Did Ric Ocasek produce this album for them? I know he did some for them. Check out 'Ric Ocasek Rocket USA' for a 2011 take on this song courtesy of The Cars and their bonus tracks to the new album.
Ocasek didn't produce this one - this was by Marty Thau. Ocasek produced their second album from 1980. Which I guess is fitting - he often declared himself their biggest fan & I think he was one of the few guys out there at the tiem who really got their music.
A fantastic, ten minute long, LIVE at MAX'S recording of Rocket USA can be found on the Jungle compilation CD entitled, "Punk Legends - The American Roots" - FREUD CD 056
2) VON LMO recorded an EP for Max's Records in 1980, but he grew impatient when the record wasn't released and produced his own album (with mostly the same songs) a few months later. The Max's VON LMO album wasn't released until 1994 as part of the "Cosmic Interception" CD. A follow up CD, "Red Resistor", was released in '96. Additional tracks were recorded at The Fun House for a third CD, but they ended up on a Double album/CD compiled by Munster Records (Spain) that came out ca. 2001.
1) The original version of Rocket USA appears on the Max's Kansas City '76 compilation album. "It's nineteen hundred seventy six... Whole country is doin' the fix." A 45 of this song (b/w Ghost Rider) on the Max's Kansas City jukebox motivated Marty Thau to sign the band to Red Star.
I can't believe how incredibly tight,tense and taunt this song sounds.This was recorded way back in 1977 man, I was still a post-toddler listening to Patsy Biscoe Lp's.Didn't know such music like this existed back in that day until I discovered Cabaret Voltaire and Kraftwerk in my early teens.
I reckon Suicide had probably the greatest influence on New Wave, Post Punk and Industrial - there's no way that Skinny Puppy or The Contortions could have come up with such a fucked up sound without listening to at least on Suicide record.
While Suicide certainly added their own stark, post punk vibe that was heavily imitated, I'm not denying that, it should be acknowledged the massive influence The Silver Apples had on Suicide. A whole decade earlier they were the first rhythmic drum and synth group and at times could be very harsh and dissonant.
Was Von LMO ever recorded? They interview him at the same time as all this in Punk Magazine, and he sounds completely insane, like some acid riddled Sun Ra of CBGB.
@mobile513 Alan Vega has always credited Silver Apples as one of his biggest influences. However, Silver Apples only predated Suicide by three years. Silver Apples formed in 1967 and Suicide in 1970.
Didn't know Suicide was around that long, but I was thinking in terms of people hearing the band. I imagine nobody outside NYC knew who they were, right? Then again, they were all unknowns ultimately. Did Kraftwerk ever confess to hearing either?.
Ever hear Simply Saucer? They were another early group who took a bit from the Silver Apples, but a bunch of other things too. It sounds like VU meets Syd Barrett with a theramin, which, at least on paper, is the greatest idea ever.
@mobile513 Suicide played a gig in Germany in the late seventies when Alan attacked a table of what he thought were German businessmen. It turned out that it was Kraftwerk. Alan was mortified when he realized it, because he loved them. :)
Simply Saucer are a really good band, but lack the singular, visionary styling of bands like Suicide and Kraftwerk. I do like them a lot though. They're still together, as far as I know.
Saw them support The Clash in 78... Suicide made the biggest impression on me. I loved them, the crowd HATED them. They got bottles thrown at them but they stayed and played. It was unforgettable, there was nothing else like them, outside of krautrock in those days... and krautrock had been 'over' for some time, but because I'd been previously into Kraut, Suicide weren't difficult.
I heard about suicide when I was about 17, that was year 2002....( how many years later !?) BUT i could never find their cds......and 1 day I found a used double album for 10 bucks...that was magic.
Did Ric Ocasek produce this album for them? I know he did some for them. Check out 'Ric Ocasek Rocket USA' for a 2011 take on this song courtesy of The Cars and their bonus tracks to the new album.
WaryBuck1 7 months ago
@WaryBuck1
Ocasek didn't produce this one - this was by Marty Thau. Ocasek produced their second album from 1980. Which I guess is fitting - he often declared himself their biggest fan & I think he was one of the few guys out there at the tiem who really got their music.
CTyankee4277 7 months ago
Sounds like an unfinished demo version of "Flaunt it" by Sigue Sigue Sputnik....
SSS should hand over some royalties to these guys.
JensKristianDavidsen 1 year ago
fock the u.s.a!!!
ZAKNEEER 1 year ago
Gonna Ride Around In A Killer's Car
Ledzep69Man 1 year ago
A fantastic, ten minute long, LIVE at MAX'S recording of Rocket USA can be found on the Jungle compilation CD entitled, "Punk Legends - The American Roots" - FREUD CD 056
petercrowley41 2 years ago
The Suicide and VON LMO records/CDs mentioned below are are extremely rare, but sometimes can be found on GEMM.
petercrowley41 2 years ago
2) VON LMO recorded an EP for Max's Records in 1980, but he grew impatient when the record wasn't released and produced his own album (with mostly the same songs) a few months later. The Max's VON LMO album wasn't released until 1994 as part of the "Cosmic Interception" CD. A follow up CD, "Red Resistor", was released in '96. Additional tracks were recorded at The Fun House for a third CD, but they ended up on a Double album/CD compiled by Munster Records (Spain) that came out ca. 2001.
petercrowley41 2 years ago
1) The original version of Rocket USA appears on the Max's Kansas City '76 compilation album. "It's nineteen hundred seventy six... Whole country is doin' the fix." A 45 of this song (b/w Ghost Rider) on the Max's Kansas City jukebox motivated Marty Thau to sign the band to Red Star.
petercrowley41 2 years ago
I can't believe how incredibly tight,tense and taunt this song sounds.This was recorded way back in 1977 man, I was still a post-toddler listening to Patsy Biscoe Lp's.Didn't know such music like this existed back in that day until I discovered Cabaret Voltaire and Kraftwerk in my early teens.
abagail4me 2 years ago 6
@abagail4me Word to that, son.
LeLimeLine 5 months ago
Just gotta love this band
Trgr66 2 years ago
I reckon Suicide had probably the greatest influence on New Wave, Post Punk and Industrial - there's no way that Skinny Puppy or The Contortions could have come up with such a fucked up sound without listening to at least on Suicide record.
frogswallop 3 years ago
While Suicide certainly added their own stark, post punk vibe that was heavily imitated, I'm not denying that, it should be acknowledged the massive influence The Silver Apples had on Suicide. A whole decade earlier they were the first rhythmic drum and synth group and at times could be very harsh and dissonant.
Was Von LMO ever recorded? They interview him at the same time as all this in Punk Magazine, and he sounds completely insane, like some acid riddled Sun Ra of CBGB.
mobile513 2 years ago
@mobile513 Alan Vega has always credited Silver Apples as one of his biggest influences. However, Silver Apples only predated Suicide by three years. Silver Apples formed in 1967 and Suicide in 1970.
Iightmachine 1 year ago
@Iightmachine
Didn't know Suicide was around that long, but I was thinking in terms of people hearing the band. I imagine nobody outside NYC knew who they were, right? Then again, they were all unknowns ultimately. Did Kraftwerk ever confess to hearing either?.
Ever hear Simply Saucer? They were another early group who took a bit from the Silver Apples, but a bunch of other things too. It sounds like VU meets Syd Barrett with a theramin, which, at least on paper, is the greatest idea ever.
mobile513 1 year ago
@mobile513 Suicide played a gig in Germany in the late seventies when Alan attacked a table of what he thought were German businessmen. It turned out that it was Kraftwerk. Alan was mortified when he realized it, because he loved them. :)
Simply Saucer are a really good band, but lack the singular, visionary styling of bands like Suicide and Kraftwerk. I do like them a lot though. They're still together, as far as I know.
Iightmachine 1 year ago
Now I know where Sigue Sigue Sputnik got their song from.
They were very very special indeed. Wonderful!
A raw early version of Fad Gadget
lowfilms 3 years ago
Saw them support The Clash in 78... Suicide made the biggest impression on me. I loved them, the crowd HATED them. They got bottles thrown at them but they stayed and played. It was unforgettable, there was nothing else like them, outside of krautrock in those days... and krautrock had been 'over' for some time, but because I'd been previously into Kraut, Suicide weren't difficult.
keltyk 3 years ago
Color me JEALOUS.lol
The '23 minutes Over Brussels',has got to be the best live recording of a rock performance,ever(the hostile show descending into sheer chaos.)
thirdshift47 2 years ago
You can never fully describe the sublime greatness of this song. You can't put it into words. It's just ... immense!!!!
Lindsay2947 3 years ago 8
I heard about suicide when I was about 17, that was year 2002....( how many years later !?) BUT i could never find their cds......and 1 day I found a used double album for 10 bucks...that was magic.
eraser81112 3 years ago 3
Excellent post!!!
maybe their best song. thanx man
Oberreeperbahnfuhrer 3 years ago 3
thank you for putting this up...been searching for it for quite some time could you put the whole album up please?
tomorrettisgay 3 years ago 2