Gothic-Rock

Gothic-rock evolved primarily as a genre of punk music during the late seventies in certain metropolitan cities of the United Kingdom and Ireland(Luton,Leeds,London and in Ireland,Dublin) often characterised by a more pacifistic,pro-Romanticist nature and lyrical-content and influenced(Fashion and Image mostly) by the greater-apex of the Glam-Rock movement and the campy horror of B-Rated Films.It is often considered to be one of the Forerunners to the greater Post-Punk movement as a whole.

Origins[edit]

Arguably some dictate that it is descended of one singular British-Punk of the late seventies known as UK Decay whom were interviewed in 1981 by a Brussels newspaper to which the Headline read Le Face of Punk Gothique and were deemed erroneously as such for their campy,often humorous emphasis on the Macabre and mysterious.Born of Luton soon enough several bands and their fans had begun to deem their music as Punk-Gothique(subsequently the fans as Goth) and at a later point Gothic-rock as it began to annex itself due in part to major popularity largely into a new-subculture separate from that of Punk.During this period an evolution in the London Punk scene had been occurring with bands taking influence and applying more of a psychedelic/Glam-rock influence to their music and imagery whom were often a part of the Bromley Contingent and fans of The Sex Pistols began to experiment with a more progressive rhythmic form of Punk with irregular song-arrangement and introspective lyrics.A Prominent example of this would be former punk bands Siouxsie and the banshees and The Damned.One band would come to prominence in this area for a universal anthem/manifesto of sarcastic humour and obvious Art-rock sound and this was the post-Punk act Bauhaus with their eponymous 9 minute-long minimalist punk-piece known as "Bela Lugosi's Dead" first noted on B-rated-F Vampire Film "The Hunger staring David Bowie.This was one of the key reasons in bringing this musical genre forward to the mainstream of England and much later on a worldwide level.During this period several bands would take on the title of Gothic-rock and some would even become mainstream for some period mainly The Cure and Siouxsie And the banshees whom had several Top-40 hits during their reign in the pop-charts.At this time in the beginning of the mid-eighties bands had been coming about in droves within Germany and France with intermingling of the New-Wave and hipster scenes forming over time what would become two distinct genres of Music known as Cold wave and Dark-wave respectively.

Sound[edit]

The sound is often seen as a more progressive form of Punk and is characterised by a more Tribal pattern of drumming alongside Rhythmic and often processed Guitar.Gothic-rock takes and improves upon Punk and its heavy emphasis upon Bass-Guitar as the prime driver of melody often utilising the Phyrgian Mode to cause an often wholesome and very warm chord sound.It is also noted for the usage of a 4/4 time-signature and the key form of Guitar-playing involving the Down-stroke.

Fashion[edit]

The fashion behind this scene is often derived of Glam-rock androgyny and furthermore the monochromatic(Black,Browns,white etcetera) tones characteristic of its Father genre Punk with an often ethereal twist put upon the imagery and aesthetic preferences of these youth.With such symbols as the Ankh playing a significant role in an expression of pro-Romanticists ideals.Much like the Punks an emphasis was put upon hone bearing large-hair though unlike the Punks whom had often spiked hair the followers of this Subculture had chosen large,back-combed/teased hair of generally black tones.The bits of androgyny evident within the subculture were often the wearing of Makeup to accentuate the features of the face and female garb on both men and women I.E. ripped-Hose,Cocktail-dresses,Blouses and the like.

Bands[edit]

• UK Decay
• Ghost Dance
• Skeletal Family
• Brigandage
• The Sisters of Mercy
• The Mission UK
• Fields Of the Nephilim
• Bauhaus
• Siouxsie And the banshees
• The Cure
• Speci-Men
• Flesh For Lulu
• Gene Loves Jezebel
• The Bolshoi