suicide

UK label Blast First (Petite) has just issued a box set of live Suicide recordings from 1977-78. I had the fortune of being tortured by hearing all 6 CDs (with 2 or 3 shows on each) within a two-day period. Although I will never really know what it was like to have been there while all manner of blunt, and not-so-blunt, objects were being thrown at the band (Jim Reid of The Jesus And Mary Chain confirmed that an axe indeed went whizzing by Martin Rev's head in Scotland - an AXE!), the set definitely captures the general atmosphere of tension during these opening-slot assaults. The only previously (legally) released set included is the infamous "23 Minutes Over Brussels", during which rabid Belgian Elvis Costello fans interrupted "Frankie Teardrop" with abuse and general malcontent, which escalated into a full-on riot. The chronological presentation of the shows is enlightening. By the time the lengthy Noise number "Harlem" was added to the set the duo had become an ugly, road-weary force to be reckoned with. The sound quality varies, as can be expected, but the historical importance of these amazing performances makes it worth it. The live versions of familiar first-album tracks like "Cheree" and "Rocket USA" make the debut album itself sound quite slick. A key component to Suicide's success was that they fed off the crowd's negative energy and spit it back at them, and this major part of their story doesn't come across on studio albums. The brilliance of their unique sound is that it references the most classic rock-and-roll while sounding utterly alien and inventive. My favorite Suicide story is the one in which they showed up to a huge stadium show, opening for The Cars, and unloaded one keyboard and one amplifier from a tiny car. They bewildered, and even angered, The Cars road crew before playing one note. If you get the urge to hurl an axe at your stereo, just remember you can always take the CD out and put in This Year's Model.