Godfathers of Gothic, Roots of Goth in the 1970s
Five Albums To Explore the Birth of Dark Underground Music
Jul 22, 2009
In the Post-Punk era of music that began around 1977, a handful of musicians took to exploring dark themes in their work. Many of these early Gothic rock bands had been influenced by the introspective and rebellious songs of their Punk, Glam and Art Rock forefathers.
Introduction to Goth Music History
Taking cues from artists such as David Bowie, The Velvet Underground and The Sex Pistols, the godfathers of Gothic often blended current instrumental technology with introspective lyrics to create atmospheric and, for the time, ground-breaking music. Many of these Goth pioneers wrote songs that drew not only from personal experiences but also on religion, literature, visual art, pop culture and the supernatural for inspiration.
From about 1977 to the mid-1980s, the seedlings planted by these innovative bands took root. The following five albums offer listeners an introduction to Gothic music as it was in its beginning stages by some of the bands widely considered to be among the few that created the genre. It also served as a lesson for understanding of similar artists that followed and continue to make music with a dark edge.
A Gothic Primer: Five Essential Albums
Considered by many to be the actual founders of Gothic music and its scene, Bauhaus is perhaps the one band of the genre that must be heard to fully appreciate the foundation of this style of rock music.
In order to showcase the best of what Bauhaus recorded at the birth of the genre, the 1985 release titled simply 1979-1983 is often cited as the Goth album. It features the songs "Dark Entries," "Passion of Lovers" and "Stigmata Martyr" as well as a live version of the band's most famous track, "Bela Lugosi's Dead."
Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures is another excellent starting point to hear and understand the origins of Goth rock. The 1979 album was the band's debut and one of only two releases made with lead singer/lyricist Ian Curtis, who committed suicide in May 1980.
Unknown Pleasures includes seminal Joy Division tracks, such as "She's Lost Control" and "Shadowplay." Most often categorized as Post-Punk rather than Gothic, Joy Division is often credited - by critics and fans - with forging new musical territory that led to the creation of Goth music as well as many other alternative styles.
Widely categorized by pop culture as Goth bands, The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees claim to have unintentionally contributed to the formation of the genre. Although both have extensive discographies, two albums by these artists stand out as keys to the early days of Gothic rock.
Released in 1982, The Cure's Pornography features lush, dark songs such as "A Strange Day," "Cold" and "One Hundred Years." Siouxsie and the Banshees, which often incorporated more Punk rock aesthetics into its music than other early Gothic bands, released Once Upon A Time: The Singles in 1981. A compilation of earlier works, Once Upon A Time includes some of the band's signature tracks, like "Hong Kong Garden," "Playground Twist" and "Spellbound."
Because Gothic music followed closely on the heels of Punk and Post-Punk, the lines between these styles were often blurred by artists. The Cramps did this by combining Punk with Rockabilly - all done with a Goth edge.
The sole American group on this list, The Cramps' 1980 release, Songs the Lord Taught Us is an album is full of hyper-speed songs fueled by horror movies and black humor, such as "TV Set," "Garbage Man," "Strychnine" and "I Was A Teenage Werewolf." Although the group is more likely to found on a list of Punk pioneers than on Goth rolls, The Cramps offer a lighter, faster glimpse into Gothic rock.
The Afterbirth of Gothic Music
The musical groundwork laid by these artists helped to pave the way for the early 1990s explosion of Alternative music into the mainstream. Some of these Goth legends, such as The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees, also had songs enter the popular music charts around that time. Their hit songs and accompanying music videos, many of which featured dark imagery, served to fuel growing interest in gothic music.
There are now sub-genres of music that have sprouted from the original Goth family tree. These include Industrial music, Darkwave, Death Metal and Electronica. While some originators of Gothic rock have faded into obscurity, the majority of them are still producing music - if not as bands, as solo artists or in behind-the-scenes capacities, such as composing for film.
 |
 |
 |
 |
