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wanderlust_romance's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
🦇 The vibe: The darkness in me finds kinship in the darkness in you.
I have been a fan of The Cure for a very long time. Their darkly emotional, witty, and intelligent lyrics paired with melodic and carefully crafted musical arrangements have always resonated with me. So, as one of the formative bands of the musical and cultural subgenre known as Goth, what inspired and called to their darkness? Goth: A History is part musical memoir and part personal exploration of the art, music, and literature that inspired The Cure. Tolhurst goes into some depth on specific literary influences, namely TS Eliot, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Sylvia Plath, and Anne Sexton. I found the section on musical influences quite illuminating. I never would have thought that bands like The Doors or Nico would have had such a profound impact on The Cure's music, but Tolhurst explains the why and how with succinctness and clarity. However, my favorite section of Goth was "Part Two: Eternals," wherein Tolhurst goes into detailed discussion of bands Joy Division, Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Cure's own music from the late 70s to 80s (all of my favorites!). This section in particular transported me to the dark dingy and loud clubs of Manchester and London, listening to these bands as if I was there.
While the book is billed as a "deep-dive" into the origins of Goth music, I would have appreciated even more historical musical and literary exploration. However, in comparison to what is available, Goth is impressively comprehensive in it's scope. The audiobook is read by Tolhurst, and the only downside is that his voice does not impart much inflection and can come across as monotone. I'd suggest taking breaks between chapters, maybe to listen to some Joy Division or Bauhaus, in order to maintain attention and not lose interest in the audio narration. Would absolutely recommend for those interested in this particular post-punk subculture or fans of The Cure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Drug use, and Drug abuse
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