For the young folks out there gothic rock (or goth) didnt start with Type O Negative but way back in the late 70's, springing from the ashes of punk rock with such great bands as The Cure, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy.
Yes the themes were dark, but not in the satanic sense of so much goth metal of today, but rather like the haunting Victorian romantic-horror novel; intelligent, nihilistic and above all else, cool....
Check out the classic "Bela Lugosi's Dead' by Bauhaus and you'll see what I mean...
Artists took their cue from English Glam Rock, all make up and camp extroversion, as if Ziggy was a vampire not an alien, or Alladin Sane a corpse.
By 1982, gothic rock had become as established scene with it's own clubs (notably The Batcave in London): along came Sex Gang Children, Southern Death Cult, Skeletal Family, and Alien Sex Fiend. The movement also spread to Europe (Bauhaus, Fields of Nephalim) and as far as Australia (Nick Cave)
Nowadays their is something of a goth revival: the best of the bunch is probably 69 Eyes or perhaps with a more popular sound, Lacuna Coil. The operatic antics of Within Temptation or Nightwish are also worth a listen.
The worst lacks subtelty (usually American, of course, taking the death theme all-too-far and lacking subtelty in a way that only American's can, Cradle of Filth for example) or depth (Evanescence)
Here's some classic tracks to set you on your way
1. Christine Siouxsie and the Banshees
2. Bela Legosi's Dead Bauhaus
3. Lucretia My Reflection Sisters of Mercy
4. Dont Turn You Back on Fear 69 Eyes
5. The Mercy Seat Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
6. Last Exit for the Lost Fields of Nephalim
7. Rasputina Wish You Were Here
8. She Sells Sanctuary The Cult
9. The Catapillar The Cure
10.Bittersweet Within Temptation
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