What is Steampunk Goth?
In a global environment where softness seems to reign and people are more connected, and therefore perhaps more homogenized, than ever, subcultures may seem to be in decline. But this is far from the case. Subcultures encompass a wider range of people than today's young people, as Paul Hodkinson 's research on Goths and aging has shown.
Twice a year, a curious event takes place in a small coastal town: the Whitby Goth Weekend. Originally organized as a Goth gathering in 1994, the festival is now one of the largest events in the European Goth calendar. The festival no longer only attracts Goths, many fans of steampunk and others have also started to attend. What does this mean for the subculture today? Before we answer, let's go back to basics...
Gothic Movement.
Gothic rock is a clearly defined genre of music that emerged from post-punk in the late 1970s and early 1980s and is often associated with the popularity of the Sisters of Mercy (although lead singer Andrew Eldritch denies any association), as well as Joy Division . It also included bands such as Bauhaus , The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees for example.Goth music is varied, but is often characterised by heavy drumming (from a drum machine), rock guitars, deep male vocals and, in counterpoint, high-pitched female vocals. But it is not simply a musical culture. The movement has roots in architectural styles and dark novels of the same name. For many, goth is a lifestyle choice, as many young girls have adopted a feminine goth style to stand out from the crowd.
Goth is characterised above all by the notion of a dark aesthetic, so that the choice of clothing is often influenced by a melancholic sensibility (black clothing, piercings, tattoos). This is not to say that the culture is miserable, as Catherine Spooner's book carefully points out. In fact, the ironic humour of the Whitby Goth Weekend is evident if one looks at the annual football festival, with fans dressed in black and players sporting long, dark hair.
While the core tenets of the Whitby Goth Weekend are tied to a very specific cultural and musical affiliation, this has diversified somewhat in recent years. The festival now attracts many participants who do not necessarily identify as Goths. They celebrate the spectacle of fashion and photographic opportunities. Many of these people are drawn to the literary heritage of the abbey and St Mary's Church, which features in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. This has caused quite a stir among some of the participants, who see it as a digression from the subculture itself.
Of course, there are long-standing debates in subcultural theories about the nature of authenticity and boundary demarcation, including Sara Thornton's idea of "subcultural capital" (1995), which she argues is linked to an assertion of distinctiveness and a claim to subcultural authority. Ross Haenfler notes that while individuality, tolerance, and creative free play are often lauded as markers of subculture, in practice there are always "battles of hierarchy."
But the festival, like the subculture, doesn't stop there: recent appearances by synth-rock outfit William Control and Berlin dark wave band Cold are testament to a new kind of sound and a different generation of attendees.
Steampunk movement
This diversification also includes other genres, such as steampunk. In 2007, James Richardson-Brown (Captain Sydeian) organised the first steampunk meet in Whitby, which coincided with the festival. Since then, steampunks have come together with the mainstream community in a series of parallel events held at the Rifle Club. This is not to say that these subcultures do not overlap: one of the most prominent steampunk groups, Abney Park , has hosted the main event on three occasions. Such a shift indicates a fluidity within the two subcultures.
Author K. W. Jeter is often credited with coining the word "steampunk", which he later identified as "a taste for brass, copper, and the ticking, the whistle of Victorian technology ". He characterizes steampunk as an aesthetic resistance to the smooth surfaces of contemporary mass production. Many participants in steampunk also embrace this aspect of the retro-future in their clothing.
Unlike Gothic, steampunk is more a product of literary culture than musical culture: it embraces anachronism and science fiction, with reference points such as HG Wells , Mary Shelley and Jules Verne . The best of Steampunk is openly political: Steampunk magazine is close to radical politics, including debates on gender, activism and anti-capitalism. Maybe in France it is not so clear, but we still prefer to distance ourselves from this stultifying consumer society.
An artist like Unwoman, whose stage name is clearly derived from Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale (adapted into the TV series The Handmaid's Tale), addresses many of these themes on her 2012 album The Fires I Started. At the same time, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing emphasize the genre's "punk" aspect, punishing Victorian-era inequalities in songs like "Third Class Coffin."
The steampunk universe is synonymous with sepia tones, as well as a nostalgic but not uncritical approach to the Victorian era. It embraces technology and the practice of arts and crafts, but there is also a much darker side, which Captain Sydeian and others have labeled Steamgoth.
Steampunk Goth, the synergy.
The artist Dr. Geof perhaps best represents this steampunk/goth overlap. His art combines historical anachronism, fantasy, subcultures, fetishes and gentle satire: in fact, it might be useful to situate it within broader so-called neo-Victorian areas.
And where do subcultures go from here? The idea of a synthesis between them does not necessarily mean their end; in fact, ideas of what Hodkinson calls a "pick and mix" approach characterise the contemporary debate around these identities. For the Whitby participants, resentments may be attenuated in the future. The steampunk community has secured its own Whitby weekend (February), as well as several other events dedicated to its particular subculture (the most obvious being Lincoln's Asylum). Even in the age of globalisation, it seems that the idea of localised belonging is very important.
I would argue that one can identify primarily as goth and less as steampunk (and vice versa). Despite this, one can easily participate in steampunk events and engage with this community (and vice versa). Why is this? I find that although the personal aesthetic is different from that generally adopted by steampunk, goths and steampunk have a lot in common.
One of my favorite things about both scenes is that they tend to be particularly intellectual communities. Goths and steampunks are generally avid readers and are often highly educated (whether formal or self-taught). I attribute this commonality mainly to the fact that both subcultures draw heavily from literature.
In short, both subcultures draw inspiration from Victorian literature. Goth borrows its name and much of its aesthetic from the Gothic literary movement . Although the movement began long before Queen Victoria came to the throne, its most famous works, including Bram Stoker 's Dracula, Robert Louis Stevenson 's Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and of course, the various works of Edgar Allan Poe , were all published in the mid- to late-19th century. The current Goth subculture can't really be said to have a unified literary scene, though many Goths read the classics of their namesake genre, as well as contemporary fiction in genres that have their roots in Gothic, such as horror and paranormal fantasy.
Steampunk delves into a different area of Victorian literature - 19th century science fiction known as Gaslamp Fantasy . Authors such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne are considered the forefathers of steampunk literature. While science fiction and Gothic tend to be very different in their aims and interests - Gothic, in particular, is very backward-looking, revelling in the wonder and mystery of simpler times of centuries past, while science fiction tends to be forward-looking, imagining the wondrous possibilities of the future - there are a number of works that bridge the gap between these two genres and are enjoyed by both subcultures. Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein is a pre-Victorian novel traditionally referred to as a Gothic novel but generally considered an early example of science fiction. A much later writer, H. P. Lovecraft , has become a favourite of steampunks and Goths alike for his clever blend of horror and science.
Now one might ask, isn't Steampunk just Gothic with gears?
Steampunk is what happens when goths discover brown." This quote, attributed to writer Jess Nevins, has been floating around the internet for quite some time now. However, I find this quote to be misleading and rather narrow-minded about both subcultures. First off, I am a goth. I discovered steampunk and the color brown, and I still find black to be a far superior color to express the darkness in my soul. But more importantly, there is much more to these subcultures than the colors they wear...
Steampunk vs Gothic, the differences.
Goths and steampunks have very different aesthetics. While some branches of the Goth subculture share steampunk's interest in Victorian clothing , the two groups approach their style from different angles. Goth is about embracing taboo and seeing beauty in darkness. For this reason, Goths are particularly fascinated by the Victorian mourning fashion popularized by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband. Other Goth styles feature elements of fetish and punk fashion as well as imagery associated with death or the occult.
Steampunk, on the other hand, is characterized by its emphasis on creativity and a do-it-yourself mentality . Steampunk fashion often involves a mix of American Western and Victorian-inspired clothing, accompanied by elements of machinery or other technology. Steampunk embraces the spirit of the Industrial Revolution and celebrates the potential of the human intellect. As such, steampunk enthusiasts are particularly fond of creating things with their own hands (DIY), often making elements of their clothing themselves.
Aside from fashion, another recognizable aspect of the goth and steampunk scene is their music. The goth subculture can be said to have directly descended from its music, as the word began to be used to describe performers—and later fans—of goth rock. While other musical genres have been associated with the goth subculture, including industrial, EBM, and even goth metal, its specific origin in the goth rock scene remains essential to the definition of goth.
The steampunk music scene, however, is a bit more nebulous, perhaps because the music seems to emerge from the existing subculture rather than the other way around. While many bands embrace the steampunk aesthetic and even use steampunk-related lyrics in their songs, there isn't really a unified musical genre that can be identified as "steampunk." If you attend a steampunk event, you'll likely hear music that ranges from folk rock to dark cabaret to synth-pop. So while the music is central to both scenes, the sound of that music and the relationship between the music and the subculture are very different.
Today, steampunk culture continues to thrive through its literature. Steampunk-inspired fantasy and science fiction have exploded as a genre in the last decade, with works by authors such as Gail Carriger, Cherie Priest, and Robyn Bennis. Some steampunk novels are considered almost neo-gothic. While steampunk as a literary genre is relatively young (if we consider it as something distinct from its Victorian precursors), it is clear that these books are gaining momentum.
And finally, why not marry the two?
Overall, I am drawn to both steampunk and goth because the two subcultures share many common intellectual interests. Both groups celebrate a literary legacy that stems from the Victorian era. Both groups see a love of literature as a defining characteristic of their culture. And most importantly, both groups continue to have a thriving literary scene where readers and authors can come together and contribute to an ongoing conversation about what the subculture is and what it means. Whether you choose to be black or brown, the love of books transcends subcultural boundaries.
That's it vaporists, thanks for reading this article, and see you soon for another one on the intoxicating world of Steampunk!