From my experience panels tend to be informative to a degree, but overall very constrained to a formula: The 4 or 5 people on the panel talk for 45 minutes or so then the audience gets to ask some questions then it's over. That was not the case with Gothic Journeys. Almost from the start the audience was included and drawn to comment and share their viewpoints and when the hour was up, it was ever typical for everyone to hang around a keep talking on the various points and issues.

I was ecstatic to have been on a panel on Gothic music with the likes of Rogue from Cruxshadows, Voltaire, and William Faith from Faith and the Muse.

"Music of the Night" Goth music panel; Bruce is second from the right

We got into how some have no regard for the content of their songs or the effect they may have on the listener. We talked about how once the music we create gets out into the world that there is really no control on who or when a person might encounter it. How there is some responsibility musicians carry to stay true to themselves, but also keep the listener in mind. There have been many accounts of people going out and shooting up their schools, or committing suicide after listening to certain songs. No musician can gauge what mindset a listener will be in, but it's never a good idea to simply leave. My point was that its OK to take people into the darkness, to express whatever sinister imagery or even graphic depictions, but to always bring the listener back out of it. To always give them an exit from that place. That falls under being accountable for what we create.

Another area we touched on was the music industry. The fact the club DJs are locked into both playing the same few songs and having to try a gauge what the people want to hear. How it still takes months for people in the club to respond to anything new or different and how hard it is to break in.

At various times during the hour Voltaire would read passages from his newest book which added a thread of humor to the panel.

I have to say its refreshing to participate in a conversation with others about something like this and to contribute to something that's such a passion in my life.