Neil Hopcroft

A digital misfit

Part two of three: the fall and fall of the Oxgoths

Way back, in the time I lived in Oxford, there was always an Oxgoth meet on Tuesday nights, it was at the Antiquity Hall when I joined in, but then moved around a bit. Last night it was at the Chequers and consisted of four of us, Cat, Ed, Tony and me. Everyone else is useless. Spikey is still useless. Hu has run away to London to live a life of hedonism and isolation. Everyone else was just tired, or boring, or …

At least I’m not feeling like I’ve really missed out on anything going on in Oxford these days, since it seems that nothing happens.

Of course the quietness at the pub /could/ be because it was Intrusion night. But I didn’t know anyone when I got there, so I doubt that. Oh, except for squiddity and friends who had come up from London…. There were lots of faces I kinda recognised but hardly any of them had names or other memories to go with them, and those which did didn’t have good memories. So, there *is* a thriving scene in Oxford these days, its just that I’m not part of it any more.


Categories: Memories.

/ 14 Comments

14 comments

  1. squiddity

    I live in Oxford, but I don’t go to Intrusion partly because I hardly know anybody there. And I rarely go to the pub because it’s always the same small number of faces.

    Erm. Surely that is a self fulfilling prophecy?

    Anyway, good to see you, Neil. Will be intrusioning again, I think – it’s not far and is fun :*)

    Reply
    • neilh

      Yes, not a bad night if only I’d known more people there – I used to know lots of regulars but they don’t go any more….and good, if somewhat surprising, to see you there.

      Reply
  2. strange_complex

    I’ve thought in the past that flyers pointing out the existence of the Oxgoths list and the regular pub meets should be handed out at Intrusion. But I never got round to it…

    This stuff does happen in cycles – I lived in Oxford for 7 years, and saw the Oxgoths group rise and fall many times over that period. But it does seem to be on a more than usually pronounced downer at the moment. :(

    Basically, it takes someone making a pronounced effort to promote the meets for it to pick up. And of course, the smaller the group who come out regularly gets, the less likely there is to be someone who’s prepared to do this.

    Reply
    • neilh

      From what I can work out its pretty much down to Cat and Ed nowadays, but maybe everyone else goes out elsewhere and doesn’t tell them…? (or me)

      I’m too far away from it all to be able to organise anything any more.

      Reply
  3. neilh

    I was hoping to catch up with a bunch of people all together, but that doesn’t seem like it’ll happen any more since they all seem to have fallen out with each other. So I have to just arrange to meet up with people on their own.

    Reply
  4. neilh

    Who is ? Anyone I know?

    the mailing list seems as good as dead, given the level of response I got to my recent mail here.

    Reply
  6. strange_complex

    Ha, yes. That has annoyed me for a long time. And although I’m not going to name any names, I can’t help but noticing that there is one person who’s a consistent factor in it all…

    Reply
  7. neilh

    I suspected that was happening, but I’m not sure that I know any of them well enough to get them to come to the pub anyway, I’m just gonna have to give up on the Oxford scene altogether and keep in touch with the three or four people I know properly in the area.

    Reply
  8. neilh

    From what I remember (though I was on the periphery of the scene there) it wasn’t that bad – a bit of relationship tension but no major fallings-out. Not sure whats happened lately, of course, everything might well have changed considerably.

    Reply
  9. sexy_sophia

    It is a shame the Oxgoth group did fall to this level. I know it had it’s ups and downs, but this is the worst it’s been in my opinion.

    I must admit, I don’t regard myself as an Oxgoth. I’m goth orientated, and I live in Oxford, and that’s a different thing. Oxgoths built a bad name for themselves, when, (as Perf said) “it falls victim to the interpersonal politics stuff”. And you guys know what I mean I’m sure.

    I would have been happy to battle it out and keep the meets up, but when I clearly wasn’t welcome any more at the meets, I decided to cut my losses and go elsewhere to enjoy myself, rather than get stressed worrying about the politics.

    It’s quite a sad thing. Goth shouldn’t be about people politics, I thought that’s what singled us out from other fashions. If that what it’s gonna be like we are no better than Chavs.

    I think the one thing that saves us is the fact that the majority of us aren’t like that. It’s nice to know that you guys are there and we’re all in touch, in one way or the other.

    Neil, thank you so much for coming along to see us. Thanks for the text :) I’m sorry we didn’t get much time to chat, but I will see you soon. Even sooner if I’m driving!

    Reply
    • neilh

      I clearly wasn’t welcome any more at the meets

      …some people were trying to make you feel unwelcome… it wasn’t *all* of us, for sure.

      And it was good to see you – though probably best to aim to meet up on a non-Intrusion day next time…too much running around involved.

      Reply
  10. Anonymous

    Hi my name is Andromada, and i remember oxgoths in the mid 90’s and sure it has changed but it was my 1st experiance of meeting other goths and so always has a soft spot in my dark and twisted heart.

    Reply

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