1 Intro (The Boy in the Bright Blue Jeans) (0:41)
2 Golden Showers (January 72) (3:35)
3 Cortege (3:09)
4 Heartache in Heddon St ( 5:46)
5 Scene Change (1:13)
6 Through a Telephone Box Darkly (5:10)
7 Weird & Gilly Ride Again (4:22)
All tracks by Philip Sanderson
Credits:
Format: CD-R, 50 copies
Release Date: 2000
Label: Snatch Tapes
Catalogue Number: tch
Sleeve Design: Layout by Philip Sanderson
Notes:
Suicide Suite is a collection of tracks built around snippets (or as they were described in a press release at the time "fag ends and fade-outs") from Bowie's much-celebrated Ziggy Stardust LP. The result is less mash-up, and more of a soundtrack to Heddon street the location for the red telephone box seen on the back of the LP. 50 promotional CD-R were produced with a view to securing an official release. Bowie's office in New York were contacted and agreed in principle as long as there was a minimum of 10,000 copies of the CD made. This was financially unfeasible at the time and so the please did not go ahead, which perhaps was the intention? Whether Bowie ever got to hear the tracks we shall never know.
The Bowie fan site 5 Years ran a small feature on the release in early 2001, and the majority of the CD-Rs went to keen Bowie fans. Since then the tracks have popped up on the web a couple of times in a slightly expanded version with extra tracks retitled as Through A Telephone Box Darkly. The notes below are from the 5 Years feature.
1 Intro (The Boy in the Bright Blue Jeans) (0:41)
The Suite is introduced by a short overture; a granular synthesis montage of elements from a number of the Ziggy tracks, stretched and twisted into a new soundscape.
2 Golden Showers (January 72) (3:35)
On a cold and wet night in January 1972 our cast assembles under the street lamps in a quiet cul de sac off Regent St, London, namely Heddon St. Creating a backdrop to the scene "Golden Showers" takes a very familiar 3/4 drum pattern as its starting point and laces it with staccato bursts of feedback Ronson guitar and romantic piano flourishes. "It was cold and it rained..."
3 Cortege (3:09)
The tracks starts with a revolving organ pattern, over which can be heard the old manual dialling sound of a phone as someone rings the Heddon St box. Next the track moves into processional mode with Ziggy repeating "Rock, Rock, Rock N Roll", before the dark coated funereal horns arrive, and the Cortege makes its way up from Piccadilly and into Heddon St proper.
4 Heartache in Heddon St ( 5:46)
A blustery day out in Heddon St, as our hero revisits the scene of past romances ("Lucy stayed at home to starve"). The track starts with the distant sound of traffic and passers by, In the background Ziggy repeats a slow "Bom, Bom, B-Bom Bom" as above piano's tinkle and a piccolo picks out a mournful tune.
5 Scene Change (1:13)
A breathing space for the cast to get their breaths back whilst out in the Street the finishing touches are put to the new set. Almost ambient, granular synthesised elements from Ziggy float past.
6 Through a Telephone Box Darkly (5:10)
"When the kids had killed the man..." a slow mantra for now the departed main man with full backing from sweeping mellotrons and the Vienna Boys’ Choir.
7 Weird & Gilly Ride Again (4:22)
After the sadness and despair of "Through a Telephone Box Darkly", hope comes again as Weird and Gilly pick themselves up and prepare for the long journey home. The track combines the first and last sounds of "Rock N Roll Suicide", namely the final string chord of the LP and the strummed guitar intro to create a number that has more than a hint of the spaghetti Western about it as our two heroes ride off into the sunset.