Suicide is an American
synthpunk musical duo, intermittently active since
1971 and composed of
vocalist Alan Vega and
Martin Rev
on
synthesizers and
drum machines. They are an early
synthesizer/vocal musical duo.
Never widely popular amongst the general public, Suicide are highly
influential: critic Wilson Neate writes that Suicide "would prove
as influential as
The Clash. Listening to
their self-titled 1977 debut from the vantage point of late 2002,
it's all so obvious: the
synthpop,
techno, and
industrial
dance sounds of the '80s and '90s, and now the new New Wave of
electroclash, all gesture back to that
foundational album."
History
Suicide took their name from the title of a
Ghost Rider comic book titled
Satan
Suicide, a favourite
comic book of
Alan Vega. Rev's simple keyboard
riffs
(initially played on a battered
Farfisa
organ before he acquired a
synthesizer) were accompanied by primitive
drum machines, providing the backdrop
for Vega's muttering and nervy vocals.
Suicide
emerged alongside the early punk scene in New York City
with a reputation for their live
shows; Vega stated "We started getting booed as soon as we came
onstage. Just from the way we looked they started giving us
hell already."
[26144] The first album was reissued with bonus
material including "23 Minutes Over Brussels", a recording of a
Suicide concert that deteriorated into a riot. Vega and Rev both
dressed like arty street thugs, and Vega was notorious for
brandishing a length of motorcycle
drive
chain onstage. This sort of audience confrontation was inspired
by Vega's witnessing of a
Stooges
concert in the early '70s, which he later described as "great
art".
Their first album,
Suicide
(1977), is regarded a classic. One critic writes: "'Che', 'Ghost
Rider'—these eerie, sturdy, proto-punk anthems rank among the most
visionary, melodic experiments the rock realm has yet produced. Of
note is the ten-minute "Frankie Teardrop," which tells the story of
a poverty-stricken
Vietnam vet pushed to
the edge: critic Emerson Dameron writes that the song is "one of
the most terrifying, riveting, absurd things I’ve ever
heard."
[26145]
Suicide's albums and performances in the 1970s and early 1980s are
regarded as some of the most influential recordings of their time
and helped shape the direction of
indie
rock,
industrial music and
dance music. Among others,
Panthére,
Gang Gang
Dance,
The Jesus and Mary
Chain,
The Sisters of
Mercy,
She Wants Revenge,
Henry Rollins,
Joy Division/
New
Order,
Soft Cell,
Nick Cave,
Cassandra Complex,
Sigue Sigue Sputnik,
Radiohead,
Spacemen 3,
Spiritualized,
Michael Gira,
Sonic
Boom,
Loop,
The Fleshtones (both of whom have recorded
cover versions of "Rocket USA"),
Ric
Ocasek of
The Cars,
R.E.M. and
The Kills have
all listed Suicide as an influence.
Bruce Springsteen was also influenced by
the band, as evident by the song "State Trooper" from his album
Nebraska. Furthermore,
Springsteen also used a solo keyboard version of "Dream Baby Dream"
to close the concerts on his 2005
Devils & Dust Tour.
In 1986, Alan Vega collaborated with Andrew Eldritch of The Sisters
of Mercy on the 'Gift' album, released under the name of 'The
Sisterhood'. Vega and Rev have both released solo albums, and
Suicide released their first album in over a decade with 2002's
American Supreme. Sales,
however, were slow and critical reception was mixed.
In 2005, SAF Publishing put out
Suicide No Compromise, a
"docu-biography" by David Nobahkt, which featured extensive
interviews with Vega and Rev as well as many of their
contemporaries and famous fans.
In September 2009, the group performed their debut LP live in its
entirety as part of the
All Tomorrow's
Parties-curated
Don't Look Back
series.
In mid-2009, the band
The Horrors
released a cover of the song "Shadazz" as part of a tribute to Alan
Vega and his work. They have performed it mulitple times live,
along with another Suicide song, "Ghost Rider".
Their song "Ghost Rider" was recently featured in a sixth season
episode of HBO's Entourage.
Discography
Both Vega and Rev have recorded many solo albums.
Albums
- Suicide (1977)
(Red Star Records) (Mute/Blast 2002 CD reissue includes extra disc
of 1978 live performances, including the original 23 Minutes
Over Brussels flexidisc)
- 21½ minutes in Berlin/23 minutes in Brussels (1978)
(Red Star Records Frankie 1)
- Suicide (second
album) (1980) (Produced by Ric Ocasek -
reissued as The Second Album - Mute/Blast First CD reissue
includes extra disc of 1975 rehearsal sessions)
- Half Alive (1981)
(collection of live and demo material recorded from 1975-1979 -
originally on ROIR cassette only - liner notes
by Lester Bangs)
- Ghost
Riders (1986) (live concert from 1981 - originally on
cassette only)
- A Way of
Life (1988) (Produced by Ric Ocasek)
- A Way of
Life (reissue, 2005) : Mute/Blast First CD reissue has a
different mix of the song "Surrender", and includes live bonus disc
recorded in 1987
- Y B Blue (1992) (Produced by
Ric Ocasek)
- Why Be Blue (reissue,
different mix, 2005) : Mute/Blast First CD reissue includes live
bonus disc recorded in 1989 and a complete remix by Martin Rev of the original album
- Zero Hour (1997)
(late 70's live recordings)
- 22/1/98 -
Reinventing America (CD E.P) (1998) (Recorded live at The
Barbican - "Inventing America" launch party)
- American Supreme
(2002) (initial CD copies included live bonus disc recorded in
1998);
- Attempted: Live at
Max's Kansas City 1980 (2004) (Soundboard recordings from
a NYC rock club performance. Liner notes by Marty Thau)
- Live 1977-1978 (2008)
(Six CD box set containing thirteen entire Suicide live
performances from September 1977 to August 1978 plus other audio
ephemera of the time);
Notes
- http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/483
- Reynolds, 2006. p.143
References
External links
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