The Seven Song Itch - Grave Gothic Rock

My Goth friends, no…wait a minute…Goths don’t have friends.  They dwell in a dungeon somewhere living off of moldy cheese and really bad whine.  Okay, sorry for the pun. Now don’t go off moping about how no one understands you—at least you are not Emo right? (I really need to get around to compiling that list). Considering everything that I listen to, I tend to like my music on the dark side, so Goth really hits me where it counts.  For what seems like centuries, I’ve been schooled in the ways of the Goth, though I still consider myself a classic Punk Rocker (West Coast and UK represent).  At one point, someone told me that there were thirteen levels of Goth, but that’s too much hierarchy for me.  In fashion, it’s not always about black.  There is a myriad of levels and styles that include: pink, white, rainbow, and pixie, which sounds like a Care Bears cartoon or a bowl of Lucky Charms.  Most Goth’s that I know are relatively happy people; they just embrace the melancholy of this life as well as their past lives.  The Cure and Siouxsie And The Banshees are typically credited as the gateway to Goth, but there are a lot more groups out there.  As with every style of music, there will always be sub (dungeon) categories, and this one is no exception.  These iconic tunes can send you down the dark and lowly path that is known as Goth Rock.

Playlist for Grave Goth Rock

1. Bauhaus – “Lagartija Nick”(1982)

Bauhaus consisted of Peter Murphy (vocals), Daniel Ash (guitar), Kevin Haskins (drums), and David J (bass guitar).  In 1983 Peter Murphy began a solo career while the other members continued as Tones on Tail and, later, Love and Rockets.  This song is the turning point of this group as they started to evolve from an experimental art band to a more rock sound.  Yes, the pinnacle song for this group is “Bela Lagosi is Dead,” but I like this song better.

2. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”(1985)

Since their earliest form in Bradford during 1981, the band has had various line-ups, and the longest-serving members are Ian Astbury (vocalist) and Billy Duffy (guitarist), the band's two songwriters.  This song is taken off of their breakthrough record, “Love” and has laid the groundwork for their mainstream presence.  Though typically not viewed as Goth, the themes of punk and psychedelic mysticism seem to find a place in this dark genre…and this song just rocks!

3. Fields Of The Nephilim – “Preacher Man”(1987)

I was introduced to this band though a mutual Skinny Puppy fan.  She liked the distorted vocals and I liked the macabre nature of the sound.  The band's name refers to a Biblical race of giants or angel-human hybrids, known as the Nephilim. Although they have not received substantial mainstream success, the band's seminal sound has proved highly influential, especially in the genre of gothic rock.  Lead vocalist Carl McCoy formed the band in 1984 and then reformed it with new members in 1997.  The band had a "dust and death" image, associated with characters from Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns and often wore cowboy dusters with a weather-beaten look during photoshoots.

4. The Sisters of Mercy – “This Corrosion” (1987)

Formed in 1980, the name of the band was influenced by Robert Altman's film “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971), which featured the Leonard Cohen song "Sisters of Mercy."  The group has released three original studio albums, of which the last was released in 1990. Each album was recorded by a different line-up; singer and songwriter Andrew Eldritch and the drum machine called Doktor Avalanche are the only consistent members of the group.  They ceased recording for record labels in 1993 (and have yet to form their own Indy label), but still tour and write songs for their live audience.  This song, in my humble opinion, is the pinnacle Goth anthem, as it features a gospel choir mixed in with some dark and gloomy vocals.  It is almost bouncy and it lasts for what seems like an eternity.

5. The Mission U.K. – “Deliverance”(1990)

In 1986, Wayne Hussey (vocals and guitar), Craig Adams (bassist), Mick Brown (drums), and Simon Hinkler (guitarist) formed a band called The Sisterhood, but changed the name to The Mission (a.k.a. The Mission UK for US audiences) due to the protests of Andrew Eldritch of The Sisters of Mercy.  Aside from Hussey, the line-up has changed several times during the years, but still maintains a kind of romantic renaissance sound that still has a melancholy flavor.  This song, taken from their album, “Carved In Sand,” should really be listened to with the previous track on the record, but then again you really need to listen to the entire record in order to experience The Mission UK at their full brilliance.

6. Concrete Blonde – “Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)”(1990)

There are three stories on how this band got their name.  Labelmate Michael Stipe (REM) suggested the name describing the contrast between their hard rock music and introspective lyrics. A "Concrete Blonde" is also a derogatory term for the heavily hair-sprayed, permed and big haired appearance adopted by "Sunset Strip Metal" bands, such as Poison and Ratt, and during an MTV interview Johnette Napolitano (vocals) stated that it’s just "two words that sound good together." This song is homage to Anne Rice’s novel “Interview With The Vampire”; how much more Goth can you get?

7. Type O Negative – “Black No.1 (Little Miss Scare-All)”(1993)

Also known as the Drab Four, in homage to the Beatles nickname the Fab Four, this band never really felt like they were great, but they were greatly loved.  This track is taken off of their “Bloody Kisses” record and is considered a classic Goth song.   Type O Negative's final lineup prior to Peter Steels’s (vocals) death in 2010 included Kenny Hickey (guitars), Josh Silver (keyboards), and Johnny Kelly (drums). The tongue is firmly planted in the cheek, as lots of Goth’s consider this song somewhat of a parody of the scene, but it’s not really off the mark. 

Bonus Videos:

Siouxsie And The Banshees – “Happy House”

The Cure – “Primary”

 Epilogue: List ‘o’ Goth types (Just for fun) 

The Trad Goth, The Romantic Goth, The Cyber Goth, The Fetish Goth, The Hippy Goth, The J-Goth, The Rivethead, The Perky Goth, The Mopey Goth, The Deathrocker, The Baby Bat, The Corp Goth, The Victorian Goth, The Medieval Goth, The Metalhead, The Emo Goth, The Vampire Goth, The Geek Goth, The Gothabilly, The Cabaret Goth, The Steampunk Goth, The Faerie Goth, and The Tribal Goth.