EMO by Oz Rembrandt

My name’s Oz Rembrandt, and I’d like to point out before you read this article, which I have tried to write as neutrally as possible, that I do not hate Emo music or it’s subculture, having been a fan of many of the below mentioned bands for many years. I know my words won’t appeal to everyone, but hey, it’s just one mans view.

Emo… The word repels people, makes or breaks a bands potential success and has created one of the most controversial and misunderstood subcultures of our generation. But what does it all mean? Where did it come from? In short: What is Emo?

Many will argue that Emo music is merely a form of rock music characterised by negative lyrics about girls, heartbreak and social alienation… but hey, if that’s true, then what band isn’t Emo? The Police, Reel Big Fish, Black Sabbath, all have written songs in the past about such themes, because they’re common place to everyone, and especially teenagers, so what is it that sets Emo apart as a whole new branch of angst ridden rock?

Emo is short for Emotional Hardcore, and is a musical movement that in fact dates back to the early 1980’s, way before bands like My Chemical Romance had even begun to think about talking, let alone singing. Back then, the term Emo, or even Emotional Hardcore, wasn’t even bounced around. Back in the high days of the DC Hardcore Punk Rock movement of the early 80’s, a genre was already beginning to take the aggression of the Hardcore, but in an effort to escape conformity, they were moving away from the political and social themes in Hardcore, and focusing more on their own thoughts, feelings and experiences, albeit in a very, VERY, angry way. It was these bands (Nation of Ulysses, Shudder to Think, Rites of Spring), along with the DC record label Dischord Records that allowed them some minor exposure, which would cause the foundations of band’s sounds to come. Most of the bands of this time where running along side the Post Hardcore scene developed by Fugazi, and the two fledgling genres were very intertwined at the time.

The real beginnings of the future pop friendly sound of Emo came from the Pop-Punk revolution of the California Bay Area. Bands like Jawbreaker began to incorporate the heavy and emotionally raw sound of the DC scene with the pop and hook filled sounds of the Pop-Punk sound. The style quickly became referred to as Melodic Hardcore, due to the familiar speed and riffs of the earlier Hardcore movement, as well as the melodies and tuneful nature of the California Bay Area. It was around this time, on the back on the angst fuelled Grunge movement that Emo finally began to take shape, riding to stardom just under more Punk bands such as Green Day, NOFX and Lagwagon. It was now that bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and Jimmy Eat World began their slow ascent to Emo stardom, fusing the typical duel guitar sounds and emotionally passionate lyrics with the hugely popular pop-punk sound.

The most widely considered generation of the modern Emo sound is often attributed, surprisingly, to geek rockers Weezer’s second album, Pinkerton. Their use of catchy melodies, as well as downright depressive lyrics about unrequited love, parental hatred and other frustrations was far more “heart-on-sleeve” than many similar bands had dared to go at that time. Their sound set the benchmark for the Emo bands to come in the mid to late 1990’s. Unfortunately for fans of such Weezer-esque Indie Emo, the movement was short lived, generally dying out toward the new millennium…

So, the few bands that had remained from this melodic, heartfelt movement had to adapt or break. Bands such as Jimmy Eat World quickly began to move toward a more pop-punk sound to try and avoid the stereotype that was beginning to float around amongst the media: Emo. The term had finally started to make itself known, and it almost instantly generated a negative attitude towards bands. As the decade has progressed, bands have gradually evolved to fit this growing musical niche. Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy all began to develop a sound not dissimilar to Pop-Punk, but far heavier and darker thematically. By this time though, it was hard to pin the dyed black tail on the Emo donkey. Bands such as Alkaline Trio and AFI were emerging, stringing lyrics of despair, misery and abject loneliness (as well as in Alkaline Trio’s case, anger, vengeance and alcoholism), with a sound reminiscent of early 1990’s punk rock and pop-punk movement. They bore all the similar hallmarks of Emo, but with more of a focus on bitterness than whininess. Understandably, the bands are now hailed by many modern Emo bands as being major influences, despite the fact that their initial sound doesn’t really relate to those of bands today, but the dark and theatrical approach to music has inspired generations to do the same, albeit a little more emotional. Hence, the modern Emo bands are formed. The ones we love to hate. In some cases.

Now comes the question… what characterises an Emo band’s sound? This can cause some confusion also, as the line between Emo and Post Hardcore is often blatantly ignored by many critics. Emo is characterised by a much more pop-orientated sound than post hardcore, with much more coherent lyrics. The 2 genres do share a use of harsh or screaming vocals as an outlet of emotion, as well as a great use of double guitar riffs in an almost metal style. Bellow is a list arranged as best as I can manage (You can’t please everyone) of Emo and Post Hardcore bands, notable and/or listen-worthy: EMO: My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, Something Corporate, Thursday, The Starting Line, Thrice, Finch and Funeral For a Friend (At new album). POST HARDCORE: Hell is for Heroes, Reuben, Million Dead, Hot Water Music, This Girl, Far, Engerica and Funeral for a Friend (The first 2 albums).

Possibly more than the music that has spawned it though, the most controversial factor featuring in Emo is the scene that accompanies in: The fans, the practices and the styles. I’m sure everyone knows what the general Emo kid looks like (Google it, if you don’t), so I won’t go into the clothing style to much. Generally tight jeans, band badges, bad haircuts and gothic related characters, without of the rest of the Goth subculture. And, of course, a great love of Nightmare Before Christmas. These teens are predominantly portrayed in the media as being miserable, mopey and suicidal individuals who are deliberately miserable, despite a fairly good life. But lets look at it a moment. Aren’t many teenagers angsty, rebellious and depressive at some stage of their development to adulthood? Of course they are, and Emo teens are no different, they’ve just received a label that makes them more “susceptible” to this behaviour. I’ve got a lot of Emo friends, and many are bright, cheerful people, who get the odd down period, just like anyone else. Self harm isn’t at all that common place, suicide attempts aren’t weekly, and they have plenty of friends. As with many stereotypes, it’s the few who have cemented the fate and view of the many. So, I ask you, next time you see some kid and think “what an Emo cunt”, think in your head, sure, they look like that now, but what’s to say they aren’t intelligent individuals. I mean, they’ll all grow out of it in the end.

Oz Rembrandt