Trendsetter Listens to Goblin Everyday Except Halloween

As October 31st approaches, Anita Thompson steels herself for the misappropriation of synthesized, retro horror movie scores. In an effort to draw attention to the exploitation of Synthwave subculture, Thompson is calling for a Goblin moratorium on Halloween.

“They just don’t understand how offensive it is,” Thompson laments over the seasonal popularity of the Italian progressive rock-synth band Goblin, who she has known about since the age of 13. Thompson believes that most Halloween partygoers discovered Goblin via holiday-themed Pandora stations. Known for their scores to Profondo Rosso and Suspiria, Goblin’s music appeared in many European horror films of the 1970’s. Thompson is worried that listeners will enjoy their music one day a year without investing in the band’s deep catalogue of synthesized music and accompanying filmography.

“They really don’t know about the struggle,” Thompson reveals. “ In 2009, I had to borrow money from my grandparents to travel to Paris for the Goblin reunion tour. That was a really big deal. To see people casually listen to their music on Halloween…it just really devalues our musical subculture.”

In collaboration with attendees of a local Synthwave meet-up, Thompson is making t-shirts, hanging fliers, and organizing a silent protest in the hip neighborhood of Silver Lake on October 31st. At the center of the awareness campaign is a simple slogan: “Goblin is not for you.”

While passing out fliers downtown, a Synthwave fan explains why he supports Thompson, “I’m just really uncomfortable with the fact that so many people are listening to Goblin right now. I mean, it’s super hard to find retro bands that no one has heard of. What if it goes mainstream? That’s a terrifying thought.”

Just days before Halloween, Thompson responds to a flurry of emails, texts, and IM’s. Sitting next to her vast record collection, she fidgets over the outpouring of support. “I’m getting like 12 texts a day about this. Sometimes I worry that it’s too late. If this many people are into Goblin, then maybe Synthwave is already being swallowed by the filthy maw of mass culture. You just never know.”