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Goth Chic: A Connoisseur's Guide to Dark Culture (Paperback)

Book Description
The joy of teenagers and the bane of parents and educators, Goth culture has carved deep inroads in mainstream American culture over the past 15 years. Primarily associated with music (particularly groups like The Cure, Nick Cave, and Nine Inch Nails), Goth also encompasses fashion, art, fetish clubs, horror comics, and vampire cults. This lavishly illustrated book looks at Goth from both a pop and subculture perspective. Each chapter deals with a different artistic or cultural phenomenon — such as literature, photography, trash Goth, and the femme fatale — followed by an essay on specific aspects of the Goth aesthetic. The author’s wide knowledge of the history of “the dark side” and his keen eye for cultural trends make for a peerless primer of a prevalent but little understood of cultural phenomenon.

Amazon Reviews
Finally somebody who actually knows what he's talking about. GB obviously walks the walk, and his passion for the subject has enabled him to write a virtually flawless meisterwerk, which should become the standard Goth reference book.
This is a first class piece of research, and while I am primarily interested in the musical side of Goth, it was also fascinating to read Gavin's insights into Gothic influences in art, theatre and film.

This is so comprehensive that few people should be able to say, "Oi, you forgot to mention..." The Hunger? It's in here. Bauhaus? Yep, a no-brainer. Gavin encompasses even fringe bands and artists, such as camp Cabaret-style vamps such as Marc Almond, punkish Adam Ant (pre and post transition to the Dandy Highwayman) and The Cure, who in my opinion mainly qualify because of Robert's time with Siouxsie. At the other end of Fringe, GB also includes Black Metal/Goth band Cradle Of Filth, whose Her Ghost In The Fog video is a must-see.

This modern Goth/Pop Culture classic mentions literally all of my favourite bands, ranging from Bauhaus and Type O Negative, to more melodic Goth acts such as The Mission (UK), Switchblade Symphony (you HAVE to hear Serpentine Gallery), the impossibly beautiful Katharine Blake's Miranda Sex Garden and The Shroud.

This masterpiece is also packed with excellent photographs, many of which I have never seen before. I simply cannot fault it.

The title is a bit of a misnomer. This is not, per se, a book about Goth. It certainly doesn't touch very much on "Goth Chic". The alternate title is more revealing: "A Connoisseur's Guide to Dark Culture", and it's THIS that you should keep in mind.
The author makes it known from the beginning that Goth is a very difficult thing to nail down. Is it Specimen/Batcave Bauhaus/art-rock Sisters Of Mercy/dark rock subculture? An extension of punk? Where do Industrial crossovers and bands like Dead Can Dance fit in? So he decides to roll the dice and talk about as much that has been touched by a "Gothic" aesthetic as possible, and that includes black metal (Cradle of Filth), industrial (Nine Inch Nails), and some silly Spanish band called Gothic Sex whose lead singer you have to see to believe. There's also quite a bit of backstory, so you get details about Byron, Baudelaire, expressionist horror film, EC comics, etc.

Therefore, the book doesn't just talk about Goth (however you interpret it - you being a Bauhaus purist, or Sunshine Blind fan) - it also talks about Black Metal, Death Rock, Horror Films, EC Comics, BDSM, vampire wannabees, etc. and in true liberal arts fashion traces the undercurrents, commonalities, and divergences that separate the different threads that have descended from the Byrons, Baudelaires, Decadents and Romantics that got the dark ball rolling in the first place(so for those of you thinking "Goth" started with Marilyn Manson, you're wrong on two counts... the first being what I just mentioned, the second being that Marilyn Manson is NOT Goth but a HEAVY METAL ARTIST and ALICE COOPER RIPOFF and thankfully, this book gets that right.)

Looking for info just on Goth? Well, it's there but it's scattered around a lot and mixed in with info about a lot of other similar subcultures. That having been said, though, I did learn quite a few things reading the book, and it was worth the read (for example, colour me stupid, but I had no idea it was Peter Murphy in that "blown away" Maxell ad in the 80s)

I'm surprised at the fact that even when non-Goth stuff gets mentioned (e.g. black metal, BDSM or those silly LARPer people dancing around in glow in the dark fangs "oo! oo! What clan are you?") the guy has a clue enough to mention that it isn't Goth.

This isn't the definitive guide to Goth. I don't think that's been written. It IS worth the read, so if you come across it, give it a look.

I like Gavin Baddley's books even though I am not really satanic. He described the subjects in his books pretty acurrately. I also like the pictures in his books, something you don't really see in adult books.

Well, a nice hod'de do and what the hell, the book to me seems to explane the "Glowin the dark fangz, and, plastic halowwen caped, M. Manson's kids that plage the word! Yes it explanes them very well, however Gothic is not such, i doubt many wrighters could explane what it is to "be" gothic, lord know you dont 'turn into one', it is descoverd inside ones self. Therefore hell to wright about, so if you want to know about all thoes kids who run areound with black greese pait from last hallloween on there eyes and excsivly use the tem "Blah" (in a Bella La Gossie (sp?) way) ..go on read about it. Maybe one of thes little Manson kids will tell you what "clan" there in.... seriosely if you want to know about the Gothic culture go get youresef a older goth who want to talk, this book is a waist of time & money.

I found this book to be highly educational on the origins of the term gothic and the sources of inspiration for today's goth culture. The author explores the early influences of horror and fetish as topics in gothic literature, film and music. To grasp the term gothic you have to accept that it encompasses a wide variety of influences and interests. Baddeley approachs his subject with an open mind and rarely leads the reader astray.

I found it amusing and enlightening that so many writers and musicians interviewed in this book who are labeled gothic reject the label; bad news for them, the instinct of the genuine goth is rejection of labels, especially as a goth. My experience is that anyone who calls themself a goth, is not. The essence of goth is to be an outcast, a loner, an individualist and the last thing such a person is going to do is identify themselves with a group.

I found the most interesting parts of this book had to do with early horror films, most of this was material I was unfamiliar with. The weakest part of the book is due to the fact that popular taste in goth music changes so often that there is little mention of the musicians who currently dominate clubs.

I love this book!!! I loved the part about Robert Smith and the photo of Mr and Mrs Fiend and most of all do I love the part about Edward Scissorhands!! This book is great, and Gavin Baddenly wrote "thanks to Lydia from The Shroud" I like the Shroud and I was surprised to see that most of my favorite movies and music appeared in this book...Even Diva Destruction (and I thought they were quite new) So anyone who likes Gothic music and movies: BUY THIS BOOK, IT'S GREAT! And it gives much information about the history of the music, too!

I bought this book as a present for my brother, althought I kept it for quite some time to read it. There were bands I didn't know of, things that happened before I was born I found intriguing.

If you are going to read or preview this book in a store, please read it with an open mind. There are far too many people (cough*ahem Toolgirl*cough)who mislead themselves into thinking this book is a "guide to being goth," when simply it informs people who do not understand the subculture.

Too many people think that the gothic persona is composed of people who worship satan, are rude and inconsiderate of others, nose-in-the-air, dirty and smelly types, but this book informs the reader that it is okay for one to stumble upon this class of people. However, it is NOT okay for someone to come on a review board to express a general stereotypical nonetheless elitist attitude in trying to define "goth."

First off, this is not a primer on how to be goth- it's a description of what goth is and how it got to be that way.

I would recommend this book strongly to goths who want to know more about the origins and history of their subculture, and to discover some cinematic, musical, and literary treasures that they may not have encountered before. It could also be useful to an outsider who is curious about the subculture. It doesn't try to prettify things, or pull any punches, but it is also refreshingly free of sensationalism or demonization. The result is a reasonably unbiased picture.

This book contains a lot of fascinating information about the origins of the goth aesthetic, it's relationship to punk, literary sources, ties to the fetish scene, etc. It also contains profiles of some important bands and literary figures.

However, not too much time is spent on any one profile/overview- if you want in depth, detailed information, look elsewhere. It's better for figuring out what you want to research or go find for yourself. It also doesn't get much into the psychology or sociology of goth culture. This is a fairly light non-academic read. It also contains a number of black and white photos, some of which are very nice eye candy.

..because goth is a CULTURE (or subculture, if you prefer), not a genetic condition. Cultures arise from _learned_ behaviour..toolgirl69's assertion that "true" goths are somehow magically born that way is pretentious, childish, and just plain silly.
Self-professed arbiters of gothic culture with snobbish notions of who can and who cannot be gothic, with their self-serving delusions of spooky grandeur, are a _main_ reason why goths are looked down upon and ridiculed by society at large. Grow up, toolgirl...and stop making the rest of us look bad.

Although I've not yet read the book it has had good reviews from many stylistically different sources, all with their own generic bias, and such universal approval normally means that you'll find more than enough overall to derive great satisfaction from it. If you're going to review books here you should do just that, rather than simply expressing general opinions.


I hate to make this a message board, but would someone please remove tool girls disgustingly childish remark. I cannot believe she wrote such a laughable review. Please, next time review the book, and do not use this as a place for your political opinions. Ick....

From Publishers Weekly
Simply put, a Goth is "a fan of gothic music" (a rock-and-roll subgenre that emerged out of the late-1970s punk scene). In general, Goths wear lots of black clothing, favor pale skin and sport black lipstick. They’re drawn to the darker aspects of human existence: death, romance, feelings of loneliness and isolation. Sounds like a fun bunch, huh? Voltaire, author of the comic book series Oh My Goth!, actually makes it seem so with this handy guide to Goth culture. Similar in layout to The Preppy Handbook and last year’s The Hipster Handbook, the book matter-of-factly dissects a subculture, with copious photos and descriptions of various types. Humorous approach will lift the lid on Goth mystique for many. As he puts it, "They’re basically just melancholy.... The truth is that very few Goths actually kill themselves—they’d much rather contemplate suicide and then just write a really bad poem about it."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
What Is Goth? is a humorous, self-deprecating look at Goth culture from the inside out. Imagine The Preppy Handbook colliding with Charles Addams. Then add a lot more melancholy and a lot more spooky.
What Is Goth? dispels the false stereotypes and reinforces the true ones surrounding Goths and Goth culture. "To the mundane," Voltaire writes, "Goths are weird, black-clad freaks who are obsessed with death; they are sad all of the time. Take a closer look at the Goth scene, however, and you will find a rich tapestry of ideas and practices and a menagerie of colorful characters. Oh, dear. I said ‘colorful.’"

This illustrated answer to What Is Goth? shows readers how to:

• Identify the anatomies of different kinds of Goths: CyberGoths, Rivet-Heads, Romantigoths, Goth-a-billies, and more

• Write a poem (Mad Libs style) with the Gothic Poem Generator

• Properly dance the dances of darkness: "Cobwebs in the Attic," "The Gothic Tai Chi Dance," "Pulling the Evil Taffy"

Yes, Goths are pale, wear black clothing, love black makeup (on men and women), mope, listen to real downer music, and perfect the art of living in a perpetual state of ennui and melancholy. But there’s so much more to being Goth. Goths come from all walks of life. Many are teenagers who live with their parents; others are doctors, lawyers, musicians, and so on. Most Goths are highly literate and creative, but all real Goths have to dress the part. In other words, "Abandon all hope ye who enter a Goth club in khakis!"

Eerily illustrated, What Is Goth?is the perfect book for any Goth, Goth wannabe, or "mundane" who is hopelessly confused by all the gloom.

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