The Cure has been one of my favorite bands since I was a teen in the mid-1980s, instantly mesmerized by my first glimpse of "The Lovecats" video on a still somewhat shiny MTV. I loved the raw passion of punk, but was also Awfully Arty. I didn't mind and sometimes preferred (or exuded) a darkly clad seriousness that bordered on moroseness and didn't shy away from sensitive subjects such as death and decay. In short, readers, I was a Goth.
In the intro of "Goth: A History," Tolhurst describes the back cover of The Clash's first album: a photo taken during London's 1976 Notting Hill Carnival riot. Read the book to learn about its intersection with The Cure.
It's also a good segue to Chapter 1, in which Lol talks more about the personal and societal influence of The Clash and Joe Strummer. He explains how modern Goth culture derived and split from the 1970s punk scene, as well as the cultural climate of England at the time punk and post-punk music evolved.
Chapter 2 is more scholarly tone as Lol moves back farther in time and explores Gothic ideas in literature and philosophy. He leans heavily on Dr. Tracy Fahey, and spends some time pondering (with Fahey's work as a supporting argument) that the "use of the Gothic to respond artistically to periods of conflict and unrest ... remains ... particularly serviceable in times of crisis." (Meaning that from "The Castle of Otranto" to "Dracula" to Bauhaus to "Wednesday" on Netflix, we use gothy things to make us feel better. Well, if you're reading this, probably DUH.) A small suggestion of classic Goth authors to check out can include Baudelaire, Bronte, Eliot, Camus, Sartre, Plath, Poe, Sexton, and Shelley.
Chapter 3 explores proto-Goths; those who laid the musical groundwork for what was to come, such as Alan Vega of Suicide, Nico, Alice Cooper, Scott Walker, Marc Bolan, and David Bowie.
Tolhurst really seems to come alive in Chapter 4, where he writes about his contemporaries. He waxes nostalgic about Joy Division shows and describes every song on "Unknown Pleasures." There is a sizeable amount of information about the members of Bauhaus, and even more about Siouxie and the Banshees.
In Chapter 5, Lol continues to write about music, including acts such as Cocteau Twins, Wire, Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, The Damned, and All About Eve. Chapter 6 explores the club The Batcave and the group Depeche Mode.
granny anarchy’s elder goth eulogiesChapter 7 includes Nine Inch Nails and Molchat Doma as well as other more contemporary groups. Chapter 8 concludes with Goth aesthetics, Elder Goths (which I suppose both Tolhurst and I would be) and "Why Goth Matters."
Some of the things I found particularly interesting were that Tolhurst claims that "The Cure is both the progenitor and the antithesis of Goth...The roots of The Cure's Gothic resume [are] 'Seventeen Seconds,' 'Faith,' and 'Pornography...' 'Disintegration' [is] its own genre but also a grander more royal version of Goth." (I beg to differ, Lol. I think it's all Goth. Yes, we know Robert loves Christmas and can smile and y'all have dressed up in bear suits and have hugged fuzzy things. "Give Me It" and "Lullaby," at random, are still Goth.)
He also states that Goth has two ps - Punk and Psychedelia. On the next page, he talks about poetry. THREE Ps, Lol.
THREE Ps WHERE WAS YOUR EDITOR. (I want to put a punny "LOL" in here SO BADLY. Also, it may not be a thing now, but when I was Actually Cool and In The Scene, Poofy Pirate shirts were all the rage so there are a few more Ps oh wait they should probably edit this out of my review AHEM.)
(spoiler: we liked that part and kept it in)
None of the chapters are particularly long and the book is not that large at about 230 pages. Very slightly scholarly at the beginning, but mostly more musical meandering; it is not so much a textbook as a biography heavily peppered with thoughts on other bands. Tolhurst himself described it as a "historical memoir." Recommended for anyone interested in post-punk, Goth, The Cure, or Siouxsie in particular.
Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys - Lol Tolhurst
Goth: Vamps and Dandies - Gavin Baddeley
Gothic: Dark Glamour - Valerie Steele and Jennifer Park
Gothic Fashion: The History: From Barbarians to Haute Couture - Katie Godman
Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace: The Worldwide Compendium of Postpunk and Goth - Andi Harriman and Marloes Bontje
The Goth Bible: A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined - Nancy Kilpatrick
The Art of Darkness - John Robb
Season of the Witch - Cathi Unsworth
Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them - Jillian Venters
“10:10 by LABRYS: A Raw, Introspective Masterpiece and a real 10 out of 10” by Z.T
LABRYS, a music project by Penny Pitchlynn of Broncho, explores addiction, escapism, and life's struggles in their latest release, 10:10. This album is a masterpiece, featuring roaring guitar strums and infectious hooks. The grungy, guitar-driven sound is haunting and captivating, with each track offering a unique perspective on the human condition.
Listen now
Opening track "Gimme Something" sets a raw, introspective tone with the lyrics "Gimme something, anything, I can see how it ends," reflecting vulnerability or a plea. This song introduces the theme of addiction, which is central throughout the album. LABRYS wrote this album during a challenging time with sobriety around five years ago. In "Pink Gun," Pitchlynn taps into a rebellious edge, channeling fierce female rage through fuzzy guitar riffs and muffled vocal effects. This song resonates with the raw power of teen angst or, perhaps, the fury of being a woman in today's world. This track has the power to evoke nostalgia, sending you back to the days of playing a well-worn CD with gritty sounds and scratches that can almost be felt as it echoes off the walls of a teenage bedroom adorned with posters…or maybe that’s just me.
On this album, Pitchlynn adeptly balances a tone of defeat with sharp self-deprecation. This is evident in the third track, "Can't Win," which opens with a Silversun Pickupsesque fuzz and hi-hat that could easily set the scene for a 2010 indie movie. The lyrics reveal a deeper internal struggle, juxtaposing an upbeat tempo with introspective lyrics: "I can't win; it doesn't matter if I'm drinking; I'm just a drunk." Anthems from the 2000s and 2010s also explored this theme of daydreaming and escapism in the face of apathy. Pitchlynn continues to explore these themes in the following lyrics, "Let's pretend, let's pretend. I just want to believe this is bigger than us" - which feels like it could come right out of MGMT's "Fade into Pretend", similarly delving into the methods of escapism in a world that feels increasingly unworthy of our attention. On one hand, there's the acknowledgment of "this has all gone to hell." On the other, Pitchlynn proclaims, in an Arcade Fire fashion, "I just wanted to dream; now I want to wake up." Accompanied by a blistering guitar solo, this track stands out as one of the album's highlights.
The next track, "Irish Goodbye," delves into the darker side of escapism with the pain and consequences of these actions. The chorus, "Guess I'm leaving, never said goodbye to my friends; All these feelings; Nothing I can do but pretend," captures the feeling of being trapped on the inside, looking for a way out. It feels like a natural progression from the opening track, "Gimme Something," where the "something" is a retreat from an overwhelming world. The song ends with a plea to oneself rather than to the world: "I've got to get back down," a less desperate and more resigned acknowledgment of the demands of a world asking too much of us.
"So Sad" is a contemplative track, exploring the depths of depression and pondering if things could improve. The low, groaning guitar and drums set the mood, as the lyrics express, “I’m growing into a heart of gratitude.” It's a cautious optimism, tinged with nihilistic lyricism, suggesting that, while things could get better and have been better in the past, today is not that day. The track "In Motion" has a dreamy, upbeat nature similar to "Can't Win." The tempo is faster with a frantic bassline and floating guitar rhythms creating a manic upward spiral. LABRYS holds an anticipation throughout the track, mirroring the lyrics' anticipatory nature. "I can’t settle down; so I just keep on movin’,” Pitchlynn declares. In "Found God," LABRYS delves into a complex realm with themes of mental health and addiction. The song seems to mirror a self-grandiosity similar to a manic state, with lyrics like “I found God; She told me that I’m all she wants.” (or at least, to a person with their own mental health struggles, this is how I interpet it) The psychedelic-tinged nature of the song, coupled with sermon samplings, speaks to a sedated, hallucinatory state, whether associated with mental health, addiction, or simply as a metaphor for a state of mind.
"Forever" reflects a transient and dissociative state, reminiscing on the "cinema inside the head.” Whether that apathy is directed toward an unhappy relationship, mental health or addiction, or toward the world at large, it’s a feeling we all know well, especially after a global pandemic. The ninth track, “Don’t Tell Me What to Do,” flows naturally from a dissociative aura to one with a rebellious edge. If “Forever” explores a withering, this is the breakup anthem, the taking-it-all-back song. It delves into a postbreakup exploration of “Who am I?” It’s a slow drive of a song, gaining momentum over time, chronicling a journey of self-exploration. “Am I too bright for your eyes?” asks the singer, followed by a guitar and drum breakdown.
The penultimate track, “Silver Screen,” offers a glimmer of hope with, “Where do I go now? Guess I know where to go when I think it through.” The album takes the listener on a journey, and it's not until this moment you realize the journey is back to ourselves. It's a relinquishing of self-control, a stark contrast to the beginning of the album, which pleads and begs for control. Pitchlynn declares, “The future is written, don’t spoil the ending cause I don’t know what’s coming.” In an album filled with questions, this lack of answer is the most poignant response of all. When you think Pitchlynn is about to impart some wisdom, she admits, “I don’t have the answer; I don’t even know the question. What was I saying?” The silver screen here may represent an idealized version of life - one that's easy to live through and easy to process. LABRYS assures us…life won't be that easy. Pitchlynn brings the album to a close with “Satisfaction,” a fitting bookend echoing the opening track’s plea. The song serves as a poignant dialogue on the insatiable nature of addiction, the perpetual feeling of never having enough, even when one seemingly has it all. This sentiment is universally relatable, whether the addiction in question is to substances, power, money, or perception. The album concludes without a neat bow because life is not that kind of story.
LABRYS’s 10:10 delves into themes of selfdeprecation, apathy, and the search for meaning in an overwhelming world.The album is not strictly a concept album, but steady themes create a coherent body of work. The consistent tone illustrates the cyclical nature of addiction and of life itself, reminding listeners that life can be just as cyclical as it is linear.
Happy Women’ s History Month! Want more womenled Oklahoma music in your life? Stream our playlist.
I reviewed the movie "Meet Me in the Bathroom" in our October 2023 issue; as one often hears, the book is better.
Goodman compiles conversations from members of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, White Stripes, TV on the Radio, the Strokes, the National, the Moldy Peaches, Longwave, Liars, LCD Soundsystem, Kings of Leon, Interpol, and more. New York City was the the birth of or the place to be for multiple music scenes from The Cotton Club to CBGB, and the turn of this millenium was one of them.
It's a hefty tome; about 600 pages, and includes a few photos, but is primarily set up in chronological chapters of oral anecdotal history. It does seem to be a bit Strokescentric, and there is a lot of LCDrama, with Interpol Antics (SEE WHAT I DID THERE) taking up some very interesting print, but there are plenty of pages left for everyone else. I am a fan of many of these bands and thought I knew quite a bit, but I gleaned some new information (There was a closer YYYs/Liars connection than I was aware of. Paul Banks volunteered on 9/11 and a particular scene stayed with him. Read for more!)
While the gossip and band dynamics are intriguing, what I found most thoughtprovoking was what I'll call the MP3llennium - before the 2000s and the rise of The Internet, the music model involved a lot of excess/schmoozing and money was made on (recording) product sales. After Napster, etc., product sales meant little to nothing; money was made on touring. In addition, the listening model moved from album to song, but I digress. Also interesting was viewing the gentrification of Manhattan and Brooklyn through the eyes of various band members, as well as many different perspectives of 9/11.
There is a lot - a LOT - of sex and drugs in addition to the rock and roll - and there is a movement for more mindful living. There are also politics, media critique (Rolling Stone versus Spin versus Pitchfork and how they treated online news at the turn of the MP3llennium), and other armchair anthropology and sociology, such as Karen O speaking about pushing her limits and what it is like to be a woman in a maledominated field.
If you are interested in the likes of Jonathan Fire*Eater, Franz Ferdinand, Moby, Regina Spektor, the Killers, the Kills, the Walkmen, or Vampire Weekend, or simply the idea of New York City and/or the turn of the millenium, this may be an engaging volume for you. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 star shirts.
A review by Granny Anarchy -Granny Anarchy
89thStreet 8911NWesternAve(OKC)
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BeerCityMusicHall1141NW2nd(OKC)
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BlueDoor2805NMcKinleyAve(OKC)
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BlueNote2408NRobinsonAve(OKC)
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Criterion500EastSheridanAve(OKC)
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DiamondBallroom8001SEasternAve(OKC)
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FactoryObscura25NW9thSt(OKC)
https://factoryobscura.com/
GrandRoyale1749NW16thSt(OKC)
https://www.instagram.com/grandroyaleokc
JonesAssembly901WSheridan(OKC)
https://www.thejonesassembly.com
Opolis113NCrawfordAve(Norman)
https://www.opolis.org
PointA2124NW39thSt(OKC)
pointa.space
PONYBOY423NW23rdSt(OKC)
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ResonantHead400SW25thStSTEA(OKC)
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51stStreetSpeakeasy1114NW51stStreet(OKC)
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TowerTheatre425NW23rdSt(OKC)
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$ = $1-15
$$= $16-39
$$$= $40+
01
Adelitas Way with Classless Act, Kirra, The Treatment, and Apples of Eden @ 89th St
Dion Warlocke, Baileyboy, and Pluto Rouge @ Opolis
Them Dirty Roses and American Slang @TowerTheatre
Hyperdose with Lovely Machine, Shelter in Place, Numbers Game, and Kanbatsu @ 89th St.
Abandon Alien @ Point A Gallery
Veeze and Talibando @ BCMH
Whitey Morgan & The 78s @ Tower Theatre
The Brook & The Bluff w/Willis @BCMH
Tab Benoit w/J.D. Simo @ Tower Theatre
Brian Parton @ Grand Royale $
Cultist w/Reminitions, Unrelenting Butchery, Arsonist, and Burn the Throne @ 89th St.
KNOLL, YEW, Fungus, Bashed In, Vantartax, and Discern @ The Sanctuary
Living Colour w/Aranda @ BCMH
Richard Edge, Audrey Oden, and Compost Adjacent, @ Chateau Casa (House show)
Riki @ Resonant Head
14 THU
15 FRI
ClancyJonesw/FustandJoshCox @ResonantHead $
Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary 30th Anniversary Tour @ Tower Theatre $$
South Austin Moonlighters @ The Blue Door $$
The Damn Quails @ Diamond Ballroom $
David McKinley @ Point A Gallery $
Kolton Moore & the Clever Few w/Jordan Nix@BCMH $$
Babies with Rabies @ Grand Royale $
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram w/ Mathias Lattin @ Tower Theatre $$
NET w/the Nghiems @ The Opolis $
Plain Speak w/Belle & the Vertigo Waves, & Nick Loux @ Resonant Head $
16 SAT
17 SUN
18 MON
Voivod w/Prong @ Diamond Ballroom $$
Fair Weather Enemies, Taranis, the Big News @ Opolis$
Sushia @ Point A Gallery$
zzzahara, Punchlove, and Cherry Laurel @ Resonant Head $
Nabihah Iqbal and Olivia Komahcheet @ Ponyboy $
Breaking Point Tour @ BCMH $$
Ben Brock and Justin Bloss @ The Blue Door $$ Jonathan Richman
Autumnal, Compost Adjacent, & Sky Hemenway @ Point A Gallery $
18 MON
20 WED
21 THU
Dale
Hannah Wicklund @ BCMH
Thursday,March21,DiamondBallroombehostinganeveningwithBlack Flag(doorsopenat7,showstartsat8-allages.)Therewillbetwosets-a sequentialperformanceof"MyWar"initsentirety,andthen"everythingelse." "MyWar"wasBlackFlag's2ndalbum,releasedin1984(afterthedebut"Damaged"in 1981.)TheA-sideissimilartothehardcorethrashof"Damaged,"withpunkguitarsolos, buttheB-sideisheavier,longer,andslower.Althoughmanyfansdidn'tlikeitatthe time,iteventuallyinfluencedTheMelvins,Mudhoney,andNirvana.BlackFlagwenton toreleasesevenmorestudioalbums,aswellasthreelivealbums,fourcompilations, eightEPs,twosingles,andthreedigitalsingles.Therehavebeenmanylineupchanges -HenryRollinsisprobablythemostwell-knownformermember-buttheband currentlyconsistsoffoundingmemberGregGinn(guitar),MikeVallely(vocals),Harley Duggan(bass),andCharlesWiley(drums.)
22 FRI
An evening with Black Flag @ Diamond Ballroom $$ $ $$
Triston Marez w/Matt Castillo @ Diamond Ballroom
Bison, Skewer, & the Burn Notice @ Opolis
Wheatus @ The Blue Door
Weirder Wednesday @ Opolis
27 THUR
28 THUR
29
23 FRI $ $
FRI
Bee & the Hive, Kat Lock, Lady Winters, and Amethyst Michelle @ Resonant Head $
Weirder Wednesday @ Opolis $
30 SAT
A Killers Confession w/ Mike's Dead & Sixth Gear @ 89th St $
Amy Lavere & Will Sexton @ The Blue Door $$
SINGO: Women Who Rock w/ the Norman Public Library @ Opolis
Dylan Marlowe & Mackenzie Carpenter @ BCMH $$
Joe Buck Yourself @ Grand Royale $
Kountry Wayne @ The Criterion $$
Earslips & Dulldrums @ The Opolis
Not.greenday &Groucho @ Resonant Head $
Mallory Eagle & Khrislyn Arthurs @ BCMH $
Crash Test Dummies @ Tower Theatre $$
Mary Battiata and Joe Baxter @ The Blue Door $$
Corey Kent @ The Criterion $$
Cinderella’s Tom Keifer w/L.A. Guns and Sons of Servants @ Diamond Ballroom $$
Mario Kart 8 with Live Band @ Opolis $$
Lunar Division, Gonzo Lebronzo, Computer Girl @ Resonant Head $
Billy Bats & the Made Men w/Some Kind of Nightmare @ Grand Royale
Nita Strauss w/ Diamante, Starbenders, and Sign Of Lies @ Diamond Ballroom $$ $
Kit Bake @ Grand Royale $
THU FRI SAT SUN
Celtic Jam at the Patriarch
Funk at the Blue Note
Blues at the Speakeasy
Bluegrass at the Patriarch
Jazz at the Speakeasy
Experimental night at Opolis - every 4th Wed.
Open Mic night at Factory Obscura - every 1st Thur.
Bluegrass at the Speakeasy
Song Swap at the Blue Note (usually every 1st Thur.)
DJ nights at Ponyboy
Celtic Jam at the Banjo Musuem - every 4th Sat.
DJ nights at Ponyboy
Celtic music at Full Circle Bookstore
personal backstory first: 30 seconds to mars was my #1 all time favorite band that could not be beat. i was O B S E S S E D. i was absolutely also in love with shannon leto. the third to last time i saw them, i went to a meet and greet and we all got to take pics with the band at the end.
i asked shannon if i could give him a kiss and he let me!! and i have a pic of it!!! the last time i saw them, i decided to not get any vip upgrades (i ALWAYS did). i ended up being chosen to go on stage for their last song and shannon literally handed me his drumsticks when he was done playing the show. absolutely unreal
- primal opossum
The first time a friend and I got to go to a concert unsupervised was a christian rock gig. It turned out the opening act included Marc Martel; they did We Will Rock You, and my brain melted at the closest thing to a live performance of vintage Queen I will probably ever experience.
-JackalopeI suppose it is lucky to get to meet musicians and innovators you admire, and especially not to be disappointed by them.
I've been able to briefly talk to OK luminaries like Tyson Meade and Wayne Coyne, but also Dick Dale, Les Paul, and members of Spacehog.
-Granny Anarchy
