Mar 27, 2006 - skatie culture 0
Mar 25, 2006 - amusing, music, skatie culture 4
Emo is the new Black
A few posts ago I mentioned how Punk was the new Pop, well now I don’t think I explained it very well… When I say Punk - I mean Punk-Emo.
Emo use to stand for “Emotional Hardcore”, used to describe bands and music (usually by guys) who look like tough mean punks, but sing sissy emotional almost wrist-cutter music (really basically).
Emo is so “in” right now it’s not even funny. Here are the general giveaways of an Emo:
- Boys (and girls) wearing black eyeliner
- Pale skin
- Black or dark denim Stretch/Tube jeans
- Black greasy hair
- Lip piercings and stretching earlobes
- Previously undisclosed interest in burlesque (burlesque is also so very in right now)
- Vans slip-ons or Converse - usually black, checkered or both.
- Skateboard
- Wearing Emily the Strange or The Nightmare Before Christmas clothing
- Try to look depressing but hardcore at the same time
- Black Tattoos
- Can be very intellectual but also nihilistic - enjoy comics like Lenore
- Into independent arts/culture like indie bands, films and comics
- Often found in Newtown or outside the Landsdowne or queuing for the Spectrum (Sydney)
- Going to see, hear or talk over live music at clubs and bars by bands like My Chemical Romance, Greenday, Simple Plan, Good Charlotte and AFI or MXPX
- Kinda nerdy and feel misunderstood by the world.
Emo is different to Goth, Alternative or Punk. While it CAN be a mixture with some of these, each of these are unique from each other, sometimes being an umbrella term for Emo to move around under.
The three waves of Emo right now:
1. The Original First Generation Emo: These people are older than the ones I am talking about, but were there for the first wave of Emo in the 90s before Nirvana and the early days of Weezer - and have yet to let it go. Extremely emotional and sensative, but you wouldn’t know it cos they sing about it, rather than talk about it. These people are so inherently Emo, they don’t need to do much of the above.
2. Exclusive/”Pretentious” Emo: These guys hang around Bondi Juntion, Surry Hills, Newtown, Camperdown during the week. I don’t think I’ve seen them hang out much on weekends (might have something to do with me not going out on weekends), but often found spilling out onto City Rd from the Landsdowne, Spectrum, Club 77 and more. Furthermore, these guys can usually afford to buy Lee, Tsubi and other brand name tube jeans, and are onto the latest in indie cool Emo. They skateboard a lot (but not necessarily well - the ones that do are into Aussie/NZ Hip Hop now). Many are possibly art students, in punk/emo/pop/rock bands, may know how to DJ and have a day job at JB Hi-Fi or as a graphic designer. Catch them with their iPods listening to Faker, The Grates, The Killers, Chemical Brothers, Bloc Party, The Scare, The Vines, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Shins, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes and Bright Eyes.
3. Pop-Emo: These kids are fresh! New to Emo, infact they may not even know they are parading around as Emo. They just think they’re being punk and punk is cool. Many are young, 12-17 years old. Like their technology and tube jeans (baggy pants are before their time - that makes me feel so old). While they show all of the above characteristics of an Emo, they are more inclined to listen to The Veronicas, Ashlee Simpson, MXPX and Lee Harding (he’s now playing for Crush - yes CRUSH!!! Remember that??!). See them at UNSW ROundhouse for all ages punk gigs, or at the Living End tours with their parents. The older Pop-Emo kids above the age of 17, are actually into the look of Emo, and don’t really care for the music or history of it (but they like Green Day - who doesn’t?). They just like the idea of being “different”. 12 months ago these guys were into Kelly Clarkson and Black Eyed Peas - and still are.
Case Studies of Emo in the “mainstream”:
Yesterday, I walked through Parramatta station and saw three Emo kids ditching school in their uniforms. Though they were in uniform you could still tell they were Emo. One was a boy of about thirteen. He had back raggedy hair, a black Joey Jeremiah-esque hat, skateboard and most importantly his black eyeliner on. Very bold for a young Emo from Parramatta to sport in broad daylight. Kudos.
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On Thursday, I wondered into Kings Comics whilst waiting for a friend. I left with a copy of the latest Emo boy. LOL. I don’t think I will be Emo terribly soon, but loved the idea of crawling into the headspace of a depressed 16 year old Emo boy, so tortured by the everyday banality he thinks smothers him. It’s GOLD!
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Many traditional DJ music venues in Sydney are introducing live music to their weekly programs, eg: Home, Iguana Bar, Ruby Rabbit and others…
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I love UNSW’s Tharunka magazine for being as cynical and anti-emo as I am (but at the same time being Emo when they feel the urge). Actually, I don’t think its Emo as such, that I don’t like, rather the popularisation of it. The Pop-Emo kinds annoy the hell out of me. I think they’d be hard pressed to know who the Ramones or Sex Pistols were - they probably think it’s some cool vintage clothing brand. I stand by Ben Gibbard, lead dude of Death Cab for Cutie (yes, it’s Emo) on this, he said: “Ramones T-shirts. I think people should have to take a test before they’re allowed to buy one. Nothing complicated - just, like, name three Ramones songs.”
Prediction: I think the current Emo fad will cross breed more with the Indie Art School Brats and reproduce the next wave of Mods! That, I would love to see. Vespas, bowl haircuts and Ben Sherman for all!
What a great website: How to dress Emo
The views expressed in this post are purely my own understandings and subjective views… actual results may vary.
