11/25/25 ADDS
CURRENT
UPCOMING
RECENT
LIVE
ABOUT
ALAN VEGA
Alan Vega (Deluxe Remastered Edition) + Collision Drive(Sacred Bones Records)
Add date: 1.27.2026
Release date: 1.23.2026
Links:
Apple Music
Bandcamp
Instagram
Sacred Bones
Spotify
Tidal
YouTube
Alan Vega’s self-titled debut solo album was released in 1980 during the same period Suicide released their second album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. While Suicide’s label ZE Records was interested in pushing the duo toward a synthetic disco sound inspired by Moroder’s production on Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” Vega felt a pull in a different direction. He wanted to dig deeper into the roots of his own sonic identity, fueled by rockabilly, early rock n roll, and his enduring love for Elvis Presley. Filling the gaps between recording with Suicide, and fleshing out the songs he was writing on his own, Vega started to create his first record and performing live to develop this sound.
At the time, Vega met Phil Hawk, a young Texan artist who had tracked him down at a party at the Drawing Center in New York, after seeing him perform with a boombox at Max’s Kansas City. Alan was immediately struck by Hawk’s look, and described him as a “blonde Elvis” and was intrigued by his raw, intuitive playing style. Alan had been experimenting with sound and tape manipulation for years but needed a guitar player. Alan instantly saw the potential that could match the vision he had for a stripped down, minimal is maximal rock n roll record.
Ric Ocasek, who was producing the second Suicide album, was impressed by Vega’s new songs, and encouraged Alan to pursue the project solo. He wanted to come on board as producer, however, Vega had a very clear concept and vision for the album, which he decided to produce himself.
As with his visual art, Vega layered sound in a minimalist, dynamic and intentional way. Alan deconstructed the drum machine, recording each instrument individually to create a greater separation of sound. He directed Hawk on specific guitar riffs he wanted to hear until he got the sound he was looking for, and instead of bringing in more musicians to fill the sound, Vega arranged all the drum parts, and tracked mouth harp, hand claps, and finger snaps. The result was a fiercely singular album built from raw materials and deeply rooted in Vega’s artistic vision.
Tracks like the classic anthem “Jukebox Babe” with its jiving rhythm and minimalist swagger, captured that approach completely and went on to become a hit in France. “Kung Foo Cowboy” takes on a southern twist, strongly leaning into the blues, while the golden pop shine of “Ice Drummer” rings in melodic yet plaintive vocals, marching drums and a tasteful harmonica solo. “Bye Bye Bayou” is a haunted slice of mutant rockabilly that fuses 50s rock with Vega’s eccentric performance style and was later reimagined in the 2009 cover by LCD Soundsystem, introducing Vega’s solo work to a new generation. Similarly, The Flaming Lips’s 1993 cover of “Ice Drummer” paid homage to Vega’s outsider spirit.
The album also set off a ripple effect in New York’s music scene. Shortly after its release, Billy Idol moved to NYC, already a huge fan of Suicide, was quickly captivated by Vega’s solo work. Idol befriended Alan and frequently attended Suicide and Vega solo shows, even jumping onstage during some solo performances and often greeting Alan with lines from his songs. The two became close friends during this period, with regular late-night hangouts at clubs like Limelight.
Now remastered by Josh Bonati from the original tapes and available on streaming services for the first time, Alan Vega has been faithfully reissued by Sacred Bones Records, preserving the raw intensity of Vega’s original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners around the world.
Alan Vega is more than a solo debut, it’s a declaration of artistic independence and freedom from one of New York’s most influential and uncompromising artists. Stripped of Suicide’s intense electronics yet retaining Vega’s outsider energy and edge, the album translates early rock 'n roll through an art-punk filter that stands the test of time as a cult masterpiece in its own right. Minimalist, haunting, and deeply personal, it carved out a unique place in the underground canon, and set the pace for Vega’s long lasting music and art career that followed.
Collision Drive
Collision Drive is Alan Vega’s second solo studio album, originally released in 1981. If his debut laid the groundwork for a raw, minimalist take on rockabilly and blues, Collision Drive expands the palette with a grittier, more layered, and unfiltered energy. Here Vega’s lyrics channel universal themes deeply rooted in his fascination with street life, science fiction, politics, comics, love and the mysteries of the universe. It’s a record that pulses with feeling and rebellion, displaying the full spectrum of human experience and Vega’s evolving vision.
Alan was always reinventing himself, creating and refining his mastery of variation while maintaining his own unparalleled and identifiable aesthetic. Sonically, this album is more dynamic than his first. Ditching drum machines for a live drummer, and enlisting a hard rock band to back him, Collision Drive offered a different view of Vega’s artistic vision. The aching punk rockabilly of “Magdalena 82” unfolds with a hypnotic blend of guitar slides and frenetic energy, while Vega’s cover of “Be Bop A Lula” transforms Gene Vincent’s classic into an aggressively charged, manic howl. Elsewhere, tracks like the hard-driving cosmic rock n roll “Raver” push into psychobilly territory. Vega was relentlessly innovative, continuously paving new ground.
Alan’s music thrived on interpretation. He believed the meaning of his songs belonged to the listener. His lyrics painted emotional and conceptual landscapes but he resisted explaining them. “He always wanted the listener to bring their own experiences, imaginations, and emotions into what listening to his music and words meant to them,” recalls longtime collaborator and wife Liz Lamere. And ultimately that openness is part of its power.
From the fiery political fury of “Viet Vet” to the proto punk mantra of “Ghost Rider,” the album pulses with tension, urgency, and uncompromising vision. The phrase “more more more, more for the poor” hits in full force on “Outlaw,” a classic Vega cry for justice, survival, and human spirit that is said to have inspired Billy Idol’s iconic “more more more” in “Rebel Yell.”
Newly remastered by Josh Bonati from the original tapes and available digitally for the first time, Collision Drive receives a reverent reissue from Sacred Bones Records aiming to restore the album’s primal energy while finally making this seminal record widely accessible to audiences worldwide.
Though never a commercial success, a familiar thread in Vega’s music career, the album earned critical acclaim in the underground and post-punk scenes. Praised for its sonic craft and emotional depth, Collision Drive marks a pivotal moment in Vega’s artistic evolution.
Here we witness the full ascension into his own mythology: part rockabilly outlaw, part cosmic preacher, part outsider visionary. Broader in scope than his debut but just as uncompromising, Collision Drive is a bold and personal exploration of sound and identity. Raw, electrifying, and groundbreaking, it remains a cult cornerstone of outsider rock and a touchstone in the evolution of art-punk and experimental pop from one of New York’s most fearless icons.
Apple Music
Bandcamp
Sacred Bones
Spotify
Tidal
YouTube
Alan Vega’s self-titled debut solo album was released in 1980 during the same period Suicide released their second album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. While Suicide’s label ZE Records was interested in pushing the duo toward a synthetic disco sound inspired by Moroder’s production on Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” Vega felt a pull in a different direction. He wanted to dig deeper into the roots of his own sonic identity, fueled by rockabilly, early rock n roll, and his enduring love for Elvis Presley. Filling the gaps between recording with Suicide, and fleshing out the songs he was writing on his own, Vega started to create his first record and performing live to develop this sound.
At the time, Vega met Phil Hawk, a young Texan artist who had tracked him down at a party at the Drawing Center in New York, after seeing him perform with a boombox at Max’s Kansas City. Alan was immediately struck by Hawk’s look, and described him as a “blonde Elvis” and was intrigued by his raw, intuitive playing style. Alan had been experimenting with sound and tape manipulation for years but needed a guitar player. Alan instantly saw the potential that could match the vision he had for a stripped down, minimal is maximal rock n roll record.
Ric Ocasek, who was producing the second Suicide album, was impressed by Vega’s new songs, and encouraged Alan to pursue the project solo. He wanted to come on board as producer, however, Vega had a very clear concept and vision for the album, which he decided to produce himself.
As with his visual art, Vega layered sound in a minimalist, dynamic and intentional way. Alan deconstructed the drum machine, recording each instrument individually to create a greater separation of sound. He directed Hawk on specific guitar riffs he wanted to hear until he got the sound he was looking for, and instead of bringing in more musicians to fill the sound, Vega arranged all the drum parts, and tracked mouth harp, hand claps, and finger snaps. The result was a fiercely singular album built from raw materials and deeply rooted in Vega’s artistic vision.
Tracks like the classic anthem “Jukebox Babe” with its jiving rhythm and minimalist swagger, captured that approach completely and went on to become a hit in France. “Kung Foo Cowboy” takes on a southern twist, strongly leaning into the blues, while the golden pop shine of “Ice Drummer” rings in melodic yet plaintive vocals, marching drums and a tasteful harmonica solo. “Bye Bye Bayou” is a haunted slice of mutant rockabilly that fuses 50s rock with Vega’s eccentric performance style and was later reimagined in the 2009 cover by LCD Soundsystem, introducing Vega’s solo work to a new generation. Similarly, The Flaming Lips’s 1993 cover of “Ice Drummer” paid homage to Vega’s outsider spirit.
The album also set off a ripple effect in New York’s music scene. Shortly after its release, Billy Idol moved to NYC, already a huge fan of Suicide, was quickly captivated by Vega’s solo work. Idol befriended Alan and frequently attended Suicide and Vega solo shows, even jumping onstage during some solo performances and often greeting Alan with lines from his songs. The two became close friends during this period, with regular late-night hangouts at clubs like Limelight.
Now remastered by Josh Bonati from the original tapes and available on streaming services for the first time, Alan Vega has been faithfully reissued by Sacred Bones Records, preserving the raw intensity of Vega’s original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners around the world.
Alan Vega is more than a solo debut, it’s a declaration of artistic independence and freedom from one of New York’s most influential and uncompromising artists. Stripped of Suicide’s intense electronics yet retaining Vega’s outsider energy and edge, the album translates early rock 'n roll through an art-punk filter that stands the test of time as a cult masterpiece in its own right. Minimalist, haunting, and deeply personal, it carved out a unique place in the underground canon, and set the pace for Vega’s long lasting music and art career that followed.
Collision Drive
Collision Drive is Alan Vega’s second solo studio album, originally released in 1981. If his debut laid the groundwork for a raw, minimalist take on rockabilly and blues, Collision Drive expands the palette with a grittier, more layered, and unfiltered energy. Here Vega’s lyrics channel universal themes deeply rooted in his fascination with street life, science fiction, politics, comics, love and the mysteries of the universe. It’s a record that pulses with feeling and rebellion, displaying the full spectrum of human experience and Vega’s evolving vision.
Alan was always reinventing himself, creating and refining his mastery of variation while maintaining his own unparalleled and identifiable aesthetic. Sonically, this album is more dynamic than his first. Ditching drum machines for a live drummer, and enlisting a hard rock band to back him, Collision Drive offered a different view of Vega’s artistic vision. The aching punk rockabilly of “Magdalena 82” unfolds with a hypnotic blend of guitar slides and frenetic energy, while Vega’s cover of “Be Bop A Lula” transforms Gene Vincent’s classic into an aggressively charged, manic howl. Elsewhere, tracks like the hard-driving cosmic rock n roll “Raver” push into psychobilly territory. Vega was relentlessly innovative, continuously paving new ground.
Alan’s music thrived on interpretation. He believed the meaning of his songs belonged to the listener. His lyrics painted emotional and conceptual landscapes but he resisted explaining them. “He always wanted the listener to bring their own experiences, imaginations, and emotions into what listening to his music and words meant to them,” recalls longtime collaborator and wife Liz Lamere. And ultimately that openness is part of its power.
From the fiery political fury of “Viet Vet” to the proto punk mantra of “Ghost Rider,” the album pulses with tension, urgency, and uncompromising vision. The phrase “more more more, more for the poor” hits in full force on “Outlaw,” a classic Vega cry for justice, survival, and human spirit that is said to have inspired Billy Idol’s iconic “more more more” in “Rebel Yell.”
Newly remastered by Josh Bonati from the original tapes and available digitally for the first time, Collision Drive receives a reverent reissue from Sacred Bones Records aiming to restore the album’s primal energy while finally making this seminal record widely accessible to audiences worldwide.
Though never a commercial success, a familiar thread in Vega’s music career, the album earned critical acclaim in the underground and post-punk scenes. Praised for its sonic craft and emotional depth, Collision Drive marks a pivotal moment in Vega’s artistic evolution.
Here we witness the full ascension into his own mythology: part rockabilly outlaw, part cosmic preacher, part outsider visionary. Broader in scope than his debut but just as uncompromising, Collision Drive is a bold and personal exploration of sound and identity. Raw, electrifying, and groundbreaking, it remains a cult cornerstone of outsider rock and a touchstone in the evolution of art-punk and experimental pop from one of New York’s most fearless icons.