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The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Ep487: Martin Rev - The Early Days of Suicide & beyond

The Vinyl Guide - Artist Interviews for Record Collectors and Music Nerds

Nate Goyer

Music, Music History, Music Interviews

4.7579 Ratings

🗓️ 3 March 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Martin Rev shares stories of the early days of Suicide, the acetates, recording the debut album, audience reactions, continually creating solo music and more.

Topics Include:

  • Discussion of Rev's current relationship with vinyl records
  • Early influences on Suicide's sound
  • Inspiration of Tony Williams
  • Rev's transition from drums to electronic instruments
  • Early Suicide performances with minimal equipment
  • Origins of using "punk" term in early marketing
  • Story of "Rocket USA" acetate at Max's Kansas City
  • Henry Rollins acquiring one of the original acetates
  • Recording process of first Suicide album
  • Equipment used: Farfisa organ and Seagram's rhythm machine
  • Creation of first album's cover art
  • Response to negative early reviews
  • Early tours with Elvis Costello & The Clash
  • Audience reactions and controversies during shows
  • Different versions of "Frankie Teardrop"
  • Rev's creative partnership with Alan Vega
  • Gap between Suicide albums
  • Creation of "Clouds of Glory" solo album
  • Current approach to composing music
  • Discussion of "Demolition Nine" album
  • Rev's process for creating new material
  • How familiarity affects perception of one's work
  • Rev's current artistic aspirations
  • Upcoming UK shows and festivals
  • Early Suicide set lists
  • Rev's pre-Suicide musical background
  • The band's evolution from chaos to acceptance
  • Rev's perspective on collaboration
  • Creating without commercial expectations
  • The endless nature of musical discovery
  • Rev's focus on continuing to create new work

EXTENDED, Commercial free, high resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Listen on Apple: https://apple.co/2Y6ORU0
Listen on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/36qhlc8

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before we start today's episode, I gotta tell you about this amazing vinyl furniture I just got from

0:05.5

sidetracked workshop.com. I now have the double sidekick model in my front room, and it's

0:11.1

absolutely killer. It holds a couple hundred records and looks beautiful. Check it out on my

0:15.8

Instagram. It's very handsome indeed. And when you get a moment, check out sidetrackedworkshop.com and show off your

0:23.1

vinyl in style. That's sidetracked workshop.com. Welcome to the vinyl guide. The podcast for record

0:31.0

collectors and music nerds. Here's your host. The biggest record nerd of them all, Nate Goyer.

0:36.1

Well, hey, everyone, it's Nate.

0:39.4

Welcome to episode 487 of the Vinyl Guide,

0:43.5

the podcast for record collectors and music nerds.

0:46.5

And, wow, I'm exhausted.

0:48.4

I'm back here in Sydney.

0:49.7

It's been a whirlwind trip to the States.

0:52.8

I was traveling the last few weeks throughout California.

0:55.3

Did some podcast stuff up in San Francisco and San Jose and then just barreled down Highway

1:02.3

5 to Southern California where I had a fantastic time hanging out with the crew at Doctor

1:08.3

Strange Records. And then, of course, hit up the Orange County Records show.

1:13.5

Everything was packed.

1:14.8

The whole schedule was just packed, back to back to back,

1:17.7

wanted to get it all in without being away for too long.

1:21.2

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to hang and said hi.

1:25.8

And then after the O.C. record show, I headed up north to see my mom

1:30.7

who was in the hospital. And again, huge thanks to everyone who sent a nice note. I really appreciate

...

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