Beginning in the mid-70s – largely in the UK at first – gothic rock is an alternative subgenre rooted in post-punk and goth fashion. It is defined by its dark soundscapes, use of reverb, minor chords, heavy bass, dramatic melodies and grim themes like sadness and tragedy. As the genre progressed, some popular gothic artists forwent the negative subject matter and instead placed emphasis on musical elements and a spooky self-image.

Lacey Walker donned her smokey eyeshadow and black trench coat to collect a spine-tingling list of some essential classic goth rock bands for us all to rock out to.

BLACK NO.1 (LITTLE MISS SCARE ALL) – TYPE O NEGATIVE When I think of gothic rock, this is the first track that comes to mind. "Black No.1" of course refers to the shade of hair dye that the song’s protagonist uses, and being a box-dye addict for many years I can say with certainty that it made me feel incredibly goth. Horror movie lovers might pick up on some of the pop culture references in the song, including mentions of Lily Munster from The Musters and Nosferatu, the iconic German vampire.

SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN – THE SMITHS It is a poignant tribute honouring the victims of the Moors murders that occurred in the 1960s in Manchester, England. The title of the song is a phrase from the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus rebukes, "suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven". Perhaps because of the tragic subject matter or because of Morrissey’s resolutely aching voice, but either way when I listen to it, I feel like putting on my fanciest nightgown and twirling around the garden at dusk.

SIX DIFFERENT WAYS – THE CURE The Cure are one of the biggest and most commercially successful gothic rock bands in history, but also one of the most upbeat. See, behind the black lipstick, pale complexion and tightly laced corsets, goths are secretly joyful. During promotion for the record, vocalist Robert Smith credited Siouxsie and the Banshee’s album Kaleidoscope as a massive influence. This track was also featured in the 2017 remake of Stephen King’s It, a clever comment on protagonist Beverly Marsh’s six potential love interests.

ALL THE PEOPLE I LIKE ARE THOSE THAT ARE DEAD – FELT This song is terribly depressing, but if you can look past these themes then it’s musically pretty groovy. The twanging guitar that accompanies lead-singer Lawrence’s yearning English voice fits very well with the traditions of gothic rock. Felt were active for exactly a decade, from 1979 to 1989, and released exactly ten albums and ten singles. They have some of the most poetic and creative album names I’ve ever heard; this track is from the 1986 album Forever Breathes the Lonely Word, a successor to other titles including Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty, The Splendour of Fear, and Ignite the Seven Cannons. To me, this song sounds like driving down a country laneway with no destination in mind, a cigarette between your teeth and knowing you haven’t got a single friend in the world. 

THE KILL – JOY DIVISION Vocalist Ian Curtis was recruited soon after and Joy Division released two albums before permanently disbanding following Curtis’s death in 1980 when he was only 23-years old. Despite only being active for four years, the band was and continues to be extremely influential in gothic rock, punk and post-punk music scenes. This track, "The Kill", was released on the album Still in 1981, which is a compilation album of previously unreleased studio recordings. The rawness of this version also adds to its alternativeness, with Curtis’ vocals sounding far off as if he’s some kind of background spirit crooning to the listener across a foggy castle courtyard, (which is pretty damn goth).

LUCRETIA MY REFLECTION – SISTERS OF MERCY Named after the similarly titled Leonard Cohen song, Sisters of Mercy consider themselves first and foremost, a rock band. "Lucretia My Reflection" was written by vocalist Andrew Eldritch for bassist Patricia Morrison, comparing her to Italian noblewoman Lucrezia Borgia. The lyrics reference the fall of an empire and ensuing war, with some noting the similarities to the life of a Russian noblewoman named Lucretia, whose suicide triggered the collapse of early Roman monarchy. If you’re listening to it in a musty castle bedroom, sitting in front of your black and red vanity and polishing your fangs, then you’re listening to it right.

MONITOR – SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES Siouxsie Sioux – which I bet you can’t spell without looking it up – is perhaps the most well-known female figure in gothic rock.  As a child, her father was a bacteriologist by trade and worked milking venom from snakes. I mean, how goth is that?! Like The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees favour the cheerier end of the gothic rock spectrum, exemplified by upbeat songs like "Monitor".

ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING – BAUHAUS Wistfully saturnine, this track is perfect for reminiscing over lost loves, regrets and youth days wasted. Some allege this track is written in the same spirit as David Bowie’s "Life on Mars", with its craving to be elsewhere and escape the monotony of domestic life. Others believe it explores the desire to find success, with the phrase, “oh to be the cream” repeated at the end as a referral to being the cream of the crop or the crème de la crème. 

KILLING ME – DEAD MOON are widely classed as a blend of country, post-punk and garage rock. I, however, believe they are clandestinely goth rock. The guitar tabs in this track are reminiscent of cult horror soundtracks with very sinister undertones. If I were having a rural graveyard party where everyone wore exclusively leather and sat on hay bales, this is the kind of song I would play. Until their breakup in 2006, Dead Moon were fronted by singer/guitarist Fred Cole, with his wife Kathleen ‘Toody’ Cole on bass and their friend Andrew Loomis on drums.

MUDDY WATER – NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS In my opinion, no other artist will ever be as fundamentally goth as Nick Cave. He has it all; the creativity, the style, the fashion, the haircut but most importantly, the voice. Backed by The Bad Seeds on "Muddy Water", Cave tells the musical story of rising floodwaters reclaiming the land and all that stands upon it. The bridge verse reiterates the true desperation in the track, with Cave belting out, “won’t be back to start all over/ ‘cause what I felt before is gone.” To me, this song feels like the inability to escape impending doom, which is a bit terrifying. 

This article was originally posted on 8th August 2023.