Dark cabaret

During the 1980s, the genre was adopted by groups with origins in post-punk, new wave and gothic rock, including Marc Almond, the Virgin Prunes, Nina Hagen and Sex Gang Children.

During this decade, the neo-burlesque movement began, which allowed acts in the 2000s such as the Dresden Dolls, the World/Inferno Friendship Society, Jill Tracy and Katzenjammer Kabarett to gain mainstream attention.

[2] In his book The Music Sound, academic Nicolae Sfetcu traced the origins of dark cabaret to German musician Nico's 1974 album The End... and its songs "You Forgot to Answer" and "Secret Side".

In the 1980s satirical cabaret had been revived and popularised by London-based bands such as Fascinating Aïda and Kit and The Widow but the Tiger Lillies incorporated themes of blasphemy, prostitution and bestiality in their songs, sung by Martyn Jacques in a menacing style with a falsetto voice.

[12][13] The album included "Flowers" from Dream Home Heartache sung by Rozz Williams together with, among others, "Evil Night Together" by Jill Tracy, "Sometimes, Sunshine" by Revue Noir, and "Coin-Operated Boy" by the Dresden Dolls.

[14] Nevertheless, with their musical style and appearance in white face makeup and reduced period clothing, the Dresden Dolls and their fans quickly became the most readily identified with the newly evident dark cabaret genre, garnering the most mainstream attention.