Blondie, Thurston Moore, Jim Jarmusch, and more pay tribute to Suicide's Alan Vega
Saturday, Alan Vega, one half of legendary punk and electronic duo Suicide, died at 78. His influence extended wide with many eclectic acts paying their respects through covers and tributes, like ones from Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, MGMT, and former Majical Cloudz singer Devon Welsh.
There have been lots more, including some of Vega’s contemporaries. Blondie posted the above picture on Facebook of singer Debbie Harry eating in a diner with Vega and other Suicide member Martin Rev. Then there’s Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz who retweeted an old CBGB flyer featuring Suicide (and Ramones and The Cramps…what a week!):
When the town was down, #DreamBabyDream edition: CBGB ad for 4/77 Suicide/China gig (China later became Mars): pic.twitter.com/Be9w3oijSE
— Ut (@UtMusicNow) July 17, 2016
There’s also filmmaker musician Jim Jarmusch:
RIP Alan Vega – a truly inspiring artist & one of the greatest & coolest rock n roll innovators ever. Thank you for all you've given us.
— Jim Jarmusch (@JimJarmusch) July 17, 2016
The New York Times’ Jon Pareles wrote a great tribute/obit which talks about just how dangerous a proposition it was going to see Suicide in the ’70s:
“We almost got killed. I love that reaction,” Mr. Vega once reminisced about Suicide’s debut at the Boston nightclub the Rat. “I’d say one half wanted to kill us and one half loved us.”
A notorious 23-minute show recorded in Brussels in 1978 turned into a riot; Suicide released a recording of it. Suicide’s music would later be more widely tolerated, recognized as a precursor of electronic dance music and industrial rock.
He was one of a kind. A few more tributes and goodbyes:
Alan Vega forever
— Thurston Moore (@nowjazznow) July 17, 2016
Our 2006 #SUICIDE cover- DIAMONDS FUR COAT CHAMPAGNE put through a Vibes.Bass.12 string combo For #AlanVega https://t.co/k3XdvxnIOR
— dave graney (@davegraney) July 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/ZOLAJESUS/status/754508869808885760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Alan Vega a true artist! Thank you for all your beauty & wonder X #Suicide #electronicmusic
— Goldfrapp (@goldfrapp) July 17, 2016
Just remembering how Alan Vega would sing his Je T’adore (spelling?) to me & Perri Lister when we attended his solo gigs early 80’s…RIP
— Billy Idol (@BillyIdol) July 17, 2016
RIP #AlanVega
You were beyond us.
A future beyond any https://t.co/k95RmspYoR pic.twitter.com/2WznMWSP5R— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) July 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/therealelp/status/754573351289556992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
https://twitter.com/jetfury/status/754585122914103296
a short film about #AlanVega of Suicide https://t.co/zDkxXR0Z4t
— Tommie Sunshine ✊ (@tommiesunshine) July 17, 2016