Whenever I’m lucky enough to share my passion for the goth subculture with people, I always anticipate fielding derisory or dismissive views. I smoothly correct them, insisting instead that we should celebrate the worldwide phenomena that is goth – a music genre that emerged from the confusing wreckage of punk, post-punk, futurism, New Wave and more, only to outlast so many subsequent alternative music scenes like numetal, grunge, emo and more.

Well it’s finally happening, and a celebratory exhibition of the goth scene is being assembled in – where else? – Leeds, West Yorkshire. Goth City itself – and you can suggest what should be included.

I don’t anticipate there will be too many surprises on the shelves of the Goth Hall of Fame, which will be erected in time for World Goth Day on May 22nd. I am sure everyone’s favourite goth-rock architect – and arch-denier – Andrew Eldritch will find himself represented somehow, despite his teeth now ground down to dust.

What I am hoping you the voters will deliver is something that celebrates the legacy of goth and the city of Leeds – how it emerged blinking behind heavy shades from the treacherous staircase of Le Phonographique in the early 80s but crucially never went away!

I found myself dragged across Yorkshire towards it in 2004, lured not only by its history of The Sisters, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Salvation and The March Violets but also its present – legendary club nights like The Wendyhouse and vibrant gig nights courtesy of Black Sheep and Flock. Not only could you dance to those Eighties classic hits, but you could see new goth bands making new goth music!

To this day that remains almost an anomaly, with many preferring to seek a night that lets them sleep encased in (jet black) amber, in stasis where it’s always 1985 at the height of goth. But Leeds continues to be a crucible for new goth music, with Carpe Noctum continuing to host international acts and homegrown talent at the finest goth night in the North. Indeed, that magnetic pull exerted on many others who arrived keen to make music in the heart of UK goth, and for the wily – and brave – I’ll pop up some baby photos from those early music adventures I had in Leeds, over on the Patreon page!

So I’m hoping that amongst the dusty cowboy hats and clove cigarettes from four decades past, there’s room on the shelves for a few flyers from this side of the Millennium. Maybe even a poster for the upcoming Black Pilgrimage festival or the hotly anticipated return of Leodis Requiem?

Leeds has a lot to be proud of, but the best way to venerate the past is expand into the future. The organisers behind the Hall of Fame – the Leeds Nomad and the Leeds Festival of Gothica – are carefully but successfully walking a tightrope between, in their own words, that which has been influential on Leeds’ goth culture, and those who still are. Goth is an ongoing journey, and we run the risk of putting it in a cabinet and letting it gather dust. Please consider adding something vibrant and new that is happening in Leeds right now, and do so before Tuesday 25 March. I’m very excited to see a lasting monument raised to remember and celebrate this crazy, old and yet forever young scene of ours!

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Vaughan Allen
Martin Belam

Claire Victoria
Mark Chisman