Gothic Girls in Japan

Gothic rock (also referred to as goth rock or simply goth) is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes. The genre itself was defined as a separate movement from punk rock during the early 1980s largely due to the significant stylistic divergences of the movement; gothic rock, as opposed to punk, combines dark, often keyboard-heavy music with introspective and depressing lyrics. Notable gothic rock bands include Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, The Virgin Prunes, The Sex Gang Children, Christian Death and Alien Sex Fiend, among many others. Gothic rock gave rise to a broader goth subculture that includes clubs, various fashion trends and numerous publications that grew in popularity in the 1980s. The term gothic was used to describe Velvet Underground singer Nico as early as 1971. The term was used occasionally in the years that followed. In the late 1970s, the word “gothic” was used to describe the atmosphere of post-punk bands like Joy Division. In 1979, Martin Hannett described Joy Division as “dancing music with Gothic overtones”. The same year, Tony Wilson described the band as “gothic” on the television show Something Else. Not long after, the term was used in a derogatory fashion in reference to bands like Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees. However, the term was not adopted as “positive identity, a tribal rallying cry” until a shift in the scene in 1982. In addition, Simon Reynolds identifies The Birthday Party and Killing Joke as essential proto-goth groups. Despite their legacy as progenitors of gothic rock, these groups disliked the label. Adam Ant’s early work was also a major impetus for the gothic rock scene, and much of the fan base came from his milieu.
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