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Suicide (band)

From Alfawiki
Suicide
Company typeDuo
IndustryMusic
Founded1970
FounderAlan Vega, Martin Rev, Paul Liebegott (initially as a trio)
Defunct2016
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Suicide was an American duo consisting of vocalist Alan Vega and instrumentalist Martin Rev, active sporadically between 1970 and 2016. Their groundbreaking minimalist electronic style incorporated synthesizers and early drum machines, while their provocative live performances frequently ended in altercations. They were among the earliest to describe their sound as "punk music" in a 1970 concert flyer during a short-lived phase as a trio including Paul Liebegott.

Although they never achieved mainstream commercial success, Suicide is widely regarded as profoundly influential. Their self-titled debut album Suicide was praised by Entertainment Weekly as "a milestone in electronic music" and credited by AllMusic with establishing the groundwork for post-punk, synth pop, and industrial rock genres.

History

In 1969, Alan Bermowitz became involved with MUSEUM: A Project of Living Artists—a publicly funded, artist-managed 24-hour multimedia space located at 729 Broadway in Manhattan. Initially creating visual works under the name Alan Suicide, Bermowitz shifted from painting to crafting light sculptures often assembled from electronic scrap. He secured a residency at the OK Harris Gallery in SoHo, where his exhibitions continued until 1975. Barbara Gladstone later represented his work into the following decade.

That same year, after witnessing a performance by the Stooges at the New York State Pavilion, Bermowitz decided to focus on music rather than static art forms. In 1970, through connections with the Art Workers' Coalition, he met Martin "Rev" Reverby. The two began experimenting with electronic sounds and formed Suicide, initially including guitarist Paul Liebgott. The band's name drew inspiration from a Ghost Rider comic titled "Satan Suicide", symbolizing their perception of societal decay amid events like the Vietnam War and New York City's urban decline.

Their inaugural performance took place on June 19, 1970, at the Project of Living Artists in lower Manhattan. Soon after, they promoted themselves as "punk music". Following Liebgott's departure in 1971, Suicide continued as a duo, with Vega handling vocals and Rev managing electronics. Emerging alongside New York’s nascent glam punk movement, they performed alongside groups such as the New York Dolls and the Fast, gaining notoriety for confrontational stage shows inspired by Iggy Pop. Early gigs at the Mercer Arts Center featured collaborations with artists like David Johansen. Vega’s stage persona was distinguished by wielding a motorcycle chain and donning an 'arty street thug' look, often eliciting aggressive responses from audiences. After the Mercer Arts Center’s collapse in 1973, they played venues including Max's Kansas City and CBGB (until banned), frequently appearing alongside up-and-coming punk bands. Their debut album was later reissued with additional content such as "23 Minutes in Brussels", capturing a concert that escalated into a riot.

Their first recorded track was "Rocket U.S.A.", featured on the 1976 Max's Kansas City compilation. In 1977, they self-released their debut album, Suicide, through Red Star Records. Early reviews were mixed, including a notably negative assessment from Rolling Stone, but critical acclaim increased over time. Author Nick Hornby highlighted songs like "'Che'" and "'Ghost Rider'" as pioneering proto-punk classics. The ten-minute piece "Frankie Teardrop" is especially notable for its stark depiction of poverty and brutality, underscored by Vega’s intense screams—described by critic Emerson Dameron as "one of the most terrifying, riveting... things I’ve ever heard." Hornby remarked that it is a track one might only endure once.

In 1978, Suicide toured Europe supporting acts such as Elvis Costello and the Clash, performing across the United Kingdom and Western Europe, including solo appearances like at Leeds’ F Club. Following tours with the Cars, Alan Vega was approached by Michael Zilkha of Ze Records, resulting in Suicide signing to that label. They recorded their sophomore album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev, at Power Station studios. Although it received positive critical reviews, it did not achieve commercial success; Vega felt it failed to build on the momentum generated by their debut release.

1980s and beyond

Following the release of their sophomore album, Suicide issued new material intermittently, experiencing varied critical reception and commercial outcomes, which culminated in their final studio album, American Supreme, released in 2002. Both members embarked on solo endeavors: in 1986, Alan Vega teamed up with Andrew Eldritch of the Sisters of Mercy to produce the Gift album under the name The Sisterhood, while in 1996, Vega collaborated with Alex Chilton and Ben Vaughn on the project Cubist Blues. Additionally, both Vega and Rev released individual albums throughout their careers.

In 2008, the label Blast First Petite introduced the Alan Vega 70th Birthday Limited Edition EP Series, a monthly limited-edition vinyl and digital release featuring prominent artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Primal Scream, and Peaches, celebrating Vega's 70th birthday. That same year witnessed the launch of Suicide: 1977–1978, an extensive 6-CD box set compilation.

September 2009 saw Suicide perform their debut album live in its entirety during the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back concert series. They reprised this performance in May 2010 with two London shows, sharing the stage with Iggy and the Stooges who performed Raw Power.

Their last live appearance occurred at London's Barbican Centre on 9 July 2015, under the billing 'A Punk Mass'. The event featured solo performances by both Rev and Vega prior to a full Suicide set. Notable guests included Henry Rollins, Bobby Gillespie, and Jehnny Beth. The concert was met with favorable critical acclaim.

Due to Alan Vega's deteriorating health, Suicide withdrew from scheduled appearances in 2016. Vega passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 16, 2016, at age 78. The announcement was made by musician and radio personality Henry Rollins, who shared an official statement from Vega’s family.

Musical style

Martin Rev’s straightforward keyboard riffs, originally performed on a worn Farfisa organ enhanced with various effects units, were later substituted with a synthesizer. These were paired with rudimentary drum machine patterns to establish a driving, minimalist electronic foundation beneath Alan Vega’s whispered and tense vocal delivery. Suicide was among the first bands to self-identify as punk, adopting the term from a piece by critic Lester Bangs. Early promotional materials featured phrases such as "punk music" and "punk music mass".

Author Alexandre Breton highlighted inspirations including artists like Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Burnette, Lou Reed, and Captain Beefheart. Alan Vega acknowledged influences from groups such as the Velvet Underground, Iggy Pop, ? and the Mysterians, and Silver Apples. Martin Rev’s background included studies under jazz pianist Lennie Tristano and drew creative energy from jazz legends like saxophonist John Coltrane. Their artistry also reflected cinematic influences from directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky (notably El Topo), alongside filmmakers like David Lynch and John Waters.

In a 1978 interview with Melody Maker, the band described their sound as a reflection of a troubled society. Vega expressed concerns regarding issues like overpopulation, diminishing resources, and humanity’s self-destructive tendencies, themes that were echoed in their music.

Legacy

The Guardian observed that Suicide's intense synthesizer-driven rock left a notable mark on artists such as Radiohead, U2, New Order, Depeche Mode, as well as electronic musicians like Daft Punk and Aphex Twin. Additionally, Bruce Springsteen paid homage by covering their track Dream Baby Dream. Music critic Colin Larkin emphasized Suicide's innovative blend of rockabilly and electronic styles as a significant influence on groups including the Birthday Party, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, and Nine Inch Nails. According to critic Toby Creswell, bands like Devo, Ultravox, and Air can be regarded as successors to Suicide’s groundbreaking industrial sound. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone noted that Suicide’s debut album served as inspiration for artists such as the Human League, Bauhaus, and Spacemen 3.

The synth-pop duo Soft Cell attributed their musical style to an effort to create a pop adaptation of Suicide's raw, synth-centric sound. Other musicians who have acknowledged Suicide’s influence include the Sisters of Mercy, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Nick Cave, Steve Albini, Ariel Pink, AFI, and Hot Snakes.

Covers

"Ghost Rider" was recorded by Henry Rollins for his solo debut album Hot Animal Machine and later reinterpreted with the Rollins Band for the soundtrack of The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. In 1994, The Fatima Mansions released a cover of "Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne" as part of their single "Nite Flights". In May 1999, the band ? and the Mysterians included a rendition of "Cheree" on their album More Action.

The distinctive riff from "Ghost Rider" was sampled in the 2010 single "Born Free" by M.I.A.. Martin Rev collaborated with M.I.A. for a live performance of the song on the Late Show with David Letterman.

In 2009, the Horrors issued a cover version of "Shadazz" in honor of Alan Vega and performed it live alongside "Ghost Rider". That same year, both Primal Scream and Miss Kittin recorded "Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne" for a limited edition 10-inch vinyl release, restricted to 3,000 copies.

Garage punk outfit the Gories contributed a cover of "Ghost Rider" to the compilation Cheapo Crypt Sampler No. 2. In April 2011, dance-punk group LCD Soundsystem incorporated a sample from "Ghost Rider" in their track "Losing My Edge" and also performed Alan Vega's "Bye Bye Bayou" during their final concert at Madison Square Garden. British duo The Last Shadow Puppets paid tribute to Alan Vega by covering the same song at New York City's Terminal 5 following his passing in 2016.

In April 2012, singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry recorded a version of "Dream Baby Dream" for her album The Cherry Thing. Two years later, in May 2014, post-punk band Savages released a live cover of this track as the B-side to their single "Fuckers"/"Dream Baby Dream". Other notable interpretations include Bruce Springsteen’s 2016 performance and a rendition by Many Angled Ones & Guy McKnight in August 2018.

Discography

Both members Alan Vega and Martin Rev have pursued solo careers with individual album releases; see their respective discographies at Alan Vega discography and Martin Rev discography.

Studio albums

  • 1977 – Suicide
  • 1980 – Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev
  • 1988 – A Way of Life
    • The 2005 re-release by Blast First/Mute/EMI offers an alternative mix, especially noticeable on "Surrender," alongside a live bonus disc recorded in 1987 and videos for "Dominic Christ" and "Surrender" directed by Stefan Roloff.
  • 1992 – Why Be Blue
    • The 2005 edition includes a live bonus disc from 1989 as well as a full remix by Martin Rev featuring a revised track sequence.
  • 2002 – American Supreme
    • Early CD versions contained a live bonus disc from 1998.

Live albums

  • 1978 – 21½ Minutes in Berlin/23 Minutes in Brussels
  • 1981 – Half Alive (compilation of live and demo tracks from 1975–1979; initially released only on cassette)
  • 1986 – Ghost Riders (live concert recording from 1981; originally cassette-only)
  • 1997 – Zero Hour (live recordings from the late 1970s)
  • 2004 – Attempted: Live at Max's Kansas City 1980 (soundboard tapes from a New York City show; liner notes by Marty Thau)
  • 2008 – Live 1977–1978 (six-CD box set featuring thirteen full live shows plus additional bonus content)

EPs

Singles

Further reading

External links

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