Word Whores started out as an email thread among compatriots whose literary fixations are such that they roll around in words, much as a hog does in slop. This issue's email thread was begun by Terrance Graven, contributed to by many, and later moderated and compiled by Mssr. Joseph Pred who, in times past has brought you such gems as the "Goth Darc FAQ."

You should at least be conceptually familiar with the famed and mythical hanky code donned by viral fags (male & female) around the world. A purple hanky tied around the ankle means one thing, while a black tied around the upper arm another. WELL. Suffering is Hip (via Mssr. Pred) takes you down an entirely new primrose path; i.e. The Goth Hanky Code. Why wave your flag, when you can tie it around you pvc'ed calve, or stuff it in the back pocket of your black chiffon harem pants? Without further ado ... here it is, at long last ... surely it's what you've been waiting for ...

Black Patent Leather

Type: Fetish Goth

Drug of Choice: Speed

Music of Choice: Lords of Acid, Mission

Cheese Cloth, Tulle or Chiffon

Type: Wispy Fairy Goth

Drug of Choice: Glitter, Shrooms, Girlie Drinks

Music of Choice: Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Kate Bush or any female leads with breathy, ethereal voices.

Fishnet

Type: Drag Goth

Drug of Choice: amyl nitrate, whippets, poppers

Music of Choice: One song only, "Is that all there is," by Peggy Lee.

Black Cloth with Smiley Face

Type: Perky/Raver Goth

Drug of Choice: X, Shrooms 'n Acid

Music of Choice: The Orb and post 1990 Cure

Black Leather with silver spikes and silver upholstery nubbins for lining

Type: Punk Goth

Drug of Choice: Heroin

Music of Choice: Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, etc. (there will inevitably be a retro tendency within the "punk goth" genre)

Dark Green Cloth

Type: Necro Nerd

Drug of Choice: Caffeine, Speed

Music of Choice: Oingo Boingo, 80's New Wave

Perfumed Ruffled Lace

Type: 18th Century Goth

Drug of Choice: Laudanum, Mercury

Music of Choice: Baroque & Romantic (Chopin's Nocturnes & Mozart's Requiem)

Black Velvet

Type: Romanti-Goth

Drug of Choice: AHHHT, sweetie

Music of Choice: Death in June, Miranda Sex Garden, Rasputina

Chain Mail

Type: Medieval Goth

Drug of Choice: Hippocras, Meade, Blood of Foes

Music of Choice: Gregorian Chants, Ministry, Enigma

Red Crushed Velvet

Type: Vampire "Swooping" Goth

Drug of Choice: Heroin, Eyeliner shot intraveneously

Music of Choice: Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, The Hunger soundtrack, Fields of the Nephilim

Wine Stained Linen

Type: Tragic Poet Goth

Drug of Choice: Opium & Laudanum, Absinthe

Music of Choice: Lydia Lunch & Nick Cave

Jet Lamé

Type: Dramagoth

Drug of Choice: Cheap Chablis and Monologues

Music of Choice: Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, Diamanda Galas

Tattered Black Funeral Satin

Type: Necro Goth

Drug of Choice: Embalming fluid, Valium, Seconal, & Morphine

Music of Choice: Mozart's Requiem, Bauhaus

Dark Wine colored Brocade with Teardrop Stains

Type: "Scene Quean" Goth

Drug of Choice: Whatever is "on the house."

Music of Choice: Only when she knows the band members personally or classical music she remembers from when she was royalty in a past life.

Plain Black Leather

Type: Bondage Goth

Drug of Choice: Pain is the only drug

Music of Choice: The sound of flesh being whipped and the cry of the tortured.

Whatever damn color they want EXCEPT Black

Type: Goth Darc

Drug of Choice: Snakebites, mulled wine, SOMA and anything pink & girlie

Music of Choice: King Missile & the Ultra-Lounge series