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Goths! You’ve seen them before – perhaps on the bus, perhaps in the queue at Waitrose. Say what you want about them at least they’ve got their own subculture – unlike you (probably). To get a closer insight into their world Dylan Chudasama went down to Slimelight at the Electrowerkz in Lodon, Islington - the longstanding bastion of Goth clubdom where any Goth who is any Goth needs to be seen and newcomers (such as Dylan) have a chance to network.
The night ran from 10pm till 8am. As I was a ‘non-member’ I got there a bit early to avoid any unnecessary problems. I got through the door wearing my black Nike air Jordans, black denim washed jeans, plain black t-shirt, and silver skeleton chain.
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| Mark Sloboda 32 and wife, ex neclear engineer |
On the first floor there were candle light chandeliers flickering on the ceiling. The dance floor was covered in thick smoke. The music wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be. They call it EBM (Electronic Body Music) – gothic dance music. In the basement everyone was over 35. The DJ was at the back of the room on a podium spinning original 80s Goth tunes next to a giant 10ft bat. The room was decorated with big wooden crosses.
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| Cybergoth - didn't want to be named |
There was also a mini cinema in the club. There were no more than 20 seats altogether, but it was a nice little feature. At the time they were showing that old favourite The Fifth Element, but as I found out from one of the old timers – Steve – they normally stick to showing sci-fi films.
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| Tami Sacks, Geologist from Bristol |
Steve later went on to tell me why he became a Goth. He said: “It just came about because I grew up listening to punk music and it went from there really. The music that interested me back then started to form a dark side and that lured me into other dark bands like The Cure and The Banshees. And it just got tagged as 'Goth' because it was dark.”
The top floor was a kind of cyber café. There was a chrome pool table, a mini arcade with Goths playing Virtual Fighter and some TV screens with digital flashing imagery. Everybody seemed to be chilled out in this room. It had a friendlier atmosphere. People were sitting down having little chats.
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| Steve Williams 36, Older Goth who is an electrician in the city |
Another unique little feature was the giant freezer being used as a smoking room. Finally outside, past the point of no return – you can’t get back in once you’ve stepped out – I had some time to reflect on my experiences. Here’s what I found out from my conversations with the Goths:
What is Goth culture?
Most people would agree that the Goth subculture started out in the UK during the early 1980s and was a kind of offshoot of the post-punk genre. Certain punk bands started introducing darker lyrics into their songs and from there it developed into the modern Gothic scene that we all know and love. But the actual origin of the word arises from the Germans who were known as Visigoths by the Romans. It was a term used for barbarians and later found its use in describing architecture. Buildings like Notre Dame Cathedral and Parliament were considered ‘Gothic’ because they were seen to be ugly and barbaric in appearance.
Gothic Fashion
We’re probably all familiar with the stereotypical Goth look of all black clothing and dyed black hair with pale white make-up. But not all Goths wear black. There’s more meaning behind their fashion. Goths like to challenge taboos and reject mainstream fashion. There’s an emphasis on freedom of expression.
Here are some of the popular Goth style traits:
- Anything black (White or deep red are also popular but less common)
- Silvery Jewellery
- Pallor (for that dead, pale look)
- Dyed hair (black, purple, red, are fairly common)
- Bondage and fetish gear – leather, PVC, latex, rubber, vinyl, and corsets
- Velvet – crushed or regular
- Poet’s shirts – a few ruffles around the cuffs, the collar, and the front
- Chokers – a dog leash with spikes, a bondage collar, or velvet ribbon tied around the neck
- Ankh (Egyptian symbol for everlasting life)
- The Eye of Rah
- Pentacle (a five pointed star – symbolising fire, earth, air, water and spirit)
- Wearing revealing lingerie (garters, teddy, bustier, slip, camisole)
- Opera-style capes, cloaks, and gloves
- Crosses
- Fishnet tights or shirts
- Black and white horizontal striped tights like the Wicked Witched of the West
- Piercings (usually not as excessive as Punks, but the most common places are the nose, tongue, and nipple)
- Pointed shoes, buckled boots, high heels, combat boots and Doc Martens
- A leather jacket, black trench coat, or black vinyl raincoat
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| Claire Martin, 19, English student at UCL |
Goth Slang
Baby: Bat Either a younger Goth or a newcomer to the scene.
Cabaret: Attire from the Victorian era such as corsets and frills.
Batcaver: Originally referred to a Goth nightclub in Soho, but now refers to the older Goths who are fans of the music played there.
Corporate Goth: Goth with a day job, often wearing office wear with Gothic style.
Cybergoth: Goth interested in cyberculture. They wear futuristic style clothing, usually bright coloured with scary contact lenses.
Deathrocker: Goth into old school deathrock, horror punk and psychobilly. They sometimes make themselves up to look like zombies.
Elder Goth: Goths that have been part of the subculture since the beginning, or a Goths over the age of 40.
Gothdom: The Goth society.
Gothing Up: Getting dressed in Goth attire, often before going to a Goth club
Graver: A Cybergoth who goes to raves
Lolitas: Goth girls who wear Japanese style clothing such as mini skirts and high heel boots.
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Posted by anonymous @ 04/08/08 21:42:34
Oh get off the proverbial high horses!
Even if you are old school, you had to start somewhere, you weren\'t born with your dreads and modifications......besides which, stuff that can\'t be taken off/ out tends to get very smelly - or is that part of being a \"real goth\" too?
Posted by anonymous @ 04/08/08 08:10:55
Oh get off the proverbial high horses!
Even if you are old school, you had to start somewhere, you weren\'t born with your dreads and modifications......besides which, stuff that can\'t be taken off/ out tends to get very smelly - or is that part of being a \"real goth\" too?
Posted by anonymous @ 04/08/08 07:55:36
Screw that for a lark! Im a South African Goth -yes, we are a rare and beautiful species- and I think all those stinkers who posted that those aren\'t \'real\' goths should pull their pretentious noses out of their own sweet smelling sunlit bottoms! Last I checked, the great part gothing up was getting to express yourself and not be judged, pity some people forget that. As for those who hang up their gear for work, they\'re the same bunch that don\'t live off their poor old mums.
Posted by anonymous @ 03/08/08 12:52:19
Screw that for a lark! Im a South African Goth -yes, we are a rare and beautiful species- and I think all those stinkers who posted that those aren\'t \'real\' goths should pull their pretentious noses out of their own sweet smelling sunlit bottoms! Last I checked, the great part gothing up was getting to express yourself and not be judged, pity some people forget that. As for those who hang up their gear for work, they\'re the same bunch that don\'t live off their poor old mums.
Posted by anonymous @ 03/08/08 12:42:44
Oh, give the guy a break you bunch of pretentious nonces! Nice one Dylan, whoever you are...highly entertaining and well observed!
Posted by anonymous @ 31/07/08 23:21:26
cringe! those slimelight\\\"goths\\\" look appalling. i used go to slime in the early 90s when the peeps used to look good and it was really a lifestyle , not some cowardly weekend cross dressing.
Posted by anonymous @ 27/07/08 16:21:33
cringe! those slimelight\"goths\" look appalling. i used go to slime in the early 90s when the peeps used to look good and it was really a lifestyle , not some cowardly weekend cross dressing.
Posted by anonymous @ 27/07/08 16:20:45
you have NO idea about gothic lolita, get a glue before you make this crap up.
Posted by anonymous @ 21/07/08 13:47:30
slimelight is dead, yo wont find real goths there anymore, they found a different place... just look at those pictures you posted here, come on! they dressed up cos someone told them what to wear to be able to enter slimes, the next weekend they will be somewhere else wearing oasis dress, trainers whatever... Your post made me laugh.
Posted by anonymous @ 15/07/08 17:11:47
In your nice little vocab section, you typed this: \\\"Lolitas: Goth girls who wear Japanese style clothing such as mini skirts and high heel boots.\\\"
Wrong. Lolita is a Japanese fashion trend that is inspired by Victorian and Roccoco era clothing. The typical look is like that of a porcelain doll - frilly knee-length skirts or dresses, stockings, petticoat, headdress or bonnet and mary jane shoes.
The Gothic Lolita look still follows this basic outline, only with darker colors and more gothic inspired accesories.
Lolita does not inclue mini skirts and high heels.
Posted by anonymous @ 11/07/08 16:26:29
In your nice little vocab section, you typed this: \"Lolitas: Goth girls who wear Japanese style clothing such as mini skirts and high heel boots.\"
Wrong. Lolita is a Japanese fashion trend that is inspired by Victorian and Roccoco era clothing. The typical look is like that of a porcelain doll - frilly knee-length skirts or dresses, stockings, petticoat, headdress or bonnet and mary jane shoes.
The Gothic Lolita look still follows this basic outline, only with darker colors and more gothic inspired accesories.
Lolita does not inclue mini skirts and high heels.
Posted by anonymous @ 11/07/08 16:22:58
Dear Anon poster 28/06/08
I have a comment regarding your statement \"nothing permanent, ready to be taken off and hung up for the week so they can melt back into mainstream society\". I would not always say the non-permanent hairdo was a sign of being a \'weekender\'. Some people have jobs which do not allow the type of hairstyles they would like to wear. Simply because someone chooses to wear falls does not mean they are part-time alternative and wish to melt back into the mainstream society. I have never worn falls but would if my job meant I couldn\'t have more permanent styles. To be goth is not like ticking boxes and meeting criteria, no matter what type of goth you label yourself as. If it were I would label you as \'pretentious goth\' based on your comments.
Posted by anonymous @ 10/07/08 19:40:28
oh please!! I am an old timer at Slimelight. The people who agreed to be photographed for this article I would not class as goths. They are weekenders with incredibly bad, fake hairdoos. (nothing permanent, ready to be taken off and hung up for the week so they can melt back into mainstream society). Yuk!!!
Posted by anonymous @ 28/06/08 18:29:27
is this article for real?
...and where can I buy myself one of these alternative culture identikits?
Posted by anonymous @ 27/06/08 17:13:19
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