Anyone here into Steampunk?
Discussion
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Yup. Professor Elemental adopts a sort-of Steampunk look but the music is Chap Hop. 
Apparently he was "adopted" by Steampunk. His style was his own originally. Theres an interview on YouTube with him somewhere.His music is really fun. I've been listening to him for a while. And the other bloke.
Incidentally the girl you see in this video is gorgeous.
https://youtu.be/eELH0ivexKA
bobbo89 said:
The fancy dress is just one aspect of it but I don't really get it, never really understood adults playing pretend though.
I have no issues whatsoever with people doing it.But that doesn't stop me thinking the same as bobbo.
I just think that events such as Goth festivals, Steampunk days, Bestival, Voodoo festival, Comic-Con etc are simply an excuse for certain adults to be f
king weirdos for the day and no one can say anything to them.Lord Marylebone said:
I just think that events such as Goth festivals, Steampunk days, Bestival, Voodoo festival, Comic-Con etc are simply an excuse for certain adults to be fking weirdos for the day and no one can say anything to them.
Well you have to include Goodwood Revival in that too then, because it is *exactly* the same. king weirdos for the day and no one can say anything to them.You could also argue the case for Royal Ascot and Black Tie events, because those also seem to be mostly about dressing up.
Or car meets? No dressing up, but everyone gets together simply to look at each others' cars and talk to strangers. f
king weirdos. But, really, what's the problem with dressing up anyway?
Clockwork Cupcake said:
Lord Marylebone said:
I just think that events such as Goth festivals, Steampunk days, Bestival, Voodoo festival, Comic-Con etc are simply an excuse for certain adults to be fking weirdos for the day and no one can say anything to them.
Well you have to include Goodwood Revival in that too then, because it is *exactly* the same. king weirdos for the day and no one can say anything to them.I only criticise people dressing up at events I don't approve of.
The rest are perfectly fine.
Wildcat45 said:
Apparently he was "adopted" by Steampunk.
Ah, so I see... https://youtu.be/FkF_XpA5P48Yes, his getup of khakis and pith helmet isn't really Steampunk as such.
Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Tuesday 19th June 22:11
2xChevrons said:
The other thing that's worth pointing out is why it's steam 'punk' - the terms was coined by Kevin Jeter as a companion term to 'cyberpunk'. That was science fiction portraying a grimy, dystopian-verging potrayal of a high-tech future (think Bladerunner, Hackers, Total Recall and Altered Carbon). There was often an anti-establishment, radical and lefty vibe to such work,. Hence 'punk'. The protaganists were usually those who were on the 'losing side' of the society being protrayed and often worked to overthrow it (not always successfully). The idea was to explore the possible negative outcomes of technology by extrapolating and exaggerating them.
Steampunk was originally the same sort of thing but exploring industrial capitalism by setting the scene in an exaggerated version of Victorian Britain, when unfettered laissez-faire capitalism was at its height in reality and then going "what if it was never reformed?" So the early steampunk works were all similarly critical of the world they were portraying, just like cyberpunk, and usually had the aim of drawing parallels to the modern (1970s) world by showing the same issues in an exaggerated form.
And lots more!
Really interesting, thank you. For me, old fart, it triggered the memory of reading Michael Morcock’s Dorian Hawkmoon ( eternal champion) series from the early 70’s. The whole Granbretan evil empire as a distorted version of what the the British empire of of the 19th century could have been if technology hadn’t moved forward the as it did in The real world. As I remember ( not seen the books for a few decades) it was the very essence of steam punk? Steampunk was originally the same sort of thing but exploring industrial capitalism by setting the scene in an exaggerated version of Victorian Britain, when unfettered laissez-faire capitalism was at its height in reality and then going "what if it was never reformed?" So the early steampunk works were all similarly critical of the world they were portraying, just like cyberpunk, and usually had the aim of drawing parallels to the modern (1970s) world by showing the same issues in an exaggerated form.
And lots more!
Cyber punk was alway the dystopian future, high tech but disenfranchised. William Gibson epitomised this for me. I have sudden urge to dig out the old Michael Morcock, Corum, hawkmoon and Elric series.
Much as I think people doing this are a bit sad, I secretly love the attention to detail love the craziness of the steam punk stuff.
Clockwork Cupcake said:
This isn't entirely unexpected given that Gibson is considered to be the father of cyberpunk. 
True but his Stories were contemporaneous with the film of Blade runner whereas the book Do Androids dream of electric sheep was from the late 60’s so there was a significant shift of science fiction in this direction and away from what I would call the Asimov vision of the future. Oh god I’m sad dredging up my appalling teenage tastes in reading Mr Dendrite said:
True but his Stories were contemporaneous with the film of Blade runner whereas the book Do Androids dream of electric sheep was from the late 60’s so there was a significant shift of science fiction in this direction and away from what I would call the Asimov vision of the future. Oh god I’m sad dredging up my appalling teenage tastes in reading
Oh, for sure, although I would consider them to be the grandfathers of cyberpunk. It was Gibson who really cemented the genre and popularised it. Although, yes, Do Androids (and hence Bladerunner) is definitely in cyberpunk territory. Certainly the foundations* of it. (* - Asimov allusion mostly accidental)
Edit: Not appalling tastes at all.
Steam Punk with a bar nearby? I'm in.
I first came across it as Willowan Festival in about 2015. I liked the style, but there didn't seem to be much variation to it. Mostly the helmet and goggles thing, some capes and stuff. Interesting to hear how complex it was really, from the posters above.
I first came across it as Willowan Festival in about 2015. I liked the style, but there didn't seem to be much variation to it. Mostly the helmet and goggles thing, some capes and stuff. Interesting to hear how complex it was really, from the posters above.
One vital point about the various flavours of Goth cosplay, Steampunk, LARP etc - is that you don't take yourself too seriously. You go along, have a laugh, socialise with like minded people (quite often well educated professionals) and go with the flow. One result of having well educated professionals is that they tend to be considerate and decent, tolerant people, and capable of thinking for themselves, rather than the ranty paranoid Daily Tabloid reader who can't stand other people enjoying themselves, and who can't understand that there are people who like different things to themselves.
By the way, Mr. B is also in Collapsed Lung, a more traditional popular hip hop combo.
By the way, Mr. B is also in Collapsed Lung, a more traditional popular hip hop combo.
Zad said:
One vital point about the various flavours of Goth cosplay, Steampunk, LARP etc - is that you don't take yourself too seriously. You go along, have a laugh, socialise with like minded people (quite often well educated professionals) and go with the flow. One result of having well educated professionals is that they tend to be considerate and decent, tolerant people, and capable of thinking for themselves, rather than the ranty paranoid Daily Tabloid reader who can't stand other people enjoying themselves, and who can't understand that there are people who like different things to themselves.
Yep.I love Whitby and I'm often there during the spring Goth Weekend.
There is a lovely relaxed atmosphere, everyone has a laugh and no one takes it too seriously. It's just a daft bit of escapist fun.
The rise of the Steampunk scene has seen Goth Weekend change from an alternative music festival into a bit of a fancy dress party. Some of the traditional naval gazing Goths seem a bit perplexed by the pith hat/clockwork trunchion brigade, but everyone seems to be having a great time, so where's the problem?
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