“To answer this, we must first determine the manifesto of the steampunk movement. Has anyone seen one?” – Corvid Preest, Chasing The Dark.
What is Steampunk music? This was the question posed in a chatgroup to members of my facebook group-page, Steampunk Music & Entertainment UK, from which all the quotes on this page are taken. I’ve long suspected that steampunk music (like steampunk itself) is a hard beast to categorise. It’s not a coherent musical style, certainly. I have albums by steampunk artists covering jazz, swing, rock, punk, EDM, pop, music hall, dark carnival, burlesque, hip-hop and more. I would go as far as to say there may be as many styles of steampunk music as there are of music in general. So, if it’s not a style, what is it? It’s barely even a genre without a defining sound or mood to it.
“This is a question that I’ve been trying to answer for many years. I thought the answer ‘music that steampunks listen to’ was too glib, so I sought my own answer. I thought I’d got it with ‘music with a steampunk theme, or played by a steampunk band’, but now that seems too exclusive, so I’m back to the original definition.” – Hal Crompton, steampunk radio DJ.
If there’s no defining sound to it, is it then in the subject matter of the lyric? To an extent that is true, and that lyric may suggest the feel of the music. But what of instrumental steampunk music? What is the characteristic that sets it apart as steampunk? Paul Roland composes music unlike anything else, very often instrumental or of minimal lyrics, and he has been writing parallel to the steampunk movement since its inception in the late eighties.
“To be honest, steampunk covers such a wide genre. With it being ‘odd’ and ‘alternative’, I would say probably the music/instrumentation would be as well. Like a honky-tonk piano, drums, xylophone, theremin, etc. Also, depending on the specific theme, would depend on tempo and key, be it minor/major.” – Paul Roland, musician, and author of Steampunk: Back To The Future With The New Victorians.
Paul makes a good point here about the sort of instruments used. My own act, Nowhere Fast (we describe our sound as steamjazz), employs ukulele, kazoo, swanee whistle and duck call. Ukuleles and banjos often feature in steampunk, possibly as a nod to the days before the introduction of electric guitar, and do make for a ‘different’ sound.
“We first started by transcribing Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds to be played by four ukuleles, then created an original version of The Time Machine, creating what we call ‘steamplunk’ – space operas inspired by early science fiction, Victorian science, and magical stuff that never was.” – Debra Kerr, Ullalele.
Some artists though, use conventional rock/pop instrumentation, but throw in the occasional curve ball or effect to keep us on our toes. Or they may pick a waltz-time signature, or a gypsy jazz rhythm to transcend the years, coupled with anachronistic lyrics of robots or steam-powered airships, which can work a treat.
“It’s yesterday’s tomorrow. Actually it’s all about time and its multiple variations.” – Commander Bob, Victor Sierra
We no doubt all have our favourite steampunk acts, from seeing them live at shows, and events such as the Asylum, and from discovering the videos on YouTube. The light-hearted, whimsical, and fun-loving nature of steampunk has maybe produced a higher proportion of comedy or novelty musical artists than you’ll find in non-steampunk music, and I’d hazard to state that even the acts who don’t write or perform out-and-out comic material, are still not prone to taking themselves as seriously as your average rock prima donnas. It’s part of their charm, and respect for them is well earned.
“At our first Asylum in 2009 we discussed how there needed to be some original Victorian music, which is how The Cogkneys was born – the music hall and singalong songs of Victorian and Edwardian times, which soon turned into steampunk parody songs as well.” – Alynn Bradnum, aka Miss Tilly Maydme, The Cogkneys.
Since the beginning of steampunk in 1987, the look and the attitude towards it has changed, from it becoming a peculiarity to an artform that has crept into the mainstream (the mainsteam?) in fashion and film. The music, too, is an evolving thing. From those trying to be the next Professor Elemental or The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, to those trying to forge their own path and create something original; their own new take on what steampunk music might be, or may become, is paramount.
“The nature of the subculture is to reimagine itself at every opportunity. I’d offer that steampunk should be creatively re-imagined every day.” – Sheriff Ants Trepreneur, steampunk musician and singer.
And as the styles of music grow like branches of a tree, spreading ever outward, perhaps it will be even harder to define. And perhaps that’s it. We can’t define steampunk music, and maybe we shouldn’t.
“Here’s the thing – maybe steampunk music isn’t like goth music. In gothspeke, if you say you’re NOT goth (Sisters, Bauhaus, Cure, et al) you’re goth, as far as the fans are concerned. if you say you ARE goth, you’re trying too hard, and, ergo, are not goth. That’s the dichotomy. I think a steampunk act, conversely, is an act that says they’re steampunk. And, as we must promote the cause and notion of being splendid, who are we to argue with such artists?” – Captain Skirmish, steampunk vocalist.
So, to sum up, the answer to the question ‘What is Steampunk music?’ might as well be ‘forty-two.’ It’s an ever-evolving, non-newtonian, polymorphic entity. It has the power to move you, to make you want to further embrace steampunk in all its forms. It will give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, or make you feel like a child again. There is a great wealth of talent out there, check it out and see what you like.
“I personally don’t think there is a sound, and this is what is great about steampunk music. You are not going to like it all, but there will be lots you do!” – Alynn Bradnum, aka Miss Tilly Maydme, The Cogkneys.
