NationStates Jolt Archive

Seriously...what is the deal with emo?

Everything I've heard sounds like Kurt Cobain and Siouxsie Sioux had a retarded, musician-wannabe love(hate?)child with no talent and less fashion sense. Every emo song/band I've heard makes me want to kill someone else...not myself. If you want depression, listen to goth music...at least there's some kind of asthetic there.

Anyone want to explain it? Because, being a veteran musician myself, I-JUST-DON'T-GET-IT.

Seriously...what is the deal with emo?

Everything I've heard sounds like Kurt Cobain and Siouxsie Sioux had a retarded, musician-wannabe love(hate?)child with no talent and less fashion sense. Every emo song/band I've heard makes me want to kill someone else...not myself. If you want depression, listen to goth music...at least there's some kind of asthetic there.

Anyone want to explain it? Because, being a veteran musician myself, I-JUST-DON'T-GET-IT.
I wonder how many people wont get the WTF lol

I wonder how many people wont get the WTF lol
I got it, it can't be that stupid...

'cause there's a lot of stuff that gets by me, you know...

Seriously...what is the deal with emo?

Everything I've heard sounds like Kurt Cobain and Siouxsie Sioux had a retarded, musician-wannabe love(hate?)child with no talent and less fashion sense. Every emo song/band I've heard makes me want to kill someone else...not myself. If you want depression, listen to goth music...at least there's some kind of asthetic there.

Anyone want to explain it? Because, being a veteran musician myself, I-JUST-DON'T-GET-IT.

To help you I found a good reason for it on Wiki:

Emo kids, persay, are evolving into everything punk tried to avoid - mainstream. Gone are the days of the "mini-mosher", emo's seem to be the latest fashion for anyone who is into rock and wants to get noticed, which has understandably caused outrage amongst some fans of "older school" rock, accusing emo fans of being sellouts.

Another trait which seems to be being undertaken by emo fans (especially those of the 13-16 age range) is promiscuity. Contrary to what punk used to be about (going against the mainstream), it apears most people are turning emo in an attempt to either get noticed, or simply follow suit with friends, proving just how effective peer pressure can be.

Some of my friends are Emo, and I do love to tell them how crap I think their music is and how they are sellouts.

Everything I've heard sounds like Kurt Cobain and Siouxsie Sioux had a retarded, musician-wannabe love(hate?)child with no talent and less fashion sense. Every emo song/band I've heard makes me want to kill someone else...not myself. If you want depression, listen to goth music...at least there's some kind of asthetic there.
That's a pretty decent description. LOL

But you know, it's not new. In the 80s and 90s, there were bands that would be classified as (or close to) emo today.

"Bauhaus" is the first example. Albeit a little too hardcore, it's very emo in its sound and lyrics.

In the 90s, some shoegaze bands were emo like. Shoegaze bands were basically depressed teenagers packed on the scene, looking down and not moving too much, while playing their instruments. They HAD to plug dozens of distortion pedals to any music hardware they used (even the mike). Their sound was often a mish mash of mumbled lyrics and moldy guitar with what sounded like an underwater drum. While it gave some genuinely interesting bands (such as Slowdive and Ride), it also gave us a lot of crappy losers complaining about "The sky's falling apart as I walk through the night" and stuff like that.

Emo is the sad result of the regression of rock from Grunge.

When grunge first arrived, it was speaking about the loss and alienation felt by the lower classes.

Emo is what happens when the middle classes try to do the same thing, but then realise they are nothing but wealthy suburbanites with nothing to complain about, so they whinge about their parents not understanding them. Belch. Cry me a river.

If you haven't guessed, I don't like Emo.

Particularly Simple Plan.

Die Simple Plan.

I have yet to see a GOOD emo band live. But, I'm a sucker for a good acoustic, I admit it. But most emo is so...stupid. Especially sellout emo, where they have nothing to complian about. They have money and they can get girls pretty easily.
I love my insanely happy music.

Way to dog pile on the kids. Make sure you get their milk money everyone. How sad is it to do something like this? Go be into something, at this point I think I have to have more respect for the Emo kids.

I don't listen to it myself, but I tend not to spend too much time worrying about other peoples music tastes. I mean, I think the music you all listen to sucks, but I don't go starting threads about it...

But you know, it's not new. In the 80s and 90s, there were bands that would be classified as (or close to) emo today.
One thing I have noticed is a lot of people calling older indie/hardcore bands "emo"...such as Quicksand (whom I LOVED) and Fugazi. Fugazi?!? Emo?!? I'm sorry...but NO.
"Bauhaus" is the first example. Albeit a little too hardcore, it's very emo in its sound and lyrics.
Ummm...that's almost blasphemy there. Calling Bauhaus (who were one of the first recognizably "goth/goth rock" bands) "emo" is like calling Joy Division or Swans "emo". Nope...doesn't work.
In the 90s, some shoegaze bands were emo like. Shoegaze bands were basically depressed teenagers packed on the scene, looking down and not moving too much, while playing their instruments. They HAD to plug dozens of distortion pedals to any music hardware they used (even the mike). Their sound was often a mish mash of mumbled lyrics and moldy guitar with what sounded like an underwater drum. While it gave some genuinely interesting bands (such as Slowdive and Ride), it also gave us a lot of crappy losers complaining about "The sky's falling apart as I walk through the night" and stuff like that.
LOL. You're preaching to the choir. I still think I have most of my Slowdive and Ride cassettes...along with pretty much everything Jesus & Mary Chain (who were basically a more "pop" version of shoegazer) put out. Then you have acts like My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Mazzy Star...although MBV was more upbeat. None of them, to me, are "emo".

If you haven't guessed, I don't like Emo.

Particularly Simple Plan.

Die Simple Plan.
They're not emo.

LOL. You're preaching to the choir. I still think I have most of my Slowdive and Ride cassettes...along with pretty much everything Jesus & Mary Chain (who were basically a more "pop" version of shoegazer) put out. Then you have acts like My Bloody Valentine, Lush and Mazzy Star...although MBV was more upbeat. None of them, to me, are "emo".
Cool!
I have everything Slowdive has ever produced, even the rarities. Of course I don't consider them emo, but shoegazers may have been an influence for the emo scene. Just listen to Rainer Maria's "A better version of me": ambiant emo!!! WTF!! (Well it's actually not so bad.)

BTW, I am in contact with one former Slowdive member; we have had a few e-mail conversations. He has a new band, "Monster Movie", very nice music I tell you.

Lush... aaah... best show *ever*. Split is still one of my favorite all-time albums, even though it is flawed (half the songs are fillers). "Desire Lines"... wow... and "Undertow"... "Invisible man"... weirdest girl's fantasy *ever*

.... it's so NOT emo!! LOL

<snip> If you want depression, listen to goth music...at least there's some kind of asthetic there.
<snip>
I rather like etherial/ambient/downtempo goth... (and Voltaire...)

Goth Xmas Music Rocks (see Excelsis series).

But I can't get into most vocal goth.

Simple Plan is hardcore man. They are what define punk rock. They are like the new age DOA....and the suck major ass.

I find Emo is pulled from both grunge, punk and goth together. Kinda like Evanesence (who also suck, I'm sorry). Its just a stage kids go through from about 12 to 20. They aren't being "listened to", they have a horrible home life (Really? I thought living in Africa was terrible, but your life is worse?). Kids just want to be different and noticed and it is all propelled by the media, so they get the idea that by being Emo they are A) cool and B) different. But to be Emo they have to dress and act certain ways (like they are depressed punks) and "cut" themselves. What I find amusing about all this is that they seem to have the ability to boast and tell their problems to friends and stuff but when it comes to talking to any adult about how their parents are oppresive bastards who beat them they can't seem to let it out. Probably because it is mostly just in their head. Which Emo is. Its EMOtional. Just some kids who feel they need to be the center of their universe. Sorry if I sound a little harsh but I'm in high school and surrounded by Emos all day. I get the jist of what you want and how your doing it. Now all you Emo people may hate me after reading this but really, here is a topic on it and I'm just saying what I feel on the subject. Don't go cut yourself over this. Go talk to your evil commie parents who never let you do anything and only argue with each other. Go talk to a teacher or a cop about your "problems". And please stop trying to put your problems on kids your age. Spreading this wave of depression doesn't solve your own problems.


I think I've said all thats on my mine about this subject. And Simple Plan does suck.

Hey Tex I couldn't agree more :D

I don't have anything against emo-kids, it's more the music itself. It's kinda like the bands wanted to make punk music, but somewhere along the line got distracted by mainstream indie and then decided they just couldn't be arsed. C'mon, punk doesn't take that much effort to make - take a look at All's 'She Broke My Dick': pointless lyrics, less than a minute long, yet absolutely brilliant. How hard is it, huh?!

From what I understand, emo was supposed to have been a branch off of hardcore, and sound very aggressive, with something about "emotional screams", which are somehow different from other hardcore deliveries? I don't really know though, I was never into hardcore really. I like bands like Unearth and Himsa and the Agony Scene, but they still sound more like metal to me.

Emo is 100% crap, 'nuff said.

They're not emo.
They're emo with undertones of pop and not-so-subtle traces of suck.

They're emo with undertones of pop and not-so-subtle traces of suck.
They're pop-punk who really erased the punk part of it on their last CD. They're emo in the same sense that a slow Britney Spears song is emo.

And allmusic.com (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll) disagrees.

They're pop-punk who really erased the punk part of it on their last CD. They're emo in the same sense that a slow Britney Spears song is emo.

And allmusic.com (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll) disagrees.
Who cares what their label is? The important thing is that they suck like a cheap whore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo
quite informative, and makes fun of the pussies as well. I hate songs that are about "the politics of personal relationships" and otehr such crap. Real men want to hear songs about dying, killing, dismemberment, etc. The occasional song about how the singer is the devil (Danzig) is acceptable, and songs about large social issues can be ok too (...And Justice for All).

But pretty much these guys need to grow a pair and learn to play guitar, and add some double bass drums.

Who cares what their label is? The important thing is that they suck like a cheap whore.
Well, yeah. But that doesn't change the fact that you were wrong :D. NVM, they suck.

So many Emo haters in here. Wow.

I like Emo. I've listened to punk and rock and shit, never really liked it. I can just enjoy a good weezer song, or a postal service song.

I dunno'. It's been such a long time since I stopped listening to labels. I just listen to music now, some I like, some I don't like.

I still like goth girls, though ;)

From what I understand, emo was supposed to have been a branch off of hardcore, and sound very aggressive, with something about "emotional screams", which are somehow different from other hardcore deliveries? I don't really know though, I was never into hardcore really. I like bands like Unearth and Himsa and the Agony Scene, but they still sound more like metal to me.
The music you're describing is screamo, which pairs more intelligent and introspective lyrics to diverse yet intense music and screaming vocals. I've got bands like Dispensing of False Halos, ...Of Death, Shikari, Saetia and Shikari in my music collection. It's good stuff in my opinion.

I don't hate Emo, I just hate how it is the "in" thing. Kinda how I hate hip-hop as the "in" thing as well.

I still like goth girls, though ;)
I fully concur.

http://utter-bollocks.imess.net/ggrl12.jpg

RAWR! :D

Emo is the sad result of the regression of rock from Grunge.

When grunge first arrived, it was speaking about the loss and alienation felt by the lower classes.

Emo is what happens when the middle classes try to do the same thing, but then realise they are nothing but wealthy suburbanites with nothing to complain about, so they whinge about their parents not understanding them. Belch. Cry me a river.

If you haven't guessed, I don't like Emo.

Particularly Simple Plan.

Die Simple Plan.

Simple Plan and crap like that isn't related to emo, emo is a type of hardcore.

Chech out At The Drive In, Saetia, Planes Mistaken For Stars that's emo. ;)

Bump for good emo bands like Orchid and Chino Horde and Envy. :)

OMG, I'm getting old. I've only heard of about half these bands.
Which bands are considered "emo?"
If they're somebody I like I suppose I'll just pretend I never posted. :p

Emo sucks, as does Simple Plan, but they are not connected, although if they were it would explain much about the mechanics of the universe.

OMG, I'm getting old. I've only heard of about half these bands.
Which bands are considered "emo?"
If they're somebody I like I suppose I'll just pretend I never posted. :p

Bands like Indian Summer, Heroin and Moss Icon.

Not bands like Simple Plan, The Used or My Chemical Romance.

Also not bands like Poison the Well, Avenged Sevenfold or From Autumn to Ashes.

http://www.mesaverde.co.uk/mp3/ has some good samples.

You aren't old, emo's always been obscure. Just somewhere along the lines the name got stolen.