Goth Challenge, Day 7

Day 7 – Ten of your favourite goth bands.

Normally I like making lists. I'm a list person. I even make fancy printed lists for my kids so they know what to pack when we travel. But I hate making top ten lists! I don't like being limited to just ten. And my musical taste is so very influenced by my moods - my list of ten today would be a different ten tomorrow...

Without further ado, here is my list of ten of my favorite goth bands that I'm enjoying on my ipod today (in alphabetical order because I'm OCD like that):

1. The Birthday Massacre - they make me happy. My kids like them too. One of my favorite things is catching my daughter singing along to them.

2. Clan of Xymox - I particularly like listening to them at work for some reason. 

3. The Cure - They really are a form of nostalgia for me. The Disintegration tour was my first big concert.

4. The Damned - In 2003, shortly after Matty and I were married, we saw The Damned on the Warped Tour. I went to the merch table to pick up a shirt, and lo and behold, Captain Sensible was manning the table. I bought my shirt, then he proceeded to hit on me in front of my husband. I had to turn him down, but he did sign my shirt :) They are touring this fall - I hope I can line up a sitter because I would love to go to this show!

5. Fields of the Nephilim - I just love Carl McCoy's voice...

6. London After Midnight - I love their driving and heavy beats. And I love their dark, witty and often political lyrics. Plus, Sean Brennan is delicious eye candy...

7. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - I love their sound, his voice, the lyrics...

8. Rasputina - I love their use of cello, and Melora's voice is fabulous.

9. Wumpscut - I love their sound.

10 Xmal Deutschland - I do love this band. I had them heavier in my rotation today because of a conversation in one of the Facebook goth groups in which I participate discussing favorite female vocalists from the 80s. I said Siouxsie and Xmal Deutchland's Anja Huwe.

Goth Challenge, Day 6

Day 6 – Hand write your favourite lyrics and take a picture.

Hm. Favorite lyrics... This is hard. I always struggle to pick favorites in music, movies and books. They are all so dependant upon my mood. This is something my husband, Matty, or my dear friend, Carmilla Voiez, would be better at doing...

I've been on a Rasputina kick lately, so I've chosen "Transylvanian Concubine" off of the Thanks for the Ether album.

Why did I pick this song? First and foremost, I really love the sound of it. The cello is such a resonating yet melancholy sound. It reaches deep into my soul and captivates me.

Then there are the lyrics. Yes, I do love vampires. And this song illustrates the dark, seductive, beautiful and ultimately tragic essence of vampires. But it goes deeper. The social commentary of the lyrics about the superficiality of beauty and our desire to be rich, thin and perfect. Yet, having it all isn't fulfilling.

Drusilla and Spike

Lastly, there is the nostalgia factor. This song was played in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Surprise" episode.