Baby Bats to Eldergoths: A Guide to 21st Century Goth Culture
by A guide to the subgroups that make up the Goth subculture today.
Growing steadily since its inception in the later 70s and early 80s, the Goth subculture is now one of the largest and most varied counter-culture groups in Western society. These days Goth comes in a variety of forms, styles and sounds, and although many members of the subculture will mix and match styles as they please, there are certain main categories of style a goth might follow. Don’t know your spooky kids from your cybergoths? Well join occasional Goth DJ and owner-of-too-many-corsets, Emma C S, so Goth she’s hung around with Bauhaus, in this guide to Goth spotting!
I notice this article has been getting a fair few views and that’s nice, but please bear in mind this is designed for people who don’t know the subculture well and is just a little tongue-in-cheek. I’m not trying to put people in boxes, just to show outsides quite how versatile the scene is. I have hung out with Bauhaus though.
Trad Goths
Sometimes also referred to as “80s Goths”, these people prefer the original, early Goth look which grew out of the punk rock scene. Big, back-combed hair and heavy makeup are preferred along with mostly black clothing, leather jackets or trench-coats, big boots and plenty of fishnet, this is a look heavily influenced by punk and by mainstream 80s fashion. Some go for large amounts of jewellery and piercings, others go for more minimal accessories, but studded collars and armlets are pretty common. Music is very important to Trad Goths, preferring early Goth music with bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Sisters of Mercy and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will often be found on a Trad Goth’s favourites, but you’ll often find them hanging around the corners of clubs complaining about EBM (electronic body music, see below) and glow sticks, while they sip their snakebite. They will often talk about the 80s, even if they’re too young to remember the decade! Trad Goths who were around in the beginning, especially those who ever went to the famous Batcave Club, are often referred to as Elder Goths, and generally respected by other Goths.
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Post Commentdenus
On January 30, 2009 at 4:52 am
know about these people, see them sometimes too, but you cant change what people want to look like.
Majic
On January 30, 2009 at 5:18 am
You’re the real Gothic princess, neh! Cybergoths? This I have never seen before. What sayeth thee about “EMO” then? They tend to go towards that trend too.
postpunkpixie
On January 30, 2009 at 8:03 am
Thanks for the comment, Majic! I love goths, they’re normally really lovely people, although you do get the occassion “gothier than thou” type. Emos I’m less keen on, they can be very self-obsessed and immature. Not ALL of them are, mind you, I’ve known some very sweet emo kids, but there’s a big difference between emos and goths in terms of their nature.
denus, you sound as though you don’t like them? I think goth style is beautiful, personally.
Joni Keith
On January 30, 2009 at 9:48 am
Emma, this is my favorite article ever. So informative, great attention to detail and absolutely the best photos. I have always had a fascination with the whole “Goth” thing but I’m just a generation past the movement. I think I would be a Perky Goth, maybe because of the beautiful pic you posted.
Thanks to you, I have a much greater understanding and appreciation of Goth’s.
spiritwalker
On January 30, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Yes!!! Love it! Thank you for this article. It helps me out alot!
Not many people understand that there are so many colors of black.
seashell66
On January 30, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Thank you. I feel like a know a little more now!
Brian Daniel Stankich
On January 31, 2009 at 1:17 am
Emma, definitely informative, if not slightly bizarre. Your writing makes it happen. Brian
Tabitha Hergest
On January 31, 2009 at 2:46 pm
An excellent exposition upon all things Gothique. Well, almost – Equal Rights for Eldergoths! And being as my own skull-topped cane isn’t quite as much for decoration now as it used to be, I think we should be told. But you young whippersnappers; eeeh, when I were your age etc., etc., etc…
tnmcetnmce
On February 5, 2009 at 4:34 pm
great!
Brenda Nelson
On February 6, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Cyber Goths are wannabe’s..
I have seen a trend of massive piercings of pets being marketed to Goths and find this distressing, as this animal abuse is not something that is related to this culture group.
Mark Gordon Brown
On February 6, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I got into Goth at the very begining, when it was stil a subgroup of Punk. I was in Flint Michigan at the time. Wonderful time. Michigan Goths were voted at one time the best dressed Goths in the USA, this is because Michigan got less sun than California, so of course our clothes were blacker!
postpunkpixie
On February 7, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I’m not old enough to remember the very begining, but I like my trad goth.
And I wouldn’t say cybers are wannabes, just different. I kinda like cybers, there’s a fair few of them around here.
The pet piercing thing is horrible though. Most of the goths I know love animals and wouldn’t dream of hurting one like that.
Lauren Axelrod
On February 7, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I never got into this scene, but I always found it fascinating. Cool piece!
D. K.
On April 17, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Good article Emma, is very educational for the new gothic generations. Other groups in the escene are Horrorpunks,the gothic metals, terror surfers & ethereals.
Thanks!!!
Carlota
On June 9, 2009 at 6:02 pm
“Gothic metals” are not goths. They’re metalheads. Horror punks are not part of the goth scene, they’re part of the punk rock scene.
postpunkpixie
On June 9, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Agreed, that’s why I didn’t include them in the article in the first place. Although technically their music has as much in common with “standard” goth as rivetheads, you’re way more likely to see a rivethead at a goth club than a goth metaller or a horrorpunk. Metal tends to only get played as goth cheese (with some exceptions), I’ve never heard a horror punk track played at a goth club. Heard one at a death rock club once though.
Terror surfers I’ve never come across, though there is a lot of surf influence in early death rock so I guess I can see the connection. Ethereals I’d say are an offshoot of romantigoths.
There are loads of other fringe genres I could’ve included, but I stuck to ones I’ve seen in the local scene. Thanks for all the views and comments though, people, keep ‘em coming!
Freyja
On June 25, 2009 at 10:12 am
Whoever May Have Designed This Website, Must Have Read A Novel Called Goth Craft? I Love The Pictures. ^^’ Xxxx
Lucretia
On July 16, 2009 at 10:37 am
Well…to be honest, ‘goth metallers’ should have a say.
I dress like a Romantigoth and read all sorts of the stuff that is classed as ‘gothic’…yet *SHOCK HORROR* I listen to a range of metal, some classic and even a slight bit of industrial music. But do I listen to any sort of ‘goth’ music?
No.
Funny how everyone still thinks Im goth though isn’t it?
I believe that these days there is no ‘goth’ sound. No goth I know on the scene up Birmingham or in my town listens to so called ‘goth’ music. (Bar my mom, even though she isn’t a goth shes a hippy.)
Just a point for you to think on…
postpunkpixie
On July 16, 2009 at 10:57 am
Lucretia (very oldschool goth name that) to be honest, whether you dress “goth” or not is irrelevant, it’s more to do with the lifestyle. Besides that, loads of goths listen to a wide range of music (I like old punk and industrial myself), quite a few don’t listen to what I think of as proper goth.
Most “goth metallers” I would class as metalheads not goths, no matter how they dress, but that’s just my opinion. Outsiders may call them goths, but do goths call them goths? No. Wearing drapey sleeves does not a goth make. Is all metal “not goth”? No, quite a lot has clear gothic influences. But like I say, it’s down to personal opinion since goth as a subculture and a musical genre is so huge and diverse these days.
Malificent
On September 28, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Very intriguing article. I found it most interesting. I was however curious to find out in your opinion if there has ever been a goth that has not fit into one or the other catergories. As I was reading, I was honestly trying to figure out what catergory I would fall into but its not that simple. I find myself relating to possibly even four of the different types of goth. Thinking about it makes my head hurt. I guess I am the gothic equivalent to a blizzard (yes as in Dairy Queen) only the choclate and candy have been replaced with various amounts of different types of goth subculture lol.
postpunkpixie
On January 27, 2010 at 10:54 am
Malificent, (sorry for not replying) as I said in the intro, it’s just a guideline. Goth boils down to self-expression, no matter which “theme” you’re following. I’m fairly sure many people involved in the scene fit into more than one category (or none of them for that matter). For my part I flit between Trad, Deathrock, cabaret and Victoriana/Steampunk whenever the mood takes me.
I wrote this article more for people outside the subculture to show how huge and varied the scene is, rather than as a pigeon-hole for those of us on the inside, but I’ve noticed I’m getting more views from insiders. That’s the problem with writing these sorts of aritcles online; you can never be sure what your audience will be.
Azrael Blackthorn
On February 3, 2010 at 11:37 am
i really like this post, well done to the author, you really know what your talking about which is a rariety these days
if people took the time to red your post, maybe people would understand the culture more.
im most pleased with the fact that you state cybergoth, rivetheads, and marylin manson (and other mainstream) arent gothic, alot of people i know would thank you alot for that
we’re not struck on the modern cyber take on things
congrats again on the article
X- Azrael -X
SenoritaChe
On March 19, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Very lovely article. I like that you included photos. Getting ideas, as always!
**sigh** I wish my area had a goth scene. Apparently one club used to have a monthly goth night, but they quit.
There really is such a variety of things that are Goth in some form or another. I myself could classify as Hippie Goth most days, Trad Goth on others, always with a touch of RomantiGoth thrown in for good measure. And though I do listen to a lot of Trad Goth music, I also love most anything from classical to nerdcore hip hop.
Jessica
On June 6, 2010 at 6:40 am
I’ve been gothic since I was 10 years of age, but i’m still known as a babybat to others. Since my mum doesn’t have much money for clothes, I have to be creative with finding gothic-esque clothing I find around in secondand shops and bootfairs. I know it sounds stupid, but when can I stop being called a baby bat? I’m 14 now, so i’ve been dressing gothic for four years. Thanks for help (:
wolfyrocker
On August 28, 2010 at 3:35 am
As I have only been Gothic for a couple of years, I haven\\\’t had enough money ir time to aquire all the music and nice clothes necessary to stop being a babybat, really. However, as I already like some trad Gothic rock, punk rock, and deathrock, I will probably evolve into a trad goth or a deathrocker. I absolutely love the ripped fishnets, leather, and the big black teased hair. I have a hippy side and a perky side too though
Dirgesinger
On September 16, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I am happy to see an article that is fair to goths. Being in the scene for more than ten years now, I find that it is not easier for the non-Goths to take us as we are – normal people who have just a little twist of darkness inside. Hopefully this article is helping.
RMR1138
On October 15, 2010 at 12:24 am
Good job!
Had I no prior knowledge it would be quite informative…pity that it seems most of your commentors(sp?), myself included, are part of the scene.
It seems Cybers get a lot of flak..which concerns and confuses me…for a subculture partly based around a non-judgemental idiom, there seems to be a lot of judgementalism.
I’ve not encountered it personally(which is a bit suprising given that I’m a Cyber/Hippie/Corpgoth m’self depending on what mood Im in…anyway, there’s my two cents!
~aspicio pro per obscurem, ego reperio levamentum~
behold for within the shadows, I find comfort