Published
Mon, Feb 12, 2024, 15:40
- The Japanese artist passed away last Friday, February 9th.
Legendary Japanese musician and former Can vocalist Damo Suzuki has died aged 74.
The news was confirmed over the weekend by Spoon Records, the label run by Can's manager, Hildegard Schmidt, since 1980. While the Instagram post didn't disclose a cause of death, Suzuki was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014 and underwent 40 operations across the next three years.
"It's with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of our wonderful friend Damo Suzuki, yesterday, February 9th," the label wrote. "His boundless creative energy has touched so many over the whole world, not just with Can, but also with his continent-spanning Network Tour. Damo's kind soul and cheeky smile will be forever missed. He'll be joining Michael, Jaki and Holger for a fantastic jam!"
Born Kenji Suzuki in Kobe in 1950, he moved to Europe as a teenager to live in hippie communes. He ended up in Munich, where he was spotted busking outside a café by Can bassist Holger Czukay and drummer Jaki Liebezeit, who invited him to perform with the band later that same evening. Eventually replacing original vocalist Malcolm Mooney, he recorded part of 1970 album Soundtracks, followed by three full albums in as many years: '71's Tago Mago, '72's Ege Bamyasi and '73's Future Days. Tago Mago in particular is considered one of the best and most influential rock albums ever.
Known for his indecipherable lyrics and occasional shrieks, Suzuki left Can in '73 to become a Jehovah's Witness. He emerged from the religion ten years later and embarked on a relentless touring campaign as the Network, improvising experimental music with a rotating cast of local musicians and sometimes playing as many as 24 shows in ten countries in eight weeks.
"Music is healing me," he told the Guardian in 2022. "At home, if I don't do anything, I'm much more sick."
In addition to the Can albums, Suzuki's magic is captured in a 2019 memoir, I Am Damo Suzuki, in collaboration with Paul Woods, and a 2022 documentary, Energy: A Film About Damo Suzuki, by Michelle Heighway.
Watch the trailer for Energy, listen to Tago Mago and read some social media tributes.