Leeds Goth: Gothic Adventures in Leeds

Have you heard of Leeds Nomad? Founded in 2023 by Leeds Local Mark Silver, it serves as a vehicle to channel his passion for discovering and sharing the city’s rich heritage and culture.

Mark has a particular enthusiasm for hidden and little-known stories, and one of his long-term projects, Leeds Goth, focuses on partnering with organisations, institutions and members of the alternative scene to embed the story of Leeds’ Goth heritage into the city’s wider story.

Through walking tours, city-wide scavenger hunts, museum talks, exhibitions and even creating themed merch, it’s been an exciting journey of exploration so far. Last September, he even brought Goth veterans The Mission back to Headingley’s Bear Pit – the scene of their first band photo shoot.

Here, Mark gives us a quick overview of the importance of Leeds in the story of a movement that quickly spread worldwide from its origins here over 40 years ago.

“Put simply, Leeds is the birthplace of Goth culture. Throughout the 1980s, we were known as the ‘Goth City’.

We have such a rich musical history, and it’s an especially exciting time for bands at the moment, yet this important part of our heritage is largely unknown.

Goth culture has many roots, of course, and it’s important to acknowledge that Leeds isn’t responsible for it all. For example, in 1979, Northampton’s Bauhaus released the single ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’, which is often cited as the first true Goth single, before the word ‘Goth’ became the name for a modern cultural movement.

But there was no greater driving force than Leeds. We had the world’s first Goth club, Le Phonographique, complete with pioneering DJs Claire Shearsby and Anni Hogan. A huge number of Goth bands formed here. We didn’t have The Cure or The Banshees; we had a different, very Leeds sound going on, driven by the clinical beat of drum machines combined with hard-edged, analogue, swirling guitar soundscapes. The look was different, too.

The Sisters of Mercy, The March Violets, Salvation, The Mission, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, The Rose of Avalanche, and so many more. These bands all emerged together during the post-punk years alongside and out of bands such as The Three Johns, Girls at Our Best, Expelaires and Gang of Four, with legendary Leeds promotor John Keenan’s F Club (Fan Club) providing a creative incubator.

A key moment in 1983 following John’s fifth Futurama Festival at the long-demolished Queen’s Hall helped cement the Goth identity for the first time, with a Yorkshire Evening Post review proclaiming Leeds as the ‘Gothic city’.

A movement now had a name, and the ‘Goth’ identity was finally born – right here in Leeds.”

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Look out for future Leeds Goth walking tours and events on Mark’s Instagram channels @LeedsNomad and @LeedsGoth or visit LeedsNomad.com.

Words and Pictures by Leeds Goth.