Current 93 and Ministry

Current 93

Folk Goth band Current 93 had a significant impact on gothic culture. Their first release in the 1980s combines electronic synthesis with melodic folk music and melancholy lyrics.

Introduced to the public on Psychic TV, David Tibet, the lead singer is known for a haunting voice. He is essentially the band. People from various Goth bands often become consistent contributors after contributing once. Names like Steven Stapleton, John Balance, Michael Cashmore and Douglas are on the more than twenty released albums.

Thomas Ligotti wrote prose for Current 93. Currently he wrote "a Soft Voice Whispers Nothing" for the New Weird edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer and copyrighted in 2008. The protagonist senses a familiarity with a town on the northern border. A clown collects the dead during a glamorized parade. Graphically odd imagery of the future, the overall premise seems to be there is no place like home, even if it is odd.

This tendency of a title band ran by one person, acting as a foil for contributing artists, has become less common today. However, collaborative albums are common throughout all genres of music. Current 93 takes this concept to extreme limits, yet their greatest contribution is in solidifying the "Goth Sound." Even though the band is referred to as Industrial this is the Goth Sound, uncorrupted by other genres.

Ministry

Al Jourgensen is essentially Ministry. Band members have changed over the years, yet Jourgensen remains the lead vocalist and master mind behind the most progressive band in Industrial history.

Starting in the pop billboards "Everyday is Halloween" put Ministry on the industrial map in 1985. Even in the mid 90s "Everyday is Halloween" was blasted in Gothic Industrial Clubs around the world as the triumphant anthem of an emerging subculture. Currently, the song is available on a 2006 re-release of Early Trax.

Years later they were barely recognizable with their newest Industrial Dance Hit "So What?" Released in 1989, it contributed to reshaping dance culture with infused Industrial Music and paved the way for Techno with wicked patronizations of social malice and hard driving beats.

The new decade solidified Ministry's sound. Psalm 69: the Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs went beyond the dance clubs and into popular United States Culture. Ministry was aired on radio stations and videos after "NWO" was released in mass.

Now their music is featured in video games and film compilations. Select Ministry when playing video games: Tony Hawk and Vampire. They also contribute music to Saw and Murder Ball soundtracks. Saw IV features "Life is Good."

In 2008 Al Jourgensen compiled the soundtrack for a horror movie entitled "The Wicked." He contributes two songs: "Cuz UR Next" and "Kyhber Pass."

Though Ministry had a farewell tour in 2008, there are signs they will be releasing another CD and touring again. They progressed and changed their sound substantially and successfully more than any other band under the Goth Subtitle.

Related Artical
Lyrical Attempt

Quirky Books
The New Weird

Rice and Barker

Ann Rice

The Queen of the Damned Ball is hosted every year on October 30th in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The biggest Vampire and Goth bash of the year, it is based on Anne Rice's book series that includes bestseller "Interview with a Vampire."

After a rousing night with special guest Anne Rice, Halloween is celebrated in full masquerade during the Lestat Vampire Ball. Goth bands perform live; however, the best part of the ball is the elaborate costumes of various patrons who hail from all over the world.

The Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club carries on the tradition that began several years ago. According to her current biography she is living happily in the California desert. It is impressive how she built and maintained methods of keeping in touch with her fans. Going beyond the regular sale of goods, she embraces Goth Culture by developing a fun creative outlet for all Goths, Horror Buffs and Vampire Enthusiasts. The Queen of the Damned Ball is something everyone should try out at least once.

Clive Barker

Clive Barker was born in England on October 5, 1952. He is a well-known Writer, Film Director and Artist. His career began with a collection of short stories "the Books of Blood" after developing a written style at Liverpool University.

Often categorized as metaphysical fantasy and horror, philosophy is in all of his work. It adds the appealing edge and detailed carnage to tales. Recently, he released another short story entitled "In the Hills, the City." It is a politically orientated story shrouded in commentary on communism. Two cities bind themselves together to create a giant. A surprising twist appears when it isn't clear if he is endorsing capitalism or communism, though everyone dies in the end.

Though he wrote many books and plays, Hollywood scripts made him famous. Directing Hellraiser and the Hellbound Heart, Stephen King is rumored to have said Clive Barker is the best new horror author. This may be the catalyst to the Hollywood Limelight, a fortunate event.

Clive Barker's career worked well with the rise of Goth Culture. He expresses himself through experimental artistry, maintaining a bridge between visual and written stimulus for upcoming Artists. Whether or not he is a Goth is unverifiable; however, he wears black in most of his photos. Regardless, he contributed a lot and promoted gay rights openly.

The interview reveals melancholy tendencies towards life. He describes himself as secretive. His teacher describes him as older beyond his years. Even in the earlier years, his artistic expression was horrific, yet balanced with reasonable insight. Is this Goth or not Goth? Most people agree horror is Goth regardless of writer's intent.

Quirky Books
The New Weird

Gorey and Giger

Edward Gorey

Born in 1925, Gorey created a legacy of theatrical art and illustrations. He is associated with award winning Broadway Plays and one of my favorite books "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." Style and flare combined with a sinister aspect leaves the world of children books and enters Commercial Limelight.

This sinister, playful, macabre tendency and androgynous aspects of his work made him successful in theater and created fondness by Goths. The offbeat humor in "the Gashlycrumb Tinies" is an excellent example of why he is loved throughout the world. The skeletal nanny looks perplexed and concerned by an awkward, drained group of children in his or her care.

Though most well known as an illustrator he won a Tony for designing costumes for Broadway's "Dracula." Designing sets and costumes is how he made a living as a professional artist. I love how the simple lines and texture create a deep personal connection in this drawing. Though cartoonish, it reaches a level of fine art in the manipulation of the monochromatic palette, line direction, shading and fine detail.

H. R. Giger

Giger was born in Churn, Switzerland on February 1940. He won an Oscar in 1980 for the dark and lifelike sculptures featured in "Alien." Bringing horror to life he studied architecture and industrial design at Zurich's School of Applied Arts.

This unique artistry, as seen in "Sil Tryptich," helped shape a preference for dark surrealism. The lines are clean with an illuminating quality making the characters relatable. The essence seems touchable providing additional horror to the subject.

As an interior designer he created the Harkonnen Capo Chair; wherein, science fiction and human physiology are interwoven. Aesthetically pleasing shapes of ribs, skulls and a spine are combined into a comfortable chair.

Currently he is making a medieval castle into a museum. The H. R. Giger Museum is in Gruyere, Switzerland. Exhibits, shops, tours, and tarot feature artwork from upcoming and existing supernatural artists. A portion of the museum is dedicated to his own artwork.

If ever wondering what makes Goth aesthetics unique, look at Giger's artwork. It is applied throughout all levels of Goth Culture: illuminating qualities in movies; preference for leather; fascination with human physiology; balanced supernatural beings, and graphically driven characters in anime.