Location: Evanston, Illinois
Active: 1981 to 1987
https://www.discogs.com/artist/55961-Big-Black
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Black
Related: Steve Albini, Chicago, Naked Raygun
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Siouxsie & the Banshees
Location: London
Active: 197x – current
One of the longest standing bands that has become a crypt wide name in gothic music collections is Siouxsie and the Banshees. Originating in the London punk movement in the late 1970s, they were peers of the even more longstanding The Damned, predating Bauhaus and even Joy Division. Their punk roots also had them taking gobs alongside The Sex Pistols and X-Ray-Spex to name just a few. As their sound matured and their nucleus tightened, they transcended labels and though Siouxsie Sioux’s iconic voice and look inspired innumerable goths, to call them a goth band would be a disservice. While they have certainly put out gothic punk albums like Juju and Scream, their contribution to postpunk and new wave is essential. Into the 90s and subsequent eras to the current day they have explored even further ground with an undefinable, all inclusive scope.
Related: Sex Pistols, The Creatures, The Damned, London
Discogs:
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The Mob
Location: Somerset, England
Active: 1979-1983, 2011-2015+
Formed and disbanded during the early UK punk scene, The Mob distinguished themselves with possibly the most emotional, albeit negative, of contemporaries like CRASS, Conflict, and Flux Of Pink Indians. They used dirges and a pessimistic perspective to paint a dim picture of the world with their music. With most of their songs maintaining the slow pace of a dirge, they were one of the bleakest punk bands ever. Even other bands with a morbid streak like UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni and Southern Death Cult could take a non-cynical perspective from time to time.
They released one LP, ‘Let The Tribe Increase’, but had a healthy collection of EPs and singles. The ‘No Doves Fly Here’ 7” was released on on Crass Records, but they formed their own label, All The Madmen to release most of their records, also releasing bands like Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls among others. The label was related to the Kill Your Pet Puppy collective, which also had ties to Blood And Roses and other bands through the squat scene.
After they split up in 1983, Joseph Porter who had also played in Zounds, formed Blyth Power. In 2011, The Mob reformed and played several gigs through England, Europe and America. They released new material in 2013, ‘Rise Up’.
Related: Blood And Roses, CRASS, Conflict, Flux Of Pink Indians, UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni, Southern Death Cult, Crass Records, All The Madmen, Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls, Kill Your Pet Puppy, Somerset, England, 1979
Links:
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/261863-The-Mob-3
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mob_(British_band) -
Shadow Of Fear
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Active: ?-1986Not to be confused with Japanese Shadow of Fear
A gothic rock band from Cleveland, Ohio with Mike Malaker (bass), Chris Andrews (guitar), Jeff Pell (drums, later of Gärten Kirkhöf), and Tony Taylor (vocals). Andrews, Taylor and Pell were previously in punk band Idiot Humans, with Andres also having performed with Spudmonsters. They released a self titled mini LP and the ‘In The Flesh’ 7” single also appearing on the ‘They Pelted Us With Rocks And Garbage’ compilation LP. A full album and two more EPs were recorded but never officially released.
Related: Gärten Kirkhöf, Idiot Humans, Spudmonsters, Mike Malaker, Chris Andrews, Jeff Pell, Tony Taylor, They Pelted Us With Rocks And Garbage, Cleveland, Ohio
Links:
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/563563-Shadow-Of-Fear
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Of A Mesh
Location: New York
Active: 1983-1988
Gothic rock band from New York that played often through the mid 1980s throughout the area along with bands like Chop Shop, Scarecrow, Brain Eaters, The Children’s Zoo, The Ochrana, Fahrenheit 451, and The Naked and the Dead. Formed around the nucleus of Alan Dollgener on vocals and Samara Lubelski’s violin, the rhythm and guitars changed semi-frequently over their duration. Of A Mesh is a reference to the 1943 silent film ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ by Maya Deren. They released only two 12” EPs, several cassette demos, and an appearance on the Sorority Sampler compilation, but after 5 years the band called it quits in 1988. The various members moved on to other musical projects in indie rock, alternative and experimental music, and Lubelski performs to this day as of 2025. Alan Dollgener passed away in 1995, a victim of the AIDS pandemic. In 2012, Of A Mesh along with several of the above mentioned New York bands, were featured on the Dark New York vinyl compilation.
Related: Chop Shop, Scarecrow, Brain Eaters, The Children’s Zoo, The Ochrana, Fahrenheit 451, The Naked and the Dead, Sorority Sampler, Dark New York, New York, 1983
Links:
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/479725-Of-A-Mesh
Live performance video at CBGBs Black Ball, September 25, 1986 filmed by Greg Fasolino
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Anorexic Dread
Location: London, Southend
Active: 1983-1985Formed in London, 1983, Anorexic Dread played often in Southend. Their sound was a monstrous tremor that added some meat to the sinewy link between punk, gothic, psychobilly and that rare enzyme known as Batcave. Their first gig took place at The Zero 6 on Monday July 18th, 1983. They performed with Alien Sex Fiend at Crocs and on January 20th 1985, supporting Killing Joke at the Queens Hotel and played a show at the original Batcave. The original line up was Phil Black on Vocals (ex-Time in Motion), Andi Schurer (ex-Convicted etc) on Guitar, Pat Moriarty credited as Magoo on Keyboards and Donald Frame (ex-Occult) on Drums. Leonard Finch aka Perry Archangelo Bamonte joined for a while until departing to roadie for and eventually play guitar with The Cure, replaced by Andy Fisher (Kronstadt Uprising).
Anorexic Dread released one 12″ single, ‘Tracey’s Burning’/‘Tick Tock’ in 1984 on Criminal Damage (Ausgang, Twisted Nerve, Geschlecht Akt, Stunt Kites, Look Back in Anger). Other songs in their repertoire ‘She’s Beautiful and She’s Mine’, ‘Dragnet’, and ‘Limelight’. Not long after a 1985 demo with songs including ‘Dark Night in London’ Anorexic Dread came to an end, but appear on compilations such as Young Limbs Rise Again and a DJ favorite on deathrock dancefloors has kept their legacy alive.
Related: Alien Sex Fiend, Killing Joke, Batcave, Time in Motion, Convicted, Occult, The Cure, Kronstadt Uprising, Ausgang, Twisted Nerve, Geschlecht Akt, Stunt Kites, Look Back in Anger, Criminal Damage, Andi Schurer, Phil Black, Pat Moriarty, Magoo, Donald Frame, Leonard Finch, Perry Archangelo Bamonte, Andy Fisher, London, Southend, 1983
Links:
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/704236-Anorexic-Dread
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Archcriminals
Location: England
Active: 1985-1986
English postpunk band that released only a few demos and one 12” on Mortarhate Records (a partner of Jungle Records, primarily known for the band Conflict but also released Flowers In The Dustbin, Icons of Filth, Anima Mundi) in 1986. They disbanded until recently with a new EP in 2024.
Related: Conflict, Flowers In The Dustbin, Mortarhate Records, Jungle Records, 1986, England
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/564204-Arch-Criminals
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Actifed
Location: London, England
Active: 1981-1984 (+)
Short-lived punk band from London that had a darker sound akin to UK Decay, Killing Joke, Ritual. At the start vocals were carried out by Weasel, though Phraser from Crisis also auditioned. They performed regularly throughout London, accompanying bands like Killing Joke, The Dark, Uk Subs, Danse Society, pre-Ausgang The Solicitors, Sex Gang Children, Ritual, In Excelsis, Bone Orchard, and Brigandage to name a few.
They released two singles, though a live recording with Erazerhead at 100 Club for it’s 2nd anniversary was released in July 1982. Weasel was replaced by David Rogers who took on vocals as well as guitar. They obtained a cover feature on Sounds magazine, before releasing either of their initial records (both produced by Tony James of Generation X) put out by Jungle. They allegedly beat a lawsuit by the company who released the Actifed cough syrup. After a long time of inactivity, the band reformed and put out their only full albums, ‘Chains No More’ (2009), ‘Rhythms Of Mass Destruction’ (2011).
Related: UK Decay, Killing Joke, Ritual, Crisis, Killing Joke, The Dark, Uk Subs, Danse Society, pre-Ausgang The Solicitors, Sex Gang Children, In Excelsis, Bone Orchard, Brigandage, Erazerhead, David Rogers, Tony James, Generation X, Jungle Records, London, England, 1981
Links:
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/277656-Actifed
Actifed interviewed for The Sky-Fi Music Show by Pat Sharp, 1983: http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-LWy8tQ1Q
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Amebix
Location: England
Active: 1978-1987 (+)
Beginning in Devon, England as the Band with No Name by brothers Rob “the Baron” Miller (vocals, bass) and Chris “Stig” Miller (guitar) in 1978, Amebix established a sound all their own. They dealt with dark, apocalyptic motifs with a sound to match, much more foreboding than peers like those in the CRASS records camp or Killing Joke, though not as bizarre as Rudimentary Peni. Most fans of the genre known as crust punk claim Amebix as a formative influence.
Their first album Arise was released on Alternative Tentacles (Dead Kennedys) though the rest of their EPs and singles were on Spiderleg Records (Flux Of Pink Indians). The band relocated several times during their existence including Cornwall, Bristol, some time cohabitating with CRASS, much of which was squatting. After the bands initial split, Tim Crow of The Smartpils joined sans Baron to form Zygote. Some activity in 2008-20012 resulted in additional releases, though another official split up was announced.
Related: Band With No Name, CRASS, Killing Joke, Rudimentary Peni, Alternative Tentacles, Dead Kennedys, Spiderleg Records, Flux Of Pink Indians, The Smartpils, Zygote, Nausea, Cornwall, Bristol, CRASS Records, Tim Crow, Rob “The Baron” Miller, Chris “Stig” Miller, crust punk, England, 1978, Devon
Bandcamp: https://amebix1.bandcamp.com/music
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/73168-Amebix
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AmebixThis profile is in development. Contributions?
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ADS
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Active: 1980-1984
Known for their blistering anthem ‘Waiting For The War’, which was also their only officially released recorded output. Søren Johnsen and Karsten Hjarsø went on to UCR, Lars Top-Galia was in Sods/Sort Sol and Stig Pedersen formed Disneyland After Dark aka D.A.D.
Related: UCR, Sods, Sort Sol, Disneyland After Dark, D.A.D., Copenhagen, Denmark, 1980, Punk
Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/1021379-ADS-3