I’ve spoken here about the wonderfully diverse community modern gothdom is, which I stand by wholeheartedly, but ever wonder what it was like back when the subculture was first forming? (Assuming most of you weren’t there.) Back when being goth was something truly original and different?
A few days ago I came across a delightful video from 1984 showcasing the Xclusiv club and its unique clientele in Batley, West Yorkshire, England. (“Batley” . . . Heh. Get it? So appropriate.) Anyhoo, despite the 2-hour length (excruciating for web video) and a rough beginning (the source is a salvaged, slightly damaged VHS cassette), it’s a refreshing and inspiring look into goth in its infancy. It could do with more editing, honestly; On the other hand, I’m happy it isn’t over-edited. We get a pretty thorough glimpse into the goth/alt scene of the early, mid-80’s. While I found it fascinating and rather easy to watch stretched out over a couple of days, what I’m going to do for you is hit upon key points so you can skip ahead. First, here’s the video:
According to the uploader’s description, club owners Anne and Pete Swallow commissioned the video to document a typical night at their club for sharing with friends, family, and regular patrons. They set up a private party for the video-taping, inviting all those who made the club atmosphere lively and unique. The first 3 minutes of footage suffers frustrating distortion, but I recommend watching through it to get a nice sense of place and scene. Maybe close your eyes and just listen if it gets to be too much.
Highlights:
00:02:26 – Exterior architectural features of arched doors and windows with statuary of birds and gargoyles, and interior design replete in black and deep, dark reds, including plush, velvet upholstered seating, hanging vines, and a lighted dance floor make a perfect setting for the darkly inclined.
0:04:49 – A cozy little interview with the club owners, leading into another with the DJ, giving a nice feel for the world into which we’re stepping. Doesn’t Anne look quite gothic herself? And I love how the DJ throws the interviewer a curve when describing his playlist includes Glenn Miller.
00:08:56 – A costume parade of sorts as the patrons file in, showing their aesthetic diversity. It’s a really good chance to get a look at the outfits one-by-one.
0:10:42 – The age discrepancy between the ladies tending bar and their customers amuses me. I frequently hear gothy types tell how older generations seem more likely to show appreciation of their eccentric style than their peers. Has it always been this way?
I’m also pretty jealous of all the wacky, alternative hairstyles showcased in this bit. I never had the nerve to delve into anything like it back in the day. Ah, heck, hairstyle-wise I’ve always been more of a romantic type, anyway. It’s also interesting how the camera will zoom in on the multiple earrings of an individual. I remember this being tremendously edgy back then. Now, not-so-much. Heck, where I came from, a boy getting his ear pierced at all was controversial.
0:14:05 – Let the dancing begin! This is the part that could have been edited down more and still have provided an excellent display of the fashion and dance styles prevalent in the group. It’s on the dance floor, though, that I get the biggest kick out of the disparity in fashion between those dressed in more conservative 80’s fashion and the alternative ones, all dancing together to the same music.
0:24:47 – Displays of un-self-conscious eccentricity make me smile.
0:32:28 – True to his word (and my delight), the DJ plays Glen Miller, and even more delightfully surprising is the number of people enjoying it, even if a couple have to be dragged out to the dance floor by a friend and none know quite what to do with themselves. Hahah! – That’s the lark of it! Following up with “I’m a Believer” only serves to make this little, die-hard Monkees fan’s heart go pitty-pat. Topping that, then, with “The Monster Mash,” I want to jump through the screen to join them!
1:10:33 – Clientele interviews begin with my absolute favorite couple of the evening. Mannered and well-spoken (though their accent is a bit tricky for me), they could be poster children for Gothic subculture. They give the impression of normalcy beneath all the finery, knocking down the most tiresome stereotypes. They look smashing, don’t they? But I was completely wowed and won over by their claiming Glen Miller as a top favorite out of all the club’s music, validating everything I’ve wanted to believe (and have heard asserted) about the expansively diverse taste of goths.
1:15:46 – This little band of three gives me such a thrill, demonstrating the DIY ingenuity necessary for goth style at the time. Remember, this footage pre-dates Etsy, Hot Topic, Heavy Red, and all the favorite internet and alt shops we have available today. This group actually embodies what I find most attractive about goth fashion; true individuality. It’s a bit of a wake-up call, too, that while I covet pricey items like this spiderweb poncho, the girl on the right had to improvise her own. So, why don’t I just put up and shut up, huh?
1:20:12 – This young lady makes a rather poignant statement about how other clubs don’t accept people like them. She unknowingly echos something said earlier in Anne & Pete’s interview, only now it seems truly strange, having been exposed to their quiet politeness and quirky sense of harmless fun. I wonder if any of those club owners ever got a sense that they missed out on something.
1:32:27 – This girl is stunning. I would love to re-create her look.
1:56:59 – Each person behaving like the main performer of their own pop concert = Brilliant. Love it. Simple love it.
What makes the whole video so wonderfully fascinating for me is the freshness of it all, despite its age. I was a teenager in the late 80’s, not goth or even remotely alternative, but I remember those who were. Here in the U.S., at least where I’m from, the goth label hadn’t yet come into use. Alternative kids were all just lumped together. At my school they were called “whammers,” although no one has the foggiest idea why. Everyone knew, at least vaguely, the differentiation between punks, skaters, surfers, and everyone else, but it didn’t really matter. They were called “whammers” for being different from the mainstream, and the spooky kids wearing ankh symbols, winklepickers, and total black, who didn’t fit any other category, were the most “whammer” of all. No one was trying to figure out “what type of goth” they were (as I see happening today). The goth label itself didn’t even exist most places. Those who would have fit that description, though, were originally only emulating the style of their favorite bands and letting imagination carry them beyond. Labels were more about what other people called them than what they called themselves. They liked what they liked, and made what they couldn’t buy. Simple.
Now, I’m sure it wasn’t all sunshine and spring breezes. There was backstabbing and backbiting, as some talked behind their hands about so-and-so’s poor taste or terrible dancing. Someone always got wasted & obnoxious or stoned stupid. There was the creepy guy, the player, and the attention whore. Perhaps they were all one and the same. There were rivalries and petty jealousies, secrets and shenanigans. How do I know this? Because they’re people, and it’s just what people do. Get any group together and these are the dynamics that start playing out, no matter what music they like, how they dress, or what they believe. We’re fortunately spared all this in the video. Instead, we’re exposed to the innocent sense of fun that is at the heart of it all. That’s why I thought this a treasure worth sharing with you. I hope we can all maintain this sense of childlike, playful innocence as we go about building our lives, and dance like no one is watching.
The Airstepper's Adventure 