The 'Home' of Goth?

By Lenore on Jun 22, 2010 | In features | 2 feedbacks »

Last night I was watching one of my favourite music-movies (not a musical, but a movie with a music theme). It isn't Goth, or Punk or Metal, it's the kind of music that got me into music - The Blues Brothers.  I have my dad to thank for introducing me, at a very young age, to blues and rock and roll and that is where my musical education began.

blues brothers

As I watched the 1980 film about two reprobate brothers re-forming their rhythm and blues review band, bumping into R&B stars along the way (including Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles), I got to thinking about the origins of particular music styles. In one scene the pair are chased by an angry country and western band for stealing their gig and the cowboys proudly state that they're real country music 'all the way from Nashville'. The 'home' if you like of blues has got to be the southern states of the U.S., around the Mississippi Delta, when you think of original heavy metal the Midlands springs to mind with bands like Sabbath and Judas Priest. Punk is the same, either London (thanks to the Clash, Pistols etc) or New York perhaps, but Goth is a tricky one.

Being the tender (ahem) age of 28 I wasn't aware of Goth in the 80's (I was too busy being played Jimi Hendrix at full volume, again, thanks dad) so I genuinely don't know. I am also to cautious to make a guess and starting an arguement, so I'm hoping someone has some suggestions. Whitby, I suppose, is a kind of Mecca for Goths twice yearly but it certainly didn't give birth to Goth and after that I'm stumped. Any suggestions gratefully received...

Tags: blues brothers, film, music, punk, the clash
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Comment from: Dr Ordinaire [Visitor]
Although several cities had large proto goth scenes developing in the 79-82 period, by the far the city that stands out is Leeds. not only did have a large alternative/goth culture but it was a major hub for a large percentage of the early bands from the Yorkshire area. The Sisters, Soft Cell, March Violets, Mission, All About Eve, New Model Army, Skeletal Family, Southern Death Cult and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry all centred on the Leeds-Bradford axis.
Clubs like the phono and the wendy house were packed out and in the mid-eighties, it was practicaly the dominate street culture, one of the few cities where goths weren't a minority. It was such a strong culture that Leeds was known as "Gotham City". you can't argue with that.
22/06/10 @ 20:26
Comment from: Gothic Gentleman [Visitor] · http://www.gothicgentleman.com
Yes I would have to agree Leeds was the "Mecca" for Goths in the 1980s. As one of 2 Goths in my town, I wa always jealous of the other one because he came from Leeds so got to go up there all the time and see these bands.

Though some would say it was London, the home of Goth for me was and still is Leeds, hell I even supported their football team because of where they were from
28/06/10 @ 21:28

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