What is goth? Goth is a genre and subculture centered around the gothic rock genre, pioneered in 1979 by Bauhaus and prodded on earlier by the Doors (the first band to have been described as gothic rock all the way back in the 60s), David Bowie, Lou Reed, and especially Joy Division, whose album Unknown Pleasures gave forth tracks such as “New Dawn Fades”, which put forth many of the sonic tropes which have cone to define goth. From then on, gothic rock was developed forward by the likes of the Sisters of Mercy, the Cure, and Siouxie and the Banshees, who like their predecessors came from the English working class.
Bauhaus set in motion the gothic rock genre with their debut single “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”. This nine-minute track fused post-punk, reggae, and psychedelia so as to provide a foundation for the genre’s bones: etheric and dissonant guitar chords, a prominent bassline taking center stage, dancey yet primal drums, and distant vocals. The lyrics memorialized the great Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi, famed for his portrayal of Count Dracula in 1932 — but Lugosi remains undead. The Cure and Siouxie and the Banshees had started out as punk rock bands, but their styles took a sharp turn in the wake of Bauhaus, taking goth to a wider audience. However, it was the Sisters of Mercy who were the first band to truly be founded as a gothic rock act and kicked off the second wave of the genre with their album First and Last and Always, even if vocalist Andrew Eldritch has consistently rejected the label for over 40 years.
In America, gothic rock was melded back with its roots in punk rock by the deathrock movement. Spurred on by Rozz Williams’s band Christian Death, deathrock took the atmosphere of goth rock and reintroduced it to the abrasive guitar work and attitude of punk. American goth and punk bands under the tutelage of the Cramps also combined these genres with 50s rock and roll, creating psychobilly. The German and Dutch goth scene meanwhile was heavily influenced by the electronic side of new wave and disco. Led by Clan of Xymox and the Sisters of Mercy, the latter having been relocated to Hamburg after a nasty split in the band, continental gothic rock developed into dark wave and heavily influenced the birth of industrial.
Today, gothic rock has an enduring influence. Goth nostalgia bands such as Lebanon Hanover continue to gain millions of listeners on streaming platforms while Zoomers are being exposed to the Cure and Joy Division through their music being proliferated on TikTok. Even Lady Gaga has had her share, sampling the Banshees’ top song “Spellbound” in her recent single “Abracadabra”.
Happy World Goth Day!
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