Twitter List

As my blog topic covers several levels – traditional Gothicism, Goth lifestyle in contrast to different lifestyles and Gothicism in Melbourne – compiling a Twitter list involved thinking of a web of different contacts and information. From Goths that I knew from high school to Goth organizations, my list featured many similar but slightly varying perspectives on Gothicism.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a lot of information or advice out of most of my contacts. It didn’t overly matter, since, as I kept telling myself throughout my coverage, Goth people don’t just vent Goth tweets 24/7, in the same way that someone interested in soccer doesn’t constantly pose philosophical soccer tweets 24/7.
If you want to comment feel free!
Without further ado, I would like to thank the following ten people/organizations who were the most helpful to me in covering Melbourne Black:
1. Kristian Columbine (@MxColumbine)
Kristian and I went to school together. He was heaps of help when I was just starting out, sending me pages of Goth advice and info that actually shaped my perspective on Gothicism.

2. Jillian Venters (@CupcakeGoth)
AKA The Lady of the Manners, Jillian’s book ‘Gothic Charm School’ was one of my first points of reference as I sought an angle of my blog.

3. Victorian Gothic (@vicgothic)
A Goth store on Brunswick St, Fitzroy.

4. beachgoth (@animebby)
Everyday Goth who rarely tweeted about Goth stuff – this was good, as it reminded me that Goths aren’t obsessed with being Goths all the time.

5. Evil Devil (@Famed_Goth)
Nobody on my Twitter list embraced the afeard Goth stereotype better!

6. Goth Fashion (@GothFashion)
Rarely tweeted but was handy in terms of direction of Goth culture.

7. The Goth Aesthetic (@gothaesthetic)
My main word in the Twittersphere for Goth fashion. Cheers for the bat design boot pics!

8. GothsUpTrees @GothsUpTrees
GothsUpTrees is a small Melbourne organization that brings local Goths together for food, socialising and coffee…. otherwise known as ‘goffee’.

9. GOTHIC TROPIC @GothTropNonStop
A Goth’s drinks bar. Focused on their business, so our interests passed like ships in the night.

10. horny sad goth @femmepizza
Yeah. Some Goths embody the negative stereotype….

What is a Goth??

Fashion columnists often talk about “Melbourne black”. Y’know – sleek coats and scarves that, when teamed up with coffee, fight the winter winds of the CBD?
Well, there’s a slightly edgier Melbourne black that crawls in this city: a cult of charcoal eyeliner, mass meeting times and The Cure. Goth culture has a cosy den of shadows for the nocturnal creatures of this city.

To start with the basics: what is Goth? How does it differ from other alt-societies?

Gothicism is a subculture predisposed with an interest in darkness (real and supernatural) and alternative beauty. To quote 18 year old Eltham Goth Kristian Columbine, “we appreciate art forms in many ways … we look for beauty in places others would not look for it.” Goths are also associated with dressing in black, with deep red, purple and vivid pink as side colours.

For these reasons, Goths are, for better or worse, inextricably associated with Victorian era fashion and vampiric appearances. Sometimes the depictions are taken too far: mocking caricatures of Goths that resemble Nosferatu are rarely, if ever, accurate. Deep, reflective misery is also an over-exaggerated stereotype that has been taken as an assumptive cause of Gothic interest in darkness. Many Goths actually have a quick, self-deprecating sense of humour, particularly when surrounded by other Goths.

Jagged, charcoal leather, Rocky Horror fishnets and bird’s nest black hairdos are the Goth uniform, but that’s not what sets them apart from emos or punks.
So what does?

EMO

Emos …. aka ‘baby Goths’

The artistic aspects of emo have little subtleties and are full of raw, honest confession: yes, they don the black as well, so it’s easy to get mixed up. Goths such as Jillian Venters (Goth culture author whose pen name is the Lady of the Manners) sometimes affectionately refer to emos as ‘baby Goths’. This is partly because many emos are teenagers who later become Goths but it is also because many emos haven’t learnt to modulate, or find comfort in, their self-expression. Many of the emo stereotypes – like self-harm and self-loathing – are also dumped on Goths because of their similar appearance.

PUNK

Here is punk: the Sex Pistols in their brief hey day

Biggest distinction? Punks would never be associated with “beauty” and “art forms” in a thousand years; when active anger and anti-establishment paranoia are your weapons of choice, you don’t have much time to ponder the subtleties of a weathered iron gate. Punk’s origins were in middle class rage, alienation and anarchist fervour (check out ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ by the Sex Pistols for its Holy Grail). Goths are never that angry.

An important distinction to make about Goth culture is that Goths are not Goths all the time.
Make sense?
Well, all I’m saying is that it’s not a job or a life commitment and there is no uniform requirement for involvement. Some people are interested in Goth culture to a low level. Some heavily involve themselves. Most dabble between. Gothicism often makes up one side of who a person is.

So, we’ve established some ground rules and rituals about Goths. Who wants to step inside to see their artistic passions? Watch this space for ‘Goth Lists: Bands, Films and Books’, coming soon on ‘Melbourne Black’…

About ‘Melbourne Black’

Whassup world?

My name is Callum O’Connor. I’m a first year Sports Journalism student at La Trobe University, and what you are reading is the About page for my blog ‘Melbourne Black’.

‘Melbourne Black’ will discuss Goth culture in Melbourne. By following this blog, you will follow me as I investigate:

Goth’s origins in Melbourne
Goth’s ideals and values
Goth’s artistic inspirations in film, literature and music

As I meet people, Goths or not, and discuss this niche culture with them, I also aim to dissect many of the accepted clichés about Goth and determine whether or not there is truth within them. Maybe I’ll find out about how Goth culture has influenced everyday pop culture and vice versa.
And who knows – I might even slip inside a Goth club to get the word straight from the wolf’s mouth.

I stress: this blog is not about ‘turning’ people towards being Goth. However, if you think it sounds more interesting as a result of reading what I have to say, then that’s cool. After all, life isn’t really life unless you’re a little weird … right?

So welcome to the Bat House. We hope you have a pleasant stay….