I'd like to hear how people become involved in this scene. I know it's a gradual thing (or should be), but i'd like to know what influences people to "become goth".
What drove you to the darkside? Okay, I'm being cheesy.
My story is I'm 28, and have some history of listening to bands like The Cure, Sioxie Sioux, OMD, Sisters of Mercy, and LOTS of Depeche Mode in the Eighties. Then, like most everyone else, my tastes changed, I changed, and started listening to other forms of music, mostly alternative. Jane's Addiction and the like, Nine Inch Nails. And then a LONG detour into the rave scene (7 years).
Now I live in Europe, out of the influence of my friends and a lot of American culture. I started out by rediscovering bands I used to like (Cocteau Twins, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth)and since i'm not happy with my life, started looking for music to fit a darker mood(Joy Division, Dead Can Dance, Bauhaus). Then I wanted my posessions to reflect how I felt by decorating my room in shades of black, grey, red, band posters, etc. And naturally I started dressing in blacks, and then I came here. This has all taken about a year, mind you, and i'm nowhere close to goth.
So what got you here?

I guess there was always an interest I had for the goth scene. I remember when I was younger walking through the mall with my father, then seeing a group of punks and goths and saying to my dad; "Look at them, don't they look cool?"
He'd give me a funny look and say "They're a bunch of freaks starved for attention."

I first fell in love with the music, which was a total coincidence. "Iago's Demise" by Faith and the Muse was the song that started it all. I was perusing around witchvox and there was a link, and I was entirely unaware that the genre was goth.

That was around 2 years ago. Within the first year of that two, I occasionally wore entirely black, started doing a bit of research on the Gothic subculture and had a long list of F&TM songs on Napster.
I decided to go "all out" February of 2002.

Now I'm kind of "iffy." I felt obligated to look the part when I did consider myself a goth. Now I have my goth days and my not so goth days, but I still love Faith and the Muse, and much other goth music for that matter.
I think goth is better as an adjective than a noun, personally.
(:

<!--me&Juliet--><span id='ME'><center>Juliet has edited her post.</center></span><!--e-me-->

Well, for me it was several things.

First was the uniforms. I just found them so alluring.

Then the night work. That was great too, not going out during the day just did wonders for my complexion.

Oh, shovels... I've always had an interest in shovels. They are just the epitome of goth to me.

The graveyards, don't they look so much nicer when they are decorated with the freshly exhumed?

Oh, and painting my face white is just so much fun. Especially when those posers complain that I haven't actually blended it properly around the edges, and that I look like the crow because of matt black dulux paint applied around the eyes.

Oh, and having arms which have a texture like sandpaper because of all the angsty cutting helps too.

Then there is Marilyn Manson who I feel must be worshipped as a god. Oh, and Slipknot, as like... well, demigods or something.

Yeah, and the demon summoning is a real laugh too. It's great to get to hang about with like minded individuals who have soundly rejected society, and sacrificing earthworms. We tried chickens, but one of them delivered a nasty peck to my hand. Then mice, but they bite. They have claws too. So in the end we went for earthworms. They are easier to manage too, and easier to feed. We haven't had any problems with them yet.

Now, for the final touch.
*picks up staple gun*
*puts hand to forehead*
*applies staplegun to hand*

S- Completely goth. So goth it hurts. So sue me.

Moved from General Discussion to Gothic.

Also, do a search, there's a topic around here somewhere that covers people's introductions to the scene, I'm sure of it.


Lilith

To be completly honest... this place

I was looking up gothic archtitecture for a school project, came upon this place, joined, learned, enjoyed.

It is you lot who have inflicted me on the gothic subculture.

You should be ashamed

HD ~ Actually Being Honest ??? :p

actually, kinda like Hidden Darkness, This place did...I was looking for Gothic Art (searching for a picture I had seen a long while back on a page that said "Gothic Art" and was trying to find the page again...

Found Goth.net...checked out the forums, saw the musid suggestions, and fell in love with the music...

Hmmmm...

I think my interest for goth was born with movies like "The Crow" (suprise!), "Interview With a Vampire" and so on... Another great contribution to my interest was music like "Katatonia", "Tiamat", "Evergray", "Elend and other such artists... I have never really listened to the classic goth bands like "The Cure", "Sisters of Mercy" and so on...

Also I like to dress in black since it's a colour that suits most events (I know, I know, goth is not about black) so I must say that it was more or less a natural depevelopment of myself that came over a period of maybe a year and a half.

I had been a Satanist for quite a while before acctually getting interested in Goth (and those two are not at all related either) and as gothic is mentioned quite often when talking about Satanism around these parts I guess I stumbled across it via that connection too in one way or another...

I'd say it was a development from listening to bands like "Earth Crisis", "Abhinanda", "Refused" and "Shield" and when I left the hardcore behind I stumbled into a mix of metal and goth, wich I am now, with about 30% EBM-fanatic in between too...

I take the best I can find of it all and just enjoy. I don't even call myself goth really. I asociate with Goths in many way and has many friends who are deeply involved in the scene around my city, but am I Goth? Nah, I don't think so, wich does not mean I am not a nice guy, as you all know

-- ShadowCrow, confusing?

For me it was a step by step thing: First I got into underground music, punk in particular. Then I got a studded bracelet, got into the punk subculture, and had a good time for awhile. But I started maturing and got bored, and realized I was far too gentle and introverted to be a true punk. So I heard about goth and did some research (researching is a hobby of mine) and liked what I read.
I found out what goth bands are and remember my parents having a sisters of mercy cd hidden away somewhere so I found it, listened to it, and thought "holy shit this is fucking awesome!" And there it started...started wearing more black clothing (like Shadow said its not what goth is about but still can't be denyed as part of the style), dyed my hair black, started to paint my nails once in awhile, and wasn't ashamed of having good grades anymore and taking offense of being called smart (generally it isnt a thing most punks strive for although I am not criticizing the subculture).
It started, grew, evolved, and got me where I am today (Only got into it about 4 months ago so I am relatively new).

Falko - having a good old time once again.

Actually, I did a search before I posted this topic, with different variations of "what got you into goth?", but didn't turn up anything immediate. I may have overlooked previous attempts, but I did check.
As for Madda Gaska's response, I'm certainly not trying to comdemn anyone for being into this scene. Just wanted to know what gets people into it. I can appreciate the sarcasm, though. Especially the hand-stapled-to-forehead.


Gemma

Before I was 16, I really had no idea what the goth subculture was. I met this girl, who happened to be goth, and we hit it off pretty well. We started hanging out and eventually started dating. She introduced me to the music, the literature, and took me clubbing with her and her friends. That's how I was introduced to the subculture. I still wouldn't call myself a goth though, too much of a biker mean streak in me.

I just talked to my mom about what I was like as a child and realized it all started in second grade...

--**FLASHBACK**--

Here I am in a small catholic school in Canada, about 6 years old, and we are learning about guardian angels. One assignment was to draw a picture of our angel with a caption at the bottom stating something you would like your angel to help you achieve, for example: Make me a better person, help me not to hurt others, help me learn to share, etc.

Now god knows what possessed me at the time but the angel I turned in was drawn in all black with the caption:
"Dear guardian angel, make me a rock star!"

--**/FLASHBACK**--

Falko - proud of his childhood... :p

Heh that reminds me

<Flashback>

In class at the age of 4 or 5, teach asked us to draw what we thought god looked like... needless to say there were many old guys on clouds... but not for me, I drew (or attempted to draw) a Griffon-like creature, not that I knew what a griffon was, it had a lions body, birds head and claws, and a snake for a tail. When Asked why I said, "Well he DOES fight evil doesn't he, he needs to be really scary to scare evil right?"

</Flashback>

HD ~ Equally proud of his childhood

Mine is actually a very short story. My sister is and has been very into the goth scene for many years. I guess some of it rubbed off onto me because i ended up finding this site. I listened to some of the music that was in the FAQ and i really liked it. Since then i have become more and more interested, im still way off being a "proper" goth though.

That's so adorable!!!