And it's fucking grossing me out.
There is no such thing as 'indie moshing', no such thing as 'hardcore moshing', no such thing, because only one bloody mosh exists. Just moshing.
Since the stone ages, since the time someone first knew how to bash the drum kit, since the time someone first decided to let oneself go to the sound of music, since before genres split, since before rock split, when rock was just rock, not post-rock, hard rock, classic rock, since before metal was metal, not death metal, heavy metal, trash metal, there has always been just one form of expression for the crowds in a mosh pit.
But now. You look at a gig, especially a hardcore gig, and see... I don't know, some sort of thing which they call "Hardcore moshing". Fuck that. All I see, is a bunch of posers deciding to form a sort of choreographed dance for hardcore listeners to replace moshing with. All I see is a sudden seizure on the shoulder to cause a flailing of a windmill arm, all I see is people acting out moves they see in kungfu films, all I see is a bunch of kids with penis cramps trying to get rid of the pain by swinging their legs in circular motions, all I see is people getting forcefully hurt, all I see is a bunch of kids believing what they do is cool, all I see is a bunch of kids separating the crowd to show off their actions, all I see is a bunch of kids wanting fucking attention.
That is all I see. And moshing is NOT about that.
Let me put it through clearly and simply. Moshing. Is.
Freedom.
Moshing is movement to the music. Moshing is not choreography; you can head to So You Think You Can Dance for that. Moshing is not a dance; you can't learn it, you don't follow people to do it, you don't have moves, you aren't taught moshing.
Moshing is you, you are moshing, you are moving to the music, you are trashing around with the music because you want to vent and you are moving around to the music, because you love the feeling of freedom and you love the feeling of music pumping through your veins.
That is moshing.
Moshing is not getting into the crowd with a group of friends and separating the crowd to create one big circle for you to show your moves in, because moshing isn't about showing off, you can do that in front of Maybank in Bukit Bintang with the shufflers.
Someone told me "Well, people are meant to get hurt in a mosh pit."
Yes, I know that. But what they are doing now, these hardcore moshers, are PURPOSELY kicking people, purposely punching people, purposely trashing people. Moshing isn't just about getting hurt, numbfucks. There used to be atime when real moshing was evident, where someone would get punched in the eye and know it wasn't intentional. Because they got elbowed in the ribs when someone else got in the way, because they too, were feeling the music, because when someone got hurt in a mosh, it wasn't planned. It just happened. There was a time when everyone had a chance to mosh, but now it's not the same, now, if you can't do what they do, if you can't spaz yourself the way they do, then you're not a mosher. What the shit is that?
Hardcore moshers intend to hurt people. They intend to get hurt. That is what fucking pisses me off. Then when they get kicked in the ass, they show some sort of bravery going "Oh I am so cool, I got trashed and I am still okay". DUUDE! Get a fucking life!
Yes, moshing is violent, but it's not intentional violence. You push around, you let your body go, you headbang, you go wild, but in a true mosh, you don't kick, you don't punch, you don't do any sort of shit with the intent to hurt.
Moshing is freedom, moshing is happiness.
Why are people starting to split that too into groups and regulations?
There should never be rules to moshing. Yes, one can argue "So why can't we do what we do?"
Well that's because what you do isn't freedom, what you do is what you observe and learn and is taught to do. What you do isn't following the music, what you do is following a trend.
Hardcore moshing is exactly one of those things that ruin the unity we seek in music scenes.
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With Love,
KL Mosher
