LIFESTYLE + GENRE = EMO?

Emo (ih•mo)
If someone who is very inclined to music told you that “Emo” is the short for Emotional, would you agree with it to the fact that, yes it is, but does he/she knows what it really mean? Well, let’s see if he/she is right.

Emo is not actually a shorter term of “emotional”. You can say it is, but not really. It is a short term of “emotional hardcore”. The thing I have never gotten is how people can even begin to believe that it is short for “emotional” only.

Contrary to the stereotypic information, Emo is definitely not short for Emotional (as mentioned in the first paragraph). It is not a style, either. It has nothing to do with cutting your surface when you’re mad, or boys with swooping haircuts taking pictures of them. Emo is not about whining about your problems. It has nothing to do with your girlfriend breaking up with you.

I usually get one response, when I say that it is short for Emotional Hardcore, is ("Well, if all music is emotional, wouldn’t it just be Hardcore?"). I respond with telling them what the word ‘Emotional’ means, when talking about Emo. The emotional aspect of Emo comes from the lyrics. They are, of course, emotionally driven. It is usually about anger towards something, or whatever you want. Its instrumentals are fierce and loud, and sounds are usually organized. They are the instrumental equivalent of screaming your lungs out.

Emo is a way of life. It is not an obligation though as any people decide on different ways to deal with their emotions. Many resort to denial. Many resort to diversion. But if you immerse yourself in your emotion, feed off it. Live with it. That is emo. Emotion is the counterpart of logic. Emo is illogical. But it is not stupid. Just because any governing thought is absent doesn’t mean that common sense is also absent. Emo could be in the music. But music is only the medium of cultivating these emotions. It only carries it further.

It is not hard to tell them what Emo is. If you feel brave enough, make a mix tape with actual Emo on it. Who knows? They might find bands that they like. You should never be afraid to tell anybody that they’re wrong. Be it your best friend or some guy on the bus, you should tell people that the information that they have is incorrect. If they persist, just persist right back. Don’t hesitate to be a little bit hostile if they fight you. They’d thank you if they knew the whole truth.

Something I hear a lot is that “everyone has their own opinion, and if their opinion is that (Insert Band Here) is Emo, that’s their choice.” Well, yes, it is their right, but that doesn’t make them right. This is not something that is based on opinions. Emo is a genre of music, and because of this, the band has to be certain things to be part of that genre. This is something that is based on fact. And the fact is, these people are wrong about what they think. If someone thought Iron Maiden was Rap, would you tell them they were wrong? Of course you would, because they are not right about what they’re talking about. So why should you let them go on thinking that? Of course not. So you should not condemn us for telling people that what they think is Emo which is really not.

Emo is not in the fashion. You can wear thick eye glasses and not be emo. You can have one sided hair and not be emo. You can wear skinny jeans and not be emo. Emo is not in the suicide attempts. Suicide is never cool. And it is also not cool to fake it just to gain sympathy or attention.

AND FOR THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES EMO, WELL, YOU CANNOT BE A GENRE

Mall Emo is also a term for any behavior people attach to the term Emo. It is absolutely foolish to say that someone is Emo. Emo is a genre and you cannot be music. Just like nobody is Punk, Goth, or Metal, nobody is Emo. Opposite to typecast, these genres are just genres. It is just not appropriate to connect clothing and behaviors to organized sounds.

When it comes to the songs that became popular (still referring to Emo genre), only one song comes to mind, that is Emo and about a break-up: Venus & Bacchus by Saetia. But, take note: It is not a “boo hoo, my girlfriend broke up with me, I’m gonna whine about it” song. It is about how much the guy hates what the girl did.

One thing that people talk about is the “the waves of emo”. This doesn’t work, because it usually includes what is considered Emo today. Yes, genres do change as the years go by. Rock has stopped being about sex and drugs, and started being more about that and more about relationships. Rockers have started talking about “making love”. But genres do not become the polar opposite of it. Does it really make sense that a bunch of guys screaming could really evolve into one guy with an acoustic guitar? No, it does not. Sure, Pg. 99 is a vastly different band than, say, Moss Icon, but the two are in the same genre because of their sound and their content. Sure, Pg. 99 is a band with songs that makes your vocal chords bleed by just listen to them. And sure, Moss Icon sounds more like one of today's louder Indie (from the root word, “Independent” bands, at times. But the two are, inherently, the same, because of their sound and their content.

These days, kids are so attached to this type of lifestyle for the reason that they mull over of it as the-trend-of-the-year-so-I’m-going-to-be-it thing. These are just few implications about our nation are up to. That is the nation of young people. Those kids express their deepest way of thinking or to be simply inclined to being emotional. Now, much has been said and I think these are somewhat enough to pick a bit from it.





Thanks to Dorian and Brian for the information.