, so risk disappearing in a fog of some TL:DR or 'Whatever'.
By the late 90's a newer wave of Electro-goth emerged and that was fun to look at, so many beautiful young fuck ups really pushing the boat out with self presentation, putting the generations before to shame, like walking bits of dark art.
I never could get with the Emo that followed and it was a bloody relief when that phase seemed to end, just as Bauhaus were revving up their all too brief 'resurrection' engines and going away white.
Time speeds up as you age, this is what I was told and found it to be true. I'm now approaching my half century and probably have long passed the halfway post of my own existence.
Last weekend, I was fortunate to attend my second 'Bats Ball' at the Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol (UK) - an annual gathering of night creatures in an old Victorian Chapel situated in a stunning grave yard. Over the years, I've accumulated a decent wardrobe of freaky clobber because, that's just to my general aesthetic tastes and sensibilities.
It has stirred up a degree of self reflection, the enduring attraction to the darker side of self expression.
Halloween is fast approaching, a few years ago, my wife and I decided to ditch that hollow festivity called Christmas and relocate it to what we considered the most wonderful time of the year; Oct 31st. It turned out to be a raging success in our household. Bloody Goths!
(besides, you get to avoid most of that December madness)
I still listen to most of the bands that got(h) me started on this path, depressingly, NIN and Killing Joke seemed to be the most prescient lyricists of this apparently doomed era we all live in. Much to the chagrin of friends and family on social media platforms, something shite in the news appears and sometimes - to my mind, the only logical response is to post a corresponding track from K.J, NIN or Ministry.
You don't grow up or out of it.
I don't think you have to call yourself a Goth, other people do that for you, or recognise that is just part of your inclination and world view.
You recognise that you belong to a tribe, who probably wouldn't want to be identified as such, but I've noticed the tip of a hat or a lingering bit of eye contact from others with these tendencies, something silent passes between you, a recognition, and you just know.
Anyway, I've rambled enough. Pleased to meet you.
https://i.redd.it/692xxmbtl1v31.jpg
NB: The hat says 'Fuck Off' in Kanji. If you don't like this post, take another look at the hat :D
Submitted October 27, 2019 at 10:18AM by hiabex https://ift.tt/2om5P13
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