What makes someone Emo

[Druidess_Of_Life]

It's just a label people have given other people and the music they listen to. I don't normally say i listen to "emo" i normally say "emotional Hardcore" because I'm pretty sure thats what that style of music started out as.

Nah.. its all about the music.

But even then it doesn't matter. This whole giant "emo scene" is gunna end soon.. the next popular style is "Indie", and then people will stop thinking that being called Emo is an insult.  

[Lynnic_Darkness]

Neko Quatre

All about the music, not being a ******** fanboy/girl of every emo band member. Not being a p***y and crying over the slightest thing. Not cutting yourself for attention and not dressing Emo. You can do all of those things, and it'll make you a poser though.

couldnt have put it better myself  

[Taistar1661]

Shadd Upp... gonk

Stop asking these questions...
Brain hurts... emo

xp Tai

Emo=
Emo is a broad title that covers a lot of different styles of emotionally-charged punk rock.


After Minor Threat broke up in late 1983, the vibrant DC hardcore-punk scene that exploded in 1981 seems to start to run out of steam and fresh ideas within the established DC hardcore sound. The wistful, posthumous Minor Threat 7" "Salad Days" comes out in 1984 and drives the final nail into the coffin of DC hardcore punk. Bands all over the country begin casting about for new things to do : DRI and Bad Brains start going cheeze-metal, New York bands start doing tough-guy mosh, 7Seconds goes jangly U2 alternative, etc. The prevailing change in D.C. is toward melodic rock with punk sensibilities.

1984 marks the release of Zen Arcade by Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü, documenting their new mature sound combining furious, intense vocal delivery and driving guitars with slowed-down rockish tempos and more-complex, melodic songwriting.

In spring 1984, a new band called Rites Of Spring forms from members of The Untouchables/Faith and Deadline. This band retains a punk speed and frenzy, but brings a totally new vocal approach to the mix. Singer Guy Picciotto keeps an out-of-breath punk style most of the time, at times delving into intensely personal lyrics dripping with emotion and sweat. His voice breaks down at climactic moments into a throaty, gravelly, passionate moan.

The summer of 1985 becomes known as "Revolution Summer" when a new wave of rock-tempo, melody based, sung-vocal bands forms out of the DC punk musician pool with diverse rock sounds - Three, Gray Matter, Soulside, Ignition, Marginal Man, Fire Party, Rain, Shudder to Think, etc. Few bands retain the fast hardcore punk-based sound with the new vocal approach, Dag Nasty being the notable exception.

Minor Threat's singer, Ian MacKaye's, sings for a band called Embrace (compare the band name to earlier DC bands Minor Threat, Void, and State Of Alert) whose lyrics are emotional and deeply self-questioning, but still clear and unambiguous. Musically, the group (formed mostly of ex-Faith members) writes midtempo, somewhat jangly music with a lot of pop guitar hooks. MacKaye's vocals retain his trademark bold enunciation, with only occasional sparks of emotive delivery.

These bands' sound eventually becomes known as the classic "D.C. sound." Some of it is derisively labeled "emo," as shorthand for "emotional." One account has this term first appearing in a Flipside interview with Ian MacKaye. Shortly thereafter DC bands aquire the tag "emo-core."

Slightly later (1986), some bands begin to focus on the "emo" element itself. The Hated in Annapolis (near D.C.) seem to be the first post-Rites of Spring to do this. Shortly thereafter, Moss Icon appears in in the same town. Moss Icon strips the "emo" element down to the core, and adds a great deal of intricate, arpeggiated guitar melody (by Tonie Joy, later of Born Against, Lava, Universal Order of Armageddon, etc.) with a strong focus on loud/soft dynamics. The vocals, too, break new ground by building up to actual top-of-the-lungs screaming at songs' climaxes.

Moss Icon, as a relatively well-known band that toured some, introduces the punk scene to music that has core emphasis on emotion instead of punk energy. As such, I consider them the starting point for the emo movement, not Rites of Spring as is more commonly asserted. Later emo bands draw heavily from the Moss Icon dynamics, guitar style, and vocal delivery.

xp
So, therefore, Emo iz Hardcore people with hardcore choices having to do with punkness, emotion, music, and culture... mrgreen

I AM Emo!!!

Yea, I know... I got it going on... cool

heart Tai  

[The_Summer_Obsession]

Wtf ! Emo Is the music that you/we/I lisen to!
Bud wen sombody says : I'm Emo , and it is some Kind of high IQ b***h
I think that she is not really emo .. stare  

[aikoislost]

gawd,this is just insane.Emo is all about the emotional hardcore rock music scene not about wearing some plugs,styling hair until it covers half of your face,not about those fit shirts and short pants.Oh yeah,thats a poser stare  

[rikaLeshay]

NoSugarAdded

emotional soul

I think it's the music

heart

heart heart  

[rikaLeshay]

i've had people say i'm emo because of what i draw or have drawn but there is no way that's it.  

[Rellik San]

In simple terms, wear what you want, how you want, express yourself in anyway you can (not just art and poetry but skating, dancing etc.) and listen to emotive hardcore.

Thats how one becomes and remains emo to the purest sense of the term.  

[tinabinaishere]

Druidess_Of_Life

It's just a label people have given other people and the music they listen to. I don't normally say i listen to "emo" i normally say "emotional Hardcore" because I'm pretty sure thats what that style of music started out as.

Nah.. its all about the music.

But even then it doesn't matter. This whole giant "emo scene" is gunna end soon.. the next popular style is "Indie", and then people will stop thinking that being called Emo is an insult.

haha i agree.  

[LaFoule]

I think it's the music and the way you act and/or look towards things...
everyone has a doifferent look towards emo though its almost unexplainable....

ninja  

[TinkerBellsHell]

rikaLeshay

NoSugarAdded

emotional soul

I think it's the music

i disagree
emo people-emotional people
emo music-emotive-hardcore
(if im wrong, sorry)

 

[[. Negative Exposure .]]

[I R Quoting-taistar1661]So, therefore, Emo iz Hardcore people with hardcore choices having to do with punkness, emotion, music, and culture...[/I Iz Dones Quotings now.]

Exactly.  

[xX-_riku_-Xx]

yea it is the music... defitnely the most improtant instrement is the guitar, any kind , but yea being emo is being emotioonal and that crap bbut still i am no a poser , i just hate the preps with the hair and bbeing to emo like there life is ganna end the next day but they dont die  

[osozaki girl]

aghhh.
There's this little wanabe-emo girl that like, idolizes me.

She comes up to me all
"LOOK SARAH I HAVE THE SAME SHOES AS YOU AND SEE? I'M WEARING THAT SHIRT YOU SAID YOU LIKE! SEE? I ALSO GOT THAT ROBOT SHIRT FROM DELIAS! LOL I LOVE PANIC AT THE DISCO, DON'T YOU?"

WEARING FLIPPING DINOSAURS AND ROBOTS AND SPATTERS AND STRIPES AND SKINNY JEANS AND PINK HIGHLIGHTS AND BALLET FLATS AND WATCHING MTV DOES NOT MAKE YOU EMO.

scream domokun evil

ehm.
yes.
People like that get on my nerves.
Sorry.  

[osozaki girl]

hardcoreXemo

emotional soul

I think it's the music

i disagree
emo people-emotional people
emo music-emotive-hardcore
(if im wrong, sorry)

Yes,
but lots of emo kids like emo music.
So it's be kind of weird to find an "emo Kid" who didn't like emo music.
But then they wouldn't be it.
Music is a big part of it.
Attitude is too.