Teen Gothic

I went to the Oddities and Curiosities Expo in Atlanta today and there are so many of us! There has to be places and things to do that I’m just not hearing about.

I know the Masquerade exists, but their Goth Industrial Nights feel more like… industrial than goth and vibrates my bones out of my ears.

Little Five points is still there and the Vortex is great(though sometimes overrun by tourists it feels like), but it’s really just two clothing stores, a place to eat, and a record shop. And not to name names, but one of those clothing stores shrunk their plus-sized section down to one rack.

We moved here from a different state two years ago, and this is all me and my husband have found, so if anyone knows where a goth girl can fit in, let me know 🙏🏻

I'm looking for books that contain photos, interviews or just general discussion from the early days of goth. I have my eye on this one as it seems to be a great resource, but are there any others that would be worth getting that I should know about? (Or conversely, any in particular I should avoid?)

This is a contender for my favorite album of all time, the synergy between Nik Fiend and Mrs. Fiend has never been stronger. Now I’m Feeling Zombified is the song that first got me hooked on this band and it doesn’t even crack my top 4 on this thing. Curse crawls, vibrates, and blasts you with heavy distortion and interesting electronic sounds, with some noteworthy sampling from the movie Predator. The 4 part opener Katch 22 will take you on a trip that’ll leave your toes curled and your hair reaching for the sky.

Extras: Dust Jacket with song lyrics and art by Nik Fiend (cover art also by Nik Fiend)

My top tracks:

-Katch 22

-Eat! Eat! Eat! (An Eye For An Eye)

-I Think I

Honorable mention:

-Burger Bar Baby

This baby bounces with heavy electronics and dance vibes. The unearthly sounds and fiendish interludes make it feel like a radio show streaming to you from another planet… Bun Ho!

Extras: none (´ཀ`)

My top tracks:

-Everybody’s Dream

-Sample My Sausage

-Another Planet

Honorable mention:

-Alien

Sidenote: the song Haunted House is basically just this album condensed into a single dance track

This album flows beautifully when played in its entirety, a rollercoaster ride of massive releases of tension and well needed reprieves. If you’re anything like me, you may find yourself feeling emotional, or like an itch is being scratched that you didn’t know was there.

Extras: Dust jacket with art by Nick Clark and Simon Cohen (cover art is by Nik Fiend)

My top tracks:

-Manic Depression

-April Showers & Wop Bop

-Do It Right

Honorable mention:

-Smells Like…

Probably their most well known album, heavy death rock vibes with electronic dance elements. Let the wave of electric doom wash over you… you may find your eyes and genitals glowing bright red by the time it ends.

Extras: typewritten lyrics sheet with penned in corrections for the 1985 US release (which the version I own is)

My top tracks:

-In God We Trust (In Cars You Rust?)

-Breakdown and Cry (Lay Down and Die – Goodbye)

-Attack!!!!!!#2

Honorable mention:

-E.S.T. (Trip to the Moon)

Sidenote: I decided a few days ago which tracks on these albums I was gonna mention, and it was a bit painful to only choose 4 on each. Seriously just listen to the whole thing if you haven’t already (and if you have already, then do it again anyway)

Over the next five days I’ll be showing off my collection of Alien Sex Fiend vinyl in chronological order of release, starting off with their debut album, Who’s Been Sleeping in My Brain?

This is a solid album with a sound that’s closer to classic goth rock than most of their work. Some songs will make you feel like dancing, some will make you feel like falling down the stairs (in a good way).

Extras: red and black splatter vinyl and dust jacket with hand written song lyrics

My 3 top tracks (in the order they appear on the track list):

– Wish I Woz a Dog

– I Am a Product

– Ignore the Machine

Honorable mention:

– Lips Can’t Go

I'm really happy that this happened to me and I never thought I'd ever be noticed by a favorite member of one of my favorite goth groups ever so this is just so exciting to me and I really wanted to share 😀

I mean… are there more?

I'm third wave (I think). I became involved with the subculture during the deathrock resurgence of the early to mid-00s. At the time, I understood that an elder goth was someone like my older friend, a first-waver who participated in the incipient goth subculture back in the 80s. In 2024, I'm seeing people in their early 40s applying that term to themselves. What are your thoughts?