Firstly and most importantly the scene is still here, and it's bigger and healthier than it was at the start of the decade. Many lapsed Eighties goths have returned to the fold, and there's plently of new (mostly young) blood too. There's more of a defined "scene" than ever before - goths have become a more closely knit tribe across the country - partly due to the enormously successful Whitby weekends, the increased circulation of goth related fanzines such as BRV, and the emergence of "net.goth" culture. Goth's sense of identity is stronger than ever - the subculture is vibrantly self concious, and proudly fluants the label "goth".

By way of a point of reference, a few thoughts about the goth scene before the start of this decade. Goth was born in the early Eighties (arguably in the late Seventies with Joy Division and Siouxsie and The Banshees), though its roots can be traced back to the late Sixties and the Seventies (Bowie, The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Hawkwind, Suicide). It goes without saying that many elements of goth imagery can be traced back far further - in many instances to the dawn of history - but here I'm concerned only with contemporary goth subculture. The first half of the Eighties saw considerable success for bands such as The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus and The Cult, as well as for a number of more underground goth bands (Alien Sex Fiend, The March Violets, Specimin). For a couple of years black clothes were de rigour and dark alternative music was championed by the "serious" music press such as Sounds, Melody Maker and The NME. "Alternative" bands such as Echo and The Bunnymen, The Psycadelic Firs and The Jesus and Mary Chain stood alongside the more obviously goth bands. Confrontationalist and experimental artists such as Nick Cave, Lydia Lunch and Psychic TV enriched the dark alternative movement. Other contemporary musical styles such as synth pop (Soft Cell, Depeche Mode) and the new romantics (Adam and the Ants, Duran Duran) displayed elements of the goth aesthetic. Goth fitted comfortably with, and was a key element of, the dark highly stylised post punk movement - it was the embodiment of the zeitgeist, at the very heart of contemporary culture, marginalised only by it's uncompromising intensity.

Throughout the second half of the Eighties the media became progressively less tolerant of goth. This was partly due to a relative lack of goth evolution during this period, but can be largely attributed to the media's merciless "out with the old, in with the new" mentality. The mid Eighties saw some success for a number of highly distinctive, visually stunning bands (Dead or Alive, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Strawberry Switchblade) each of whom developed a unique varient of goth style and won loyal support from the goth scene (though some of these bands were not strictly goth). Established goth bands continued to produce excellent material. The Sisters split up but Hussey and Adams formed The Mission and Eldritch returned alongside James Ray with The Sisterhood project, later to reappear with Patricia Morrison under The Sisters' banner with the highly successful Floodland album. The Cult seemed to target the American audience with an increasingly rock orientated sound, and The Banshees and The Cure each had a string of chart hits. However, the only really significant all-new pure-goth band to emerge during this period were Fields of the Nephilim, who provided a focus for many of those orphaned by the Sister's split (though goth folk-rock also grew in popularity at this time, with New Model Army defining the punk/political scene and All About Eve spearheading the less confrontationalist side). By the end of the Eighties the music press were largely dismissive of goth and the seeds were sown for the scene to move deeper underground and develop it's own media network.

This takes us to the Dawn of the Nineties. I returned to central London in 1990 and the club scene was still good. Full Tilt (at Camden's Electric Ballroom) was busy with a glamourous, dressy crowd and predominantly goth sounds. Slimelight was excellent and Wraith provided an occassional hard core alternative. Goth numbers had fallen considerably since the mid Eighties, but it had largely been those on the fringes of the scene that had lost interest - those that had always been more interested in related scenes, the uncommitted who had been carried to goth by the fickle current of fashion (many of these had become involved in the flourishing dance scene) and those who had halfheartedly done goth because it was there at the time but who had now left all subculture and nightlife behind them. But the hard core stood strong, reinforced by a steady stream of dedicated, predominantly European goths attracted by the reputation and reality of London goth nightlife.

A few words about goth fashion, in particular the relationship between goth and fetish style. Throughout the early Nineties fetish clothing became an increasingly important element of the goth look. Many key elements of modern fetishistic imagery were established in the Fifties and Sixties (Bizzare, Eric Stanton, Betty Page, Barbarella), but punk had been the first youth subculture to embrace fetish clothing (Malcolm McClaren, Vivien Westwood, The Bromley Contingent) and it had always been an integral element of the goth look - from the earliest days of post-punk goth (Siouxsie and the Banshees) and throughout the Eighties (Patricia Morrison, Rose McDowall, Gitane Demone).

At the beginning of the Nineties not only did fetishwear become even more prevalent on the goth scene (particularly PVC, corsets and ultra-high heels), but fetishism itself became increasingly entwined with it. Skin Two was at least partly responsible for this - it established a reputation as a well written, well researched fetish magazine, raising awareness of existing designers and providing an excellent introduction to the UK fetish scene. Fetish clothing shops set up along side goth shops - in many cases the same shop catered for both scenes. The Torture Garden set up in Shephards Bush and attracted a high proportion of goths – for a while it even relocated in the same venue as Slimelight. As the decade progressed other clubs and events continued to promote the goth/fetish crossover (Fantastic, Marquis Masquerade, Carnival of Souls) and Skin Two's Rubber Balls were attended by a considerable goth contingent.

However, over the course of the decade the fetish scene has increasingly embraced dance culture, and the proportion of goths at fetish clubs has fallen as the fetish scene has expanded. Interestingly the fetish club scene remains the only (?) nightlife-orientated subculture not to have developed it's own musical genre - at the beginning of the Nineties it adopted goth/industrial/ EBM, but it now tends towards other dance styles such as techno, house and big beat.

By the beginning of the Nineties Kensington High Street (Kensington Market, The Great Gear Market, Ah Hoc) was the centre of goth fashion in London, and many regulars on the London club scene could be found working there. Carnaby Street and The Kings Road still had a lot to offer the goth shopper, and the rapidly expanding Camden Market was already a well established goth favourite.

On the surface, goth music output appeared to be grinding to a halt. Eldritch reformed the Sisters with Tony James (ex. Sigue Sigue Sputnik) but the resulting Vision Thing album was greeted with a mixed reaction from the goth corner (though the tracks continue to fill dance floors, and the 1990 Wembly Arena gigs were undeniably impressive). The Mission continued to deliver some good tracks but seemed to lose their direction, and the hugely popular Nephilim split up, producing a massive hole in the goth scene. The blatently anti-goth music press continued to turn people away.

But all was not lost. There remained a hard core of devoted UK goths and most towns continued to have a club that played at least some goth music - though these nights usually catered to the broader "alternative" spectrum, and relatively low attendance meant they were often only possible on Sundays. Pure goth clubs were generally only to be found in major cities.

Indie/alternative music had already gained widespread popularity through bands such as the The Pixies and Primal Scream and as a result of the Manchester scene - it was now catapulted into the mainstream by Nivana's excellent Nevermind album. This signaled the beginning of what was to be a decade of corporate assimilation of so called alternative music. Overnight, with the united support of the music industry and the music press, grunge and indie came to dominate student and sixth form music and fashion. This trend was not without some concessions to dark alternative music - many goths appreciated bands such as Lush and Curve (not to mention Nivana) - but the balance in alternative clubs tipped even further away from goths, who now often found themselves and their music in a minority in their only sanctuary - their local alternative club. Perhaps the worst aspect of the new grunge scene was the dreary, unfitted dress style - totally at odds with the sheek glamour of goth. Make up, high heels and exotic fabrics occupied the dark corners of clubs brimming with extra-large cotton T shirts and baggy grey combats. The early Nineties were dark years for the UK goth scene.

New bands such as Rosetta Stone and Children On Stun kept the classic goth sound alive and gained devoted followings with a tireless string of live dates, but the early Nineties were a time when many existing goths broadened (and in many cases shifted the emphasis of) their listening to related artists such as Swans, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Death In June and Current 93 (if you haven't already done so, the wonderfully rich world of apocalyptic folk is well worth checking out - a good place to start is World Serpent Distribution). Some goths had been listening to these artists since the Eighties, but in the early Nineties there was an unfortunate (and largely uncharacteristic) trend for dedicated goths to abandon goth music in favour of other styles (as opposed to broadening their listening whilst retaining the goth element). At this time there were relatively few people becomming goths, and there was little sense of a national scene. The mainstream thought that goth was dead, but they were wrong - goth was at a low ebb, but across the country a new structure for the scene was beginning to take shape.

Marginalised for being unfashionable, a few of the remaining goths deserted for the indie, grunge and dance scenes, but most reacted positively to their status as aestheitc exiles - most of the dead wood had already been shed, and those goths that remained were generally highly committed. An attitude of "people don't like the way I look already, so I may as well look even more extreme" took hold. A sense of genuine solidarity arose and the goth circles that existed in most most towns, which had typically suffered from a lack of focus, increased their level of activity, retaking the reins at local clubs and where necessary starting new club nights.

People were more aware of being goths than ever before - the Eighties scene had been bigger but also less defined - and the extent of individuals' committment manifested itself in a number of ways. Ultra-extreme goths became a more common sight as hair extensions and piercings became more popular. Towering platform boots and ever wider belts complimented ever more minimal outfits - I think it's fair to say that this look started in London but has gradually spread throughout the UK.

From the beginning of the decade, the musical taste of some goths had shifted towards techno and techno-industrial music - they remained goths (or cyber-goths) but prefered to dance to predominantly instrumental dance music. Many goth clubs introduced a techno-industrial DJ, and in some cases this genre began to dominate the club. By the mid Nineties many goths appreciated industrial/EBM bands such as Project Pitchfork and Front 242, as well as industrial rock bands such as Ministry, The Young Gods and Nine Inch Nails, and these styles (perhaps more so than pure techno) have exerted a considerable influence on goth music.

The techno-industrial dancefloor trend was perhaps partly responsible for an explosion in goth live music in the mid-Nineties - many goths still wanted to hear goth bands playing goth music. In London, Dada Macabre hosted regular Sunday night gigs at The Marquee for bands such as Vendemian, Empirion, Children on Stun and Altered States. This helped to generate the momentum for a London gothic music festival, held at The Marque - the line-up for the first year included Corpus Delecti and Suspiria. The festival (which adopted the name Sacrosanct in its second year) prided itself on strong international line-ups and ran for four years - it peaked in its second year when it was held at The Astoria with Rosetta Stone and Vendemian headlining. (It's possible that there might be future Sacrosanct festivals.)

Meanwhile Uncle Nemesis (Nemesis Promotions) was putting on top goth and industrial bands (Rosetta Stone, London After Midnight, Project Pitchfork, The Horati, Manuscript) at prestigious central London venues - often The Camden Underworld or The Borderline - and regularly attracting large crowds. At the same time, at least two London based goth record labels were emerging - Resurrection Records (Vendemian, Inkubbus Sukubbus, Manuscript) and Grave News (Die Laughing, This Burning Effigy, Complicity). Resurrection Records opened their excellent basement shop on Camden High Street, offering a huge range of goth and industrial CDs, records and collectables. The combined efforts of Uncle Nemesis, Resurrection Records, Grave News and the Sacrosanct festival helped to generate a buzzing live music scene in London.

This live goth music explosion was by no means limited to London - it happened across the UK. Rosetta Stone, who had been one of the few torch bearers of live goth during the dark years of the early Nineties, had established themselves as the premier UK goth band - not afraid to explore new directions, they were also pioneers of UK goth/industrial crossover. Children On Stun, The Horati and All Living Fear were amoung a host of popular bands regenerating the UK live scene. The Nightbreed label emerged in Nottingham, signing a wide range range of goth bands, including some of the decade's most noteable UK darkwave and techno-goth bands (Suspiria, Midnight Configuration, Faithful Dawn). Nightbreed adopted a distinctive (very goth) style for their promotional material, and launched an impressive mail order music catalogue. Nightbreed and Resurrection Records (who also provide an extensive mail order service) remain two of the most comprehensive UK outlets for goth and industrial music, able to supply many rare deletions and imports.

During the Eighties the UK scene had been dominated by UK bands (though there were some noteable execptions such as Christian Death and Xmal Deuchland). The UK scene has now adopted a considerably more cosmopolitan flavour. The degree of UK penetration by international goth bands has increased throughout the decade, alongside a rising level of international goth networking. Many American bands (Sunshine Blind, The Wake, London After Midnight, Faith and the Muse, Judith, Switchblade Symphony) and European bands (Corpus Delecti, The Merry Thoughts, Still Patient, Darkside Cowboys, Funhouse, Star Industry, Wumpscut, Project Pitchfork, Covenant) are now extremely popular on the scene - many have played UK gigs, and most are regularly played in UK clubs.

As the decade progressed the rapidly increasing availablility of desktop publishing lead to a surge in the production of goth fanzines - BRV quickly became an established voice of the scene - and an unprecedented degree of national cohesion began to emerge. The relatively new Kaleidoscope magazine is also well worth checking out, catering for the goth and industrial scenes as well as apocalyptic folk, eyeliner-indie and the rest of the dark alternative spectrum.

The birth of the internet made net.goth culture possible, adding another dimension to the newly united scene - for the first time goths were able to talk to each other across the country, on a daily basis, in a public forum - views could be shared and opinions openly discussed - net culture invited goths to communicate with complete strangers, thus breaking down the walls between regionally defined cliques. A particularly useful trend has been the regular posting of club playlists by goth DJs. The number of goth sites on the web is quite astonishing, and reflects the level of goth's continuing popularity in the real world - the web is not dominated by editor's agendas.

As the media turned their back on goth, the scene developed its own network - after all, necessity is the mother of invention. Determined and resourceful, the UK goth scene simply refused to go away. Fanzines, websites, on-line news groups, mail order services, mailing lists and intense flyering (Uncle Nemesis is the crowned prince of the flyer) more than compensated for the loss of mainstream press coverage. Far more informed at grass-roots level, far more responsive to the scene, with a greater scope for individual involvement - the rapidly expanding, custom-made, self generating information network made the national UK scene a reality.

It's worth noting that though mainstream media has largely ignored, dismissed or misrepresented the goth subculture throughout the decade, it has warmly embraced elements of the goth aesthetic in other mediums. This is particlarly true of cinema. There has long been a close relationship between film and goth subculture - in the mid Eighties Bladerunner, The Terminator and the Mad Max and Alien films played key roles in the development of cyber-goth and hi-tech goth style. The Nineties have seen the release of a number of major motion pictures containing powerful gothic imagery (The Crow, Interview with the Vampire, Bram Stoker's Dracula) which have helped to engender new interest in the goth scene. Even mega-blockbusters often contain intensely gothic elements – for example the new Bat Man films and Star Wars (Darth Vader, Darth Maul, The Emperor). However, on the whole the films I refer to are American, and I suspect that the US media have a rather different attitude towards goth than the UK media - and most of the time we get the films that Americans decide to make (this has pros as well as cons). The current UK film industry is perhaps more wary of commiting itself to overtly gothic productions - but the low budget, high-octane Razor Blade Smile deserves a special mention for breaking the mould - it's sexy, stylish and very goth90sUK (with a fair slice of vampire too).

No account of the UK scene in the Nineties would be complete without a mention of Mick Mercer's books about goth. AS far as I'm aware there are three books to date - The Black Book of Gothic Rock (which contains detailed information about classic goth bands), The Gothic Rock Book (an encyclopedia-type reference book covering a wide range of goths and goth bands) and The Hex Files (which provides by-country information about the international scene - very useful for contact addresses). Between them these books have gone some way towards documenting the scene in the Eighties and Nineties. A significant related project has been Mick Mercer's goth compilation albums [Gothic Rock and The Hex Files] which contain a fairly comprehensive sample of goth musical styles. I think it's fair to say that these compilations started the goth compilation trend - there are now a wide range available, including label samplers and even free promotional compilations with some fanzines [BRV, Kaleidoscope].

By the mid Nineties the tide had turned and the UK goth scene was growing fairly rapidly. There were plenty of bands to see, clubs to go to and records to buy. The new wave of goths - many of them in their late-teens - were integrated into the established scene. Partying has always been a key element of goth - goths get dressed up and go out for a good time - usually drinking copious amounts and dancing 'till the early hours. The "fun side" of goth has been almost entirely missed by ordinary society. The man-on-the street is often of the opinion that goths are miserable (suicidal even) and either dull or psychotic. Journalists (who should, and often do know better) often help to perpetuate this myth. The Nineties have seen the party side of goth move further towards the forefront of goth culture, but outside of the scene this aspect remains largely undetected.

Some people are more likely to become goths than others - some would become goths whatever state the scene happened to be in - but the opportunity to dress up outrageously (provocativly and without the constraints of fashion) and party all night with a group of glamourous free spirits is enormously appealing and attracts many to the scene. Important as partying is, there is another, more serious side to goth - the psychological and spiritual rewards that flow from the darkly powerful music and imagery. The aesthetic refinement, sexual potency and mystical appeal of goth's exotic mixture of beauty, desolation and the arcane. The symbols of goth are the symbols of love and loss, emptyness and fulfillment, life and death, mortality and immortality, knowledge and knowledge witheld. In this article I have purposely avoided trying to answer the question "what is goth?" - I'm concentrating on the development of the UK scene during the Nineties - but I raise this point to emphasise that (important as "the scene" is) there is more to goth than socialising.

But let's face it - partying is great, and where better to party than at Whitby! The Whitby Gothic Weekends have become key events on the UK goth calendar. These started when Jo Hampshire arranged for a small group of goths to spend a few days by the sea in Whitby - they now attract a huge number of goths from all over the UK and beyond. Jo's Top Mum team currently lay on two WGWs a year (April and October/November) - these are not to be confused with the various vampire related festivals that also take place in Whitby. Recent years have seen the popularity of the festival grow to such an extent that an overflow event in a second venue is now provided when necessary. Top Mum's umbrella continues to expand (move over Mary Poppins) - I believe there are now pre-Whitby UK tours featuring festival headliners (Uncle Nemesis traditionally provides a Whitby warm-up in London too), and a Top Mum mail order music catalogue. Other key events in the UK goth calendar include Infest (Summertime goth/industrial festival in Bradford) and the Damage all-dayers in Birmingham.

Much has been made of the so called infaltration of the UK goth scene by vampire culture (I refer to the scene that has an interest in vampires at its heart). Vampires (one of the most glamourous, sensuous and mysterious of mythical creatures) have always played a part in goth - many elements of goth style are at least in part insired by vampire imagery - raven black hair, alabaster white skin, flowing Victorian clothing. Undeniably gothic, darkly stylish, eternally youthful creatures of the night - in many ways vampires are the ultimate goths - but goth and vampire culture remain distinct subcultures (with considerable overlap). The tension between the two often seems to stem from disagreement about whether vampires are real - many goths are interested in and attracted to vampires, but most believe them to be imaginary creatures.

Vampire culture in the UK (particularly at the younger end of the spectrum) is as closely associated with black metal as it is with goth, largely due to the enormous popularity of Cradel of Filth. The boundaries are unclear - I've met many a goth at a Cradle gig, and the Vampiria II event was peopled equally by vampire enthusists, goths and black metalers. Vampire culture has become larger and more diverse at time when goth has become smaller and more focused (compared to the Eighties scene) - given the degree of aesthetic overlap between the two, some crossover seems inevitable.

Throughout the Nineties the UK has produced many excellent goth bands - personal favourties include Rosetta Stone, Suspiria and Necromantik. Sadly Suspiria and Necromantik both split up at their peak, and Rosetta Stone seem to be keeping a very low profile at the moment. On a more postive note there are a flock of new bands carving a name for themselves (Stages of Cruelty, Leisure Hive, Passion Play, The Narcissus Pool, Sneaky Bat Machine, Complicity, Killing Miranda, Intra Venus, Brother Orchid, Mantra, Synthetic) while a host of established favourites continue to consolidate their positions (Emma Conquest, The Horati, Manuscript, Inkubbus Sukkubus, This Burning Effigy, The Faithful Dawn). The Sisters still play major UK venues at irregular intervals, Nick Cave has never been more popular and The Creatures are recording and giging again. Apparently Fields of the Nephilim have reformed and that is sure to have a considerable impact on the UK scene. One of the most interesting UK bands to emerge this decade has been Sorrow (featuring Rose McDowall and Robert Lee) - at last they're playing some live shows, and have recently released their second album. Apocalyptic folk (particularly Current 93, Death In June and Sol Invictus) remains very popular in goth circles. A number of excellent UK industro-EBM bands (Chaos Engine, Inertia) have also won substantial goth followings - I believe Chaos Engine are due to play at the November WGW 1999 - a fact that underlines the depth of goth-industrial crossover at the dawn of the millenium. Turning to international bands, European EBM supremos Front 242, Project Pitchfork, Wumpscut, Covenant and Apoptygma Berzerk have become enormously popular in the UK, as have American goth bands London After Midnight, Faith and the Muse and Switchblade Symphony. A number of neo-classical goth bands (The Merry Thoughts, The Wake, Star Industry) have become deservedly popular too, especially on the dancefloor - each have their own distinctive take on this popular musical sub-genre.

The London goth scene has evolved in a number of ways during the second half of the decade. Camden has stolen Kensington High Street's crown as the undisputed hub of goth fashion and shopping – even The Black Rose have recently opened another excellent London shop in Stables Market (the Kensington shop is still open too). Camden has become the place to buy your mega boots and those latest CDs. From what I've heard, the future of Kensington Market is at best uncertain – I believe developers have other plans for the building. Personally, I still love Kensington Market – it's closure would be a great loss. Turning to clubs, Slimelight has consolidated it's position as London's number one weekly goth night, largely due to it's national and international reputation and it's late opening hours. Recent years have seen an end to readmission (not good on a hot night) and changes in the club's drinks policy - including the introduction of a bar – but the club has accomodated these changes without loseing it's character. Shame about the loss of the upstairs room, but still a fine club. The past few years have seem a number of great, if short lived clubs (Hell in Brixton, Sacrilige) and some fabulous longer lasting new clubs too (Nefarious, Tenebrae Tarentella). Malice Underground has consistently provided a mid week central London goth night, and Full Tilt still offers the best alternative dancefloor in town. The latest clutch of clubs include the born again Kit Kat Club and the not-to-be-missed Brat Cave party nights. Special mention to DJ SamSam, not least because of his excellent promotional website The Slaghuis - complete with goth radio (and soon to feature Kaleidoscope on-line). Cool clubs within crimping distance of London include Lowlife (Brighton, every Friday) and Resurgence (Portsmouth, monthly on a Sunday).

I've already touched on the overlap between goth and metal in the Nineties in respect of Cradle of Filth, but even more significant manifestations of this convergence are provided by the contemporary American goth-metal and glam-rock spectrum (Marylin Manson, Type-O-Negative). This overlap is nothing new - rock clubs have long been frequented by a goth contingent (The Web at The Astoria, The Hellfire Club, Full Tilt), and many goth bands have flirted with heavy rock (The Cult, The Sisters, The Mission). There's considerable common ground between goth and metal when it comes to fashion (long hair, black leather, silver jewellery) and symbolism (skulls, crosses, roses). There's no clear concensus in the UK as to whether Marylin Manson is goth (as opposed to glam-rock, shock-rock or industrial rock), but there's no denying his popularity on the UK scene - there were certainly a huge number of goths at his last two shows at Brixton.

The current UK goth scene is underground - it's almost totally ignored by the mass media and this decade has seen virtually no significant chart success for any ostensibly goth band. None of the bands currently on the UK goth scene approach anything like the size of the classic Eighties bands. To some extent this is because, with the stenghthening of the scene's identity, goth has become more issolated from other alternative scenes - self sufficiency and independence has meant goth doesn't have to compomise or go out of its way to associate with other subcultures - to the extent that goth is content to maintain it's current size (and the purity associated with a small, highly defined scene) it dosn't need to court approval. That said, there are a number of highly successful UK bands who demonstrate strong goth influences (Garbage, Placebo, Radiohead) - they may not claim to be goth but they have strong economic reasons to avoid too strong an association with the goth scene - and remember that many classic goth bands (including The Sisters) have always shyed away from the "goth" label. It's also true that many UK goth bands find the issolation of the scene frustrating and would love their music to be appreciated by a wider (or preferably a larger, equally dedicated) audience - many hold the media responsible for refusing to promote goth bands. Vibrant as the current UK goth scene is, it is still relatively small when compared to the scene in other countries (particularly Germany) - I've recently returned from the 1999 Leipzig Wave Gotik Festival, attended by an estimated 25,000 goths. The impressive festival line up (about 80 bands) included Project Pitchfork, Covenant, The Creatures, Andi Sex Gang, Lydia Lunch, Diamanda Galas and Sorrow. The 1999 Eurorock Festival in Belgium is looking equally imressive with over 40 bands including Front 242, Project Pitchfork, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, Clan of Xymox, Das Ich, Girls Under Glass and Star Industry. I suspect that over the next few years more and more UK goths will be going to the European festivals, as well as to the excellent UK festivals such as WGW and Infest. The UK scene is strong and the current trend is one of growth, but in terms of scale it still has some way to go - it would be great to see the latest crop of top UK goth bands selling out venues like The Astoria and The Forum.

Well defined and tight-knit as the UK goth scene is (almost to the point of being incestuous), it would be misleading to suggest that goths or the goth scene are entirely issolated from other subcultures. At goth festivals, goth all-dayers and certain clubs there is an adamantly and consistently goth crowd, but most goths spend much of their time socialising with a diverse range of alternative people. Many clubs cater not just for goth (a very wide category in itself) but for the whole range of alternative culture including metal, punk, techno, industrial, grunge and indie. Many people into goth music and fashion don't call themselves goths - and those who do are generally happy to stand alongside those who don't.

Some goths (particularly those who have been goths since the early or mid Eighties) are uncomfortable with the current intensely defined scene. Some hark back to the "golden age" of goth, when not only did goths listen to Bauhaus and The Sisters, but also to non-goth bands like The Chameleons, The Psycadelic Firs and even The Smiths. They are suspicious of what they view as an over-prescriptive goth scene which has completely fenced itself in. There is some truth in these claims - in the Eighties many goths listened to a wide range of contemporary alternative music - in many cases this meant bands in the independent charts. This is now less common - but it's largely because of a shift in the type of music now dominating the indie charts and the music press. Dark alternative music has largely given way to jangley (often Beatlesesque) guitar pop and to a diverse but predominately casual dance culture. Most goths do still listen to a considerable range of dark contemporary music - it's just that the vast majority of dark contemporary music is goth, industrial or darkwave (these categories having expanded considerably), and deeper underground than it might have been ten years ago. That said, many goths are into hard techno. It's also worth bearing in mind that most goths demonstrate long term committment to the music they like - if a goth was listening to The Chameleons in the Eighties, chances are she still is. Often hoarders and collectors by nature, goths typically add to rather than replace the range of music they listen to - it follows that older goths will usually listen to a wider range of music than younger goths (though classic Eighties goth, synth pop and new romantic are universally popular on the scene). On the other hand it's the younger goths who are less likely to be swayed by the musical prejudices of the past decades (particularly against metal).

A consequence of goth having been around for some time is that there are now a considerable number of ex-goths of various types. These range from complete changelings to those that are still goth in all but name. Ex-goths sometimes exhibit an unfortunate tendency to be rather condescending about goth. This can be particularly true of journalists, and of those that have developed interests in other areas of alternative culture to the exlusion of the goth scene. On a more positive note, goth has successfully riden the storm of anti-goth propagana, and come out the other side strengthened and rejouvinated. Goth was in, then goth was out - now goth is largely ignored by the general media. I mentioned above that the general public often misinterprets goth, but anti-goth prejudice is largely media generated, and to a considerable extent (though not entirely) confined to the media. The broadsheet newspapers seldom touch on goth culture, but are usually fairly balanced when they do. As a general rule, the more pretentious and the more style-orientated the publication, the more likely it is to consistently portray goth in a negative light (whilst less pretentious, less sophisticated publications (tabloids, lifestyle magazines) tend to be rather inconsistent in this respect - though they usually only feature goth related material for reasons of novelty, uncontextualised voyerism and uninformed shock appeal). These days, most (non-goth) young clubbers and record buyers are not anti-goth. On the whole they seem bewildered, but interested in the scene. Perhaps the goth aesthetic has a wider appeal but media blacklisting and negative pier pressure prevent it's widescale adoption - a taboo - society policing itself against a subversively powerful idea. Goths have the strengh to swim against the tide - social dissadents. Or perhaps the appeal of goth is limited to a chosen few. I suspect there is an element of truth in both explanations of goth's social marginalisation, and in this respect the high street orientated style gurus (with their recurring themes of sportswear, utility, hippy and retro) may be a little out of step with their target consumers - but remember their role is to oil the wheels of retail, not to reflect real street culture. Goth is, almost by definition, incompatible with prescriptive fashion seasons and dressing for labels.

The current UK goth scene is extremely diverse, made up of people with a wide range of interests and preferences such as classic goth music and fashion, darkwave, industrial, cyber/techno/EBM, punk and post-punk, glam-rock and eyeliner-indie, new romantisim, synth-pop, dark ambient, electronica/noise/experimental music, apocalyptic folk, black metal, Victorian & Edwardian fashion, gothic art/ film/ literature, cult TV, sci-fi/ fantasy/ horror, vampires, fetishism, the occult, the arcane, paganism, computer games, role playing and the internet. It's futile to try pigeon-hole different types of goths - the boundaries are unclear, overlapping and constantly shifting - and every goth is unique. Of course it's possible to cite certain stereotypes - the goth in the long velvet dress and Victorian Cape who's into vampires and listens to The Cure and London After Midnight - the cyber-goth in heavy duty rubber platforms who prefers William Gibson novels and techno-industrial music - but such generalisations are dangerously sweeping as most goths display elements of both extremes.

Throughout the Eighties a popular (but lazy) way of labelling goths was to place them on a scale with Bauhaus at one end (representing the Bowie-esque theatrical, androgenous, art-house side) and The Sisters of Mercy at the other (representing the Stooges-Suicide stripped down rock sound - the desperate, neon dream of a hi-tech society on the verge of collapse). The advent of The Nephilim conveiniently provided a further pole beyond The Sisters (the hi-tech society after the collapse - apocalyptic grebo-goth), though opinion is divided as to whether the Nephilim represented a side show to The Sisters or a whole new archetype. Either way, the distinction is now less relevant - current pigeon holeing usually centres around the question of an individual's tolerance of dance influences in goth music (use of midi equipment and break beats, the absence of guitars) - guitar goth vs. techno goth. Again, many bands combine elements of both, and most goths appreciate the best of both genres.

In concentrating on the development of goth throughout the decade, there's a danger of overlooking the obvious but important fact that much remains the same. Goth still has the same romantisim and individualism at it's heart. It still demands the same degree of effort and dedication. It continues to attract the imaginative, the outrageous and the alienated. A community of outsiders. Let no-one say all goths look the same - this accusation is often levelled at goths by people who seem incapable of differentiating between any two items of clothing if they are both black - apparently eskimos have a great many names for snow - in the same way, goths have a great many styles in black. Goths are sometimes accused of conformity to a dress code, a regulation goth look, a uniform - but this is rather like accusing all bikers of being interested in bikes. After all, goths are to a considerable extent defined by the way they dress - it follows that there are similarities. To the extent that goths are defined by criteria other than their appearance, it's not suprising that people with similar taste and interests choose to dress in a thematically similar (but ultimately highly individual) way. The essential point here is that whilst, by definition, there must be some common gound between goths, the degree of overlap is complex, and different for each individual. One goth may have blue knee-length hair and PVC trousers, another short spikey black hair and a floor-length lacey skirt. A couple of years ago pink was hailed as the new black by some goths! The common ground is holistic - it's the complete package that makes something unmistakably goth. Goth itself can't be reduced to it's constituent parts - it's an atom, not a molecule.

Goth survived the dark years of the early Nineties - a time when its characteristic musical inventiveness was at a low ebb, and a high proportion of the modest musical output was (with some noteable exceptions) overly derivative of the classic Eighties bands, particularly of The Sisters and The Nephilim. It rode the hostile media storm and emerged strenghened - stripped down, leaner and meaner. In some ways the barren years did the scene good, fostering the development of a truely underground goth network and providing a creative breathing space for goth to reflect on itself and select new influences. The scene in the late Nineties is characterised by a greater degree of diversity than ever before - the new crop of goth bands exhibiting influences such as techno and house, hip-hop, big beat and industrial. A recurring theme in current UK goth music is crossover - in the broad sense this is the combination of rock and dance styles - more specifically to goth it refers to the mixing of dance styles with goth themes and imagery, and with elements of the established goth musical heritage. Originality is back at the top of the list of goth musical priorites - but no-one's claiming you have to reinvent the wheel. Creative references to goth's rich archive are seasoned with exotic contemporary spices.

In the early Eighties goth was a new musical genre and a new youth sub-culture. It grabbed the attention of the media, and was championed by the music press - this attention helped a number of excellent goth bands to become hugely popular, but goth itself always maintained its independence. As the novelty of goth wore off, the style imperialists set their sights on new scenes. Mainstream media dismissed goth because it refused to go away - commitment to a style (not a brand name) is commercialy unacceptable because it challenges the authority of journalists and jeapordises the dictatorship of designers and style consultants. Goth's persistance has even precluded any full-on money spinning goth revival in this, the retro-age. You can't repackage something that never went away. The truth that has emerged is that goth, unlike fashion, is not about novelty - it's about commitment. The Nineties have seen goth prove itself as an established, long term subculture - constantly developing, evolving without losing its identity. Born under a media spotlight, it now thrives in the dark corners.