Ancient Goth (was Re: Docs, Nurses, Attorneys, Music)

[manny at telerama.com]

 The commodization of the 'alternative' scenes basically transmogrified
> them into something entirely different - not necessarily bad just
> different.

'Alternative' commodified goth and industrial wherever it could as well.
Remember, Perry Farrell came from Psi-Com, a band that existed in the LA
'dark rock' underground (Savage Republic, 17 Pygmies etc) that was kind  of
the immediate successor to the early LA deathrockers (45 Grave etc).

He knew where his bread was buttered, and Lollapalooza always featured at least
one group that would bring the 'goths' to his table. (Nick Cave, Siouxsie).

As well as the fact that major labels had picked up on goth and industrial
even earlier than they picked up on mallpunk like Green Day.
Minstry were signed first, then Nine Inch Nails, then Front 242, then stuff like
Gravity Kills and Skinny Puppy. The majors were throwing stuff at the suburban
wall and seeing what sticks.

It turned out that what stuck best were bands that were not pure goth and
industrial but some hybrids blended with pop, rapmetal, hard rock or what have
you (see: Evanescence for a more recent example).

So, the true music of goth and industrial gave up trying to become superstars
and went back to the underground. That's why the mid-90s push of the 'neo-goth'
bands (Faith & the Muse, Cruxshadows or whoever) was important in
keeping the underground scene alive outside the vision of the mainstream,
first with domination by Cleopatra and Projekt and now by Metropolis.

But overall, plenty of aspects of goth are as commodified as any other
alternative subculture, all you have to go is go to any Hot Topic in a mall.
Every high school kids knows what a 'goth' is, even if they aren't one.
They also mix and match 'goth' with the other subcultures like emo and punk
without a problem.

I think some bands are more savvy about it nowadays, though. Dresden Dolls, for
example, are a band that has penetrated the mall mainstream yet they retain
high quality control of all of their art and they haven't signed to
a major record conglomerate. bands like that have figured out ways to strike
while the iron is hot and still remain independent, to have their mainstream
cake and eat it too. good for them.