Youth Subculture in Los Angeles: A Comparison of Hardcore and Rave

Abstract

By investigating two very different subcultures: the hardcore/metal subculture and the house/trance rave subcultures of Los Angeles, I have found that subcultural groups seek to revolt against mainstream society in different ways, and with different agendas. The hardcore scene reflects a desire for individuality, expression, creativity, and uniqueness, but at the same time creates rules, regulations, and conformity through style. Hardcore kids resist by creating an alternate system of ideas by which to live by. The rave scene, on the other hand, reflects a desire for connection, weekend release, and escape from boundaries through weekend events which allow participants to feel that they have traveled to another place. Engaging in a debate between Dick Hebdige, an influential subcultural theorist, who ?reads? subcultural style, and the postmodern theorist Antonio Melechi and who argues that new subcultural styles do not partake in the battle of semiotics, I have found that these two subcultures oppose one another in their values, agendas, and methods. The tradition of interpreting style, beginning with Hebdige, is useful for interpreting the hardcore subculture, but falls short in understanding the rave subculture, a subculture that does not wish to be seen. Link to PowerPoint? presentation