what the hell is emo? [Archive]

takingbackrufio

12/15/03, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by angie710
Emo = Emotional I agree. However, this post, in general, will eventually create 10 page argument of what emo is. This and the other million topics with 'what is' and then a genre of music after it. So, this is the introduction. Argue away.

angie710

12/15/03, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by takingbackrufio
I agree. However, this post, in general, will eventually create 10 page argument of what emo is. This and the other million topics with 'what is' and then a genre of music after it. So, this is the introduction. Argue away.

I know...

13th hour

12/15/03, 12:09 PM

emo is emotional music, where the emphasis is based on the lyrics. This is not to say that the musicianship is bad, but the emphasis is definetly on what the singer is talking about. Also, Emo is wearing black rimmed glasses, really tight pants and small shirts. Its also okay for emo dudes to wear scarves and carry purses. But, emo people know their boundarys, because if someone wore and scarf and had a purse at a say... Unseen or Exploited show, theyd probably get their ass kicked. So all you emo kids be careful! I know this will start a shit storm of controversy, but I like getting people mad, and then people get mad at the people who got mad at me... and I just get to sit back and laugh.

still_life

12/15/03, 12:14 PM

How can you not know by now? Emo is a type of hardcore started in the mid-80's, and it can be a bunch of different bands like Rites Of Spring, Embrace, The Hated, Gray Matter, Envy, Saetia, Indian Summer, Angel Hair, Jasemine, Finger Print, Frail, Forstella Ford, On The Might Of Princes, Jerome's Dream, Neil Perry, The Now, Orchid, Wolves, Transistor Transistor, Usurp Synapse, Mara'akate, Forcefedglass, I Hate Myself, Maximillian Colby, Antioch Arrow, Anasarca, old Piebald, Shotmaker, Three Penny Opera, Hot Cross, Off Minor, Light The Fuse And Run, Iconoclast, Merel, The Locust, Planesmistakenforstars, Circle Takes The Square, etc.

punkprincess69

12/15/03, 01:20 PM

Emo has totally been slapped with this negative conotation and that's crap. Emo isn't just guys crying about how a girl left them or how they got dumped, I think it's any music that really makes you think about things, and if that happens to be about relationships, that's fine. I think it's great when lyrics actually mean something and if their music can be good too, added bonus. I like emo and I'm not ashamed of it.

angie710

12/15/03, 01:47 PM

steveo1022

12/15/03, 01:58 PM

Originally posted by punkprincess69
Emo has totally been slapped with this negative conotation and that's crap. Emo isn't just guys crying about how a girl left them or how they got dumped, I think it's any music that really makes you think about things, and if that happens to be about relationships, that's fine. I think it's great when lyrics actually mean something and if their music can be good too, added bonus. I like emo and I'm not ashamed of it.

i couldnt have said it better myself, all emo is is music that truely comes from the heart and the reason every1 thinks its guys crying about girls is because thats a very EMOtional thing so ppl write about that stuff alot. and emo is the amazing.

punkprincess69

12/15/03, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by angie710
I am in concurrance....

I knew I liked Angie

angie710

12/15/03, 02:12 PM

Originally posted by punkprincess69
I knew I liked Angie

:cool:

lollirot

12/15/03, 02:26 PM

Originally posted by still_life
The Locust

Oh yeah, "The Half-Eaten Sausage Would You Like To See You In His Office" is the most emo song I have ever heard. Or maybe that would be "Priest With The Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Get Out Of My Bed".

On a side note, Emo is a city in Ireland.

angie710

12/15/03, 02:28 PM

Alk3DCStars71

12/15/03, 06:13 PM

For those who are interested in emo, I bought a book today that was recommended to me by a friend. It's called Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo by Andy Greenwald (he writes for Spin). I'm only on page 47, but so far I've learned a lot about the history of the bands and the early nineties, even though I've been listening to a lot of the bands for some time (Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, etc). I had no idea that the word has been around for so long, yet no one wants to claim it. I guess I can understand. But yeah, it's a good book, and while you won't agree with some points, it is the first book that I know of that is about Emo, and I read almost anything.

takingbackrufio

12/15/03, 06:17 PM

Originally posted by punkprincess69
I knew I liked Angie Doesn't everybody?

Emo is a city in Ireland? Interesting, now whenever people come up to me and ask what emo is I'll use that. It's quite amusing.

still_life

12/15/03, 07:58 PM

Ok, none of you seem to know what the hell you're talking about.

lollirot

12/15/03, 08:08 PM

I'm sorry. :(

13th hour

12/15/03, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by still_life
Ok, none of you seem to know what the hell you're talking about.

Yea, from the guy who likes Still Life. Ok, your opinion is really valid.

still_life

12/15/03, 09:34 PM

Still Life is a emo band.

ms y o o n

12/15/03, 10:22 PM

or how about
who cares

jaycougar

12/15/03, 11:56 PM

Thanks guys for clearing it up for me. I had a idea of what it was but I wanted facts

em0

12/16/03, 05:03 AM

originally posted by still_life
Ok, none of you seem to know what the hell you're talking about.

agreed but i won't even get started on this topic. it's 8 in the morning and i'm way too tired. :confused:

worldstheory

12/17/03, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by angie710
Emo = Emotional Sorry but that's wrong. If this was true, then ALL music would be emo (well, except for techno and most rap).

How can you not know by now? Emo is a type of hardcore started in the mid-80's, and it can be a bunch of different bands like Rites Of Spring, Embrace, The Hated, Gray Matter, Envy, Saetia, Indian Summer, Angel Hair, Jasemine, Finger Print, Frail, Forstella Ford, On The Might Of Princes, Jerome's Dream, Neil Perry, The Now, Orchid, Wolves, Transistor Transistor, Usurp Synapse, Mara'akate, Forcefedglass, I Hate Myself, Maximillian Colby, Antioch Arrow, Anasarca, old Piebald, Shotmaker, Three Penny Opera, Hot Cross, Off Minor, Light The Fuse And Run, Iconoclast, Merel, The Locust, Planesmistakenforstars, Circle Takes The Square, etc.This is right.

13th hour

12/17/03, 05:30 PM

thats what emo started as, but its obviously progressed. Emo has gotten to the point now where every indie rock band is "emo" or whatever.

still_life

12/17/03, 08:06 PM

No, indie rock is indie rock and pop-punk is pop-punk. Fuck the media. They define Metal as being stuff like Korn and Linkin Park. As if they'll understand what emo is.

Sellout Theory

12/17/03, 08:11 PM

Originally posted by angie710
Emo = Emotional Thats what it is. Yea all music is emotional sometimes. I dont know why and nobody does know why, but thats what they call it emo. And thats what it stands for. Cant argue against that or with its just it. You have your own opinions.

still_life

12/17/03, 09:29 PM

No, get dead.

13th hour

12/17/03, 09:58 PM

Originally posted by still_life
No, get dead.

Ok, maybe you wouldnt realize this, because your so ignorant, but emo has developed to where bands such as Dashboard and Bright Eyes and Cursive are considered Emo. Of course you wouldn't realize this, your dumb enough to think that still life is better than Cursive.

worldstheory

12/17/03, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by Sellout Theory
Thats what it is. Yea all music is emotional sometimes. I dont know why and nobody does know why, but thats what they call it emo. And thats what it stands for. Cant argue against that or with its just it. You have your own opinions. NO, perhaps that's where the term came from in the first place, but that is no way to describe emo. If you say emo is punk that is emotional, then ALL punk would be emo (and it's not), because all punk is emotional. That's where punk came from, it came from anger against government and society (and anger is one of the strongest emotions).

If it was as simple as that, then country would be emo, some rap would be emo, jazz would be emo, classic rock would be emo, doo-wop would be emo, hell even classical would be emo.

towhatend

12/17/03, 10:31 PM

Originally posted by worldstheory
NO, perhaps that's where the term came from in the first place, but that is no way to describe emo. If you say emo is punk that is emotional, then ALL punk would be emo (and it's not), because all punk is emotional. That's where punk came from, it came from anger against government and society (and anger is one of the strongest emotions).

If it was as simple as that, then country would be emo, some rap would be emo, jazz would be emo, classic rock would be emo, doo-wop would be emo, hell even classical would be emo.

okay that's what emo isn't.

now what is emo?

FarPastGone

12/17/03, 10:49 PM

EMO is what to many bands are trying to be.....i like emo alot, but theres so many emo bands out there and so many of them are terrible. I think alot of people get confused and classify some Pop-Punk bands under the category Emo, or some Pop-Punk bands do it to themeselves just to like look cool or something.

13th hour

12/18/03, 08:54 AM

Originally posted by towhatend

now what is emo?

Who the fuck cares anymore?? ::sigh::

jaycougar

12/18/03, 09:24 AM

lmao

angie710

12/18/03, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by worldstheory
Sorry but that's wrong. If this was true, then ALL music would be emo (well, except for techno and most rap).

This is right.

Is "emo" not short for "emotional"?? Emo is a genre that can be interpreted in a thousand different forms...Its really based on opinion, Oh and who the fuck gives a shitfuck anyway?

http://altmusic.about.com/cs/emobandlist/index.htm

Read this, and maybe it will help...

nards228

12/18/03, 10:12 AM

Originally posted by lollirot
Oh yeah, "The Half-Eaten Sausage Would You Like To See You In His Office" is the most emo song I have ever heard. Or maybe that would be "Priest With The Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Get Out Of My Bed".

On a side note, Emo is a city in Ireland.
"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time
but Dr. Quackenfish is in the driver's seat now.

Aesthetically pleased to the point of ambivalence.
Canadian bacon-y self-fulfilling prophecy
take the time to drown in your own spit

Yes. We are talking about you."

Lyrics to "Twenty-Three Lubed Up Schizophrenics With Delusions Of Grandeur," off of The Locust's 2003 release, "Plague Landscapes."

That's emo? Kiss my ass, you arrogant douche bag.

"Emo" is almost impossible to define, as is "punk." When I tell people I listen to "punk" music, they might think I listen to poppy stuff like Something Corporate or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, stuff like Thursday or Senses Fail. And I listen to both. My point is that the term "emo," like the term "punk," just encompasses a pretty huge variety of music types that fall loosely into the "emotional rock" category.

The Locust fucking sucks.

Rennard

angie710

12/18/03, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by nards228
"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time
but Dr. Quackenfish is in the driver's seat now.

Aesthetically pleased to the point of ambivalence.
Canadian bacon-y self-fulfilling prophecy
take the time to drown in your own spit

Yes. We are talking about you."

Lyrics to "Twenty-Three Lubed Up Schizophrenics With Delusions Of Grandeur," off of The Locust's 2003 release, "Plague Landscapes."

That's emo? Kiss my ass, you arrogant douche bag.

"Emo" is almost impossible to define, as is "punk." When I tell people I listen to "punk" music, they might think I listen to poppy stuff like Something Corporate or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, stuff like Thursday or Senses Fail. And I listen to both. My point is that the term "emo," like the term "punk," just encompasses a pretty huge variety of music types that fall loosely into the "emotional rock" category.

The Locust fucking sucks.

Rennard

:approve:

takingbackrufio

12/18/03, 11:40 AM

I could care less what emo is. I listen to it, or some type of it, or something that involves emotions. It will never be officially defined because there's too many people out there who follow the 'code' or emo only being the type of hardcore that was created in the 80's. If this was true, then the Ramones would be the only punk band. Seriously, new bands are allowed to be emo, and it pisses me off when people try and tell me that the only bands allowed to be emo are the ones that created the type of 'hardcore' in the 80s and labelled it emo.

Just listen to the music.

still_life

12/18/03, 12:05 PM

When I said get dead earlier, I was joking. After reading this bullshit, some of you might really need to die for being so fucking stupid.

13th hour, you're the ignorant one. You listen to MTV and Seventeen magazine to get what they try to say emo is. You don't do any proper research on the music to see what it is and where it came from. Dashboard and Bright Eyes have absolutely NOTHING to do with emo. Emo is emotional hardcore (still a dumb title because a band like Snapcase could be emo, but realize the time the term appeared, 1987). How the hell does BE and DC have anything to do with hardcore music? It's all acoustic and indie rock.

Rennard, another ignorant prick.

"I go to Fugazi shows requesting Minor Threat songs"

That's Sage Francis, a rapper. Lyrics don't mean shit when talking about a genre, especially in emo. The Locust is grind influenced and their emo sound comes from the early 90's sound in San Diego/Gravity records. Emo isn't hard to define at all.

tbr, you don't know what you're talking about. When I listed a bunch of emo bands, a good amount of them are new bands. Emo has changed, but it's changed into styles that aren't even close to anything like Bright Eyes and Thursday.

angie710

12/18/03, 12:33 PM

Elitist Xcore

13th hour

12/18/03, 02:28 PM

still life, you are a fucking Idiot. I dont watch MTV and I dont read Seventeen magazine. Just so you know, that attempt at being funny or fecious failed miserably. Second, maybe its because I live here in Omaha, but I think that I do know a few things about emo. Hmm, maybe its because Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher are called the Poster Boys of Emo. Maybe its because Omaha is often referred to by everyone in the scene as "Emoha". Take your elitist Emo name dropping and stick it up your ass. Emo has changed, whether you like to admit it or not. Its not all hardcore anymore, Its indie rock too. Do you know of anyone who writes more emotional biographical lyrics than Conor Oberst? I doubt it. But whatever, you go on thinking what you want, Im obviously preaching to the choir (a very fucking stupid choir at that). Ill leave you with this. Your elitism isnt going to change a thing. Emo has grown past hardcore and is now in almost every genre of underground music. Now go write some hardcore emo songs, and tell everyone how "Real" you are. Fucker.

richter915

12/18/03, 02:33 PM

I know I'm coming in in the middle of all this but...oh well. Emo is hard to define I guess and a lot of it is based on one's perception of it. I feel that emo is mostly lyrics that focus on love lost or anything along those lines. Like, if a band truly means it then I can totally understand it, but there are those who just say it but don't have the "emotion" behind it...you can tell. Soundwise I guess it wouldn't be all that heavy but not like, soft rock. I just have beef with emo cause a lot of it tends to be negative and I think it gives a terrible message to young teens out there who are still really confused with things like love...I dunno, that's me.

still_life

12/18/03, 05:25 PM

You couldn't be more wrong and hopefully not more stupid, 13th hour. A genre's not going to fucking change completely over time into another sub-genre. That's like saying metal turned into alternative. It just makes no sense. You obviously just don't know jack shit about emo. Saddle Creek is all indie rock and no hardcore at all. Lyrics don't mean a damn thing.

13th hour

12/18/03, 07:28 PM

Ok, sure you go on thinking that. How about you come here to Omaha and try to tell me and the thousands of other scene kids that Bright Eyes and Cursive arent Emo.

still_life

12/18/03, 07:40 PM

Any kind of scenester is lame. Especially the ones that attached themselves to Bright Eyes-type music in the last 2 years and think it's emo. Ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as that "challenge". I don't need to tell a bunch of dorks that it's impossible to be or look "emotional hardcore". You're all dumb. What the hell does Bright Eyes or Curisve have to do with hardcore music?

13th hour

12/18/03, 08:51 PM

EMO IS NOT FUCKING HARDCORE MUSIC ANYMORE YOU GODDAMN FUCKING IDIOT!!! IT HAS EVOLVED!!! Emo may be hardcore music in its roots, but its not that anymore you fucking retarted son of a whore. And why would you say that weve just put the label Emo on Bright Eyes and Cursive in the last two years??? This is their hometown you fucking tool, weve supported them all along, 8 years at least!! Go find a gun and blow your brains all over your Hardcore Emo CD collection you fucking putz.

still_life

12/18/03, 09:17 PM

If the people that live by you are half as dumb as you, I hope for the next terrorist attack to strike there.

How many fucking times do I have to say it? Emo has evolved into current bands like On The Might Of Princes, Envy, City Of Caterpillar, Yaphet Kotto, Bright Calm Blue, La Quiete, Light The Fuse And Run, Transistor Transistor, Daughters, The Now, The Kodan Armada, Wolves, Ampere, The State Secedes, Yage, The Apoplexcy Twist Orchestra, Panthers, etc.

It has nothing to do with all your indie rock and acoustic bullshit. NOTHING. A fucking genre isn't going to change a 180 degrees because of lame ass media outlets that have no clue what they're talking about.

I never said you called Bright Eyes emo within the last 2 years, I said all these fucking scenesters got into Bright Eyes and that kind of thing in the last 2 years.

13th hour

12/18/03, 09:32 PM

First of all... What you said about terrorist attacks. Fucking not cool. Second, Its not what Media outlets call it, THIS IS EMO. I honestly dont give a fuck that you can drop 15 obscure as shit hardcore band names, that doesnt mean you know what your talking about. I could talk endlessly about Bauhaus and Alien Sex Fiend, but that doesnt mean that I know shit about Goth music. You dont get it man. Emo has evolved into this. The kind you are talking about it traditional emo. What your saying is similiar to this: Punk is not a form of Rock and Roll because its totally different from Elivs Presely and the Beatles. Why? Because genres dont change overnight. Dont you get how stupid that is? Of course Punk is part of rock music, and of course, so is elvis, but just because they are so different doesnt mean that theyre not both rock n roll. are Cursive or Bright Eyes and On the Might of Princes both emo, even though they are totally different? Yes, they are. Its the same thing as the analogy I made above. Its called Evolution. Artists using other artists ideas and putting their own spin on them. Just because one is acoustic and one is hardcore doesnt mean that they dont have Heart on Your Sleeve lyrics, which is what emo is.

still_life

12/18/03, 09:41 PM

Just stop. You don't know a single fucking thing about emo. Do me a damn favor and go and d/l these bands in order and you'll see how emo has changed. Emo is and always will be a genre of hardcore, just like how Black Metal will always be a part of metal. It has nothing at all to do with lyrics. That's ridiculous. Any single artist/band can write about whatever the hell they want for whatever kind of music they want.

Those bands aren't obscure at all. You just don't know anything about emo. If you did, you'd know 3/4 of them easily. And no, they are not fucking traditional emo. Listen to these damn bands.

80's: Rites of Spring, Embrace, Ignition, Fuel, Moss Icon, Gray Matter, Kerosene 454

early-90's: Indian Summer, Julia, Maximillian Colby, Shotmaker, Cap'n Jazz, Antioch Arrow, Iconoclast, Merel, Portraits of Past, Piebald

mid-90's: Saetia, Anasarca, I Hate Myself, Portrait, Forstella Ford, The Khayembbii Communique, The Vida Blue, The Locust

late-90's: Jerome's Dream, Neil Perry, Usurp Synapse, Orchid, Yaphet Kotto, The Blood Brothers, You And I

current: On The Might Of Princes, Envy, Shikari, Off Minor, Hot Cross, Daughters, A Days Refrain, The Assistant

nards228

12/18/03, 10:09 PM

I thought I'd reduce the tension a little bit and throw this out there:

The Blood Brothers fucking suck.

still_life, you are full of shit. If you think the denotation of a word - or the connotation of a genre - doesn't change, then you're a fucking moron. If I ask my dad what "rock" is, he's going to tell me something entirely different than what my little brother will tell me.

Rennard

towhatend

12/18/03, 10:25 PM

nards...still a fucking idiot.

still_life i'm gonna side with you on this one it's pretty obvious you know what you're talking about.

nards228

12/18/03, 10:37 PM

Originally posted by towhatend
nards...still a fucking idiot.

still_life i'm gonna side with you on this one it's pretty obvious you know what you're talking about.
I hope you realize how amazingly stupid you are later tonight, vomit, choke on your vomit, and die.

Rennard