Goth or Not?

I went to one of my old favorites a couple of nights back, and found myself sitting at a table wondering what the hell happened. The Church, the only nightclub of mention, in a city of over 5 million people has become some sort of David Lynch meets Ed Wood Twilight Zone episode. The Mansonites are now old enough to get in the club. They flock to the dance floor; being still too young to legally consume alcohol, and writhe about and claw at the air like Mimes exposed to mustard-gas. The "Elites"; those 20-something snobs in $400 black outfits, have retreated to the corners, realizing that they are outnumbered by the spooky-kids. They now point, giggle, and make fun of the younger crowd, all the while forgetting that it was they who were being made fun of by others just a few years ago. Did they forget that the "Goth" culture was supposed to be about acceptance?

We were a generation of orphans. Our parents and heroes were too obsessed with personal glorification of self through the pursuit of the New American Dream: He who dies with the most toys wins. They tolerated and mostly ignored our seemingly "rebellious" dress and music, and dismissed us as the lost generation. Our culture and practices were unaccepted by society, so our motto became "Acceptance". Regardless of race, background, monetary wealth, religion, or paradigm, the "Goths" welcomed you.

Now most of the members of this society are nothing more than black-clad clones of those who persecuted them when they donned, vinyl and black-lipstick and ventured out into the night. Mankind does have the humbling propensity to mimic the traits they most despise. Ironic, no?

Our culture promoted individuality, self-expression, and freedom. We painted our leather jackets, died our hair, pierced our flesh, and played our music loud. Clothing, music, and dance were just a few of the mediums we expressed ourselves through, but it was these three in particular, that we became known and recognized for. Now Goths are known for High School slaughters, suicides, and trendy outlandish threads courtesy of HotTopic and their owners Gadzooks. We've morphed from self-expression obsessed individuality-extremists into a gingerbread-man army of fashion victims.

The music was the same old stuff I’ve heard for the last 10 years or so. But let’s face it, Goth bands today aren’t likely to make it rich so what’s the motivation? Some of us have adopted the synth-industrial sound of bands like VNV Nation, Apoptygma Bezerk, Beborn Beton, and Covenant. I really like the direction these bands are taking. If I hear Type-O one more freaking time, I’ll puke. For nostalgia’s sake it’s tolerable once a year at a party maybe, but twice a night……

I must admit I love most of the crowd that attends on a regular basis though. Corey the bartender is amazing, and even the snob-goths don't really bother me. If you can name one other social gathering where as many diverse cultures and individuals can congregate and feel as though they belonged, I’d be surprised. No matter where the “Goth Scene” goes from here, I’ll always look fondly on the memories it gave me.

I guess I’m just a little sad to let it all go. I really have nothing bad to say about the way things were, I just don’t understand what Goth has become. Maybe that’s why I feel a little dejected. It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend. Maybe this is what the old school punks felt like when the makeup wearing, black-attired Goths began to evolve from their scene. I hope what we have left you serves you well.

That’s all.