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. Today, they announce the reissues of Vega’s highly influential 1980 debut S/T solo album, in addition to its follow-up, Collision Drive. Pre-order Alan Vega HERE.

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 sheds new light on Vega’s process and vision during this pivotal era, making it a must-have for collectors and longtime fans alike.

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, 2026, 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).

Alan Vega was released in 1980 at the same period Suicide released their second album, Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev. Fuelled by rockabilly, early rock n roll, and his enduring love for Elvis Presley, Vega wanted to dig deeper into the roots of his own sonic identity. 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 performed all other music parts, and 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. Pre-order Collision Drive HERE.

”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 long time collaborator, wife and The Vega Vault Project leader and co-producer, Liz Lamere.

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 ground-breaking, 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.

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. Hitting full force on Outlaw, a classic Vega cry for justice, survival, and human spirit that is said to have inspired Billy Idol’s iconic Rebel Yell – ”more, more, more!”

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.

All unreleased recordings from the Vega Vault were recorded with Lamere at Vega’s NYC studio from the late 80s through 2015, and serve as documents of a particularly fertile time in his creative life. He had 12 full-length solo albums come out during the ‘80s, ’90s and ‘00s — plus numerous collaborations, and Suicide studio albums: A Way of Life, Why Be Blue and American Supreme.

The Vega Vault lost recordings weren’t shelved intentionally, but Vega’s relentless drive meant that he had moved on to the next album without regard for releasing the previous one. During this time period, Vega was massively inspired by what was happening in the streets of New York — including the literal sounds of the streets, the traffic noise and industrial ambience of city living. That influence trickled into the sounds he and Lamere captured in those sessions. That sensibility, paired with Vega’s unmistakable voice and force of personality, is what makes his music timeless.

Watch the video for Ice Drummer below – 

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Alan Vega Track list:
01 – Jukebox Babe
02 – Kung Foo Cowboy
03 – Fireball
04 – Love Cry
05 – Speedway
06 – Ice Drummer
07 – Bye Bye Bayou
08 – Lonely

Alan Vega Deluxe Edition Tracklist:
01 – Jukebox Babe
02 – Kung Foo Cowboy
03 – Fireball
04 – Love Cry
05 – Speedway
06 – Ice Drummer
07 – Bye Bye Bayou
08 – Lonely
09 – Ice Drummer (Demo)
10 – Fireball (Demo)
11 – Speedway (Demo)
12 – Love Cry (Demo)
13 – Kung Foo Cowboy (Demo)
14 – Lonely (Demo)
15 – Bye Bye Bayou (Demo)

Collison Drive Tracklist: 
01 – Magdalena 82
02 – Be Bop A Lula
03 – Outlaw
04 – Raver
05 – Ghost Rider
06 – I Believe
07 – Magdalena 83
08 – Rebel
09 – Viet Vet

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