Damo Suzuki, the Japanese singer who served as lead singer for German krautrock icons Kan from 1970 to 1973, has died at the age of 74. Can's label Spoon Records revealed the news on Instagram, writing: “His boundless creative energy has touched so many people around the world, not only with Can, but also with his Network Tour.” All continents. Damo's kind spirit and beguiling smile will be forever missed. The cause of death has not been revealed, but Suzuki was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014.
Born on January 16, 1950 in Japan, Suzuki left his homeland as a teenager and began working in Europe. After stumbling upon one of his performances outside a Munich café, Holger Czukay and Jacky Liebizet invited Suzuki to perform with the group that night. He officially joined Can in 1970, replacing original frontman Malcolm Mooney, and appears on a classic set of albums: 1971 Tagoo mago1972 BC Egy Bamiasiand 1973 Future days.
Suzuki left Gan in 1973 to marry his girlfriend and became a Jehovah's Witness, abandoning music for ten years to devote it to religion. He began performing again in 1983, performing shows as the Damo Suzuki Network. He has released numerous network and solo releases over the decades, including 2018's releases Live at Windmill Brixton with 'Sound Carriers' Featuring black midi. In 2019, he published memoirs I'm Damo Suzukico-written by Paul Woods, and whose battle with cancer was the subject of the 2022 documentary energy.
“After the illness you suffered for three long years, you are simply happy to be here breathing the air,” Suzuki told Mojo in 2018. I feel so grateful for all the people in front of me on the stage. Do you think, can I get something better than this? Life is like that, just good. You can go like a locomotive and go straight, and keep going and get to the next stop, and then to another stop… and it never ends. These are the dreams of all people, that they never end.
Among the artists who paid tributes to the influential musician in the wake of his death: Tom Skinner From the smile and sons of Kemet, FootballMike Kinsella, The Charlatans Tim BurgessJeff Barrow of Portishead & Beck>, Massive Attack, healthMatmos Drew Daniel, Elijah Wood, Bu ningenand the product David is a pain.
