When Goth Started

When Goth Started

Are you ready to step into a realm of shadow & mystery? Let’s wind back the clocks & uncover the origins of one of the most distinct & enduring subcultures out there: Goth. The tale is one of music, fashion, & an indefinable sense of otherness that has enthralled & inspired countless souls.

The Birth of Goth: A Sombre Symphony Begins

Travel back to the late 1970s & early 1980s, where the vibrant post-punk scene is unfurling. Musicians are pushing boundaries & experimenting with darker themes & sounds. It’s in this creative melting pot that Goth as we know it begins to take shape.

In gloomy clubs & on moody record sleeves, bands like Bauhaus with their chilling hit ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’, Siouxsie & the Banshees, & The Cure were synthesising a new kind of sound. It was haunting, it was emotional, & it would spawn a legion of fans clad in black.

But it wasn’t just the music that struck a chord; it was also the aesthetic. Stark contrasts, Victorian influences, & an air of the funereal set the tone. It was as expressive as it was mysterious, melding the past & the present into one flow of dark velvet.

Spreading its Wings: The Rise of a Culture

The term ‘Gothic’ has historic resonance, hearkening back to the brooding architecture of the Middle Ages & the Romantic literature of the 18th & 19th centuries. However, it was the press, those eager chroniclers of subculture, that pinned the ‘Goth’ label on the bands & their followers.

By the mid-1980s, Goth had spread its wings well beyond the music. It became a full-fledged cultural movement with its own fashion, art, & literature. Clubs like The Batcave in London became hubs of Goth activity & creativity, & iconic films like ‘The Hunger’ further shaped the aesthetic & existential ethos of the scene.

The legacy lives on, in Gothest.

Beyond the Grave: Goth’s Lasting Impact

What is most staggering about Goth is its longevity. From the doom-laden strums of early bands like Joy Division to the ethereal whispers of modern acts, the scene has continued to evolve while keeping its core ethos intact. Today, the Internet has become the global Batcave, connecting Goths across the world in a web of black lace & shared passion.

Goth is more than just a phase; it’s a lifestyle, & for many, a lifelong commitment to the beautiful & the damned. From festivals like Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig to everyday fashion, Goth lives on. It may have started as a subgenre of music, but it blossomed into a way of life.

So, when did Goth start? Officially, in the heady days of post-punk rebellion, but its spirit is an echo of centuries of art & individuality. It’s a testament to the power of self-expression & the unending quest for beauty in darkness. And let’s be honest, it looks incredibly cool while doing it.

Embrace the night, wear your black heart on your sleeve & remember: Goth is eternal.