goth

Suggestive of a dark, morbid outlook on life, but not without a sense of humor. Often associated with vampires, cemeteries, and other trappings of death and isolation. An outgrowth of the post-punk New Romantic movement that spawned such musical groups as Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Cure. The controversy rages about what "is" goth and what it isn't, as various members of the subculture jockey for credibility. Basically, if you have to ask someone if you're a goth, you probably aren't, and no one person is the ultimate judge of who and what is or is not goth. Except maybe Robert Smith.