, universally known as Damo Suzuki
(????), is a singer best known for his membership in the German krautrock group Can.
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DAMO SUZUKI TICKETS
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Biography
Suzuki spent the late 1960s wandering around
Europe, often
busking, during which time he would only have been a
teenager.
[1]
When
Malcolm Mooney left
Can after recording their first album
Monster Movie
,
Holger Czukay and
Jaki Liebezeit encountered Suzuki
singing on a street in
Munich, Germany whilst the two were sitting outside at a street
café. They invited him to join the group, and he did, performing with them that evening.
[2]
Suzuki was with
Can from 1970 to 1973, recording a number of well-regarded albums such as
Tago Mago
,
Future Days
and
Ege Bamyasi
. Suzuki's first vocal performance with Can was "Don't Turn the Light On, Leave Me Alone" from
Soundtracks [3] His freeform, often
improvised lyrics, sung in no one particular language
gelled with Can's rolling,
psychedelic sound.
Suzuki converted to the
Jehovah's Witness faith when he married his German girlfriend, who was also a Jehovah's Witness, after the release of the album
Future Days
, and retired from music in 1974.
He returned to music in 1983, and currently leads what is known as
Damo Suzuki's Network
- as he tours, he performs live improvisational music with various local musicians (so-called "Sound Carriers"
[4]) from around the world, thus building up a 'network' of musicians with whom he collaborates. As far as more recent recorded material is concerned, Damo is featured on electronic/hip-hop producer
Sixtoo's album, "Chewing on Glass and Other Miracle Cures" (
Ninja Tune, 2004).
Among the musicians in his live shows have been
Michael Karoli and
Jaki Liebezeit of
Can,
Mani Neumeier of
Guru Guru, Dustin Donaldson of
I Am Spoonbender,
Cul De Sac,
Passierzettel, The Early Years,
The Bees,
Do Make Say Think,
Broken Social Scene,
Airiel,
Acid Mothers Temple,
The Holy Soul, The Sandells, the
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet (with whom he has recorded the 2007 EP
Please Heat This Eventually
),
The Skull Defekts,
AIDS Wolf, Edmondo Ammendola and Dave Williams of
Augie March, Gordon J Watson & Simon Doling of
Terminal Cheesecake, Stephen Mcbean from black mountain, The Prestidigitators, Gary Jeff of God, Calamalka,Karl Asa of J>A>W>, Hamish Black, tynder and many, many others.
Suzuki has been recognised by name by at least three different bands.
The Fall's 1985 album
This Nation's Saving Grace
features a song "I Am Damo Suzuki," inspired by and dedicated to the singer.
[5] The
rock band The Mooney Suzuki takes its name from Damo Suzuki and Can's earlier vocalist
Malcolm Mooney.
[6] And most recently UK based psych/prog rockers
Dudes Of Neptune have dedicated an entire album "Jamming For Damo" to Suzuki.
[7]
Discography
Damo Suzuki is present on the following albums:
- Can Soundtracks
1970
- Can Tago Mago
1971
- Can Ege Bamyasi
1972
- Can Future Days
1973
- Can Unlimited Edition
1976 (compilation)
- Dunkelziffer In The Night
1984
- Dunkelziffer III
1986
- Dunkelziffer Live 1985
1997
- Damo Suzuki's Network Tokyo On Air West 30.04.97
1997
- Damo Suzuki's Network Tokyo On Air West 02.05.97
1997
- Damo Suzuki's Network Osaka Muse Hall 04.05.97
1997
- Damo Suzuki Band V.E.R.N.I.S.S.A.G.E.
1998
- Damo Suzuki Band P.R.O.M.I.S.E.
(7CD Box) 1998
- Damo Suzuki's Network Seattle
1999
- Damo Suzuki's Network Odyssey
2000
- Damo Suzuki's Network JPN ULTD Vol.1
2000
- Damo Suzuki's Network Metaphysical Transfer
2001
- Damo Suzuki's Network JPN ULTD Vol.2
2002
- Sixtoo Chewing On Glass and Other Miracle Cures
2004
- Damo Suzuki's Network Hollyaris
2005 (2CD)
- Damo Suzuki's Network 3 Dead People After The Performance
2005
- Damo Suzuki and Now The London Evening News
2006 (CD)
- Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Please Heat This Eventually
2007
Notes
- All Tomorrow's Parties
- Holger Czukay's official site
- "'Don't Turn the Light on, Leave Me Alone' was Damo's first recording with CAN ever."[1]
- A list of Damo's "Sound Carriers"
- 3:AM Magazine interview
- Kludge Magazine interview
- http://www.myspace.com/dudesofneptune]