Dead-Gothic Is Top Video

Vampire imitation - Movies and other pop culture in the past years have done much to romanticize vampires. Vampires were once represented as demons and creatures of the devil in folklore. They were surrounded by superstitions concerning garlic, holy water and crosses. These days, partially due to contemporary authors such as Anne Rice, vampires have shed much of their superstitious air and come to embody the darker desires of humanity's ideal. The vampire has become a sensual creature of passion and beauty, immortally young, powerful, and free of inhibition. The vampire is no longer the murderous demon, but a symbol of what humanity wishes it could be: fearless, immortal, indulgent, powerful. I think that almost all young kids have a fascination or interest with the supernatural (aliens, monsters, fairies, witches and vampires). Some don't ever pursue it. Teenagers especially tend to find the vampiric symbol attractive when they reach a time in life when they feel very powerless, restricted, uncertain and anxious. This category consists of people who find pleasure in imitating the vampiric lifestyle. Some take it fairly seriously indeed. They do not kill to get blood, but they will drink from themselves or any willing donors using controlled cutting techniques (such as using a surgical or exacto knife or any other cutting tool that is precise, sharp and sterile). These people do not necessarily think they are vampires, but they enjoy playing the part. They are not usually the type to drink blood from a glass or drink an animal's blood. This category does not necessarily have anything to do with blood drinking as part of an erotic experience, although it can.

Curiosity and experimentation - Some people will try it just to see what it tastes like, how it feels, how the blood flows, what it looks like. These cuts will usually be made with razor blades or more crude knives (such as a pocket knife, kitchen knife or makeshift sharp tool). These cuts are usually fairly superficial and made in an easy to hide area such as the inner arm. This person will most likely end up doing it alone, but sometimes might be a part of a group that begins experimenting with blood letting and blood drinking.

Erotic experience - Sex is a way to share yourself with your partner. For some people, blood drinking can also be a part of this sharing experience. Often it is viewed as a more deeply bonding and erotic way to experience the essence of another person. It is the ultimate way to symbolically share your life with another. This would be an entirely consensual experience and perhaps a part of some fantasy role playing. This category always has to do with blood drinking as a sensual pleasure in an erotic exchange, although factors such as curiosity or vampiric fantasies may also play a part. As far as blood extraction, I have been told that if you suck on a particular part of the skin in a certain way for long enough, blood will come out. Sometimes blood is extracted by controlled cutting, or (depending on the inclination of those involved) with teeth or nails for those who into more "rough" sex or a "primal" experience.

Extremists: killers, religious cults, fanatics - There are some people that are extremists who practice blood letting and blood drinking for entirely different motivations than all of the aforementioned categories. These groups might kill a human or animal to get blood. They might drink it out of a glass. They may offer bloodshed as a religious offering and sacrifice. They may drink or let blood as part of a ceremonial ritual. These extremists often believe that blood is a powerful agent, that it can help one gain immortality. They use it to worship a deity. Blood letting or drinking may rarely also be a motivation for murder. There are a few people who sincerely believe they actually are vampires and are obsessed with vampires to the extent of becoming a fanatic. This person is not really religiously or homicidally motivated; they are delusional and probably disturbed. At the very least, they have lost the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality. These groups or individual extremists are very relatively small in number. Their fanaticism or criminal activity lands them in the media spotlight at times, but the destructive groups are not the whole of those who practice blood letting or blood drinking. An overwhelming majority of people who have engaged in an act of blood drinking will never come close to this category.



Death Fixation

One of the most common stereotypes surrounding Goth is the subculture's "fixation" on death. Much of the symbolism and the look seem to connote, at the very least, an interest in the topic. The depth of this interest would vary with each individual, as always. In general, Goths are an exaggeration of the darker side of the human psyche. They represent outwardly the thoughts that linger in the back of everyone's mind. Goths tend to make their feelings about death a little more open than the rest of the world.
Death -- in literature, in life and in religion -- has always been a monumental driving force in many of humanity's efforts. All of humanity is fixated on death in a more subtle way. Observe news, movies, and television for confirmation. Modern society has disassociated itself from the reality of death. Most people do not kill their food. Medical advances have increased life spans. The average person does not experience being around death firsthand very often. Death is an abstract concept to most people. This dissociation of life and death in modern culture hinders a conscious awareness of the total life cycle. It can make people forget to appreciate life.
Many Goths say that Gothic represents acceptance of the inevitability of death and the existence of the darker side of life. That does not mean that Goths possess an obsession with either one. Goth is recognizing the balance of dark and light, life and death, without turning away, denying, or living in fear of the things some people find disturbing. For some Goths, it is an acceptance of the inevitable that makes them appreciate life and live it to the fullest from day to day.


Origins of Gothic

Two musicians most often credited as the "Grandfather" and "Grandmother" of Goth: Peter Murphy (formerly of Bauhaus, now doing solo work) and Siouxsie Sioux (formerly of Siouxsie and the Banshees, now with The Creatures). Bauhaus released their first single in 1979. Siouxsie and the Banshees first formed in a haphazard fashion in 1976 and released their first single in 1978. The statement is often made that Sioux was the one who coined the term "gothic" when she mentioned it was the new direction the band was taking. Entranced: the Siouxsie and the Banshees Story suggests that the music press, not Sioux, were the ones who tagged Siouxsie and the Banshees with the label "gothic."

History of the Gothic Subculture
The date of origin is usually placed in 1979 when Bauhaus released the song "Bela Lugosi's Dead." The band originally intended the song to be tongue-in-cheek; however, many young fans latched onto this mysterious, eerie sound as inspiration for the budding gothic subculture. The first generation of the gothic movement emerged mostly in the UK in the late seventies and early eighties as a splinter from the punk movement. Punk music was breathing its last breath as this gloomy, introspective mutation gained momentum. Bands like The Damned, Bauhaus, and Siouxsie and the Banshees characterize the first generation. These bands were called Gothic later on, but most did not consider themselves Gothic at the time. There is a great deal of uncertainty about who coined the term "gothic" and how it got attached to this dark music. The British music press seems to be most responsible for making the label stick.
In the early 1980s, the gothic movement thrived with bands like the Sisters of Mercy at the forefront. However, by the mid to late 1980s, the movement was waning. In the late eighties and early nineties, a new, second generation of gothic bands emerged to breathe new life into the scene. They distinguished themselves by being the first to regularly call themselves Gothic. Examples would include The Shroud, Rosetta Stone, and London After Midnight. This time period is when the US Goth movement grew significantly, and Gothic became recognized as a distinct subculture. Through this period, gothic music and culture grew and branched out into various subsets, pushing the boundaries of what had previously been considered gothic.
Recently, widespread mainstream interest in the gothic subculture is apparent. Many gothic cultural quirks have filtered into mainstream culture, such as an interest in the supernatural and dark aesthetics. Historically, a dark leaning is prevalent towards the end of a century. That leaning has been more pronounced due to the close of a millennium.
As the second generation now ages into their mid to late 20's, they usually become less interested in participating in the gothic social scene. A distinct third generation emerged in the late 90's to shape the future progression of the gothic movement. The third generation represents an explosion in the number of people referring to themselves as gothic. Many of them have learned about gothic culture because of the present widespread commercial availability. The huge popularity of "shock rock" act Marilyn Manson has thrown the spotlight onto this subculture. Marilyn Manson is far more similar to the heavy metal theatricality of Alice Cooper than the mysterious desolation of Bauhaus. Many Goths wish to disassociate themselves from the younger, over-ardent followers of Manson who seem to dress and act like him purely for rebellious shock value. The term often used for these youths is "spooky kids."
First and second generation Goths look suspiciously upon the new generation, doubting their authenticity and disliking the exposure they give to a subculture which would prefer to remain underground. The new generation is not presently well received by their elders, but time may prove otherwise. It would be difficult to predict what the future holds for the Gothic movement. After over 20 years, it continues to change, grow, mutate and adapt, making it one of the longest surviving youth subcultures in existence

White on white
translucent black capes
back on the rack.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
The bats have left the bell tower,
the victims have been bled,
red velvet lines the black box.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
Undead Undead Undead.
The virginal brides
file past his tomb,
strewn with time's dead flowers,
bereft in deathly bloom,
alone in a darkened room
the count.
Bela Lugosi's dead.
Undead Undead Undead.
Oh Bela, Bela's undead.