The Blues & Beyond: Gothic
A sampler of Black-led and Black-pioneered genres (blues, spirituals, jazz, etc) & their influence on goth and goth adjacent music (post-punk, darkwave, gothabilly, etc). *Do not shuffle.
The Legacy of
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
This is the spotify companion to the essay written by J.W. Thurston.
The Legacy of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is a playlist documenting the influence of the release of “I Put A Spell On You” (1956), as well as Hawkins’ stage persona.
*Do not shuffle
Lady Day: Queen of Melancholy
A selection of blues & jazz singer Billie Holiday's most melancholy moments. *Do not shuffle
Sparse 🪕
A playlist of sparse blues and the gothic poetry of Sterling A. Brown, and the contemplative poems of Langston Hughes.
What is Goth?: The Companion
The companion playlist to the first editon of my illustrated book, What is Goth?: A Timeline of Goth's History and Influence.
Threads of Rock: A Chronology
As early as the mid-1930s, Black people have been playing electric guitar. Rock & Roll also got it's origins in the blues, and the passionate, and sometimes rowdy music of the Black Pentecostals. This is a chronological list of the songs that helped shape modern rock & roll.
The Esther Jones Story
The story of Betty Boop’s “inspiration”, child vaudeville star Esther Jones.
The Esther Jones Story begins with the history of baby-voiced singing, moving onto scat-singing, the songs and artists Esther performed with, finally ending with the rise of Helen Kane’s career and Cab Calloway’s featured songs in the Betty Boop cartoons. This serves as a companion to the essay written by J.W. Thurston (Gothistorian) on Patreon.
Ma. Bessie. Billie. Nina.
*Do not shuffle | The direct lines of influence from Ma Rainey, to Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone.
Evil Hearted
For women and femmes who refuse convention at every turn | This playlist contains poetry and songs from the perspective of femmes who did not follow societal conventions, made their own rules, and lived remarkable lives.
*Do not shuffle
Polly’s Blues
A selection of the influences of 1990’s English alternative musician PJ Harvey, who grew up heavily influenced by the blues, as well as other genres.
*Do not shuffle