Location: London

Active: 1978 – 1983

Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J, and Kevin Haskins form Bauhaus in. Their first single ‘Bela Lugosis Dead’ is released in 1979, creating a style all their own that would be an essential step forward in what would become gothic rock, with looks inspired by the glam rock makeup of David Bowie and T. Rex but with the stark monotone look of black and white films, the atmosphere particularly drawing upon those of the horror and suspense variety such as Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari and M. They were often support for a punk forerunner of gothic rock, UK Decay.

Their success soon lifted them to the headlining act, as the flagship band of Beggars Banquet records. Their affinity for the film medium made them naturals for the emergent music video medium, of which they made a dozen if not more. In 1983 they made a cameo appearance in the Tony Scott directed film The Hunger with David Bowie , Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon.

That same year, the band released their final album of their initial era ‘Burning From The Inside’. Tones On Tail was the side project of Daniel Ash already in progress; Haskins joined and they would continue for another year with phenomenally atmospheric but driving dark pop. Love & Rockets picked up in 1985 adding David J to the mix, while Peter Murphy relegated himself to a solo career, crossing paths once more with Eddie Branch, formerly bassist of UK Decay. 15 years later, Bauhaus reunions, though terse, occurred in 1998, 2005, 2008, 2019, 2022, including new album material.

Related: UK Decay, Love & Rockets, Dalis Car, Tones On Tail, Beggars Banquet, Bela Lugosi, Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari, The Hunger, David Bowie, T. Rex, London

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_(Peter_Murphy_album)

This profile is in development. Contributions?

Location: London

Active: 19xx –

The humble but more than essential origins of megastar 80s alternative rock outfit, The Cult, Billy Duffy and Ian Astbury cut their teeth and perfected their face paint in The Southern Death Cult. When the 1970s punk first wave started to lose its luster, the more refined ideas started to take shape in what was briefly known as positive-punk. This was the keystone band on that brief but glorious trail that was abruptly colonized by the term postpunk.

Related: The Cult, Death Cult, Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy

This profile is in development. Contributions?

Location: New Jersey

Active: 1983 – 1987

When horror punk trailblazers the Misfits called it quits in 1983, Samhain was already cooking in the back of singer Glenn Danzig’s mind. Although they still maintained the horror aesthetic, Samhain was notably darker with an emphasis on the occult. The tempo was less thrash, a late-era direction that lead to the Misfits ultimate demise with their Earth AD album. Songs from the Misfits era were revisited, like Archangel which was penned by Glenn intended for Dave Vanian of The Damned; Halloween and Horror Business were also given the new sonic treatment.

The band began as the project of Glenn Danzig and Eerie Von. They recruited Minor Threat’s Lyle Preslar and Brian Baker initially, but Al Pike of Reagan Youth and Steve Zing became involved, later replaced by London May. Pete ‘Damien’ Marshall was the guitar player on the Unholy Passion EP and second album November Coming Fire, but in 1986 left, joining The Braineaters. The third and final Samhain album wasn’t released until after Danzig embarked on his solo career relocating to California. Eerie Von remained on bass, Danzig also brought recently recruited former D.O.A. drummer Chuck Biscuits (also Black Flag, Circle Jerks) on drums. The final guitar player for Samhain, John Christ also remained as Danzig’s guitar player for many years.

Related: Misfits, Danzig, The Braineaters, Minor Threat, Reagan Youth, The Damned, Glenn Danzig, Damian, Eerie Von, Chuck Biscuits, Pete Damien Marshall, Steve Zing, London May, Al Pike, Lyle Preslar, New Jersey

This profile is in development. Contributions?

Location: London

Active: 1980 – 1983

A key group in the London post punk movement rising out of England in the late 1970s to early 80s. Along with Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, UK Decay and others, Theatre of Hate established the foundation of the burgeoning gothic movement. Their lyrical themes dealt with a bleak nostalgia and a questioning of faith, although through a sort of spaghetti western motif, primarily out of the imagination of singer and frontman Kirk Brandon. They began as The Pack in an early punk incarnation but quickly developed into the more fully conceptualized Theatre of Hate.

Billy Duffy and Nigel Preston would Go on to join Ian Astbury in Death Cult. During the 1990s and again in the 2000s several reunions took place.

Related: The Pack, Southern Death Cult, UK Decay, Sex Gang Children, Death Cult, Kirk Brandon, Billy Duffy, Nigel Preston, Positive Punk, London

This profile is in developmentc. Contributions?

Location: Long Beach, California

Active: 198x

Punk band from Long Beach, California featuring Mike Martt.

Related: TSOL, Mike Martt

This profile is in developmentc. Contributions?

Location: Detroit, Michigan

Active: -2008

Based in Detroit, Shock Therapy was a punk band that embraced the use of drum machines and synthesizers early on, in the formative days of industrial music, particularly in North America and evolving from punk music. Their often dark themes of loneliness, detachment and despair had a distinct appeal to the gothic and dark music world, particularly in Germany and Europe, where they toured frequently. Member Cliff Hill would play for a time with German gothic rock band Angina Pectoris.

Frontman and nucleus Itchy was the primary and sometimes only member; he passed away in 2008. Before Shock Therapy, he was in The Gerbils, and also a band called Life In Death. In 1994, German film director collaborated with Itchy to direct the music video for “I Can’t Let Go”.

Related: Detroit

This profile is in development. Contributions?

Location: Evanston, Illinois

Active: 1981 to 1987

Founded by singer and guitarist Steve Albini, the band’s initial lineup also included guitarist Santiago Durango and bassist Jeff Pezzati, both of Naked Raygun. In 1985, Pezzati was replaced by Dave Riley.

Big Black’s aggressive and abrasive music was characterized by distinctively clanky guitars and the use of a drum machine rather than a drum kit. The band’s lyrics flouted commonly held taboos and dealt frankly—and often explicitly—with politically and culturally loaded topics including murder, rape, child sexual abuse, arson, racism, and misogyny. Though the band’s lyrics contained controversial material, the lyrics were meant to serve as a commentary or a display of distaste for the subject matter. They were staunchly critical of the commercial nature of rock, shunning the mainstream music industry and insisting on complete control over all aspects of their career. They booked their own tours, paid for their own recordings, refused to sign contracts, and eschewed many of the traditional corporate trappings of rock bands. [temporary text from Discogs.com]

https://www.discogs.com/artist/55961-Big-Black

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Black

https://bigblack.bandcamp.com

Related: Steve Albini, Naked Raygun, Chicago

This profile is in development. Contributions?

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:

This profile is in development. Contributions?

Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Active: ?-1986

Not 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