Rivethead
Encyclopedia
Rivethead can mean:
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A rivethead is a person associated with the industrial music
scene. Although industrial music emerged in the post-punk
period, the identifiable stereotype of an industrial fan emerged in the 1990s. The associated dress style is typically militaristic, with hints of protective gear normally worn by assembly line
workers.
, is responsible for the term's current meaning. In 1993, he released Rivet Head Culture, a compilation including several Industrial
acts of the American
underground music
scene. The same year, Chemlab
—whose members were close friends of Chase—released their debut album, Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar
, which had a track called "Rivethead." Chemlab singer Jared Louche said he did not remember where "Rivethead" came from, although he states that this song title was in his mind for years. The term had been used since the 1940s as a nickname for American automotive
assembly line
workers. The term hit the mainstream with the publication of Ben Hamper
's Rivethead: Tales From the Assembly Line, which is otherwise unrelated to the subculture.
There are several fictional archetypes, such as, Lupus Yonderboy of the Panther Moderns, and, Razorgirl from cyberpunk
culture.
aesthetics, complemented by modern primitive
body modification (tattoos, piercings and scarification
) or borrowed visual cues from goths
(fetishism
, morbid-themed jewelry and imagery, and black
hair dye), as well as punk fashion
elements such as the fanned Mohawk hairstyle
. Some offshoots of the rivethead subculture emphasize post-apocalyptic dress style as popularized by bands such as Combichrist
and Psyclon Nine
. This style often takes elements from films such as Escape From New York
and Mad Max
.
look: sexuality
as power. Common are short skirts, military wear, knee-high stiletto heel
boots, vinyl
, leather
or PVC
bustier
s and corset
s, and lip gloss with less makeup than Goths. Often long dyed black (sometimes red or purple for example) hair that is long, short, spiked, shaved bald, partially shaved (undercut), Bettie Page
bangs, or other. Colorful synthetic pony falls or hair extensions and colorful vinyl are seen, but are more known as Cybergoth
wear. However, Female Rivethead fashion may be and often is identical to male Rivethead fashion.
in ideological and musical terms, as well as in their visual aesthetics. Confusion regarding the boundaries of those two youth cultures has heightened because of recent (mid-1990s onwards) hybridization, which has led some people to believe that rivetheads are a goth offshoot, which is untrue. The Canadian novelist Nancy Kilpatrick calls them "Industrial Goths", as does Julia Borden. Borden locates the period of crossover as beginning in the late 1980s and becoming entrenched in the mid-1990s. The rise of Cybergoth
s, at the turn of the 21st century, further contributed to this crossing of boundaries.
As Valerie Steele
puts it:
Goths are an outgrowth of the punk subculture
, while rivetheads developed from the industrial music
subculture
, which came to be in 1977 after Throbbing Gristle
's debut album, The Second Annual Report
, released in November of that year. The goth subculture developed around London
's Batcave
club in summer 1982.. Rivethead culture is highly violent and sometimes totalitarian in its visuals, but not necessarily in practice. Goth culture is generally devoid of any appreciation for violence. The most important difference is the related types of music.
According to musicologist Bret D. Woods in his Master Thesis about industrial music,
- The head of a rivetRivetA rivet is a permanent mechanical fastener. Before being installed a rivet consists of a smooth cylindrical shaft with a head on one end. The end opposite the head is called the buck-tail. On installation the rivet is placed in a punched or pre-drilled hole, and the tail is upset, or bucked A rivet...
- Formerly, since the 1940s, a nickname for American automotive assembly line workers
- A fashion style, as described here
----
A rivethead is a person associated with the industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
scene. Although industrial music emerged in the post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
period, the identifiable stereotype of an industrial fan emerged in the 1990s. The associated dress style is typically militaristic, with hints of protective gear normally worn by assembly line
Assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...
workers.
Origins of the term
Chase, founder of Re-Constriction RecordsRe-Constriction Records
Re-Constriction Records was a division of Cargo Music basd in California. The label was founded in 1991 and headed by Chase, who was previously the Music Director at KCR, a student radio station on the campus of San Diego State University.-History:...
, is responsible for the term's current meaning. In 1993, he released Rivet Head Culture, a compilation including several Industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
acts of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
underground music
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
scene. The same year, Chemlab
Chemlab
Chemlab is a coldwave and industrial rock band formed in Washington D.C., USA, in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More, Joe Frank , and Jared Louche . Influenced by the pioneers of the industrial genre, such as Throbbing Gristle, Chemlab mixed experimental sounds with rock and metal, which they dubbed...
—whose members were close friends of Chase—released their debut album, Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar
Burn Out at the Hydrogen Bar
-Track listing:# "suture" – 0:38# "Codeine, Glue And You" – 4:45# "Suicide Jag" – 4:49# "suture" – 0:10# "Chemical Halo" – 4:50# "Neurozone" – 5:57# "Elephant Man" – 4:09# "suture" – 1:11# "Rivet Head" – 3:51# "Derailer" – 5:04# "suture" – 0:17...
, which had a track called "Rivethead." Chemlab singer Jared Louche said he did not remember where "Rivethead" came from, although he states that this song title was in his mind for years. The term had been used since the 1940s as a nickname for American automotive
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
assembly line
Assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...
workers. The term hit the mainstream with the publication of Ben Hamper
Ben Hamper
Bernard Egan "Ben" Hamper is a Michigan-based writer. He was born in Flint, Michigan from a Catholic family that had many former employees of General Motors amongst its members. Hamper also worked for General Motors in Michigan for several years and wrote for Michael Moore's Flint Voice...
's Rivethead: Tales From the Assembly Line, which is otherwise unrelated to the subculture.
There are several fictional archetypes, such as, Lupus Yonderboy of the Panther Moderns, and, Razorgirl from cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
culture.
Aesthetics
The dress style of rivetheads is inspired by militaryMilitary
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
aesthetics, complemented by modern primitive
Modern primitive
Modern primitives or urban primitives are people in developed nations who engage in body modification rituals and practices while making reference or homage to the rite of passage practices in "primitive cultures" These practices may include body piercing, tattooing, play piercing, flesh hook...
body modification (tattoos, piercings and scarification
Scarification
Scarifying involves scratching, etching, burning, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification.In the process of body scarification, scars are formed by cutting or branding the skin...
) or borrowed visual cues from goths
Goth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
(fetishism
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
, morbid-themed jewelry and imagery, and black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
hair dye), as well as punk fashion
Punk fashion
Punk fashion is the clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, jewelry, and body modifications of the punk subculture. Punk fashion varies widely, ranging from Vivienne Westwood designs to styles modeled on bands like The Exploited. The distinct social dress of other subcultures and art movements, including...
elements such as the fanned Mohawk hairstyle
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
. Some offshoots of the rivethead subculture emphasize post-apocalyptic dress style as popularized by bands such as Combichrist
CombiChrist
Combichrist is a Norwegian Aggrotech band formed in 2003 by Norwegian Andy LaPlegua based in Atlanta.-Formation:The first material LaPlegua wrote was a few powernoise/techno crossover tracks under the moniker DRIVE...
and Psyclon Nine
Psyclon Nine
Psyclon Nine is a musical group formed in 2000 in the San Francisco Bay Area. While their early efforts are generally categorized as aggrotech, their more recent material has incorporated a disparate set of musical and aesthetic influences, notably industrial metal. The group took a hiatus at the...
. This style often takes elements from films such as Escape From New York
Escape from New York
Escape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security...
and Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
.
Males
Below are some of the main characteristics of the rivethead dress style.- Footwear: Combat bootCombat bootCombat boots are military boots designed to be worn by soldiers during actual combat or combat training as opposed to during parades and other ceremonial duties. Modern combat boots are designed to provide a combination of grip, ankle stability, and foot protection suitable to a rugged environment....
s, tanker bootTanker bootTanker boots are military boots closely associated with soldiers who serve on tanks and tracked vehicles in general. It is said the idea was borrowed from the French crewmen encountered during World War I when then-Captain George S. Patton, Jr. established the United States Tank Corps...
s, Jungle boots, knee-high military dress boots, steel-toe bootsSteel-toe bootsA steel-toe boot is a durable boot or shoe that has a protective reinforcement in the toe which protects the foot from falling objects or compression, usually it is combined with a mid sole plate to protect against punctures from below.Although traditionally made of steel, the reinforcement can...
(such as Dr. MartensDr. MartensDr. Martens is a traditional British footwear brand, which also makes a range of accessories – shoe care products, clothing, luggage, etc. In addition to Dr. Martens, they are known as Doctor Martens, Doc Martens, Docs or DMs...
), Transmuters (or other platform boots), Gripfasts or GrindersGrinders (footwear)Grinders is a footwear line established in 1965 in the United Kingdom. Famous for their air cushion sole and leather footwear for both men and women, Grinders have become one of the leading "Street Fashion Footwear" brands from the United Kingdom. Utilising some of the best craftsmen in England,...
.
- Pants: Cargo pantsCargo pantsCargo pants are loosely-cut pants designed for tough, outdoor activities distinguished by multiple cargo pockets.A cargo pocket is a form patch pocket with accordion folds for increased capacity closed with a flap secured by snap, button, or Velcro common on battledress and hunting clothing.Cargo...
or Battle Dress UniformBattle Dress UniformThe Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
(BDU) pants; often but not always black or urban camo, usually tucked into boots, rolled at the bottom cuffs or as cut-off shorts. Also, leather pants and 'bondage pants'.
- Tops: Industrial Band T-shirtT-shirtA T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, black wifebeaters, flight jacketFlight jacketThe flight jacket, or bomber jacket is a garment originally created for pilots, which eventually became part of popular culture and apparel. In the First World War most airplanes did not have an enclosed cockpit, which necessitated a garment that could keep pilots sufficiently warm...
s, leather jacketLeather jacketA leather jacket is a type of clothing—a jacket-length coat—usually worn on top of other apparel, and made from the tanned hide of various animals. The leather material is typically dyed black, or various shades of brown, but a wide range of colors is possible...
s, bulletproof vests and trenchcoats.
- Hair: Cyber dreadsSynthetic dreadsSynthetic dreads, also called dread extensions, dread falls, and cyberlocks, are interlocked coils of synthetic hair, mostly kanekalon, that give the look and feel of natural dreadlocks without the commitment or maintenance...
, shaved bald, partially shaved (undercut), crewcutCrew cutA crew cut is a type of haircut in which the hair on the top of the head is cut relatively short, graduated in length from the longest hair at the front hairline to the shortest at the back of the crown. The hair on the sides and back of the head is usually tapered short, semi-short or medium. A...
, MohawkMohawk hairstyleThe mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
, Bihawk, Trihawk or deadhawk. Sometimes long hair à la 1990s Trent ReznorTrent ReznorMichael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
, occasionally in dreadlocksDreadlocksDreadlocks, also called locks, a ras, dreads, "rasta" or Jata , are matted coils of hair. Dreadlocks are usually intentionally formed; because of the variety of different hair textures, various methods are used to encourage the formation of locks such as backcombing...
à la modern day Al JourgensenAl JourgensenAlain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
.
- Headgear and facegear: Sometimes masks, such as respirators or gasmasks; helmets (usually in band promo shots rather than as streetwear) and welding or flight/military-style goggles
- Additional Accessories: Leather gloves (sometimes fingerless); Wool or cotton fingerless gloves; BDU-style belts; spiked or studded belts; spiked or studded chokers/collars; dog tags; jewelry that incorporates industrial elements such as nails, screws, cogs, gears, computer parts or other hardware.
- Body MODs: piercings, tattoos, medical implants & biosensors (e.g. Dexcom CGM's), etc.
- Makeup: Eyeliner, Face painting and sometimes neck painting is common in some subgenres.
Females
Female Rivets: May dress along with the femme fataleFemme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
look: sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
as power. Common are short skirts, military wear, knee-high stiletto heel
Stiletto heel
A stiletto heel is a long, thin, high heel found on some boots and shoes, usually for women. It is named after the stiletto dagger, the phrase being first recorded in the early 1930s...
boots, vinyl
Vinyl
A vinyl compound is any organic compound that contains a vinyl group ,which are derivatives of ethene, CH2=CH2, with one hydrogen atom replaced with some other group...
, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
or PVC
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic.PVC may also refer to:*Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military honor*Peripheral venous catheter, a small, flexible tube placed into a peripheral vein in order to administer medication or fluids...
bustier
Bustier
A bustier is a form-fitting garment for women, which is traditionally worn as lingerie. Its primary purpose is to push up the bust by tightening against the upper midriff and forcing the breasts up, while gently shaping the waist. Nowadays, it might also be worn as a push-up bra under a low-backed...
s and corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
s, and lip gloss with less makeup than Goths. Often long dyed black (sometimes red or purple for example) hair that is long, short, spiked, shaved bald, partially shaved (undercut), Bettie Page
Bettie Page
Bettie Mae Page was an American model who became famous in the 1950s for her fetish modeling and pin-up photos. She has often been called the "Queen of Pinups"...
bangs, or other. Colorful synthetic pony falls or hair extensions and colorful vinyl are seen, but are more known as Cybergoth
Cybergoth
Cybergoth is a subculture that derives from elements of cyberpunk, goth, raver, and rivethead fashion. Unlike traditional goths, Cybergoths follow electronic dance music more often than rock.-History:...
wear. However, Female Rivethead fashion may be and often is identical to male Rivethead fashion.
Comparison to goth subculture
Rivetheads are different from gothsGoth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
in ideological and musical terms, as well as in their visual aesthetics. Confusion regarding the boundaries of those two youth cultures has heightened because of recent (mid-1990s onwards) hybridization, which has led some people to believe that rivetheads are a goth offshoot, which is untrue. The Canadian novelist Nancy Kilpatrick calls them "Industrial Goths", as does Julia Borden. Borden locates the period of crossover as beginning in the late 1980s and becoming entrenched in the mid-1990s. The rise of Cybergoth
Cybergoth
Cybergoth is a subculture that derives from elements of cyberpunk, goth, raver, and rivethead fashion. Unlike traditional goths, Cybergoths follow electronic dance music more often than rock.-History:...
s, at the turn of the 21st century, further contributed to this crossing of boundaries.
As Valerie Steele
Valerie Steele
Valerie Fahnestock Steele is a fashion historian, curator, and director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York...
puts it:
Goths are an outgrowth of the punk subculture
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
, while rivetheads developed from the industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
, which came to be in 1977 after Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...
's debut album, The Second Annual Report
The Second Annual Report
The Second Annual Report is an album by the industrial music group Throbbing Gristle. A combination of live and studio songs, the album was originally released on 12" vinyl in 1977, and later pressed to CD, with additional tracks, in 1991....
, released in November of that year. The goth subculture developed around London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Batcave
Batcave (club)
The Batcave was a nightclub in London, England at Meard Street, Soho. It is considered to be the birthplace of the English goth subculture. As one of the most famous meeting points for early goths, it lent its name to the term Batcaver, used to describe fans of the original gothic rock music...
club in summer 1982.. Rivethead culture is highly violent and sometimes totalitarian in its visuals, but not necessarily in practice. Goth culture is generally devoid of any appreciation for violence. The most important difference is the related types of music.
According to musicologist Bret D. Woods in his Master Thesis about industrial music,