Suicide’s Alan Vega has died aged 78.
The electronic music pioneer and vocalist passed peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (16.07.16) and the news was confirmed by Henry Rollins on his website Pitchfork.
A statement from Vega’s family read: "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."
It continues: "Alan was not only relentlessly creative, writing music and painting until the end, he was also startlingly unique. Along with Martin Rev, in the early 1970’s, they formed the two person avant band known as Suicide. Almost immediately, their incredible and unclassifiable music went against every possible grain. Their confrontational live performances, light-years before Punk Rock, are the stuff of legend. Their first, self-titled album is one of the single most challenging and noteworthy achievements in American music.
"Alan Vega was the quintessential artist on every imaginable level. His entire life was devoted to outputting what his vision commanded of him. One of the greatest aspects of Alan Vega was his unflinching adherence to the demands of his art. He only did what he wanted. Simply put, he lived to create. After decades of constant output, the world seemed to catch up with Alan and he was acknowledged as the groundbreaking creative individual he had been from the very start.
"Alan’s life is a lesson of what it is to truly live for art. The work, the incredible amount of time required, the courage to keep seeing it and the strength to bring it forth–this was Alan Vega.
Alan is survived by his amazing family, wife Liz and son Dante. His incredible body of work, spanning five decades, will be with us forever."
Tributes have begun pouring in for the ‘Ghost Rider’ singer – born Boruch Alan Bermowitz – on social media.
Billy Idol wrote on Twitter: "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(sic)"
‘Dracular’ actress Asia Argentino penned: "This is terrible #AlanVega #RIP #Legend Suicide: Cheree (1977)(sic)"
Catfish and The Bottlemen’s guitarist Johnny Bond captioned a picture of the star on Instagram: "RIP Alan Vega X"
Singer and producer David Welch penned: "RIP Alan Vega. What an incredible performer. Suicide 1st LP always in my top 10 ever records."
Vega and his Suicide bandmate Martin Rev were hailed as pioneers of punk and electronic music and famed for intense live performances.
They released five studio albums, their last being 2002’s ‘American Supreme’.
The influential singer made 18 records between 1980 and 2010 as a solo artist and was also known for making light sculptures from old TVs, fluorescent lights and street junk.
In 2012, Vega suffered a stroke and heart attack which forced him to cut back on his musical output.
Vega is survived by wife Liz and son Dante.
Suicide’s Alan Vega dies aged 78
