The smell of the snakebite, the roar of the smoke machine...

Someone asked me the other day if I've always been a goth.  In fact, I get asked this a lot.  It's a weird one, cos - deep down - I've always been a bit of a 'goff'.  Even when I wasn't wearing the uniform, I was still listening to the music or casting a sneaky eye over to a passing graveyard..

It got me thinking what it means to be a G - and I think this elicits two main responses among the goth community:

1) A full appreciation of all things G: music, literature, architecture, image and (ahem) state-of-mind. Nice.

2) Stop calling me a goth!  I'm not a goth!  Stop labelling me!! AAAaaaaaaaargh!!

Yes, it's 'uncool' to label yourself a goth.  In fact some say you're not really a goth if you call yourself a goth.  Now, this is a pile of wrinkly bollocks.  I'm proud of being a goth and don't give a flying bat if anyone says I'm not. I'd go further and say I sometimes quite enjoy being a 'member' of a movement - because when you come together with likeminded people you have stacks in common, you feel at home and you can finally talk about Rozz Williams again with someone who knows what you're talking about. Yours sincerely, Angry of Malvern.

For me it's like the reverse of wanting to become a member of the 'cool gang' at school; rather than aspiring to fit yourself in to an established group of people, I found that what I was into anyway neatly fitted into the studded boot of The Gothic.  I just wish someone had pointed this out to me earlier.

Next time I'm going to be talking about goth music.

This blog was brought to you while listening to the fab new Nosferatu album, Wonderland.

Sleep tight!

*blows out candle*