SPILL BOOK REVIEW: LOL TOLHURST – GOTH: A HISTORY

LOL TOLHURST – GOTH: A HISTORY

HACHETTE BOOKS

BOOK REVIEW BY VICTORIA LOVE-RAINBOW

The human psyche tends to misinterpret strange and unique phenomena, creating distorted or inaccurate representations of reality, “We weren’t the problem but the cure.” Lol Tolhurst, Goth: A History.

As a sub-branch of the ‘70s Punk Rock scene, Tolhurst offers that Goth was and will always be there, uniquely captured in Goth: A History, a beautifully compiled text describing the very roots of this subculture, influenced by architecture, literature, and art. This book captures that essence as an in-depth analysis of the evolution as seen through the eyes of Tolhurst during his time with The Cure, stating the gothic aesthetic influences were personal, emotional, and economical.

This book is broken down well, a first-hand account of the birth of what can be described as modern Goth, magnetic from start to finish, it reads like any memoir, with a sprinkle of photographic imagery hidden amongst the pages – it should be mandatory syllabus for any musical enthusiast, as the author jumps in and out of intricate storytelling. Tolhurst writes candidly about how this era shaped musical liberty today despite the persistence of uncertainty and avoidance in human nature. I notice the recurring themes of female inspiration, Sylvia Plath, Siouxsie Sioux (Siouxsie and the Banshees), Julianne Regan (All About Eve), and Tolhurst’s mother, all emancipated, defying conventions.

The author illustrates the dynamic nature of musical genres, showing how they evolve and interact over time. Music is likened to a jigsaw puzzle, where each piece represents an artist, an influence, a creative project, or anything else that contributes to the musical landscape. The puzzle is complete with all of these pieces, which raises interesting questions about the historical development of music. Tolhurst says it best: “It taught me that being myself – with all the strange feelings and questions starting to manifest in me as a young adult – was enough, and I didn’t have to conform to society’s straitjacket.” I particularly enjoyed the metamorphosis of modern Goth as it relates to contemporary music in the later chapters.

Goth: A History acknowledges the paradox of human nature, how we crave certainty and novelty, and how this tension fuels artistic innovation, summarised by Tolhurst, “We started with gently smudged colours and ended up with slabs of darkness. We are Goth and not Goth and that’s the truth and the conundrum”.

ISBN-10: 0306828421
ISBN-13:‎ 978-0306828423

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