1978:
* Anthony H. Wilson who was overcome by a rare moment of lucidity on a 1978 BBC TV program when he described Joy Division as Gothic compared to the pop mainstream.
* Siouxsie and the Banshees release their first single.
* (November) The first Banshees album "The Scream” is released.
1979:
* Bauhaus released their first single.
* (September) Bauhaus released “Bela Lugosi’s Dead.”
* Bauhaus was labeled “Gothic” due to their song Bela Lugosi’s Dead.
* The use of the word “Goth” to describe a new sound in a few Punk bands starts to emerge.
* (June)The first Joy Division album "Unknown Pleasures” is released.
* Siouxsie and the Banshees, though not part of the Goth scene, but were being called Goth. The band helped to create the gothic image in bands and fashion.
* Siouxsie of Siouxsie and the Banshees influenced the first fashion style for female Gothics.
* It’s said that Bauhaus also assisted in establishing the “Goth” look.
* The Cure was not part of the Goth scene but was put in then genre until the release of “Lets Go to Bed” which sparked a pop career.
1980:
* (September) The term “Futurist” first appears to describe a music scene that crossed over and mixed electronic music with Goth music.
* Danse Society is formed
* Bauhaus gains popularity
* The band “Play Dead” is formed.
* The Birthday Party came to England in early 1980 |
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1981:
* Southern Death Cult formed, which later became “The Cult.”
* Ian Astbury, front man of The Cult uses the word “Goth” when he describes Andi Sex Gang (of Sex Gang Children) as a “gothic pixie.” The term became popularized by UK music magazines New Express and Sounds who used the word “Goth” to describe a class of music. It’s said that Ian Astbury also used the word “Goth” to describe fans of Sex Gang Children.
* (July) Bauhaus were tagged as Goth after the "Release the Bats" single, which the band regarded as something of a joke.
* The term “New Romantic” is used to describe a new wave of music, that we now call 80’s retro.
1982:
* Danse Society releases their "Seduction" mini-album
* Bauhaus, UK Decay, the Banshees, the Cure, Southern Death Cult and Sex Gang Children increase in popularity.
* Play Dead gains popularity
* The Goth scene becomes more club and fashion-orientated, but was still very much an "underground" scene.
* The music club “The Bat Cave” opens, which was located off Carnaby Street in London. At first glam and electro music was played, but several early Goth bands also played there and the playlist gradually became more Goth.
* (October) Bauhaus released "Ziggy Stardust.”
* Bauhaus gets on the cover of “Smash Hits.”
* (October) Southern Death Cult gets on the front cover on the NME.
1983:
* The term “Positive Punk” emerges, and which is later also known as “Posi-Punk.” The term was used to describe the gothic movement before the word “Goth"
* The term “Goth” becomes more known and used to describe the movement and music. |
