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Spike | 15 YEARS OF BOOKS, MUSIC, ART, IDEAS | www.spikemagazine.com Interview [published February 2005] Damo Suzuki: I Am Damo Suzuki Craig Johnson meets the legendary member of Can who’s too busy looking into the future to care much about the past Does anybody ever go out on a Sunday night? I’m always too knackered to bother most weeks, but this particular night was an unmissable opportunity to see an unmissable psychedelic brain feast. I was out to see a space-man from another age, to see the whites of his eyes connect into the stratosphere. This man was Damo Suzuki. This space was about one foot when he strolled on sagely by after a blazing, intense, intimate and triumphant performance that came from heart of what made Can when fronted by Damo, one of the best bands of the 1970s. His current band is a world wide collective called Damo Suzuki’s Network. Musicians that Damo has spontaneously hooked up with on his vocal journey around planet earth. I didn’t say shit to Damo that night. Too wasted to greet the only man that can say “I am Damo Suzuki” and not be bullshitting. The legend himself was in the vicinity. In the words of the Quiet One: It was all too much. It was all too fuckin’ much. The man who had just walked-on-by was one of those genius-like men that we discover when we traverse the works of Beatles/Pistols/Nirvana to unearth the deeper BUY Damo Suzuki music online from and jewels of rock music’s cavernous domain and discover sounds that truly put character into our souls. It’s then we arrive upon people like Suzuki. A longhaired Japanese man born in 1950, with a black wispy moustache and wisdom resonating from his eyes, Damo Suzuki was the singer in the German avant-rock band Can from 1971 to 1973. His sometimes serene, other times terrifying spontaneous vocal delivery and the drugged funk, space-age gothic repetition of the band carved a significant notch onto the draft of modern music. Bands from The Stone Roses, Sonic Youth, The Coral have all embezzled from the Can archive to inspired effect. Think ‘Fools Gold’ or Metal Box. Shaun William Ryder even managed to ram-raid Damo’s stoned beat style on the Mondays’ early cuts. And lest we forget The Fall’s classic pageant to all things wonderful with ‘I Am Damo Suzuki’. And if you didn’t know, it’s even been expressed that Can’s underbelly of repetitive drum, bass and glacial synth sound laid the groundwork for Detroit artists like Juan Atkins to invent techno in the 1980s. The influence, importance and the sheer funked-out bliss of the band Can should 502 More Spike email RSS Facebook Twitter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Spike | 15 YEARS OF BOOKS, MUSIC, ART, IDEAS | www.spikemagazine.com never be underestimated. I eventually reassembled the means and energy to speak to Damo Suzuki. It took nearly 12 months and to have the world yet a computer between us, but eventually we conversed. Manchester – The Wires – Melbourne – And Back. What situations led you into singing music? And how did you develop that unique style? All creative things begin with Zero. Situation of no information. If you are free, actually you can find many ways to express your feeling … It’s much more natural and no repetition. This is the moment we are together with audience in trance. I don’t think it’s unique … we’re doing what all we can in the moment … TOGETHER. What sort of music do you listen to? Any new bands out there that have sparked your interest? I listen to almost no music deeply. I don’t need much information. Before I heard Russian classical music of 20th. Jazz before the 70s, and folk music from around the globe. I’m thankful for all those sound carriers who joined NEVER ENDING TOUR project. I get inspiration from them in this music cosmos, which we are creating. All those young bands/artist who are finding their roots and creating united energy together. You were a street artist in late 1960’s Cologne What was life like? Did you find wisdom on the streets? I was street artist not only in Cologne. I performed in European continent at that time. It was hippy time. BUY Damo Suzuki music online from and I just liked to travel and meet other people For that I didn’t have money, I made money on the street when I have nothing in my pocket to go next place. Street is where you meet people, just any kind of people. I was not only playing guitar and singing. I had no plan. I made some time happening, kind of one man theatre or painting on the street as well. Could you explain how you clicked so perfectly into the Can sound? How did that perfect transition and that naturalness between yourselves happen? I don’t know if I was flexible enough or them. But things were sure that we hated any information, we didn’t like to create music like everybody else. We’re anarchist. So, for everybody it was easy to create something. When we create sound we started from zero. So, it’s easy thing. Nobody should not be corrected from someone. We’re all in same space. What were the Can years like for you on a personal level? It’s almost like school days. Some times you see them on a photo and I remember I was together with them. He was good in French and he was trying to be good in mathematics. He was always clothed in short pants. To look back is a waste of time. I’m 55, already I have to see much more in front. My time is not tick tacking my time. I’m the pig man. I can’t turn my neck to see back. What was the story or reason for your departure with Can? 503 More Spike email RSS Facebook Twitter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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