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Gothic Rock
- GenresMusicNonfiction
178 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1991
About the author
Mick Mercer
211 books21 followersMick Mercer is a journalist and author best known for his photos and reviews of the goth, punk, and indie music scenes. He publishes a monthly online magazine called "The Mick". He also photographed the band Tragic Venus both in the UK and Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 8, 2015
This is a very interesting book covering the history of Gothic rock. Like so many memorable genres of rock and dance music it always seems to make it's first appearance in England! lol!
Most of the bands mentioned I do not recognize because part of it is because they are mainly bands that were concentrated in England with the exception of the super groups like The Cure and The Cult and more popular cult faves like Alien Sex Fiend , Sisters of Mercy and so on. Another part is generational. Most of the indviduals and bands felt like Goth culture hit it's peak at 1984 which would have clocked me in at about 9 years of age and in 4th grade so naturally most of the more obscure groups are really lost on me since I was by no means involved in Gothic culture then. Some other oddities in this handbook are groupies that got famous to a small degree by just showing up at gigs and looking well...gothic. The author is quite apparent in his level of interest with some of these groups, some which are quite well known. Some groups get three or four pages while others are lucky to get a paragraph or even a sentence. Some bands were so short lived a sentence does sum it up accurately but other, more influential groups often get the shaft. Groups that are often responsible for bringing in new listeners that may take a liking to Goth which isn't entirely fair. Mick Mercer goes on to predict at the end of the book that the Gothic genre would die out. It had a resuscitation in the mid 1990's with a newer, sleeker, vinyl look which is actually what I prefer. Despite Goths looking cold blooded and vampiric all that lace and crushed velvet just got too hot for me. I had some very genuine fun at Goth and quasi Goth clubs in Denver. The Snakepit and Club Onyx were my main staples for Goth in Denver in the 1990's. Goth kind of died out again, yet not completely and it really depends where in the US you live to access it. Denver has virtually no visible Goth scene now but I imagine there are a few die hards here and there while Seattle still has a fairly decent sized scene with still existing Goth shops and clothing , a Goth club (The Mercury ) and small groups that turn up here and there like at the Zombie Crawls or at Gay Pride. So Goth still lives on in one form or another...
I don't count Emo to be Goth, sorry. Not even when they borrow source material from older groups...sorry...it just doesn't work. Too pop music in my opinion to count. I wonder what ol' Mick thinks of Emo? Is Emo still around actually??
Most of the bands mentioned I do not recognize because part of it is because they are mainly bands that were concentrated in England with the exception of the super groups like The Cure and The Cult and more popular cult faves like Alien Sex Fiend , Sisters of Mercy and so on. Another part is generational. Most of the indviduals and bands felt like Goth culture hit it's peak at 1984 which would have clocked me in at about 9 years of age and in 4th grade so naturally most of the more obscure groups are really lost on me since I was by no means involved in Gothic culture then. Some other oddities in this handbook are groupies that got famous to a small degree by just showing up at gigs and looking well...gothic. The author is quite apparent in his level of interest with some of these groups, some which are quite well known. Some groups get three or four pages while others are lucky to get a paragraph or even a sentence. Some bands were so short lived a sentence does sum it up accurately but other, more influential groups often get the shaft. Groups that are often responsible for bringing in new listeners that may take a liking to Goth which isn't entirely fair. Mick Mercer goes on to predict at the end of the book that the Gothic genre would die out. It had a resuscitation in the mid 1990's with a newer, sleeker, vinyl look which is actually what I prefer. Despite Goths looking cold blooded and vampiric all that lace and crushed velvet just got too hot for me. I had some very genuine fun at Goth and quasi Goth clubs in Denver. The Snakepit and Club Onyx were my main staples for Goth in Denver in the 1990's. Goth kind of died out again, yet not completely and it really depends where in the US you live to access it. Denver has virtually no visible Goth scene now but I imagine there are a few die hards here and there while Seattle still has a fairly decent sized scene with still existing Goth shops and clothing , a Goth club (The Mercury ) and small groups that turn up here and there like at the Zombie Crawls or at Gay Pride. So Goth still lives on in one form or another...
I don't count Emo to be Goth, sorry. Not even when they borrow source material from older groups...sorry...it just doesn't work. Too pop music in my opinion to count. I wonder what ol' Mick thinks of Emo? Is Emo still around actually??
October 25, 2007
I haven't seen a copy of this in years, but it's still the classic encyclopedia on gothic rock music. Personally, I differ with Mercer on a number of points (I still think Joy Division was a goth band, and on at least several albums, so were The Cure and Siouxsie), but I still like his breezy, playful style. He's one of those rare people who finds inventive ways to describe music without making a million comparisons (mostly obscure) or coming off as pretentious. Most of the bands covered were active during the late 70's and throughout the 80's, so it serves as a great historical reference.
April 23, 2008
This is a very good book to get if you're new to the goth scene and you want to become a good lil goth. It's also a good read if you're not a goth but are just curious about the bands and the scene, curiousity is a lovely little thing. It also has a lot of lovely pictures.
Pictures are a good thing, right?
Pictures are a good thing, right?
April 18, 2020
This book is a great blast from the past. It's a fairly detailed encyclopedia of the Gothic rock scene throughout the 80's and early 90's by one of the journalists who covered it. Though fairly dated now( I think few of the bands covered exist anymore) Mercer does his surly sarcastic best to give an overview of the Goth scene, from the bands to the fans, writers, artists, showing where the scene had been and where it was going. I loved this book in 1992 and its still a great read today. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of Gothic music.
January 9, 2020
This is a fairly good book, a decent history, but I have to say that with a caveat. The sad fact is there are not many such resources out there, despite the genre dating back as long as it does and far outlasting punk, of which there can not ever be too many damn books written about. (Sarcasm intended.) The thing is, I disagree with a number of things the author writes, obviously defining what bands/albums are "goth" (is it even possible to do so objectively?). Personally, I think the author overlooks some albums many old schools goths would both consider "goth" and a critical work contributing to the entire goth culture, music, world that followed. Among other things. Frankly, I think someone capable of being a more objective historian yet one that is open to the opinions and assertions of many people who actually do know and did live through a relevant early history through the present, although that statement just showed my own bias, I suppose. Due to the paucity of resources, I'd recommend this book. Should people ever decide to do a great deal more on the subject, with possibly better, more comprehensive and, if possible, a bit more objective information, my recommendation of this book would go down...
March 12, 2019
The best
April 30, 2024
I remember getting bored
November 6, 2007
greatest book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews