Tragically, there's now only half of Suicide left alive!? So, appropriately, here's the classic live/studio retrospective ROIR cassette, "Half Alive" from 1981 to remind us of of the empirical genius of the world's second synth duo (after the Silver Apples of course!).
The first 'pop' singer I ever saw in the flesh was Alan Vega, briefly anyway, before Suicide were forced off the stage by a barrage of various missiles hurled by the so-called punk fans who'd come to 'rock-out' to the Clash. Suicide were at least a decade and a half ahead of of everyone else. This brief exposure to a darker kind of music,forbidden even by my peers, was the start of my rocky road into the deeper tunnels of the pop world. A group/duo that was so roundly hated was fascinating for me. There are few acts that have drawn complaints from both my parents and my own generation than Vega and Rev;up there alongside Whitehouse for sheer confrontation and visceral out-thereness.
The first 'pop' singer I ever saw in the flesh was Alan Vega, briefly anyway, before Suicide were forced off the stage by a barrage of various missiles hurled by the so-called punk fans who'd come to 'rock-out' to the Clash. Suicide were at least a decade and a half ahead of of everyone else. This brief exposure to a darker kind of music,forbidden even by my peers, was the start of my rocky road into the deeper tunnels of the pop world. A group/duo that was so roundly hated was fascinating for me. There are few acts that have drawn complaints from both my parents and my own generation than Vega and Rev;up there alongside Whitehouse for sheer confrontation and visceral out-thereness.
The Lester bangs notes to this cassette sum it all up very nicely, so i'll respectfully shut the fuck up.
RIP ALAN VEGA/SUICIDE......and thank you.
Tracklist:
A1 Harlem II 3:57
A2 Goin' To Las Vegas 4:56
A3 Love You 2:45
A4 Cool As Ice 3:17
A5 All Night Long 4:06
B1 Sister Ray Says 4:25
B2 Johnny Dance 3:01
B3 Space Blue 1:44
B4 Long Talk 1:26
B5 Speed Queen 2:26
B6 Chezazze 3:24
B7 Dreams 2:11
BONUS TRACKS FROM THE CD VERSION:
13 All Night Long
14 Sweetheart
15 Scream and Shout
DOWNLOAD in memory of Alan Vega HERE!
15 comments:
thank you so much for this
Much obliged Jonny :)
Oh thank you!
Ta for this, I've owned the tape for years but have never heard those CD extras.
I'd also never noticed that Lester Bangs wrote the sleeve notes! It's been a while since I pulled my copy off the shelf tbh... must pay closer attention in future!
When BOTH your parents and friends hate something you're listening too, you've obviously stumbled onto genius. Thanks for posting this obstacle in my path. I've heard OF Suicide more that their music. This'll change that.
nice one jonny,I bought this when it came out as i couldn't get hold of the first album,things were so much simpler back then,caint get hold of the vinyl? here's a cassette then n it's better than forkin out fer the bronze reissue!
Merci Monsieur,
i luckily inherited the actual album from a dead cousin so no problem there(except for him i suppose?).Oh the happy times spent singing Frankie Teardrop in the pub......ah,memoriiiiiieeeessss(as in the song).
In fact i still owe you a pint doon't I?....in the east mids in mid-august if you want me to settle my debt?
cordialement
JZ
Thank yoooo
Hey,thanks mate!
I was about to play my cassette version after not listening to it for gawd knows how many years and thought I'd look for a digital copy before I risked chewing it up like the Pogues cassette I tried a little while ago.......ugh
Always keep the tape tight on the spools and clean the pinchers I always say. As far as the Pogues go, do the opposite,which you did,so top marx.
Thanks for the advice Jonny,I'll do that.
....By the way,I'd forgotten how shitfull cassettes sound,even through decent audio gear,I don't really understand the recent popularity of them.
Vinyl and Minidiscs,sure,but cassettes??
:)
Cheers
Dave
....and re The Pogues,I needed a "crash test dummy" to try out the old tape player so "fiddle dee dee,potato, potato" ! No regrets there.
Haha
DM
Eight years later and I just randomly feel the urge to babble a bit here (having randomly come across this post today) about how this is maybe the most essential release from the catalog. Not that one shouldn't have everything else as well, but - this entire thing just has the "it"-ness of them oozing through every second of it. And also, if I were to re-do it as a CD, I would lose those three and add instead the truly awesome and menacing 10 minute live version of "Rocket USA" from the 1976 Max's album (and various other comps since.)
I feel better having gotten that off my chest. Thank you for being a wonderful audience.
Hmmm, live at Max's....one must seek this out.
Everything else on there is sorta that more power-poppy side of the mid-70 NYC contingent. But it exists in several different iterations - just make sure you find that full 10 min Rocket USA as opposed to the three minute edit though. There's also a CD it's on called like Punk Of The 80s or some stupid shit like that. I'm sure it's searchable and findable on DIscogs and YT. Think it might have been on Jungle.
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