Quite right. Steampunk evolved separately from Goth. Steampunk is literature based, while Goth is music based. (I wrote an article on the differences last year when some deathrockers were bashing steampunk because of the music, which is quite immaterial to Steampunk.)
I also agree that the confusion emerged because here in he US, many Goths have migrated to Steampunk. Some of these Goths do not fully understand the roots of Steampunk, and that's where we get erroneous statements such as "Steampunk is when Goths discovered Brown". Like other posts have noted, there are many longtime Steampunk people who have no connection to the Goth subculture at all.
The mainstreaming of Steampunk has also resulted in newcomers who have only a cursory understanding of both Steampunk and Goth, and who assume a connection because they see Goths at Steampunk events. Many Goths I have met at Steampunk events are not particularly interested in Steampunk, but attend events because of a lack of local Goth events, and because its another opportunity to wear their outfits. I've gone to some Steampunk events for the very same reasons.
Sadly, the mainstreaming has also resulted in rising levels of fashion snobbery and cliquism in Steampunk.

man what i don't even

The Stray Cats evolved from Goth? Wanda Jackson evolved from Goth? That's what saying "rockabilly evolved from goth" is saying --that people who never had anything to do with a scene, who were doing things long before that scene even objectively existed, somehow "came from it".



Complete aside, I stopped enjoying The Munsters when I graduated from Sister Zoe's kindergarten class. The reason for the longevity of appeal in The Addams Family while The Munsters survives solely on kitsch factor is simple (sort of):

The Munsters was an allegory for race relations, it was essentially Leave It to Beaver with a Black family, except they weren't Black, they were a parody of how Middle Amerika saw a middle class Black family in 1962. The whole humour of the show is about The Munsters trying to fit in, and their neighbours being freaked out over their most benign actions, whilst begrudgingly accepting Marilyn (who's a stand-in for the light-skinned family member who "passes"), even assuring her that she's very pretty, occasionally urging her to move out --but she's loyal to her aunt and that part of her family, so she brushes off the neighbour's pleas.

The Addams Family, in comparison, revelled in how weird they were, celebrated it. Carolyn Jones' interpretation of Morticia seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the neighbours thought of her family as kooks, and was probably a better person for it. Seriously, this is the show where the parents were actually worried, afraid their boy might be sick when Pugsley wanted to join the Boy Scouts. Lillian and Herman encouraged Eddie to do those things and were confused when the other boys were afraid of him. The comedy on The Addams Family is arguably a parody of class relations, with The Addamses being a lampooning of upper-class eccentrics, but it's still too subversive and odd to be as perfect an allegory for that as The Munsters are for race relations. And when you consult the source material, the typically single-panel comics of Charles Addams (who did loosely base the strip on his own upbringing), a lot of the dark and morbid humour was actually toned down for television --which is saying something.

Also: You very rarely see Gomez & Morticia's bedroom, and never them in bed together. On The Munsters, Herman and Lillian were often-enough shown in the typical twin beds television couples of that day had. Allegedly, the writers on The Addams Family didn't think that it was at all believable that Gomez and Morticia could be in their bedroom for long without engaging in "marital relations", and that the chemistry that Jones and John Astin had on the show would make it hard for the audience to believe those two had twin beds.

Oh, and Jackie Coogan's voice as Uncle Fester also has a story: The characters in the comic were still unnamed at the time of show development, and a working name for Uncle Fester was Uncle Alistair. Unfortunately, the little girl cast as Wednesday had a hard time pronouncing "Alistair", so it was shortened to "Fester", but the voice Coogan had been working on stayed. The voice is based on recordings of Alistair Crowley.

Fifty years later, The Addams Family is still genuinely funny, while The Munsters may still have a moment or two, and almost always concentrated on the character of Grandpa.

Also, to any fans of The Dead Milkmen in the audience: If you ever get a chance to talk to the band after a concert, ask Rodney about The Munsters versus The Addams Family --I guarantee you, the results will be hilarious.



You mean to tell me that Justin Beiber video doesn't accurately represent Steampunk? Nor that Luann comic?



I am crushed.

Fairyinboots, you snob, you. Yes, The Addams Family is a lot better. But I thought "Uncle Fester" just didn't convey that sense of respectable, fatherly old age.




Right on, Orlock.

I am, yes, but I usually am better at keeping it to myself --this isn't so much one of those moments of betraying my own snobbery, but betraying my own geekery. Believe it or not, there are times when, even still, I can get far meaner --this time I genuinely meant it all in fun.

FairyInBoots: I agree with a lot of what you say when it comes to "The Addams Family" versus "The Munsters." To the Addamses, wanting to do "normal" things like join boy scouts, cheer lead, and dress in bright colours is a symptom of illness.

Everything about the former family is contradictory to the norm - I'd suspect to woo Wednesday Addams if and when she ever became an adult would take quite a grotesque display of insidious horror. Literally.

I've met a lot of pompous pricks on both ends of the age spectrum. Believe in or not, there are also younguns who try to act "old & jaded" as well.

"Oh bloody 'ell, I couldn't give a toss if it's not Marilyn Manson or Combichrist."

FairyInBoots, thank you for that analysis. That rocked. You've also inspired me to add the original Addams family to my Netflix queue, right below Moneyball, but that one has a Very Long Wait.

People don't half talk a load of old cock sometimes. I remember reading Mondo 2000, lol, the future was so retro back then.

Which reminds me....if you didn't get your Coupon Booklet for sending tithes off to Letalis and myself, be sure to message him and get going. You won't want to miss a single month!

I agree Orlok, experience "in the black" is a lot more important as an elder goth than simply years on this planet. Also respect is something that is earned not demanded.