Hall of fame celebrates the who's who of goths

A display showcasing the who's who of the goth world in Leeds has been unveiled in a new exhibition celebrating the city's part in the modern subculture.

Scores of people turned out for the opening of the Leeds Goth Hall of Fame at the city's museum to coincide with World Goth Day.

With its gloomy atmosphere and aesthetics, goth is one of the most iconic music genres and scenes and has its roots firmly embedded in Leeds.

Elizabeth Rose, of Leeds Festival of Gothica, said: "This is where the scene and genre as we know it was birthed. It was where the bats were really first released."

Home to bands like The Sisters of Mercy, Salvation, and The March Violets, the city also had venues like The Faversham and The Phono, which provided space for the scene to develop in the 1980s, before it caught on in London.

Ms Rose added: "The whole crux of why we started to do this was to really spotlight the heritage of the goth scene and the alternative scene in Leeds and give it its place."

Ms Rose said the 17 photos featured in the display were chosen from hundreds of submissions of people, objects, bands, shops and venues which were integral to the goth scene.

"There's bits around dance, bits around clothing and shops," she said.

"We've got a real reflection of real life from prolific bands that people know. It's about that real life experience."

Maria Martin, who features in the display, said she felt "really honoured" to be recognised, adding that it was "about time" the city did something to celebrate its place as "the goth capital of the world".

"These people that say it all started at the Bat Cave in London are just lying, it all started here in Leeds."

Ms Martin, who worked in the city's well-know goth clothing shop Bad, said growing up in Birstall she was the "only goth in the village" and later moved to Leeds.

"When I worked in Bad, I got to see what was going on and how there were lots of other people who looked like me."

She said featuring in the hall was about "acceptance".

"It means everything. It means acceptance, it means celebration, it means validation."

Danny Mass, of goth rock band Salvation, who also features in the display, said: "[Leeds] is definitely where goth started.

"It's good to have this day to be recognised and for Leeds to be put on the map," he added.

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