Looking Back: Another World Goth Day Introspection

It's funny how much things can change within a year. I recently looked at last year's World Goth Day post and was surprised at how much my perspective has changed since then.

I previously stated that I wasn't sure if I was going to remain Goth or not, and that honestly surprised me as I read my entry again. I totally understand that life is completely unpredictable, and even the most stringent individuals can change due to circumstance, but presently I don't believe that I will leave the subculture--I enjoy delving into the many classic and modern bands that have helped and continue to help shape the culture to its present day. I am continuing to slowly shape my wardrobe into a mix of trad/deathrock/romantic styles. I continue to fall in love with the aesthetics and literature, collecting Gothic novels and black lace and velvet with a childlike enthusiasm. My fascination for morbid things has even lead to a growing passion for vulture culture in the past few years. Cliched as it is, I truly feel home in this culture, and rather than distancing myself, I've become more immersed in it since discovering it in my adolescent years.

Despite my change in perspective, I still agree with certain points of my post. I still believe that Goth is a beautiful culture that has opened me up to the darker aspects of the human condition. Researching the subculture is one of my favorite hobbies--in fact, I have slowly amassed a collection of books about Goth history and its vibrant culture. Despite my fondness, I still want to discuss the culture's flaws as I am opposed to blind praise of anything I enjoy or consider myself apart of.

This past year has lead to me unearthing so many wonderful aspects of the culture, allowing me to feel like I am rediscovering it for the first time. I can hardly wait to see what else awaits me as I continue to wander deeper into the welcoming shadows of Goth, donned in black clothing and dark makeup.

Similar to last year, I have created a World Goth Day playlist. I tried to add different genres as well as some lesser known songs because while I do enjoy "Bela Lugosi's Dead" and "Spellbound", I feel there are so many other musical gems that unfortunately have been ignored in favor of the more recognizable songs.


The playlist can also be accessed here in case it doesn't load.

Track Listing:

The Southern Death Cult - The Crypt

Gene Loves Jezebel - Upstairs

Joy Division - Interzone

Eyes of the Nightmare Jungle - Shadow Dance

Meat of Youth - Meat of Youth

Killing Joke - Eighties

The Naked and the Dead - Carousel

Clan of Xymox - Stranger

Eyes of God - East of Eden

Euroshima - Esfumados Suenos

Drab Majesty - Too Soon to Tell

Winter Severity Index - Athlete

Soft Kill - Wake Up

I am still working on more posts for this blog; computer issues have unfortunately delayed my progress so I apologize. I hope to have more content up soon so again, thank you for your patience and have a wonderful World Goth Day.

The Writhing Figures: The Short Films of Robert Morgan

I’ve been a fan of animation since I was younger. While I've enjoyed a variety of cartoons, I've found myself interested in darker works, such as shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog, which unsettled me but left me wanting more. There was something about these animations that drew me in, and over the years my search lead me to creators like Robert Morgan.

 Robert Morgan was raised in Yateley, Hampshire. He developed an interest in film after watching Fiend without a Face (1958), which was shown to him by his uncle on an 8mm projector. While attending The Surrey Institute of Art and Design he began experimenting with manipulating sculptures, which lead to him studying animation (“Robert”). I'm enthralled by Morgan's brilliant use of stop motion, one of my favorite types of animation and a style that I wish would be explore more in film. Morgan finds that stop motion animation is a perfect medium to augment the eeriness in his films, as “[t]he way everything moves has an unnatural, uncanny feeling, a weird jerkiness. Everything is alive and dead at the same time” (Vollenbroek). 

Although some of his films are incredibly bizarre by his standards, particularly Overtaken, these short films exhibit a creativity and ingenuity that is lost in many of the mainstream releases today. Overall I greatly enjoy Morgan's works, but there are two in particular that I keep coming back to: The Cat with Hands and The Man in the Lower-Left Corner of the Photograph.

An absolutely brilliant film.

The Cat with Hands is a short film I discovered in my teenage years as I began to explore the Goth subculture. While I was looking for media that would make me appear more “Goth” to my peers, what I got as a brilliantly subtle, yet eerie story based on a recurring nightmare Morgan’s sister had during her youth (Duncan). The brilliant use of animation combined with a succinct plot made for a chilling short film. This is a fantastic work of art that has been one of my favorite films for years. 

The Man in the Lower-Left Hand Corner of the Photograph is a film I discovered after searching for more of Morgan's work. It tells the story of a lonely old man who sees a picture of himself as younger and happier and tries to recreate that happiness. One of the things I loved about the film was the decaying imagery contrasted by the song playing on the phonograph. This haunting atmosphere left me bracing myself for what would happen next.   
It is because of these surreal and haunting films that Robert Morgan is an interesting and extremely talented filmmaker; I would definitely recommend reading this interview for further insights into his thought process. Despite the fact that I consider the aforementioned two my favorites, all of these films are definitely worth a watch; they would certainly make a Halloween horror night interesting.  

Also, as is this blog’s tradition, I have prepared a Halloween playlist, which can also be found here. In case YouTube doesn’t load, here is the tracklist: 




The Bolshoi - Barrowlands 
Chelsea Wolfe - Demons 
Blessure Grave - 17 Years of Hell 
Cinema Strange - Aboriginal Anemia 
Plastique Noir - Fugitive Dawn 
Spiritual Bats - Romantic Decadence 
Southern Death Cult - The Crypt 
Nervous Choir - Alsations 
And Also the Trees - Virus Meadow 
Bauhaus - The Three Shadows Part II 
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Night Shift 
Joy Division - Dead Souls 
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand 

I hope you have a wonderfully decadent Halloween!♥ 


 Sources Cited: 

Duncan, Lizzie. "Film Review: The Cat with Hands (Short Film) (2001)". Horror News.Net. 10 March 2016. Web. 26 October 2016. (link)

“Robert Morgan”. Animus Films. N.d. Web. 15 October 2016. (link)  

Vollenbroek, Tunde. “The Art of Animating Horror: An Interview with Robert Morgan”. Cartoon Brew. 1 August 2016. Web. 15 October 2016. (link) 

World Goth Day Introspection

Edit: When I originally posted this on May 22nd, I forgot to add a couple of sentences to my post. Sorry about that! 

 One of the things I really love about World Goth Day is that it has given me time to reflect on the role Goth has had in my life. I remember writing this a long time ago on the backwaters of the Internet, and reading The HouseCat’s post on what Goth means to her made me think that perhaps it’s time I gather my thoughts and revisit this topic once more.

 I can definitely say that being Goth has offered me a different perspective on life and allowed me to explore darker emotions and aspects of the human condition, as cliché as it is. I used to go on cemetery walks as a way to “take a break” from society. I would take in the beauty of the tombstones and enjoy the solemn atmosphere as the strains of Big Electric Cat emitted from my earbuds. Each time I left, I was humbled by the realization that everything in life is temporary. I appreciate being able to share my perspectives with other like-minded individuals without being seen as a “freak”. It was also nice to hear musicians who wrote about pains and struggles and to not feel that I was alone in my emotions. Songs like “Other Voices”, “Transience”, and “Summoning of the Muse” are so beautiful because of the emotions they evoke. Since then I’ve been able to express myself through writing and art, and I feel encouraged knowing that there are others with the same outlook as me.

I also found Goth different because it really seemed to encourage learning and exploration. There’s a lot of rich history of the subculture, and many years later, I still feel like an excited young child when I stumble upon something I don’t know. While I feel like my knowledge of the culture has vastly increased since my teenage years, there are still so many bands to listen to, so many books to read, and so many interesting influences on Goth to uncover.

That being said, I still think there are some things in the culture that need discussion. I do hope, for example, to touch on the subject of Goth and race some point in the future. I also want to continue writing about the Goth label and elitism. I think it’s important to be aware of the flaws in the cultures we take part in; this allows for a realistic perspective and for us to work to make them better.

Overall, this is a lovely and rich culture that I am very glad to be a part of. I don’t know if I will remain a Goth forever, as there are many things I claimed to be permanently rooted in but changed due to circumstances. If that were to happen, I would look back on my years in the culture with fondness. As for now, I am happy to make this culture my home.

With my wistful thoughts out of the way, I wanted to create a playlist of dark, danceable songs that have really spoken to me throughout my years in the subculture.




The playlist can also be accessed here in case it doesn't load.

Track Listing:

Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Joy Division - Shadowplay

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Spellbound

UK Decay - Unexpected Guest

Sexbeat - Sexbeat

Killing Joke - Darkness Before Dawn

The Danse Society - Heaven is Waiting

The Cure - The Hanging Garden

Death Cult - God's Zoo

Clan of Xymox - Back Door

Xmal Deutschland - Qual

Das Kabinette - The Cabinet

The Sisters of Mercy - Marian

The Frozen Autumn - Is Everything Real?

Corpus Delicti - Staring

Lotus Feed - Supervision

Children on Stun - Cat's or Devil's Eyes

Siiiii- Over

She Past Away - Rituel

Geometric Vision - Stranger

 I hope you enjoy!

A Glimpse into the Darkness: A Brief Look at the "Scary Stories" Series

Once again, the season of autumnal gloom has descended upon us. As Halloween arrives, I find myself looking through the pages of a small set of books, admiring the artwork that once terrified me as a kid. Eventually I come across a black book with a red border with the words “Scary Stories to tell in the Dark” printed in large black letters. Below the letters is a macabre image of a skull with the familiar red “Scholastic” logo at the bottom, resurrecting old memories of book sales and small paper catalogs passed out by grade school teachers in homeroom.

The infamous cover image. Book cover art is
© HarperCollins

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a series of books written by the late Alvin Schwartz and featured the infamous drawings by Stephen Gammell. Featuring stories such as “What Do You Come For?”, “The Dead Man’s Brains”, “Such Things Happen”, the three books—Scary Stories, More Scary Stories, and Scary Stories 3 –were the subject of controversy due to their chilling imagery and were consequently the most frequently challenged series for library banning from 1990-99 (“100 Most Frequently Challenged Books”).  The series was also challenged from 2000-2009 and was the 7^th most challenged series for the decade (“Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books”). 

 

Notwithstanding being challenged multiple times, the series has survived and or continues to be a classic collection for spooky stories. To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the series, Scary Stories publisher Harper Collins rereleased the series with new illustrations by Brett Helquist, best known for illustrating Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. This change in illustration angered many who found Helquist’s illustrations lacking in their depth of displaying haunting detail in comparison to Gammell.  Quite simply, “Gammell’s  skill at reaching into the darkest depths of his imagination and returning with vivid nightmares which he then captured in all their macabre detail through his paintings is, simply put, unmatched”(Pellegrini). It is a disappointment, as the stories lose the intended impact that Gammell’s drawings created. Mark Pellegrini’s article “Scary Stories to tell in the Dark:Gammel vs. Helquist” provides a helpful juxtaposition between the artwork of the two editions. 
 

Despite the years of controversy, the Scary Stories series has remained as an important source of inspiration and nightmare fuel for many children of the ‘80s and 90s and has recently received some attention. CBS Films hired screenwriter John August to rewrite a screenplay after the previous version, written by Saw writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, was thrown out (Hall). Moreover, the series is also the focus of a documentary directed by Cody Meirick—Scary Stories: A Documentary, which aims to highlight the legacy of the series, the history of gothic children’s folklore, and the impact of illustrations on young children. “In addition, to tackle the books as a subject inevitably involves the topic of censorship amongst children’s literature. Using the most censored modern example of this practice, this documentary intends to shine a light on the practice and explore the many facets and opinions involved with challenging children’s books in America” (“Synopsis”). Be sure to visit the documentary website if you wish to learn more about this exciting project. 

Honestly, I cannot recommend this series enough. The books offered a unique angle unlike other scary story series such as Goosebumps; though Gammell’s illustrations were extremely frightening to me as a child, there was an unmatched charm with these books that drew me to them. I have many fond memories flipping through the pages, thoroughly engrossed in the horrors that awaited the unsuspecting victims. Schwartz did not talk down to his audience but instead challenged the convention of what is allowed in children’s literature. Today, the series serves as inspiration for my art projects and general aesthetics. 

The original print of these books, while not impossible, is a bit difficult to come by, but I do suggest searching eBay, Thrift Books, or visiting a thrift store if you would like to acquire the series for yourself. If you’re having difficulty locating a copy, you can still celebrate this wonderfully dark day by dimming the lights, cozying up with a snack, and listening to the incredibly recorded audiobooks fill the emptiness of the room. 

To continue the festivities, I also created a Halloween playlist, "Pumpkins and Old Records" (link in case the playlist doesn't load), and you can also listen to last year's playlist if you wish. I suppose my Halloween playlist will officially become a tradition of sorts.

Here is the track listing in case YouTube doesn’t load:

Screaming for Emily—The Love
Your Funeral—I Wanna Be You
Screaming Dead—Lovers
The Legendary Pink Dots—Lisa’s Party

45 Grave—Riboflavin

Cinema Strange—Moundshroud

Cinema Strange—Finger Broken Branches (Instrumental)

Scarecrow—Mother’s Calling

Exces Nocturne—L’Echo des Lumières

Specimen—Dead Man’s Autochop

Siouxsie and the Banshees—Head Cut

Bauhaus—St. Vitus Dance

Oingo Boingo—Dead Man’s Party

I try to focus more on songs that usually aren't included in Halloween playlists, so if you like any of the featured bands, be sure to check them out.

Lastly, welcome and thank you to new readers! I truly hope you enjoy your stay.

Have a deathly decadent Halloween♥

Sources Cited:

“100 Most Frequently Challenged Books: 1990-1999”. American Library Association. N.d. Web. 15 October 2015. (link)

Hall, Jacob. “‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Will Get Rewritten by ‘Frankenweenie’ Writer John August”. The Movie Network. 18 November 2014. Web. 23 October 2015. (link)

Pellegrini, Mark. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Gammell vs. Helquist”. Adventures in Poor Taste. 18 December 2011. Web. 14 October 2015. (link)

“Synopsis”. Scary Stories: A Documentary. 2015. Web. 23 October 2015. (link)

“Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009”. American Library Association. N.d. Web. 15 October 2015. (link)

 

 

Aural Tendencies: Big Electric Cat, with an Addendum on Blog Changes

Oh, technology, you never cease to amaze me. Shortly after I celebrated my return to blogging, I began to deal with a number of computer issues, which resulted in months of trying to replace my broken computer. This, along with other things, contributed to a very long absence.

My long absence aside, let’s talk Goth music. Goth music can be an acquired taste for some and may require some getting used to. Some bands may sound too harsh and grating, while others may feature bands with high-pitched voices that new listeners may be unaccustomed to, such as The Sex Gang Children. For first time listeners seeking exposure to Goth music, I recommend checking out Big Electric Cat (BEC) which was a very important gateway band that introduced me to the subculture as a gloomy, angst-ridden teenager. Intrigued and amused by their name, I listened to “Black Water” and instantly fell in love with the track’s dark, throbbing beats. Now as an adult, Big Electric Cat is one of my favorite bands of all time, with Eyelash being my favorite album by far.

Big Electric Cat was formed in 1993 with Paul Sadler, David Block, and Deborah Denton. The band name was inspired by the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Adding to the lineup was the drum machine, Dr. Ruth, named after a famous sex therapist (Bruce). This seems to be in a similar vein to The Sisters of Mercy’s Dr. Avalanche and The Merry Thoughts’ Thoughtmachine. In Peter Marks’s interview with Paul Sadler, the guitarist and lead vocalist, it seems the moniker was a backhand to The Sisters of Mercy. Sadler responds, “…[a]ll these gothic bands name their drum machines something. And Dr. Avalanche has been around for a few years, so we thought we would just twist that a little bit”(Marks). 
 

In 1989, Sadler moved from the UK to Sydney, Australia, as he believed it allowed for a healthier musical atmosphere. The band’s music was intended to confront the darker aspects of the human condition, like sadness, and was influenced by a variety of sources, such as music from Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, “an appreciation of deep feelings and emotions, and a belief in love transcending death” (“iTunes Preview”).  

After putting out a self-financed EP called Suspiria, which resulted in a three-album contract with Cleopatra  Records, Big Electric Cat debuted with Dreams of a Mad King in 1994, reworking four of the tracks that appear in the final version of the album (“iTunes Preview”). Although I prefer Eyelash over Dreams of a Mad King, I still enjoy this album, my personal standout tracks including “Bed of Nails”, “Orchid Dreaming”, “Winter Room”, “Twisting Man”, and “Paris Skyes”. Their compilation Burning Embers was released in 1995. This is my least favorite release by BEC. While highly imaginative, the remixes vary in quality. Bruce, the author of the article “The Unquiet Grave: Big Electric Cat” succinctly states that “Burning Embers is a spotty piece of work, with a chill take on ‘Christabel’ and a skitterish[sic] darkwave mix of ‘Paris Skyes’ faring better than some outdated house workouts” (Bruce).

After what I would consider to be their weakest release, the 1997 release Eyelash proved to be a masterpiece in my eyes—an experimental, morose album that, to me, highlights the dreamy, poetic essence of Goth. The titular track, written in the memory of Sadler’s father, is a stunning composition with painful lyrics. “Crash Flight 232” is another track that caught me off guard as unnerving and tense, but still particularly well-written and composed. Sadly, their sophomoric album would be their last, as developments on new album releases have been quiet since.

Paul Sadler’s soothing vocals matched/set against the overall sounds of Big Electric Cat have made my transition to Goth music extremely easy. I’ve found their music has provided great a soundtrack while meditating. Big Electric Cat’s take on David Bowie’s classic “Cat People” adds a more sinister, electronic spin on the classic track.  The incorporation of synthesizers reminds me of Clan of Xymox’s melodic and danceable “Stranger”. The solemn, yet beautiful “Transience” is the final track of Eyelash, closing with a slow, mournful tone, highlighted by Sadler’s languid, melancholy vocals:

                Do you still remember

                The passing of your soul?

                Carve the name eternity

                For everyone to hold    

The haunting and dreamy lyrics that drew me in as a fledging Goth continue to astound me with their beauty and depth. This is a band I can’t recommend enough. Their Discogs page can be found here for more information on the album releases and formats.

Recommended Tracks:

Paris Skyes

Cat People(Putting out Fire) (David Bowie cover)

Orchid Dreaming

Bed of Nails

Christabel

Transience

Winter Room

Black Water

Crash Flight 232

Twisting Man

If my rambling on Big Electric Cat interests you, I've created a playlist featuring the aforementioned tracks, which can be listened to here. Unfortunately, I was unable to find "Crash Flight 232", so instead I included the track "Eyelash".

---

As an addendum, I wanted to note some of the changes I made to the blog. I had originally posted “In Defense of Dark Things”, and I made some grammatical edits after previewing the article on the blog. I want to note that The Count, whom I mentioned in the post, recently posted his YouTube video on his new site, The Belfry. The site is a fantastic source for interesting podcasts and posts. I have added this and other numerous links to the Resources page. I also want to thank The HouseCat for mentioning me on her Facebook website; I really appreciate you sharing my post! 

While I closely follow the Blogging without Obligation principle, I sincerely hope to not make a habit of disappearing this long. Many things are coming in the works for this blog.

Sources Cited:

Big Electric Cat. “Eyelash”. Eyelash. Cleopatra, 1997. (link)

Bruce. “The Unquiet Grave: Big Electric Cat”. I Die: You Die. 4 July 2012. 15 July 2015. (link)

“ITunes Preview: Big Electric Cat”. Apple. Nd. 13 July 2015. (link)

Marks, Peter. “Interview with Paul Sadler of Big Electric Cat at EJ’s, Portland, OR, September 6”. Sonic Boom. 24 Sep 2012. 7 July 2015. (link)