LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — Alan Vega, vocalist of the pioneering electronic punk duo Suicide, died on Saturday. he was 78.
News of Vega's death came via Henry Rollins, who published a statement released by Vega's family on his website.
“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.
“Alan was not only relentlessly creative, writing music and painting until the end, he was also startlingly unique. Alan Vega was the quintessential artist on every imaginable level. His entire life was devoted to outputting what his vision commanded of him."
Vega and instrumentalist Martin Rev formed Suicide in 1970, inspired after attending a show by Iggy Pop and the Stooges and soon built a reputation for their spare, throbbing sound and confrontational uncompromising performances.
Although the pair only recorded intermittently, not releasing their first album until 1977, their work, particularly their early releases such as "Suicide" (1977) and the live album "21½ Minutes in Berlin/23 Minutes in Brussels" (1978), are now considered to be some of the most significant recordings of the period.
Artists ranging from Joy Division and Chemical Brothers, to Daft Punk and Autechre have listed them them as influences, and the list of artists covering Suicide material is long enough to be unwieldy.
Vega suffered a stroke in 2012, but continued to perform, including shows at club Silencio in Paris and at New York’s Webster Hall.
Vega is survived by his wife, Liz, and son, Dante. – Staff Writers
