Goths, Punks and Cultural Rebels: Our Rebellion is Dead and Hot Topic Killed It

I always knew I was a different. Was is because my favorite place to read when I was little was in the dark under the dining room table covered by the tablecloth, or was it because I was reading Brave New World and 1984 at 10 years old? (Ironically enough it was 1984.) Maybe it was because by the time I graduated from private Catholic elementary school in eighth grade I owed more money to the local library for overdue books than I owe now in school loans and the list of the books I had read would have landed me on some government watch list if we had been under the "Patriot" act back then, who knows.

When the other girls in my high school were listening to U2, I was listening to Depeche Mode, Throbbing Gristle, Front 242 and Ministry. I think that's a result of coming from an exceptionally musical and yet very turbulent family. My siblings were gifted musicians who all liked different styles of music ranging from what is now "Classic" rock to 70's pop (that one is all on my sister) and New Wave/ Alternative 80's pop. I'm not sure what mix of factors in my home life contributed to making me odd, but I always knew I was different. And as long as my grades were good, and I didn't get arrested, my parents pretty much let me be. My mom always said that because I am the youngest of many siblings, they were just too tired to care what I did as long as it didn't result in serious trouble. There were limits though... I distinctly remember some very anxious hours while my parents decided whether or not I was allowed to continue living in their house after I dyed my hair blue the first time at 16. Back then, dying your hair 'unnatural' colors was a subversive act.