2. SuicideSecond Album
I like the simplicity of it, Alan Vega and Martin Rev, that’s what it is, that’s what you get. But the story of the record was far from their simple way of working. I think a lot of money was put into it, they went to a posh studio and Bruce Springsteen was recording next door. I think it was Space Studios, and people like Chic were recording there. They were on Ze records, which is one of my favourite labels, and I suppose the most fashionable label in New York at the time in the 80s. I think Alan Vega stepped back from the instrumental side of it a bit more, to concentrate on the vocals, and you could hear the dance element coming through a lot more. They’ve got two amazing portraits on the artwork. I don’t get this feeling that it’s a really dark record, though. There’s ‘Sweetheart’ – I love ‘Sweetheart’ – ‘Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne’, ‘Mr Ray’, ‘Shadazz’. Suicide’s first album was the one that I came to first, and I did a cover of ‘Rocket USA’. I really like records that illustrate a transitional phase in an artist’s career, and I think this is one of them, Chelsea Girl being another….
