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venta(It's just dawned on me that I rarely click on cuts when it's not obvious what's behind them. So why should you ? So, behind the below is a request for your thoughts on moshing.)
I've been vaguely pondering for a while about the dynamics of a mosh pit. On the dancefloor is a bunch of people piling around, looking pretty much indistinguishable from a fight, but as soon as someone falls over, people stop to pick them up. Two people might be thumping each other one minute, then singing along arms-round-shoulders then next. What's going on there, then ?
And yes, I do it too. I will happily hurl myself onto the dancefloor for Holiday in Cambodia, despite the fact that a bunch of bruises or someone's elbow in your nose is a fairly likely outcome. Why is this fun ? How many people take the entirely sensible view that no, that hurts, and they're staying a long way away from it ?
However, the reason for suddenly writing about this is that the mother (who's a columnist) (of the journalistic rather than fifth kind) is pondering writing about such things. So, as her part-time research worker, I have been requested to gather opinions.
So, what do you understand by the word "moshing"? My Dad tells me that all the cool kids in Darlington refer to the habit of barging into one another as, er, "barging". And I've known a lot of people use "mosh" to describe the keep-your-feet-still flick-hair-forwards-and-backwards I'm-listening-to-Metallica dance. (So have I just got it completely wrong ?) Would you use the word "mosh" ? What would you mean by it ? What other words might you use to describe dancing styles ?
Does anyone have any idea where the word "mosh" comes from ? And why the word pit ?
"For God's sake, someone teach the Oxgoths to pit!"
- Hatchet, c. 1999
I've been vaguely pondering for a while about the dynamics of a mosh pit. On the dancefloor is a bunch of people piling around, looking pretty much indistinguishable from a fight, but as soon as someone falls over, people stop to pick them up. Two people might be thumping each other one minute, then singing along arms-round-shoulders then next. What's going on there, then ?
And yes, I do it too. I will happily hurl myself onto the dancefloor for Holiday in Cambodia, despite the fact that a bunch of bruises or someone's elbow in your nose is a fairly likely outcome. Why is this fun ? How many people take the entirely sensible view that no, that hurts, and they're staying a long way away from it ?
However, the reason for suddenly writing about this is that the mother (who's a columnist) (of the journalistic rather than fifth kind) is pondering writing about such things. So, as her part-time research worker, I have been requested to gather opinions.
So, what do you understand by the word "moshing"? My Dad tells me that all the cool kids in Darlington refer to the habit of barging into one another as, er, "barging". And I've known a lot of people use "mosh" to describe the keep-your-feet-still flick-hair-forwards-and-backwards I'm-listening-to-Metallica dance. (So have I just got it completely wrong ?) Would you use the word "mosh" ? What would you mean by it ? What other words might you use to describe dancing styles ?
Does anyone have any idea where the word "mosh" comes from ? And why the word pit ?
"For God's sake, someone teach the Oxgoths to pit!"
- Hatchet, c. 1999
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Mosh-mosh
Date: 2004-03-11 01:34 pm (UTC)Until that time I'd lived a horribly sheltered life, so the term may very well have been in wide use, but outside of my peer group.
At some point in the mid '90s I heard people use the term "Moshing" and "Mosh pit" more often than "Slam Dancing".
Being 1) new to the club scene and 2) 130 kilos; my "role" in the local mosh culture was essentially that of a retaining wall. If an over-exuberant mosher tried to bounce out of the field, I tossed 'em back into play.
Later on I began experimenting with mosh dynamics. Specifically, pushing closer and closer into the swirling pit, but staying still and stable. Once there I would track the size and movement of the lagrange points I had created, populated by small, frightened, or resting bodies.
the saddest thing I ever saw was at the October, 1996 Gainesville Music Harvest, watching a pack of addicted slammers attempting to mosh to "They Might Be Giants"
Mosh + "Birdhouse in your soul" :== SURREAL!!!!!