What is Emo?

[Sephora_Socialite]

Whats sad is people in this stupid Rancho city start this to be "unique" but everyone hops the wagon and becomes simply clones. Quite lame because those who jump in for trend, they try too hard and it shows.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

Wasnt that what happened to "alternative" rock... its like it was supposed to be an alternative, or not as popular... low key semi underground... and then it became a trend^

 

[iperlchen]

This thread still hasn't brought me any further, and I don't expect it will. It all depends on which definition of EMO you're going with. It's an endless discussion

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

Except the Jesus and Mary Chain aren't emo.

And neither is Elliot Smith!

Nope, but they copy elements into their "emoness"

It was funny...my boyfriend got offended recently because someone was asking "So like are you emo..? You look like that dude from Taking Back Sunday"

Later he said maybe after 8 years with this type of hair its time for me to shave it off...I'm not gonna be mistaken for being one of those emos.... ruin everything...now everything is friggin labeled emo...f*cking Adam Lazzaro my a**.... I don't look like him right?

So we cut that messy mop of "emo oppression" hair

 

[AlexN]

Nope, but they copy elements into their "emoness"

It's the other way around.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

Something that is for sure- Emos dont like to be called Emo...

 

[Elegance.Is.Refusal.]

ah another group which people can be lumped into!

 

[MulletProof]

Something that is for sure- Emos dont like to be called Emo...

 

[Kimkhuu]

What is an "authentic" emo supposed to look like? Like a cleaner version of a punk?

And then, is it supposed to be something to be ashamed of? I am so mixed up..... Are REAL emos OK and fake emos not "cool" *cough* or are they both just as bad? I don't get the diff btwn emos and fake emos......?!

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

Something that is for sure- Emos dont like to be called Emo...

Its funny then how some people then quickly label themselves emo...

Look at myspace and put a search on emo...thousands of emo kids with the word emo on their display name or profile.

So are those fake emos since they accept that they are emo?

 

[Sephora_Socialite]

It's the other way around.

Hhmm the way I said that wasnt so clear...I meant that the emo people copy from things like Jesus and Mary Chain even though they are far from being emo.

 

[pointup]

these sites may be helpful

http://www.fourfa.com/fashion.htm

http://www.dobi.nu/emo/

 

[DrewGeneric]

...i don't really think it stands for "emotion"....every type of music is supposed to convey some emotion....it's really just extenuation of punk-rock. I don't enjoy the music. It often centers around basic concepts of love and death that becomes all together too much of a cliche once you hit a certain age.

In my high school, it's really a big deal what's emo and what's not....like every musical genre, once popularity takes hold...the music generally looses all of its substance....such is the fate of emo, punk, and rap....so, although emo's current incarnation may be melodramatic and trite....i'm sure it has some profound root....i'm not into the scene...so i don't care to find it.

 

[Lena]

Except the Jesus and Mary Chain aren't emo.

of course they arent emo, they existed eons before the emo thingy came back Alex
i was just trying to get my finger in the emo-inspired look/style

(i adore Jesus and Mary Chain )

 

[jennifer~]

allmusic.com will offer a sensible explanation for the origin of the term:

Though it's far less macho, emo is a direct descendant of hardcore's preoccupations with authenticity and anti-commercialism; it grew out of the conviction that commercially oriented music was too artificial and calculated to express any genuine emotion.

The term "emo" (sometimes lengthened to "emocore") was initially used to describe hardcore bands who favored expressive vocals over the typical barking rants...

Or, in the words of another (who shall remain nameless Emo is as emo does... Myself, I dislike emo for profoundly incidental reasons (nasal vocals, v-neck sweaters since we're talking fashion).

 

[makehate]

bands associated with- Embrace, Fugazi, Sunny Day Real Estate. Mainstream Emo - Dashboard Confessional, Coheed and Cambria, Saves the Day, Jimmy Eat World (none of which are true emo, but merely emo-esque....)

I would consider Embrace and Fugazi (and probably Sunny Day) to be 'real' emo.

 

[oceanharlot]

..yeah. thats exactly what i said... the other ones "mainstream emo", are just sort of emo, bands that most think are emo, but arent really

 

[makehate]

..yeah. thats exactly what i said... the other ones "mainstream emo", are just sort of emo, bands that most think are emo, but arent really

Oh, sorry. When you said 'none' I thought you meant all of the above

 

[.francesca]

the thing about "emo" is that it, like everything else in the world, changes almost yearly, if not even more often. all of the "definitions" that have been posted here aren't "exactly right" because there is no "exactly right" to a style. nothing artistic can really be categorised, right? many different bands are considered emo. some emo bands are actually considered screamo. some screamo bands could be considered hardcore. all music generates listeners who all have a distinct clothing style. but as none of those bands can be necessarily categorised into one specific category, so too the style of clothing can't be, either.

that said, the "real" emo:

emo philips: comedian, entertainer. very funny/weird guy.

 

[AlexN]

^That guy's really funny.