What is a gothic..

[soockie_PREV (deleted)]

Can someone wake up and say (I feel gothic today), or maybe if one would Pierce, tattoo, surgically alter there body in some way "would that make someone goth".. I think the clash of opinions, ideas and such of others that can accept that person then maybe goth is just a group of individuals not in the norm but on there own road in enlightenment..
I would like to know what you think,,,(You)..
Soockie

[kaosink]

Goth is an alternative subculture; it is both a style of music and a fashion, like Punk. People who listen to the music don't necessarily dress in the style, and people who look like goths don't necessarily like the music either - a lot of metal fans have adopted the goth look, making for a great deal of confusion.
However, on the rare occasion that someone looks like a goth and likes goth music, chances are they're actually a goth.

The name originally came from a Germanic tribe (ie the Goths). The Romans regarded them as barbaric and uncultured, much like the Vandals. "Gothic" was later applied to a style of medieval architecture by critics who regarded it as similarly barbaric and uncultured (something similar happened with the term "Vandal").

The term was later applied to a late 18th/early 19th century style of literature which had a fascination with death and the supernatural.

The term "Gothic" was first applied to the music which is now considered "goth" in about 1979- see the name page for details.

Later on, the term "Goths" or "Gothic Punks" was applied to fans of the music, particularly those that had the gothic look.

The early goths looked similar to punks, except that the predominant colours were black for hair & clothing (with the occasional outburst of white, red or purple) and silver for jewellery. Thus they had ripped clothing, and even mohicans, though the "Goth Mohican" was usually black and much wider than the punk version (shaved at the sides only).

They also tended to spout a lot of fishnet (more usually on the arms for men) and had a distinctive style of makeup, with very white faces and lots of black eyeliner (for both men and women). Hair was usually dyed black, crimped and backcombed.

At first the hair was usually fairly short for men, backcombed up, but by the mid-to-late eighties long black hair became fashionable and it's now more usual to see hair long & down than shaved at the sides & spiked up. Makeup remains an integral part of the look, but clothing has diversified so that some now wear clothes influenced by 18th or early 19th century styles whilst others wear PVC, leather & fishnet. (crushed velvet tends to be another goth favourite).
And some of them wear both, though not usually at the same time. Black and white remain the predominant colours, with red or purple still making an appearance. Distinctive fabrics tend to be silk, crushed velvet, leather & PVC.

The first goth music grew out of punk, and some of the early bands were very lively, characterised by tribal drumming. Things changed in the mid-eighties, mainly due to the rise of the Sisters of Mercy, probably the most well-known goth band.
The Sisters were characterised by deep vocals, simple yet prominent basslines, and simple drum machine rhythms. Unfortunately they came to typify the "Goth Sound" and too many later bands followed their example.

Later on, there was some crossover with the Industrial scene, and a lot of bands now use electronic sounds as well as the archetypal guitar/bass/drum machine/vocals.

There is also a fair bit of "ambient" goth, characterised by subtle instrumentation and haunting female vocals.

Lyrically, goth tends to be on the doomy side- dark lyrics and a doomy sound are fairly typical of most (but not all) goth these days.

*information aquired from;
(removed).

[(deleted)]

Actually, there are several meaning and definitions to the word goth. Depending on how they're used is the meaning. In the instance of someone dressing or into dark things...goth does not mean a way of dress or music at all. The real meaning is someone that is in search of thier religion and to better understand themselves by looking into all things unusal and dark.
It's actually a slang definition*yea slang definition is a real type definition but really used or called that lol* to say its music and such.
As for used before the 20th century you hit that right on the button...but again as I said depends on which definition is used for the situation. So, that doesn't apply now to the "goths" of today.
It's funny how ppl call themselves goths and don't even know what it really does mean. Hell, I'm not goth..but i didn't know what it meant either till two years ago lol.
It's funny as well how over tyme meanings to words are changed or added to fit the tymes.

Amor Fati,
DRACO

[sethdarknight1 (deleted)]

To me Goths are the souls such as myself lost to the darkness for the light and the society that drives to purify there has cast us out long before we became the Goths we are. We dwell in the darkness and all that is dark for these things are the only objects as well as veiws we have left to look too. The answers to what is a goth is not on who or what you listen, dress, or watch but what you feel and think in times gone by. We are Goths, that means we stand in the darkness when all others cast out at us from the light. We are Goths, the children who will not bend to the rules of the society created by light or perfect children of lesser gods. Who we are is what we defind not the meaning of such a silly question as what makes a goth. We are the children of darkness and our souls are as dark as our minds. So my question who gives others the right to defined what I am when they never will understand how I became the Goth I am today?

[(deleted)]

Very nicely put and very interesting view as well..i like it. good one man.

Amor Fati,
DRACO

[hangingdoll_PREV (deleted)]

i really dont think im a goth but i do like alot of jrock music and metal
anyways this girl got all upset because i didnt think country was goth...
is country music goth? or am i just being stupid to think it isnt...
i dont know how to put my words down but anyone who considers themself goth and is jamming to garth brooks thats just weird
just my opinion and she got all upset and her panties in an uproar
is country really goth is what im trying to say...

[(deleted)]

I have to go with kaosink as I personally think the answer is to the question is found on www.scathe.demon.co.uk/histgoth.htm

In my younger days I used to go to Resurgence (Mister Scathe's club night) in deepest, darkest Portsmouth and he is a very genuine and straightforward guy...the club was pretty damn good too, but lets not get off topic here - in short he isn't fibbing here and pretty much summed everything nicely in regards to what, why and how the term "goth" become coined with us mopey lot with what he wrote in those many pages.
Somewhere between an insult word, blended with a Punk hangover and a blossoming unusual music and fashion scene all combined together in an even more depressed than usual Tory era. Cause and effect? Could have been...

Anyway...IMHO getting too involved in a W.I.G. conversation means that you probably haven't really formed your own opinions properly or if you have, you have to have them validated on a regular basis...normally by trashing someone elses point of view *shrugs* Thats how I feel on the matter... I've been at this too long to keep going over the same old thing every time it keeps rearing its head.

And my final word on the matter is that you can't mess with facts...but you can over turn theories and opinions.

I 100% wholeheartedly am standing with Pete's well put together "history of goth" on this one.

~ Binkey.... in a Colbalt Blue mood...

[tigerblack]

well...i think...its what YOU believe who you are...no one...can tell who or what you are...only yourself...no one has power over you to tell who you are or what you should be...its pretty much how you want to live your life...not you want to live for someone else....if you fell that you fit into something then it is your choice...those are nice facts and history though...i'll look more into myself...but the point is...you be who you want to be...and that if you can live with that...i consider myself to have a goth like soul...if anyone doesn't agree its fine with me...and i wish to hear your opinion as well i'm very open minded...

My cat tells me to burn things...

[schopenhauer]

`Someone who understands that existence is nothing but suffering, yet chooses to live in spite of this. Vanity and the appreciation of beauty demand it.

[lilithlafey]

.That is exactly right!-