Goth: A History

The French-Romanian philospher E.M. Cioran said that the possiblity of suicide was a consolation that allowed him to continue living. This paradoxical way of thinking is one that I believe most goths would immediately understand, and it gets at the heart of Lol Tolhurst’s personal and intellectual investigation of what was known as the goth movement of the 80s.I began reading Tolhurst’s “Goth: A History” at the same time as John Robb’s “The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth.” Robb’s work is encyclopedic in every sense of the word. Though it is an excellent reference guide, I found the reading to be more informative than engaging. That is not the case with Tolhurst’s work, which is at once personal, philosophical, and archival.Reviewers can squabble about the bands Tolhurst names or fails to name as “goth,” but I think this misses the point. Those seeking a comprehensive overview of goth will probably find Robb’s book the resource they are looking for. (Though Robb’s book seems to privilege a British perspective. For instance, Christian Death do not even appear in the index, which will leave most goths on this side of the pond scratching their heads.)Tolhurst’s book, on the other hand, is testament of his metaphysical and psychological soul searching, more than just dates and background about various bands.Reminiscing about first attending a Clash show as an adolescent, Tolhurst remarks that “what I saw that night […] was more akin to one of Saint Augustine’s ecstatic visions than a simple rock show.” Years later, The Cure would provide that same epiphanic experience for others. I was 17 in 1985 when I saw The Cure at The Tower theater in Philadelphia. The experience was life-changing in part because the music and lyrics expressed so precisely what we were feeling. Tolhurst astutely notes that “in goth, lyrics form out of emotional vulnerability as opposed to bravado and certainty. The process is one of internal analysis and confession, revealing to the world frailty and humanity.” But there was more: seeing The Cure or Christian Death one found what Leah Bush is quoted as calling “community.” But I think a more precise word is communion.And it is communion that goth readers will find in this book, in the form of Tolhurst’s recollections, reflections, interviews, and speculations. The tone is conversational, intimate, and consoling. Goth readers will find a kindred spirit in Tolhurst. As he says early on in the book, “The Cure did not have a particular style; rather, we were the essence of a melancholy spirit.” That seems right. Goth was never just a musical movement, a fashion statement; goth was (and is) a mode of being, a lens through which many see the world.Tolhurst’s book is full of insights such as these and others, and I highly recommend it.

Chi lo ha ricevuto lo ha molto apprezzato.

Lol Tolhurst is an excellent writer. This book is full of interesting background information on the origins of Goth music and art. Would be an excellent gift for friends or family who love The Cure.

Having read John Robb's History of Goth, and Cathi Unsworth's Season of the Witch in recent months, the third Goth book on the conveyer belt landed on my doormat.It's by far my favourite of the three, not to say the other two were poor, just as a huge Cure fan, I loved reading Lol's (own) version of the History of Goth, and all its strands that go to make Goth what it is.It's great to see that Lol has cleaned himself up, and found a career as a successful author as well as the other strings to his bow.What with the recent two Wayne Hussey books, and now Lol's second book, let's hope either Siouxsie, Budgie or Steven Severin get round to writing their autobiographies about that brilliant period of music history that was 1977s -1988s Punk, Post-Punk, Goth heyday. Either of these three books would further improve this particular section of my music book collection.

Another tomb to add to the collection. This one happily placed by Mick Mercer's (highly ranked).