[dropcap]Sadly[/dropcap], Alan Vega, founder and vocalist of legendary proto-punk and electronic music duo Suicide has passed away at the age of 78.
Alan Vega was born Boruch Alan Bermowitz on June 23, 1938, and was extremely influential in a many genres of music, notably electronic music (especially Industrial Music) through his band Suicide along with his musical partner in crime Martin Rev. Suicide took its name from the title of a Ghost Rider comic book titled Satan Suicide, a favorite of Alan Vegas. The song Ghost Rider is one of Suicide’s most famous tracks, along with the 1979 single Dream Baby Dream, and Frankie Teardrop.
Watch above Suicide, filmed by Greg Fasolino, performing on September 27, 1986 at CBGB, New York, NY.
1. Dance
2. Devastation
3. Cheree
4. Love So Lovely
5. Rocket USA
Below is the Vega-family-approved statement posted moments ago by Henry Rollins:
July 17 1618 Hrs. PST
With profound sadness and a stillness that only news like this can bring, we regret to inform you that the great artist and creative force, Alan Vega has passed away.
Alan passed peacefully in his sleep last night, July 16. He was 78 years of age.
Alan was not only relentlessly creative, writing music and painting until the end, he was also startlingly unique. Along with Martin Rev, in the early 1970’s, they formed the two person avant band known as Suicide. Almost immediately, their incredible and unclassifiable music went against every possible grain. Their confrontational live performances, light-years before Punk Rock, are the stuff of legend. Their first, self-titled album is one of the single most challenging and noteworthy achievements in American music.
Alan Vega was the quintessential artist on every imaginable level. His entire life was devoted to outputting what his vision commanded of him.
One of the greatest aspects of Alan Vega was his unflinching adherence to the demands of his art. He only did what he wanted. Simply put, he lived to create. After decades of constant output, the world seemed to catch up with Alan and he was acknowledged as the groundbreaking creative individual he had been from the very start.
Alan’s life is a lesson of what it is to truly live for art. The work, the incredible amount of time required, the courage to keep seeing it and the strength to bring it forth—this was Alan Vega.
Alan is survived by his amazing family, wife Liz and son Dante. His incredible body of work, spanning five decades, will be with us forever.
