SYNOPSIS: In which even moremusic of questionable gothiness is programmed in a stunning display of mind over matter, style over substance (or vice versa), and self-indulgence über alles. Your tenderhearted Uncle LD hastens to remind his beloved listeners that the word "my" in the title of this and the previous episode is in fact the operative, as we never paid much attention to the strict separation of genres such as goth, industrial, punk, post-punk, noisepop, new wave, darkwave or whatever... we were simply too busy flailing around some dingy dancefloor then, wondering if the DJ who was momentarily contributing to (if not actually controlling) our buzz would play something from PSYCHOCANDY after that Certified Goth track by Ministry or the like. More often s/he didn't, natch— but sometimes we got lucky.
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Anyhow, these days we're just happy to be here playing the sinister (often silly) stuff we like, in celebration of Harvest Home, All Hallows Eve, All Souls Day, Samhain or the birthday of New Zealand film director Peter Jackson (1961) or Smiths guitarist/god Johnny Marr (1963). Rave on, my ghouls. And don’t forget that no matter what happens, this will always get you through. And as the poet said: “Hum to yourself if you’re sad.”
NEXT WEEK: "Rockin' is Our Business: NOT!" with Uncle Tom Bumbera. In which we loose it over bargain-bin covers of 1950s rock and R&B hits, sung by people who should have known better.
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HB14 Playlist
INTRO: "Across the Universe" by Laibach , from LET IT BE (Mute, 1988) Even the Fab Four can be all goth when sung by a choir backed by a harpsichord and strange grunting noises.
"Shadow Complex" by Dead Leaves Rising, from THE SHADOW COMPLEX (Brighter, 1997) Were we ever really that young?
"Taken" by Paula Frazer, from LEAVE THE SAD THINGS BEHIND (Birdman, 2005) More of the sort of Southern Gothic stuff that courses through one's veins (in lieu of blood, you know). She was just delish as Tarnation, and like the divine Miss Germano [www.lisagermano.com]—another 4AD alum—she deserves much more attention than she seems to get.
"Why Kill Time (When You Can Kill Yourself)" by Cabaret Voltaire, from THE CRACKDOWN (EMI, 1983) The sentiment is certainly goth, even if the backing track is more industrial. Still, we've seldom seen a black-draped youth skulk off the dancefloor in a huff when the Cabs were played, way back in the dark ages.
"I Died Today" by Rodd Keith, from I DIED TODAY (Tzadik, 1996) Come on baby, do the corpse!
"Walking with a Zombie" by Army of Lovers, from MASSIVE LUXURY OVERDOSE (Warner/WEA, 1992) Also of questionable true gothitude, but anything about zombies rates in our book of the dead, even if it's probably not in this one. We tend to be more in accord with the excellent anthology THE NEW GOTHIC, edited by Brad Morrow and Patrick McGrath.
"The Abandoned Castle of My Soul" by the Gothic Archies, from HELLO RECORDING CLUB CD (Hello, 1996) A lovely little ep with early versions of SM classics which differs from those on THE NEW DESPAIR (Merge, 1997).
"Down From Dover" by Dolly Parton, from LITTLE SPARROW (Sugarhill, 2001) We always thought this was a folk song in manner of "The Empty Chair" and other dead-baby classics, but no! Miss Dolly wrote it. Right up there with "Me and Little Andy" for sheer creepiness, and more than a little black humor.
"Depression Modern" by Aarktica, from BLEEDING LIGHT (Darla, 2005) Sad sad sad. Sort of goth for grownups, maybe?
"Not Me" by This Mortal Coil, from IT'LL END IN TEARS (4AD, 1984) A rallying cry—or a how-to book for sad suburban youth? This is the best of the lot (three albums) by Ivo and his filigreed friends.
"Goose Step, Two Step" by Hilary, from KINETIC (Backstreet, 1983) Naturally, Uncle Bob was right on point. And also possibly one of the very few people who'd ever heard this song, since so far as we know the minor hit (but so fabulous) "Kinetic" was all that ever got any club- or airplay.
"Ocean" by Dead Can Dance, from DEAD CAN DANCE (4AD, 1984) Oh, the translucence! Oh, the transcendence! Oh, the hammer dulcimer!
"Butterfly Girl" by the Nightblooms, from THE NIGHTBLOOMS (Fierce, 1992) Fade in, fade out—for Gail!
"Say Goodbye to the Little Girl Tree" by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, from THE FIRSTBORN IS DEAD (Mute, 1985) Like the Dolly track, his could almost be a folk song. Uncle Nick makes everything scary. Note that the emperiled tot in question wears velvet
"Rose Connelly" by Texas Gladden, from THE ALAN LOMAX COLLECTION: PORTRAITS (Rounder, 2001) A terrific murder ballad; lock your doors, lover.
"Anywhere (Like the Moon)" by Flare, from CIRCA+ (Mother West, 2005) More shameless self-promotion . . . This is about as goth as we ever got, which isn't really very goth, but it crashes nicely into—
"Crazy Horses" by KMFDM, from GODLIKE (Wax Trax!,1990)Really, kitten: Osmonds! We always thought it was about the pending apocalypse, but rumour has it the song is about pollution?!?!? Maybe. And as Mrs Parker once said: "And I am the Queen of Roumania." The original version was banned in South African, and this version was not available on the KMFDM vinyl single...
IN GOTH WE TRUST!
