John Richards

It is Tuesday. Goth Day. Where glorious darkness matters. Black heart. Kicking off this dreary day with Bauhaus, because Bela Lugosi is dead. This August, 1979 tune was the first single from Bauhaus. The song, which is a very dark 9-minute epic on the death of a vampire, is considered the true start of the gothic subculture. You can spend a lot of time trying to re-create the distorted, ethereal sound on this song, but the band did it in one take without any tricks or editing. The distortion was generated by running the instruments through guitarist Daniel Ash's amp. Lead singer Peter Murphy explained in an interview: "We recorded 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' in the time that it took to play it, no second takes; and when I sang that, I was completely in touch with myself in a way that I'd never been before. It was the stuff of dreams, it was magical." bit.ly

From 1967, considered one of the first goth songs, "inspired by Warhol’s nightcrawling soirees at the legendary Factory, 'All Tomorrow’s Parties' is the most antisocial pop song about partying ever". bit.ly

"On a gathering storm comes a tall handsome man In a dusty black coat with a red right hand" There's no shortage of bone-chilling songs in the discography of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. The man has an album titled 'Murder Ballads', for crying out loud! But his single "Red Right Hand" (off the 1994 album Let Love In) has become shorthand for "creepy mood" in television and film, making it the most well-known song of his catalog. Unfortunately, Nick Cave is not exactly one to divulge what his songs are about. In fact, he apparently didn't even plan this one out, admitting to Rolling Stone magazine in 1994 that he ad-libbed the lyrics in the studio: "That’s quite true. One of my great talents is ad-libbing, I have to say. I had the title, and basically I knew what I wanted to sing about, and it was a matter of just going in and putting it down. There’s certain lines in there, obviously, that aren’t off the top of my head, but there’s ones in there that definitely are. Aren’t I incredible?" www.kexp.org

Concrete Blonde frontwoman Johnette Napolitano to Vulture in 2010 about the inspiration for the band's third album: "Well I’d been spending a lot of time in New Orleans. That was when the Vampire Lestat was all the rage and I was really into those books. New Orleans is as Goth as any place I’ve ever been." bit.ly

AllMusic review of 'Blow': "It seems they were more desperate than ever to shed their Joy Division comparisons. They're still gloomy, doomy, and a little murky, but they're not quite as exciting or immediate as they were in their earlier days. Nonetheless, those who dread their fruitless part-time employment at Cinnabon -- the ones who wish they'd been born in the 17th century, anyway -- will surely find solace in 'Blow'." bit.ly

Goth day in August. It is so dry and crispy here, and we have had some awful weather in the 90s. We are ready for nine million rainy days! The Jesus and Mary Chain (henceforth “JAMC”) was the musical project of Jim and William Reid, who were (a) Scottish, (b) brothers, and (c) the foremost technological and scientific innovators of the modern rock era. Before they came along, many people still assumed that in order to make aggressive, energetic noises, the members of rock bands had to actually move around, do guitar windmills, and look engaged. The JAMC did not like this situation, because those poses tended to be either uncool or boring, and often made one look like a complete twat. bit.ly "Nine Million Rainy Days" - Live @ Rock En Seine 2017: youtu.be

Dead Can Dance will haunt The Paramount Theatre on Monday, October 25, 2021. bit.ly 'Toward the Within' is the first official live album of Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard's group Dead Can Dance. Watch "Rakim" live from 1993: youtu.be

The third single from the goth rock band's second studio album is about the fall of an empire and the aftermath of war. The title refers to Lucretia Borgia of the prominent Borgia family of the Italian Renaissance, who were notorious for their ruthless political tactics and alleged crimes. Lucretia herself is often cited as a murderer with a penchant for poison. Lead singer Andrew Eldritch wrote the track for bandmate Patricia Morrison (bass), who "always strikes me as a Lucrezia [Borgia]-type person." bit.ly youtu.be

On "Lilies" Cranes has guitar grinding and haunting vocals. This album 'Loved' was released in 1994. Many of us will always have Cranes in the top ten live performances ever, with Alison's unique childlike, high-pitched voice and her brother Jim's guitars. "Where am I? Where am I? And oh - those rainbows are long gone And mud lies where those days once shone And now there's just a space... Something to hold Something to feel Someone to love Someone to need" Formed in 1985 in Portsmouth, England by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw and named after the many mechanical cranes around the city's docks. The band's music has been described as "gothic minimalism", although the band have disputed the "gothic" label. They have also been described as dream pop. In the early 1990s they were briefly included as part of the shoegazing movement of the era. bit.ly

"Priests and cannibals, prehistoric animals Everybody's happy as the dead come home Big black nemesis, parthenogenesis No one move a muscle as the dead come home" youtu.be

This song by Siouxsie and the Banshees is inspired by a real life woman named Christine “Chris” Costner Sizemore. Chris was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID) at a young age, after she witnessed two deaths and a horrible accident within three months of each other. bit.ly "Christine" music video for your dark entertainment: youtu.be

A music video was released for the song with the single's re-release in 1988. It contains characters wearing black-hooded cloaks and white burial shrouds carrying around large pictures of the band. It was directed by Anton Corbijn (responsible for much of the early Joy Division photography, and who later directed the Ian Curtis biopic Control). bit.ly youtu.be KEXP's podcast, Sound & Vision, explored Joy Division's legacy with DJ Kevin Cole and Jon Savage, author of "This Searing Light, the Sun, and Everything Else: Joy Division: The Oral History". Listen here: www.kexp.org

NOT The Cure! Clan of Xymox is playing Friday, November 11, 2022 at El Corazon with Curse Mackay and A Cloud of Ravens. bit.ly In 2012, Dutch band Clan of Xymox released 'Kindred Spirits', a collection of covers from artists that the band cherishes. Featuring unique takes on classics such as the Sisters Of Mercy's "Alice", The Cure's "A Forest", Depeche Mode's "A Question Of Time" and David Bowie's "Heroes" along with versions of Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Test Dept., and more.

Hi John Sorrows about the departure of The Symbol (no I’m not talking about the purple one) Simon Gallup has left the Cure; so for this day it could be terrific you can program “A strange day“ and/or “The drowning man” by the Cure to honour Mr Gallup and also this glorious darkened day 🦇 🙃Regards ~ Jorge -- Following the tour for 'Seventeen Seconds', the Cure returned to record a new album. During this session, recordings of songs "All Cats Are Grey" and "Primary" were attempted, but neither ended up on the album. Robert Smith was hoping the tracks would sound "funereal", but instead he said "they just sounded dull". bit.ly Trent Reznor inducting his heroes The Cure into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. youtu.be The Cure Acceptance Speech at the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. youtu.be

In an interview with Peter Murphy he was asked what it is that cuts you up and spits you out. He replied: "The path of discovery, self-knowledge, wisdom... once you feel you have it. Then the path will spit you out or off the way and ruin your assumptions of this path. In fact, a great mighty necessity for those spiritual seekers or so-called 'holy state' desires when getting arrogant." Murphy has spent his life on this path of discovery, which is chronicled in his music. Two years after this song was released, he moved to Turkey, where he explored Muslim worship music and immersed himself in Sufism, a branch of Islam. bit.ly "Cuts You Up" live: youtu.be

You know you just cranked it up and are singing along at the top of your lungs. So are we. From 1987's 'Lost Boys,' a movie about teenage vampires with collectively amazing mullets. And that sax guy. youtu.be

Public Image Ltd. is one of the bands on the awful, I mean incredible lineup playing Cruel World Fest in Pasadena CA May 14 & 15. cruelworldfest.com Originally intended to be for on the soundtrack for the film 'CopKiller', this song from punk band Public Image Ltd. has been featured in the horror films, 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Hardware'. This eerie song features the phrase “This is what you want/ This is what you get,” over and over as the only vocal, aside from some echoing screams in the background. bit.ly

"Don't go all nostalgic on me," Killing Joke frontman Jaz Coleman warns Revolver, when we reach him on a rare moment that he's in London. "I don't look back upon 1979 and 1980 and think, Wow, they were the days. They weren't. They fucking sucked, man." Killing Joke: The weird, wild story of revered cult industrial pioneers. Metallica covered them. Nirvana ripped them off. Nine Inch Nails remixed them. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. bit.ly

Trent Reznor has joined Danny Elfman for a more sinister reimagining of “True,” off Elfman’s recent solo album 'Big Mess'. “This is the first duet/collaboration I’ve ever done in my life, so to do it with Trent was a real surprise and a treat,” says Elfman. “He’s always been a big inspiration to me, not to mention he has one of my all-time favorite singing voices.” bit.ly youtu.be dannyelfman.bandcamp.com

Request for Brian in Ravenna! The Joy Division original was recorded in 1979 and released on their compilation album 'Still'. In commentary for 'The Crow' with producer and musical supervisor Jeff Most, it is revealed that Nine Inch Nails were originally supposed to perform in the film instead of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult. "Dead Souls" is often considered to be about a schizophrenic man, as evidenced by the lyric "a duel of personalities" and the other lyric "they keep calling me". www.nin.wiki Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"/"Help Me I'm In Hell" medlee live from Woodstock 1994. You're welcome. youtu.be

Employing more bass than Puppy's previous albums, 'Too Dark Park' has a bit of a funk element. But make no mistake: The industrial agitators (who had influenced Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, RevCo, Godflesh, and numerous others) were hardly going after rock's mainstream. Forceful and consistently abrasive, these twisted and disturbing collages of samples, electronics, distortion, and heavy guitars push the limits of rock and are about as hardcore as it gets. Those who have only a slight interest in industrial would probably be better off starting out with the more accessible Ministry, but this is a CD that the more seasoned industrial aficionados shouldn't miss. bit.ly

So many requests today for Ministry. This one is from Ministry's 1983 debut, 'With Sympathy'. "Sounds less like the band chewing your pancreas and more like Human League's surly little brother. Great stuff, then, for those who allied themselves with Ally Sheedy's character in The Breakfast Club. Surely, Al Jourgensen must be more insecure about his past than a superstar linebacker over childhood courses in ballet." Indeed. bit.ly

Hey John, World Goth Day is it!! Could you please play The Cult?? Drearily Yours, Worn from these Extreme Goth Emotions (or maybe just too much hairspray and searching searching searching for an Extremely Romantic Vampire Lover), Karen (Pdx amplifier) -- Our souls need rain. Please. The Cult is playing a sold out show on October 27th in San Diego. Damn. CALL AN album Love and you're asking for trouble. Foot hard down on the wah-wah pedal, mystical symbols a-gogo and titles like Nirvana, Brother Wolf; Sister Moon, and Revolution. The Cult had shot their load and landed way, way beyond the realms of idle doodling - this was '70s revivalism in no half measures. In retrospect the Love period, The Second Phase, is merely larval, a stepping stone to the Cult's real Nirvana. Yes it is rather slovenly and silly, but nonetheless it makes sense from this end. www.cultcentral.com youtu.be

"Where is the youth, Where is the gold!" Nitzer Ebb formed in 1982. Their debut album 'That Total Age' was released in 1987. The symbols on the cover of the album stand for "Force is Machine", "Visions of Order", and "Muscle and Hate". bit.ly Original video: youtu.be "Murderous" Live (WARNING LOTS OF FLASHY LIGHTS): youtu.be www.nitzer-ebb.com

The Horrors played this track live in the KEXP studio back in 2018. This was such an entertaining session to witness. During one of the songs, vocalist Faris Badwan intertwined himself in the hanging lights. So fun! youtu.be

Terrible show. I'm seething with contempt. The only thing that might warm my cold, dark heart would be Blasphemous Rumors by Depeche Mode. Mel-adjusted in the state of pestilence & death ( AKA Florida). 🖤 -- “Blasphemous Rumours” was written by Martin Gore and tells the story of a young 16 year old who attempts suicide and fails, but however gets killed in a car accident at 18 after experiencing a religious revival. bit.ly youtu.be

The album was recorded from August to September 1984 at Palladium Studios, Edinburgh and Rooster, West London. Simon Raymonde alluded to it being rushed and unfinished, while Robin Guthrie referred to it as "an abortion" and to the period in which it was made as "arty-farty pre-Raphaelite." Nonetheless, as Raymonde observed, "It seems to be the one that people like the best and it's probably sold the best." bit.ly Cocteau Twins perform "Lorelei" live: youtu.be

I was a goth/industrial DJ in Santa Cruz for 10 years at KZSC 88.1 FM. You're making my 🖤 so happy today. Can you find a way to include Switchblade Symphony on this morning? Much dark respect, DJ Victoria Star -- "The London bridge did fall down My fair lady nearly drowned" Switchblade Symphony was formed in 1989 by composer Susan Wallace and vocalist Tina Root in San Francisco, California. The band's name refers to the cutting up elements of classical music to mix them with harder sounds. Flashbacks from the mid 1990s. Can you smell the club? Maybe smoking cloves as you dance around the dark room? Check out the entire debut album Serpentine Gallery. youtu.be switchbladesymphony.bandcamp.com

The British band the Bolshoi flirted with gothic rock without succumbing to the genre's limitations. The group formed in 1984 after Trevor Tanner (vocals, guitar) and Jan Kalicki (drums) hitchhiked to Woolwich, England, to find stardom. With the addition of bassist Nick Chown, the Bolshoi opened up for bands such as the Cult, the Lords of the New Church, Wall of Voodoo, and the March Violets. bit.ly 'Friends' is the group's 1986 debut album, and it summarizes all of the band's strengths. In "Away," a family tries to hide that they once forced their daughter to work as a prostitute: "Money's scarce/But family honor/Brings it home, brings it home/And down the shop, the tongues they snicker," Tanner sings with empathy. bit.ly youtu.be

The John Congleton-produced 'To Be Kind' boasts a more focused attack—with a preminum on taut, throbbing grooves and blackened blues—that initially tricks you into thinking it's more accessible than its predecessor. Yet it’s ultimately accessible in the same way a prison gate is accessible—getting in is relatively easy; getting out unscathed is an entirely different story. bit.ly swans.bandcamp.com