[Every Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m., Henry Rollins brings an exclusive mix of songs old and new to listeners at 89.9 FM, KCRW. Visit KCRW.com for more information and to stream his show online, or peruse the Radio Notes archives to see past playlists.]

RADIO BROADCAST #381
07–17–16

Fanatic. The great Alan Vega has passed away. We will be doing a special show. The track list is below. Engineer X and I will be live in the studio.

Below is the press release I drafted per the instruction of Alan’s wife, Liz.

Hello. Henry here. I am afraid I have some unfortunate news. Below is the family-approved statement.

We will have a special show on KCRW, celebrating the great man’s work. Thank you for reading and thank you for respecting the family’s privacy at this difficult time. Henry

July 17 1618 Hrs. PST

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.

Alan passed peacefully in his sleep last night, July 16. He was 78 years of age.

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 1970s, 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.

Please tune in if you can.

Thank you,
–Henry

Follow me on Twitter: @henryrollins

Hour 01
01. Suicide – Ghost Rider / Suicide
02. Suicide – Rocket USA / Ghost Riders
03. Alan Vega – Sneaker Gun Fire / Deuce Avenue
04. Alan Vega – Be-Bop-a-Lula / Jukebox Babe
05. Suicide – Johnny / Suicide
06. Suicide – Sweet White Lady / Ghost Riders
07. Suicide – 96 Tears / Hamburg 06-29-78
08. Alan Vega – Hammered / DuJang Prang
09. Alan Vega – Cry a Sea of Tears / Power Onto Zero Hour
10. Alan Vega – The Kiss / DuJang Prang
11. Alan Vega – Go Trane Go / New Raceion

Hour 02
01. Revolutionary Corps of Teenage Jesus – Meditation Rat / Daddy Died
02. Alan Vega – No Tomorrow / Deuce Avenue
03. Alan Vega – Fly Away / Sombre
04. Suicide – I Remember / single
05. Suicide – Radiation / 2nd Suicide Album
06. VVV – So Tired / Resurrection River
07. Alan Vega Trio – Freedom / Cubist Blues
08. Alan Vega – Why Couldn't It Be You? / Station
09. Suicide – Frankie Teardrop (alt.) / promo CD
10. Alan Vega Trio – Dream Baby Revisited / Cubist Blues

More from the mind of Henry Rollins:
Let's Invade Canada
Bend Over, America — Here Comes President Trump
I Am Basically a Vinyl Cat Lady

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