Morticia's Morgue- Vampires & Gothic- Music & Books

:: Books & Publications

Mick Mercer's latest Goth Bible is 21st Century Goth, and yours truly got an unsolicited mention ;-)

Horror writer Nancy Kilpatrick's The Goth Bible : A Compendium for the Darkly Inclined has just recently been released and has lots of up-to-date info, links, interviews (I even got a short one on page 267) and more

Another good book on Goth culture is Goth Chic: A Connoisseur's Guide to Dark Culture by Gavin Baddeley

Hex Files - The Goth Bible by Mick Mercer is out of print but usually available used at Amazon, and is a worldwide directory of goth, vampire, fetish and pagan resources. Info on bands, fanzines, clothing, and other merchandise. Over 200 black and white photos.

The Dark Reign of Gothic Rock: In the Reptile House with The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus and The Cure goes into the history, roots and development of Gothic Rock as a genre

What Is Goth? from Voltaire is a cute little handbook of "music, makeup, attitude, dance and general skullduggery"

I have most of the little black and red Emily the Strange books, they're too cute not to get them

Gothic Beauty is a fabulous goth/fetish mag all about looking good, great photography, music and models

The Sentamentalist covers indie music, art, fashion and film

For fiction suggestions and reviews please see my Vampire, Gothic, & Horror Book List

:: Music

My music tastes have just exploded all over the place the last few years, but here are some great Gothic, Darkwave, Dark Punk & Alternative favorites, current and past:

The Dresden Dolls bill themselves as Brechtian Cabaret Punk, check out their fabulous website to see why. Their debut is one of the most original & addictive albums you'll ever hear

In the same raw creative enthusiastic vein, I saw the Canadian group Arcade Fire on late night TV a few days ago and have to go out and get their album Funeral now. They seemed to defy categorization, the first thing that comes to mind is magnificent chaotic madness, and their website is also strange and fittingly disjointed

Interpol create dark catchy punk, I'm addicted to their first release Turn on the Bright Lights, and Antics is very good also

The Killers "Hot Fuss" is pleasingly retro synth glam punk, and they are beautiful to look at also

And for spooky atmosphere music Midnight Syndicate has a number of albums that will set the mood

:: box sets & compilations ::

THIS IS GOTH from Cleopatra is a 3 CD set featuring Gary Numan, Genitorturers, The Electric Hellfire Club, Switchblade Symphony, The Damned, Alien Sex Fiend, Inkubus Sukkubus, Gene Loves Jezebel, Controlled Bleeding, Two Witches, Mephisto Waltz, Usherhouse, Spahn Ranch, The Mission UK, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Christian Death, Razed in Black, Rosetta Stone and more.

PROJEKT: GOTHIC compilation from Projekt records with Audra, Voltaire, This Ascension, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Attrition, Mors Syphilitica, Lycia and more

ARIA a Tess Records Anthology featuring songs by Blade Fetish, This Ascension, Trance to The Sun, Faith and the Muse, and Autumn including several previously unreleased tracks.