Real Emo Tattoo Manifesto

“Real Emo” only consists of the Emotional Hardcore scene and the late 90’s Screamo scene. What is known by “Midwest Emo” is nothing but Alternative Rock with questionable real emo influence. When people try to argue that bands like My Chemical Romance are not real emo, while saying that Sunny Day Real Estate is, I can’t help not to argue back that they are just as fake as My Chemical Romance (plus the pretentiousness). Real emo sounds ENERGETIC, POWERFUL and somewhat HATEFUL. Fake emo is weak, self pity and a failed attempt to direct energy and emotion into music. Some examples of REAL EMO are Pg 99, Rites of Spring, Cap’n Jazz (the only real emo band from the midwest, among?) and Loma Prieta. Some examples of FAKE EMO are American Football, Chemical Romance and Mineral. EMO BELONGS TO HARDCORE NOT TO INDIE, POP PUNK, ALT ROCK OR ANY OTHER MAINSTREAM GENRE

A person shows their back covered by a large tattoo declaring strict rules about what counts as “real emo.” The tattoo passionately distinguishes emotional hardcore and screamo from Midwest emo, alternative rock, indie, and pop punk, while listing supposedly authentic and fake bands. The joke is the absurdly intense gatekeeping and the permanence of turning an internet music argument into a manifesto tattoo. The image shows a person with their back covered by a large tattoo declaring strict rules about what counts as “real emo.” The tattoo passionately distinguishes emotional hardcore and screamo from Midwest emo, alternative rock, indie, and pop punk, while listing supposedly authentic and fake bands. The joke is the absurdly intense gatekeeping and the permanence of turning an internet music argument into a manifesto tattoo.

• @eternalclassic / 40871 2023-10-26