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History: When did tattoos and piercings come in?This is a discussion thread · 75 replies SKot: Historically speaking:Tattoos and body piercings have become so common amongst goths now (the majority of of the world's goths have either or both) that I think many of us have forgotten (or were too young to know) that there was once a time when these things were not part of goth culture. 80s goths did not tattoo and pierce themselves like goths of more recent times do.* The question is, when exactly did this change start to happen to our subculture? Was there a particular year of demarcation, as in 'this year it wasn't around, this year it was'? Did it hit fast and take over very quickly, or was it a very gradual process that went almost unseen? I have some thoughts on the subject. What are your thoughts? SKot * I am not counting earrings (even multiple ones, although they were uncommon in the 80s), since they were as everyday as bleach-blonde hair and suntans even before the goth subculture began.
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Robibnikoff: [nq:1]Historically speaking: Tattoos and body piercings have become so common amongst goths now (the majority of of the world's goths ... it a very gradual process that went almost unseen? I have some thoughts on the subject. What are your thoughts?[/nq]Hmm, not much really. I was into piercing and tattoos before I got into Goth (though I've always worn a lot of black and have been into all things creepy since I was a child). Robyn Resident Witchypoo Atheist Bastard Extraordinaire #1557
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SKot: [nq:1]Hmm, not much really. I was into piercing and tattoos before I got into Goth[/nq]Of course. I'm guessing that was post-1990 though, correct? (though I've always worn a lot of black and have been into all things [nq:1]creepy since I was a child).[/nq] I collected rubber bats, snakes, and spiders when I was around 4 years old, so... yeah. SKot
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Endymion: [nq:1]Historically speaking: Tattoos and body piercings have become so common amongst goths now (the majority of of the world's goths ... Did it hit fast and take over very quickly, or was it a very gradual process that went almost unseen?[/nq]Tattoos and piercings have never been a distinctively goth thing to do and still aren't. In the 80s they were restricted to few small subcultures and few goths had them; in the nineties they became part of the grunge-inspired alt-mainstream, and tens of millions of kids got them, including many goths. In the US at least they hit punk first, possibly by way of thrash metal, in the mid-80s and made their way into the general alt-culture when that went more or less mainstream (as an alternative branding) in the 90s. By the time goth started making its big comeback (around '93 or '94 IIRC) they had both become so ubiquitous throughout the so-called counterculture that they became part of the scene by default. Hot Topic models and bands that decided to adopt the Goth branding had tats and piercings because they were Freaks and that's How Freaks Look, and all the kids went out and got tats and piercings because they wanted to look like the people they aped slavishly in trying to assert their Uniqueness and Individuality. I would say maybe '84 to '86 was the critical period for punk. Before that some folks had tattoos, but most people (most of the ones I saw anyway) at shows didn't; by '86 or so all the cool bands had tattoos. I'm pretty sure that's around the time I started seeing the GWAR guys sporting tats. But tattoos went with the bad-boy/biker side of the punk aesthetic which isn't what most 80s goths emphasized. As for when they went mainstream, when I started law school in '91 mine was a major subject of gossip because most of my first-year classmates had never known anyone who had one. By the time I graduated in '94 it seemd like about 10% of the incoming class were openly displaying tattoos. What difference three years and Nirvana made! (My understanding is that the nature of tattoo artists has changed a lot too, but that's another subject...) - Endymion
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SKot: Endymion, my assessment has been generally in accordance with yours.[nq:1]Tattoos and piercings have never been a distinctively goth thing to do and still aren't.[/nq] Yet how many there are out there who don't seem to know that... [nq:1]In the 80s they were restricted to few small subcultures and few goths had them;[/nq] So few as to almost be none, I'd wager. Major points to anyone who can pony up pictorial evidence of at least one goth in the 80s with obvious body piercings or tattoos. [nq:1]As for when they went mainstream, when I started law school in '91 mine was a major subject of gossip because most of my first-year classmates had never known anyone who had one.[/nq] For a bit of perspective: ReSearch's 'Modern Primitives' book was published in late 1989, and I remember reading it then when it was new and exciting. I would say this book had a great hand in getting the whole ball rolling. [nq:1]By the time I graduated in '94 it seemd like about 10% of the incoming class were openly displaying tattoos. What difference three years and Nirvana made![/nq] Indeed; and by now getting a tattoo or piercing has become one of the most predictable things a person can do. Especially if they're into the goth 'look'. SKot
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Dag: [nq:1]Historically speaking: Tattoos and body piercings have become so common amongst goths now (the majority of of the world's goths ... were too young to know) that there was once a time when these things were not part of goth culture.[/nq]Tattoos and body piercings have become common among everybody, not just goths or even sub-culture type. Dag
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SKot: [nq:1]Tattoos and body piercings have become common among everybody, not just goths or even sub-culture type.[/nq]Indeed true... although it seems to be taken almost as an entrance requirement for becoming a goth these days. Would you agree? SKot
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patti crass: although it seems to be taken almost as an entrance[nq:1]requirement for becoming a goth these days. Would you agree?[/nq] i hope this scene hasnt gotten quite that shallow. patti crass1/medusa
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Robibnikoff: [nq:2]Hmm, not much really. I was into piercing and tattoos before I got into Goth[/nq][nq:1]Of course. I'm guessing that was post-1990 though, correct?[/nq] What, the tattoos and piercing? Everything, but the first tattoo  [nq:1](though I've always worn a lot of black and have been into all things[/nq] [nq:2]creepy since I was a child).[/nq] [nq:1]I collected rubber bats, snakes, and spiders when I was around 4 years old, so... yeah. [/nq] Robyn Resident Witchypoo Atheist Bastard Extraordinaire #1557
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Robibnikoff: I agree - I had my belly button pierced after getting that book. Still have it around somewhere Robyn Resident Witchypoo Atheist Bastard Extraordinaire #1557
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