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LISTEN: MGMT Honour Alan Vega with Cover of “Goodbye Darling”

After the upsetting news of Alan Vega’s suicide broke over the weekend, electro-rock veterans MGMT have decided to pay tribute to the fallen frontman of duo Suicide in their own way. They have released a cover of Goodbye Darling from Vega’s Saturn Strip, his third solo album which was released in 1983.

Despite the terrible sadness sparked by the news, the cover has a decidedly cheery tone which is embodied in its upbeat electro melody. The track positively twinkles with a slightly vintage feel that echoes the sound of the 80’s. It stands as more of a celebration of a life and a legacy rather than the mourning of a death, which seems like the perfect way for such an influential person to be remembered. You can listen to MGMT’s sweet tribute below.

There have been many other touching tributes to Vega made over the past few days since his passing, including an emotional Facebook post from Bruce Springsteen.

“The bravery and passion he showed throughout his career was deeply influential to me. I was lucky enough to get to know Alan slightly and he was always a generous and sweet spirit. The blunt force power of his greatest music both with Suicide and on his solo records can still shock and inspire today. There was simply no one else remotely like him,” he wrote.

In a year where so many similar tributes have had to be made to so many artists taken too soon, we can only hope that these will be some of the last.

Image: DIY Magazine