Garbage burst out of nowhere in 1995 with Supervixen – the powerful opening tune on the self-titled album that introduced us to the band formed by Nirvana producer Butch Vig and led by Shirley Manson.

There’s something special about the first song on an album; even more so when it’s the first song on a debut album.

It’s the introduction to a new artist, setting the scene for everything to come, and Supervixen is the perfect introduction to Garbage. If you like it you know you’re going to like the whole album.

I love it.

The key, of course, is the space. The silence. First comes that huge guitar riff, a riff for the ages. And then… Nothing. Absolute silence, just for a second. It’s unique.

It turns out the whole thing was an accident, a technical errir caused by a faulty playback function on a tape machine.

But as soon as they heard it the band, and Butch Vig in particular, loved the “dead air” aspect and decided to keep it in. And as so often with mistakes, it’s what makes the song.

I can’t think of other examples off the top of my head, apart from that odd edit in the middle of Hotel California where two takes have been joined together very badly.

Anyway, here’s Supervixen: titled after the Russ Mayer sexploitation pic and inspired, apparently, by Pasolini’s Salo (aka The 120 Days Of Sodom) which was playing in the studio during recording.

There’s an alternative version on YouTube, an early demo with different lyrics and a more raw sound that’s just as good too.