Is Goth a Genre of Music?

“Goth music, in all its varied forms, can be described in many ways. It is usually described, with a characteristic lack of imagination, as being morbidly obsessed with death, as being ‘dark’, ‘sombre’ or ‘depressing’ - descriptions which show a complete misunderstanding of the genre. Goth music, to those who are willing to listen to it rather than merely hear the physical sounds which are transmitted, is full of passion, majesty, beauty, mysticism and mystery, terror, violence, pain, love, imagination, eroticism, horror, euphoria, truth, evil, life, madness and the irrational. Goth music tends to be described, by those who misunderstand it, in terms of its dark side. It is rarely described in terms of its positive side but it should be described in terms of a balance between both dark and light, positive and negative. At its height, it can be so powerful that it transcends description.” - Andrew Fereday

“Someone who is into gothic metal doesn’t necessarily have much in common with someone who is into industrial noise – their paths may not cross much. But at the same time they’re under this big umbrella of gothdom. They’re all children of the same parents.” - Liisa Ladouceur

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Expression In Fashion

There are many different types of Goths and many different types of Goth clothing. The outfits can be quite intricate and quite pricey. The materials, colours, influences and styles of the various fashions differ greatly from one another. Gothic music and fashion are symbiotic. For example Cyber fashions usually reflect the themes of Industrial music.

The Gothic fashions are full of elegance. Some are Ethereal and flowy while others are bound and restrained with tight corsets and chokers. Inspirations for styles vary from the Romanticism, Medieval, Renaissance, Victorian, and Edwardian eras. The fabrics can consist of anything from velvets, silks, chiffon or lace. Jewellery can be pearls, chokers, crosses, ankhs, silver and precious stones. For make up, smoky eyes and dark lips are typical of the look. It’s an experience that can be customizable to the individual, making it both unique and expressive.

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