You would be non-conforming too if you
looked
like
ME

I have to admit I find these black haired distressed souls simply intriguing. What does their culture stand for? I have been completely unsuccessful in finding a meaning to their society. On one hand they are defined by their music, a subgenre of hardcore punk rock. It may seem that this music is fairly recent in Auckland city with the anguished tweens who pursue it however you may be surprised to find (as I was) that it originates from the late eighties, only forming itself into a genre when individual members of punk rock groups would reportedly break down and become severely emotional during performances. One of the first ‘emocore’ ensembles that hit America was ‘One Last Wish’.




I use the word ‘ensemble’ because like a majority of bands from the ‘emocore’ era One Last Wish found its career to be devastatingly short lived. In fact they released their one and only album thirteen years later after an emotional break-up following their initial recording. There is that word again ‘emotional’ which leads me to another point.

As absorbing as their title and their tortured lyrics are this music is neither this band’s nor this cultures most appealing aspect. It is the disconnection these troubled souls feel with the rest of society. Emo-kids are first and foremost upfront with their emotions. And at a closer look it is clear that what they feel cannot simply be described as sadness or anger. This group have become very efficient in describing the precise feelings under these two categories that they experience, confusion, depression, loneliness, angst, anger and above all being misunderstood.

So after a close look at what can only begin to define an Emo, how are Emo’s portrayed through the media to influence these generations in continuing the practice of this culture? I believe it is not a question of how they are portrayed, more a matter of how they are perceived. For example American Emo rock bands (Good Charlotte, My Chemical Romance) are perceived as the definition I have just stumbled through, but why? Have they explained that this is how they are feeling? Do they tell us here in New Zealand what is required of you emotionally before signing up?

I think the internet is too blame. When I feel misunderstood who better to chat to then i_want_release46. He/She is christian name-less and eager to relate to my problems. And now with the likes of youtube they are on-screen, camera-happy and awaiting my comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEJDGLF-e18

This is a clip of feelings that lead to the conclusion that ‘I Must be Emo’. My life is spiralling downward, you would be non-conforming too if you …looked….like….me. Yet this does not provide me with an answer because I get the very distinct feeling the good old art of piss-taking has reached a new level.
So back to the drawing board.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMvMzQ4Vu-8&mode=related&search=

Bingo.
Meet Hope. She has nine chapters of her thoughts and feelings all put together in nine edited monologues. Hope is undeniably Emo.
Chapter One: The Words are dying
Chapter Two: Hiding and Seeking: Hope talks about some kids who were playing Hide and Seek and how she doesn't like gym class.
Chapter Three: "CH4NG3": Hope talks about change and using her calculator in Geometry class.
Chapter Four: True Self: Hope gets a note from her mom on stationary that is a lie and she has problems with some new twins at school.

And so one and so forth…
Now I consider myself a reasonably chirpy and positive girl but listening to Hope, feelings of melancholy began to lurch its ugly head. Not in sympathy either but in an understanding way where all of a sudden I found myself to be on common ground. All of a sudden I stared to become… Emo. So her on-screen persona influenced me, bubbly… happy… me. Luckily, I had the sense to go home to my quirky flat-mate and have her lurch me from my despair with a frozen pizza and a cheap bottle of wine.