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Suicide-Suicide 1977


One of the most influential bands of all time was Suicide. However, not many people give them the props that they deserve. Suicide was just two guys from New York City, Martin Rev on organ and Alan Vega on vocals. The key to their sound was a drum machine. Live that percussive rhythm keeper was as potent as an Ak-47! Vega's vocals, a taunting Elvis-like Crooner. Suicide was primal, violent, and sleazy! Vega and Rev caused so much controversy that during the formative punk years,1976 to 1978, there were riots during their concerts. Most Punk rockers just didn't like the lack of guitars and real drums. The average show was 25 minutes of pure 50's psychobilly rage. It was recording in the grimy, and dangerous lofts that scattered the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

This was the New York of pimps, whores, and the other night dwellers that roamed 42nd Street awashed in a glow of neon broken dreams. This is the NYC of the labyrinth of Subway trains splashed with endless visions and scrawls of Graffiti. The New York of legendary clubs like CBGB's and Max's Kansas City. This is not the New York of a sterile Disneyfied Times Square and psychotically over inflated rent prices for Loft condos, and yuppie clothing shops. Andrew Eldtritch of the Sisters of Mercy put it best, "Everybody loved Suicide." Along with Eldritch other artists that were influencd by them include Henry Rollins, Ric Ocasek of The Cars, Dirk Ivens of Absolute Body Control/The KLINIK/Dive, and most famously, Bruce Springsteen who does a cover of "Dream Baby Dream." In LCD Soundsystem's "Losing My Edge," James Murphy sings about being there during the early rehearsals of the notorious band back in 1975.

Their debut record from 1977 is the first album in my series that I refer as 11 through 20 also known as the other top 10. Favorite tracks from this record are "Ghost Rider," "Rocket USA," "Cheree," and album's most vicious track, "Frankie Teardrop."

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