A Rivethead, a person associated with the Electro-Industrial music culture. This style is also strongly evident in Aggrotech and Power Noise subcultures. With the culture, but not limited to they are often associated with a dress style; inspired by military aesthetics, factory worker attire, and old school punk(Mohawks and spikes) with Modern Primitive body-modification (tattoos, piercings and scarification). It is sometimes associated with Cyber Gothic culture, androgyny, and fetishism as the abundant reuse and re-appropriation of PVC and bondage gear is also a hallmark of this lifestyle.
Steps
- You may want to check around new and used stores for;
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Tops: Military inspired jackets and shirts, Wife beaters, Industrial/Noize/EBM Band T-shirts, flight jackets, leather jackets ("old school"), Nihilist themed shirts. Bulletproof Vests, Trenchcoats, and Body Armor (motorcycle) are also frequently seen.
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Pants: cargo pants/ BDUs- tucked into boots sometimes, rolled at the bottom cuffs, or as cut-off shorts. Also, leather pants(see old school Skinny Puppy)
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Boots: combat boots, Tanker boots, knee-high military dress boots, steel-toed boots ( Dr. Martens, Gripfasts or Grinders, over 8 holes), which are usually the centerpiece of the rivethead wardrobe. They are alternatively called "shit stomping boots", "stompy boots" or "shit-kicking boots"
- Accessories; such as goggles, computer hardware, military gear, gloves, pvc, vinyl, leather
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Hair: Shaved bald (minimalist), partially shaved with long hair or short with longer sides(undercut),Long and black or natural non dyed colors, or in a few cases, dreadlocked and cyber falls with bright colors.
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Female Rivets: The Femme Fatale look that demonstrates sexuality as power. Often seen are Short skirts, BDUs, knee high stiletto boots, vinyl / leather / PVC bustiers and corsets, and lip gloss with less makeup than Goths. Colorful synthetic pony falls / hair extensions and colorful vinyl are seen but are more known as "CyberGoth" wear.
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It also helps to know some of the older industrial bands,like throbbing gristle and SPK.
Tips
- Make your own attire, shop at hardware stores and military surplus for material.
- The "Elitist Attitude" never hurt! (somewhat including sarcasm) More elite and obscure the style the better.
- Military, factory worker, fetish, cyber(punk), minimalist, black, minimalist Gothic and old school Punk are key styles to look for.
- View images of Industrial band icons, such as Banan/Felix of Feindflug, Jens Kästel of Funker Vogt, Raoul Rotation of Noisex, Patrick Stevens of Hypnoskull, Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM and Bill Leeb of Front Line Assembly. Different bands portray different images, from militaristic, to punk, to organic Rivet style. Mix and match or choose a favorite.
- Red/Black Tripp Shorts with a pair of destroyed black leather boots is also ideal.
- Originality counts, such as obscure band shirts, or no band shirts at all, not owning and wearing the same Wumpscut shirt everyone else has. Pink PVC would be considered aspirational
- Some Rivetheads see piercings and tattoos as elite, others do not, for what ever you may choose, more piercings (specifically facial) the better = more elite.
Warnings
- Rivethead is not a cybergoth or a raver, don't use so much colours!
- Being elite over well known Industrial acts with acting like you're the only one who knows them, such as KMFDM and Ministry, this will just get you laughed at. Look into the Noise, PowerNoise, and EBM styles of music.
- Hot Topic Sold Tripp Pants, as everyone has those... boring, be original, adding your own metal to pants.
- Military doesn't necessarily mean you have to look like a Nazi, and if you choose to take caution, as it's offensive.
- Watch out for more commonly know Industrial shirts such as Nine Inch Nails and as well as bands that are not quite Industrial, such as StaticX.
Things You'll Need
- clothes
- black leather boots
- a shit ton of spikes and screws.
- a piercing (if though some rivetheads don't have piercings)
- CDS of Industrial Music (early Ministry and it's many side projects are the ideal choice for a beginning rivethead).
- a love for most things industrial or war related