10 Darkest Rock Music Masterpieces
8. Frankie Teardrop - Suicide
Treading the maddening boundaries between installation art and art-music, US duo Suicide, who released their self-titled debut in 1977 (but were active from the start of that decade) were totally committed to their sound, which included proto drum-machines, synthesizers, skittering, ghostly vocals and experimental production techniques.
The band became infamous for its confrontational live shows during which, according to legend, vocalist Alan Vega would sometimes bolt the doors to prevent the audience from leaving. Frankie Teardrop, which hails from that debut record, is the perfect example of a Suicide track – unsettling, challenging and fascinating.
The song concerns the story of an impoverished young father who murders his wife and child before committing suicide. Quite apart from the decidedly bleak lyrics, Frankie Teardrop unnerves the listener thanks to its circling buzz-saw keys and piston-like electronic beat. Vega's deeply unsettling screams and unflinching lyrical detail make for a hard listen. Nevertheless, Suicide's legacy of influence on all manner of bands to come remains indisputable.