Label: Blast First – Bffp133CD, 5016027611339
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered + CD, Bonus Disc
Country: UK & Europe
Released: 1998
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synthpop, Experimental

Tracklist

1-1 Ghost Rider 2:34
1-2 Rocket USA 4:16
1-3 Cheree 3:42
1-4 Johnny 2:10
1-5 Girl 4:05
1-6 Frankie Teardrop 10:26
1-7 Che 4:52
1-8 Cheree (Remix) 3:47
1-9 I Remember 3:11
1-10 Keep Your Dreams 4:48

Live At CBGB'S 1977

2-1 Mr Ray 6:29
2-2 Las Vegas Man 4:23
2-3 96 Tears 3:48
2-4 Keep Your Dreams 3:19
2-5 I Remember 5:11
2-6 Harlem 4:05
-
2-7 23 Minutes Over Brussels - Recorded By [Live Recording On Cassette Recorder] – Howard Thompson 22:56

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Vital
Distributed By – Disc
Pressed By – EMI Uden
Recorded At – Ultima Studios
Remastered At – Aligned Audio
Recorded At – CBGB
Recorded At – Ancienne Belgique
Published By – Revega Music
Published By – Stanphyl Music Companies

Credits
Arranged By [All Arrangements] – Suicide
Artwork [Art Effects], Design [Design Effects] – Rogério Franco
Cover, Illustration – Alan Vega, Timothy Jackson
Directed By [Red Star Music Director], Art Direction [Red Star Art Director] – Robert Soares
Electronics – Martin Rev
Engineer – Larry Alexander (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Engineer [Remaster] – Art Blavis (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10), Perkin Barnes (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6)
Liner Notes – Roy Trakin
Liner Notes [Text Transcription & Edit] – Christine B. Soares, Roy Trakin
Photography By – Michael Robinson
Photography By [Booklet] – Stephanie Chernikowski
Producer – Craig Leon (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10), Marty Thau (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10)
Recorded By [Live Recording On Cassette Recorder] – Marty Thau (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6)
Songwriter [All Songs Written By] – Vega, Rev
Voice – Alan Vega

Notes
Catalog numbers:
Bffp133CD on spine and back cover
5016027611339 on spine

Disc I
Recorded at Ultima Studios, Blauvelt, NY, 1977.
Digitally remastered at Aligned Audio, NYC, 1996.

Disc II
"Live At CBGB'S 1977" recorded at CBGB's New York, U.S.A., May 25, 1978.
Digitally remastered at 6/8 Studios, NYC, 1996.
Track 2-3 is actually a Vega/Rev original entitled 'Four Horsemen', not the ? & The Mysterians cover as listed on the tray card.
"23 Minutes Over Brussels" recorded at Ancienne Belgique Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 1978.

All songs ASCAP.
Published by Revega/Stanphyl Music Companies.

Dedicated to Mari.

CD1: All tracks originally released Red Star 1978.
CD2: "23 Minutes Over Brussels" originally released Bronze Records 1978. All other tracks originally unreleased.

Distributed by Vital/DISC.

On back cover: Made in Great Britain.
On discs: Made in EU.

"Suicide is the debut album from the American rock band Suicide. It was released in 1977 on Red Star Records and produced by Craig Leon and Marty Thau. The album was recorded in four days at Ultima Sound Studios in New York and featured Martin Rev's minimalist electronics and harsh, repetitive rhythms paired with Alan Vega's rock and roll-inspired vocals and depictions of urban life.

Suicide was released in December 1977. It was greeted with positive reviews from the British press, but with a mixed reception in the United States, where it also failed to chart. In the underground scene, however, the album was instantly regarded as a milestone in rock music. Later, online music site Pitchfork referred to it as one of the greatest albums of the 1970s and Rolling Stone placed it on their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album is listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album also influenced artists in various genres including Bruce Springsteen, The Fleshtones, Spacemen 3, and Peaches.

Production

Suicide was the first group to sign to Marty Thau's Red Star record label. Thau had previously worked at Paramount Records and Buddah Records and had sold his assets to Richard Gottehrer to create Red Star Records. After hearing a demo tape from Suicide, he asked if he could see Suicide perform live which led to them being signed to Red Star. Red Star hired Craig Leon to co-produce the record.

Suicide entered the studio with much of their songs already written and rehearsed from having spent the previous five years playing shows. The recording of the album was done in four days. Leon had previously worked with reggae musicians Bob Marley and Lee Scratch Perry and seen them create dub like effects with their music and used an Eventide digital delay unit to create these echo effects on the albums vocal tracks. Leon returned to California after four days of work which led to Marty Thau to work on the rest of the production. Alan Vega changed the lyrics of "Frankie Teardrop" during the mixing sessions of the album. Thau remixed the tracks "Ghost Rider", "Rocket USA" and "Cheree". Leon returned to New York where the two remixed "Frankie Teardrop". The album was mastered at Frankford/Wayne in New York.

Style

The vocals on the album provided by Alan Vega have been described as similar to Gene Vincent. Vega has stated that "originally I was a rock'n'roll kid; I was born into the rock'n'roll era of 45s in the late fifties" and that "Elvis Presley to me is like God, and Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, they're my triumvirate." "Johnny" was described by the online music database Allmusic as a showcase for the band's "affinity for '50s melodies and images, as well as their pop leanings." All the songs on Suicide have a "stripped down" sound with Martin Rev providing a backing combining "harshly hypnotic organs" and "dense, unnerving electronics".

Martin Rev described the songs "Frankie Teardrop", "Johnny" and "Cheree" as being about street people. "Frankie Teardrop" was influenced by a story Alan Vega read in a newspaper about a factory worker who loses his job and resorts to murdering his wife and child before committing suicide. The lyrics of the song were improvised by Vega, who attempted to get into the mindset of both the factory worker and his family. "Cheree" was about a girlfriend of Martin Rev.

Release

Suicide was released in December 1977. Howard Thompson of Bronze Records in the United Kingdom received a copy of the album from the United States. After listening to it he went to New York to see the group perform live and negotiate a deal to license their music for Bronze. The album failed to chart in both the United States and the United Kingdom. A single for the song "Cheree" was released in May 1978 on both 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl formats. The single featured a remixed version of "Cheree" with the B-Side "I Remember". John Lydon of the Sex Pistols reviewed the single for the NME, referring to it as "Je t'aime with tape hiss".

The album was re-issued by Red Star Records in 1980. The album has been re-released on other labels including Mute Records in 1998 and Blast First Records on compact disc and digital download formats with varying bonus tracks.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores

Source Rating
AllMusic 4.5/5 stars
Christgau's Record Guide C+
Encyclopedia of Popular Music 4/5 stars
Punknews.org 5/5 stars
Select (4/5)
Spin 10/10
Spin Alternative Record Guide 9/10

Music journalist Tony Fletcher stated that the album "struggled for immediate attention" due to it being an independent release. From contemporary reviews, the album received positive reviews from the NME, Time Out and Melody Maker in the United Kingdom. Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a C+ rating, stating "there are little problems like lyrics that reduce serious politics to rhetoric, singing that makes rhetoric sound lurid, and the way the manic eccentricity of this duo's live performance turns to silliness on record" Rolling Stone also gave the album a negative review, referring to the album as "absolutely puerile" and Alan Vega's vocals as "nothing but arrogance and wholesale insensibility".

Rolling Stone magazine placed Suicide on their list of the best 500 albums of all time at 441. Online music magazine Pitchfork Media placed the album at number 39 on their list of best albums of the 1970s. Online music database AllMusic gave the album four and a half stars out of five, opining that the album was "Proof that punk was more about attitude than a raw, guitar-driven sound, Suicide's self-titled debut set the duo apart from the rest of the style's self-proclaimed outsiders." Spin gave the album a ten out of ten rating, describing the album as "beyond classic" and that "no one has every come close to replicating its monolithic vibe."

Aftermath and influence

The album was influential in the development of many musical genres, including post-punk, synthpop and industrial rock. Tony Fletcher wrote in All Hopped Up and Ready to Go: Music from the Streets of New York 1927–77 stated would "in its own way", become as influential as other acclaimed punk albums such as Horses, Ramones and Marquee Moon.

Songs from the album have been featured in various forms of media since the album's initial release. Director Werner Fassbinder contacted Red Star to get the rights for the song "Frankie Teardrop" for his film In a Year of 13 Moons. The song is featured during a party scene. "Cheree" was used by director Edo Bertoglio for his film Downtown 81, a film shot in the early 1980s but not completed until 1999.

Several music artists and groups have covered songs from Suicide. The American group The Fleshtones recorded a cover of "Rocket U.S.A." for their debut album Blast Off!. The album was produced by Marty Thau and when Alan Vega visited him when he was recording the album at Blank Studios, he was invited to sing while the group performed the song. Bruce Springsteen stated that his song "State Trooper" from the album Nebraska was heavily influenced by "Frankie Teardrop". In 2008, a series of EPs were released in tribute to Suicide by various recording artists to celebrate Alan Vega's 70th birthday. Songs from the album that were part of the series included "Johnny" covered by Peaches, "Frankie Teardrop" covered by Lydia Lunch, "Che" by Sunn O))) and Pan Sonic, and "Rocket U.S.A." covered by Nik Void" - en.wikipedia.org





  Available to users only

Label: Blast First – BFFP162CD, Mute – 5016027611629
Format: CD, Album, Reissue + CD, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 1999
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electro, Minimal

Tracklist

The Second Suicide Album

1-1 Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne 3:21
1-2 Mr. Ray 5:14
1-3 Sweetheart 3:38
1-4 Fast Money Music 3:08
1-5 Harlem 6:38
1-6 Touch Me 4:24
1-7 Be Bop Kid 2:13
1-8 Las Vegas Man 4:10
1-9 Shadazz 4:25
1-10 Dance 3:23
1-11 Super Subway Comedian 4:59
1-12 Dream Baby Dream 6:24
1-13 Radiation 3:08

The First Rehearsal Tapes

2-1 Speedqueen 1:24
2-2 Creature Feature 3:37
2-3 Tough Guy 2:50
2-4 A-Man 2:53
2.5 Sneakin' Around 2:44
2-6 Too Fine For You 2:06
2-7 See You Around 4:22
2-8 Be My Dream 4:13
2-9 Space Blue Bambo 3:27
2-10 Spaceship 2:42
2-11 Into My Eyes 5:15
2-12 C'Mon Babe 3:15
2-13 New City 2:41
2-14 Do It Nice 5:24

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Vital
Published By – Revega Music
Recorded At – Power Station
Recorded At – Right Track Recording
Recorded At – Museum For Living Artists, New York City

Credits
Composed By – Alan Vega, Martin Rev
Electronics – Martin Rev
Layout – Slim Smith
Liner Notes, Interviewee – Suicide
Liner Notes, Interviewer – Bob Bert
Photography By [Back Cover Photos] – Marcia Resnick
Photography By [Cover Photo] – Mel Austin
Producer – Ric Ocasek (tracks: 1-1 to 1-13)
Recorded By – Suicide (tracks: 2-1 to 2-14)
Vocals – Alan Vega

Notes
Disc 1
1-11 recorded at Power Station Studios, New York City 1979
1-10 originally released by Michael Zhilka on ZE/Island Records 1980
11 previously unreleased
12-13 recorded at Right Track Studios, New York City 1979

Disc 2
Recorded at Museum for Living Artists, New York City 1975

All tracks published by Revega Music Co. ASCAP HF

Tracks 1-5 and 1-6 are swapped in the tracklist printed on rear and CD1 disc face.

Released in slim double jewel case with 8 page booklet featuring an interview with Suicide.





front cover for
Suicide: Alan Vega · Martin Rev ‎(LP, Album) ZE Records, Island Records ILPS 7007 UK 1980


"Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev is the second studio album by the American band Suicide. The album was produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars for Ze Records in 1980. Recorded in January 1980, Ocasek gave keyboardist Martin Rev new equipment to perform on while Alan Vega distanced himself from the album musically to concentrate on the vocals. Michael Zilkha of Ze, pushed to give the album a more dance music oriented sound, hoping that disco musician Giorgio Moroder would produce the album.

The album was released in May 1980 and was listed on the NME's top albums of the year. Alan Vega felt that "nothing big for [the group] happened" after its initial release. Both Vega and Rev released solo albums following the album's release.

Production

After a tour opening for the group The Cars, Alan Vega received a call from Michael Zilkha of Ze Records asking if he could sign Suicide to his label. Zilkha gave producer Ric Ocasek a copy of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" single stating that that song is what Suicide should sound like. Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev was produced without pay by Ocasek at the Power Station studios. Power Station was a very expensive studio at that time and was used by acts such as Chic and Bruce Springsteen. The album was recorded in January 1980. Ocasek had provided the group with new equipment when in the studio, many of which keyboardist Martin Rev had not played before production had started. Bruce Springsteen was recording an album next door to Suicide and visited them during the production of the album.

Alan Vega was less involved with this album musically in comparison to their previous album stating that the music was more of a collaboration of Ocasek and Rev while Vega "concentrated on the vocals". The songs "Harlem" and "Touch Me" were written and being performed after the production of the release of the duo's first album.

Style

Michael Zilkha of Ze Records originally hoped to get Giorgio Moroder to produce the album and have it be more dance oriented. Allmusic described the sound of Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev as "less confrontational and more contemporary" than the duo's previous album. Martin Rev stated that the lyrics of "Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne" were about the "decadent side of the nightlife scene". Rev later felt that the album did not reflect what the group was about.

Rev described the album cover as having a disco music style. Rev felt that Zilkha was moving Ze Records into a dance music style and tried to tone down the amount of blood and gore on the album cover as much as possible.

Release

Prior to the album's release, Suicide released a non-album single titled "Dream Baby Dream" in November 1979. The album was released in May 1980 under the title Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. Alan Vega stated that there were problems with the distribution of the album.

The album was re-issued by Mute Records on compact disc on January 18, 2000. The release was titled The Second Album which featured three extra songs: "Super Subway Comedian", "Dream Baby Dream", and "Radiation". The second disc consisted of live material recorded at New York City in the Museum for Living Artists in 1975.

Reception

In 1980, the album was listed in the NME's best of the year listing. Allmusic gave the album rating of a four and a half stars out of five, stating the album i "Perhaps it's not as renegade as Suicide [1977], but it's an arguably better, more realized work, and just as essential". Select gave the Blast First re-issue titled The Second Album a five out of five rating, stating that Suicide's "unjustly less celebrated second LP [...] is more polished and sound remarkably like contemporary electronica" and referred to the album as "a timeless recording".

British music magazine Fact at number 79 on their list of the top 100 albums of the 1980s referring to it as an "astonishing album, which simply refuses to age".

Legacy

Alan Vega felt that "nothing big for us happened" after the second album was released in comparison to the first album. Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev was a big influence on electronic music in the United Kingdom. Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream stated he "loved the album right from the start" feeling that it predated house music. Steven Severin of Siouxsie and the Banshees stated that "everything about [the album] is perfect...it would be up there with my top ten favourite albums. it's that good." Martin Rev's 1991 album Cheyenne was heavily based around the instrumental recordings of this album which he expanded and remixed." - en.wikipedia.org

  Available to users only

Label: ROIR (Reachout International Records) – RUSCD 8264
Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: Electronic
Style: Minimal, Experimental

Tracklist

1 Harlem II
2 Goin' To Las Vegas
3 Love You
4 Cool As Ice
5 All Night Long
6 Sister Ray Says
7 Johnny Dance
8 Space Blue
9 Long Talk
10 Speed Queen
11 Chezazze
12 Dreams

Bonus Tracks

13 All Night Long
14 Sweetheart
15 Scream And Shout

Companies, etc.
Published By – Revega Publishing Company
Edited At – Pomeroy Audio
Mastered At – Pomeroy Audio

Credits
Artwork, Design – Marev
Design [Original Cassette (Rear Flap)] – Jim Sclavunos
Layout, Typography, Producer – Cynthia Fetty
Liner Notes – Lester Bangs
Photography By – Ebet Roberts
Technician [Reprocessed By] – Martin Rev
Written-By, Instruments – Martin Rev
Written-By, Vocals – Alan Vega

Notes
Made in U.S.A.

Tracks 8 to 10 Suicide Home Studio 74/75
Track 12 Sun Dragon Studio '75
Tracks 1 & 2 Live CBGB 1978
Track 5 Live Horseshoe Club, Toronto, 1978
Tracks 6 & 7 Live Marquee, London, 1978
Tracks 3, 4 & 11 Suicide Home Studio 1979.
Bonus tracks recorded in the United Kingdom 1978.

Originally released as a ROIR cassette September 9, 1981

No tracks durations printed.





covers for
1/2 Alive ‎(Cass, Album) ROIR (Reachout International Records) A 103 US 1981





"Half Alive is a compilation album by Suicide, released on September 9, 1981 by ROIR. The album comprises live material on side one and studio outtakes on the second side.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Martin Rev and Alan Vega.

Side one

1. "Harlem II" (recorded live at CBGB's, 1978) 3:58
2. "Goin' to Las Vegas" (recorded live at CBGB's, 1978) 4:16
3. "Love You" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1979) 2:46
4. "Cool as Ice" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1979) 3:19
5. "All Night Long" (recorded live at Horseshoe Club, Toronto, 1978) 4:10

Side two

1. "Sister Ray Says" (recorded live at Marquee, London, 1978) 4:26
2. "Johnny Dance" (recorded live at Marquee, London, 1978) 3:01
3. "Space Blue" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1974/75) 1:47
4. "Long Talk" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1974/75) 1:27
5. "Speed Queen" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1974/75) 2:27
6. "Chezazze" (recorded at Suicide Home Studio, 1979) 3:25
7. "Dreams" (recorded at Sun Dragon Studio, 1975) 2:13

2000 CD re-issue bonus track

13. "All Night Long" (recorded live in the UK, 1978) 4:31
14. "Sweetheart" (recorded live in the UK, 1978) 4:44
15. "Scream and Shout" (recorded live in the UK, 1978) 4:17" - en.wikipedia.org

  Available to users only

Label: ROIR (Reachout International Records) – A-145
Format: Cassette, Album
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electro, Experimental

Tracklist

A1 Rocket USA
A2 Rock N' Roll (Is Killing My Life)
A3 Ghost Rider
A4 Dream Baby Dream
B1 Sweet White Lady
B2 Harlem

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Walker Art Center

Notes
Recorded live 9/19/81 at the Tenth Anniversary Suicide Concert at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

  Available to users only

Label: Mute – 9278-2
Format: CD, Album, Remastered + CD, Bonus Disc
Country: US
Released: 2005
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synthpop

Tracklist

A Way Of Life

CD1-01 Wild In Blue 4:34
CD1-02 Surrender 3:48
CD1-03 Jukebox Baby '96 3:22
CD1-04 Rain Of Ruin 4:04
CD1-05 Sufferin' In Vain 4:42
CD1-06 Dominic Christ 6:34
CD1-07 Love So Lovely 4:04
CD1-08 Devastation 4:00
CD1-09 Heat Beat 4:18

Live At Town & Country Club, London / 13th December 1987

CD2-01 Dominic Christ 6:34
CD2-02 Johnny 3:34
CD2-03 Cheree 5:08
CD2-04 Devastation 7:14
CD2-05 Jukebox Baby '96 6:34
CD2-06 Girl 6:27
CD2-07 I Surrender 3:36
CD2-08 Harlem 7:48

Credits
Artwork By [Design] – David Nobakht
Engineer – Joe Barbaria (tracks: CD1-01 to CD1-09)
Engineer [Assistant] – Bridget Davy (tracks: CD1-01 to CD1-09), John Magnusson (tracks: CD1-01 to CD1-09), Ken Steiger (tracks: CD1-01 to CD1-09)
Performer [Instruments], Mastered By [Remastered], Written-by – Martin Rev
Photography – Renaud Monfourny, Ric Ocasek
Producer – Ric Ocasek (tracks: CD1-01 to CD1-09)
Vocals, Written-By – Alan Vega

Notes
Disc one originally released in 1988, recorded and mixed at Electric Lady Studios, N.Y.C. Disc two recorded live at the Town and Country Club, London, 13th December 1987.

  Available to users only

Label: Brake Out Records – OUT 108-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1992
Genre: Electronic
Style: Leftfield, Synthpop

Tracklist

1 Why Be Blue 4:30
2 Cheat-Cheat 4:01
3 Hot Ticket 3:58
4 Universe 3:56
5 Last Time 3:35
6 Play The Dream 4:23
7 Pump It 3:49
8 Flashy Love 4:43
9 Chewy-Chewy 3:55
10 Mujo 4:10

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – CDT Berlin
Published By – Revega Music
Published By – Enemy Publishing

Credits
Design – Brey Graphics
Engineer – David Heglmeier
Instruments [Instrumentals] – Martin Rev
Management [Enemy/brake Out Administration] – Michael Knuth
Mastered By – Brad Johnson
Photography By [Computer Photos] – Ric Ocasek
Producer – Ric Ocasek
Vocals – Alan Vega
Written-By, Performer – Alan Vega, Martin Rev

Notes
Comes in a black tray jewel case with a 6 page fold-out booklet.

Recorded and mixed at One Take Studios, New York City.
Mastered at Absolute Audio, NYC.
Design, Munich.



  Available to users only

Label: Red Star Records – RS7005-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 02 Sep 1997
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Electro, Minimal

Tracklist

Live In New York - May 1978 23:12

1a Mr. Ray
1b Las Vegas Man
1c Four Horsemen
1d Keep Your Dreams
1e I Remember

Live In Berlin - June 1978 22:05

2a Ghost Rider
2b Rocket U.S.A.
2c Cheree
2d Harlem
2e 96 Tears - Songwriter – ? & The Mysterians


Credits
Design – Rogério Franco
Executive-Producer – Marty Thau
Illustration – Stefan Roloff
Liner Notes – Michael Shore
Recorded By – Charles Ball (tracks: 2a to 2e), Marty Thau (tracks: 1a to 1e)
Songwriter, Performer – Alan Vega, Martin Rev

Notes
The B-side (live in Berlin) was later licenced to the Spanish Munster records label and released on a 10" vinyl also called Zero Hour EP.



  Available to users only

Label: Red Star Records
Catalog #: FRANKIE 1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition
Country: UK
Released: 1978
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Art Rock, Avantgarde

https://www.discogs.com/release/2312934

A side recorded live at Neue Welt, Berlin 30 July 1978.
B side recorded live at the Ancienne Belgique, Brussels 16.6.78.

Tracklist:

21½ Minutes In Berlin

A1 Ghost Rider
A2 Rocket USA
A3 Cheree
A4 Harlem
A5 96 Tears

23 Minutes In Brussels

B1 Ghost Rider
B2 Rocket USA
B3 Cheree
B4 Dance
B5 Frankie Teardrop

Available to users only