Alan Vega Releases Unheard 'Kung Foo Cowboy' Demo
(another side) The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones Records continue to uncover Alan Vega's robust collection of work left behind by the influential visual artist, musician and poet (see below for more about the Vega Vault Project).
Today, they share three new tracks from the forthcoming reissues of Vega's highly influential 1980 debut S/T solo album and follow up, Collision Drive. Now remastered from the original tapes, and available on streaming services for the first time ever, the two albums will be faithfully re-released by Sacred Bones Records on January 23rd, preserving the raw intensity of Vega's original recordings while making them newly accessible to listeners worldwide.
The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones have meticulously assembled these packages and will also offer a companion piece Alan Vega Deluxe Edition which will be available as a limited deluxe double LP and include unheard demos, unseen photos and new artwork. All three albums contain unseen photos and new album artwork (including Alan Vega's original track sheets from his 1978 Suicide / The Clash Tour Notebook).
The releases were announced late last year, along with the newly remastered version of S/T track "Ice Drummer" and an accompanying video created by Douglas Hart of The Jesus & Mary Chain, as well as the newly remastered version of "Outlaw" from Collision Drive.
Today three more tracks from the forthcoming releases have been made available - the remastered versions of Vega's twangy, guitar-driven "Kung Foo Cowboy" and his aching punk rockabilly "Magdalena 83", as well as a previously unheard demo of "Kung Foo Cowboy", which will be available as part of the Alan Vega Deluxe Edition release.
More About Alan Vega and Collision Drive: Alan Vega was released in 1980 at the same period Suicide released their second album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. Vega 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 committed to producing his own songs and started performing solo shows live to develop his 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. Vega was immediately struck by Hawk's look, and described him as a "blonde Elvis" and was intrigued by his raw, intuitive playing style. Vega had been experimenting with sound and tape manipulation for years but needed a guitar player. Vega instantly saw the potential that could match the vision he had for a stripped down, minimal is maximal rock n roll record.
As with his visual art, Vega layered sound in a minimalist, dynamic and intentional way. Vega deconstructed the drums. He recorded each drum part individually combining electronic and acoustic sounds played live. He directed Hawk on specific guitar riffs he wanted to hear until he got the sound he was looking for. Vega arranged and produced all the music himself. The result was a fiercely singular album built from raw materials and deeply rooted in Vega's artistic vision.
Alan Vega includes the timeless anthem "Jukebox Babe" with its jiving rhythm and minimalist swagger. "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.
Vega's debut set off a ripple effect in New York's music scene, carving a unique place in the underground canon from the 80s on. Mark Ronson, Jim Jarmusch, LCD Soundsystem, Trent Reznor, Bruce Springsteen, The Flaming Lips, Billy Idol and countless others have cited Vega and his solo work as an influence on their sound.
In 1981 Vega followed his debut with Collision Drive which was recorded within the same year and in the same NYC studio as his self-titled. The album expands Vega's palette with a grittier, more layered, and unfiltered energy. Here his 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," says Jared Artaud, co-producer and creative director of The Vega Vault Project, "he was creating and refining his mastery of variation while maintaining his own unparalleled and identifiable aesthetic. Sonically, this album is more dynamic than his first, which is a minimalist masterpiece. 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."
"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, and ultimately that openness is part of its power," recalls Vega's longtime collaborator, wife and The Vega Vault Project leader and co-producer, Liz Lamere.
From the fiery political fury of "Viet Vet" to the proto punk mantra of "Ghost Rider," Collision Drive 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."
Alan Vega and Collision Drive are declarations of artistic independence and freedom from one of New York's most influential and uncompromising artists. Vega was relentlessly innovative, continuously paving new ground. These updated editions recapture his raw, electrifying work as the two remain cult cornerstones of outsider rock and a touchstone in the evolution of art-punk and experimental pop.
Alan Vega and Collision Drive will be available across digital retailers and in stores on January 23 via Sacred Bones Records in addition to Alan Vega Deluxe Edition. Available as a limited deluxe double LP, Alan Vega Deluxe Edition is the definitive reissue of Vega's solo album. The release pairs the newly remastered original album with a second disc of previously unheard early demos which were discovered in the Vega Vault by Liz Lamere and Jared Artaud. The tapes were then transferred by engineer Ted Young and mastered by Josh Bonati. These demos offer a rare glimpse into Vega's creative process behind his cult classic. All three albums feature new album artwork designed by Jared Artaud and Michael Handis, exclusive to these pressings. The companion piece that sheds new light on Vega's process and vision during this pivotal era, making it a must-have for collectors and longtime fans. See below for tracklists and formats.
To celebrate the release, The Vega Vault Project and Sacred Bones will be hosting listening events in Paris and Stockholm, with DJs spinning music from Vega's universe and exclusive giveaways. Details are:
January 23 - Riche Fenix, Stockholm, Sweden. 16h - 20h.
January 24 - Chair de Poule Bar, Paris, France. 19h - 1h.
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