, better known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a Japanese musician who has been living in Germany since the early 1970s and is best known as the former lead singer of the krautrock group Can.

Biography

As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 1960s wandering around Europe, often busking.Damo Suzuki and Jelly Planet

All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...

website. Retrieved 6 January 2014. When

Malcolm Mooney Malcolm Mooney (born 1944) is an American singer, poet, and artist, best known as the original vocalist for German krautrock band Can. Biography Mooney began singing in high school, and was a member of an a cappella vocal group known as the ''S ...

left Can after recording their first album ''

Monster Movie A monster movie, monster film, creature feature or giant monster film is a film that focuses on one or more characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally large ones. The film may also fall under ...

'', Holger Czukay and

Jaki Liebezeit Jaki Liebezeit (born Hans Liebezeit; 26 May 1938 – 22 January 2017) was a German drummer, best known as a founding member of experimental rock band Can. He was called "one of the few drummers to convincingly meld the funky and the cerebral". ...

encountered Suzuki busking in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

, 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. Suzuki was with Can from 1970 to 1973, recording a number of well-regarded albums such as ''

Tago Mago ''Tago Mago'' is the second studio album by the German krautrock band Can, originally released as a double LP in August 1971 on the United Artists label. It was the band's first album to feature Damo Suzuki after the 1970 departure of previous ...

'', ''

Future Days ''Future Days'' is the fourth studio album by the German experimental rock group Can, released in 1973. It was the last Can album to feature Japanese vocalist Damo Suzuki, and sees the band exploring a more atmospheric sound than their previous ...

'' and '' Ege Bamyası''. Suzuki's first vocal performance with Can was "Don't Turn the Light On, Leave Me Alone" from ''

Soundtracks A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

''. His freeform, often improvised lyrics, were sung in no particular language. Suzuki departed from the band in 1973, and took a hiatus from music for the following decade while working other jobs. 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". The Fall's 1985 album ''

This Nation's Saving Grace ''This Nation's Saving Grace'' is the eighth studio album by English post-punk band the Fall, released in 1985 by Beggars Banquet. The lyrics and singing melodies were written by vocalist Mark E. Smith, with a portion of the music composed b ...

'' features a song " I Am Damo Suzuki", inspired by the singer. The rock band

The Mooney Suzuki The Mooney Suzuki is an American garage rock band that formed in New York City in 1996. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Sammy James, Jr., guitarist Graham Tyler, bassist John Paul Ribas and drummer Will Rockwell-Scott, the band ha ...

takes its name from Damo Suzuki and Can's earlier vocalist

. Since 1997 he has been touring or playing separate gigs.

Personal life

Suzuki lives in

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...

, although he has played more shows in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and has stated that British audiences are more receptive to his music than German ones. He met his wife Elke Morsbach in Cologne in 1985. Suzuki was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014. The documentary ''Energy'' explores Suzuki's battle with cancer and relationship with Morsbach. During his hiatus from music, Suzuki became a

Jehovah's Witness Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...

, but later left the organisation and now considers himself a believer in the

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts ...

without being a member of any denomination or church.

Discography

Damo Suzuki performs on the following albums: * Can – ''

'' (1970) * Can – ''

'' (1971) * Can – '' Ege Bamyası'' (1972) * Can – ''

'' (1973) * Can – '' Unlimited Edition'' (1976) (Compilation) * Dunkelziffer – ''In The Night'' (1984) * Dunkelziffer – ''III'' (1986) * Can – '' The Peel Sessions'' (1995) * 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) * Cul De Sac / Damo Suzuki – ''

Abhayamudra The Abhayamudrā "gesture of fearlessness" is a mudrā (gesture) that is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Buddhism and other Indian religions. The right hand is held upright, ...

'' (2004) * Sixtoo – '' Chewing on Glass & Other Miracle Cures'' (2004) * Damo Suzuki's Network – ''Hollyaris'' (2005) (2×CD) * Damo Suzuki's Network – ''3 Dead People After The Performance'' (2005) * Damo Suzuki &

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Now ...

– ''The London Evening News'' (2006) (CD) * Damo Suzuki's Network – '' Tutti i colori del silenzio – '' (2006) (CD) * Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Damo Suzuki – '' Please Heat This Eventually'' (2007) * Safety Magic – ''Voices'' (2007) * Audioscope – ''Music for a Good Home'' (2010 (CD) * Damo Suzuki & The Holy Soul – ''Dead Man Has No 2nd Chance'' (2010) (CD) * Damo Suzuki & Cuzo – ''Puedo Ver Tu Mente'' (2011) (CD/LP) * Damo Suzuki & Congelador – ''Damo Suzuki + Congelador'' (2011) * Damo Suzuki & God Don't Like It Ensemble – ''Live At Cafe Oto'' (2011) *

Radio Massacre International Radio Massacre International is a trio of British musicians, Steve Dinsdale (Keyboards and Drums), Duncan Goddard (Keyboards and Bass), and Gary Houghton (Guitar, Synth). They specialize in improvisational experimental electronic music, utilisin ...

– ''Lost in Transit 4: DAMO'' (2010) (CD) * Can – '' The Lost Tapes'' (2012) (Compilation) * Simon Torssell Lerin / Bettina Hvidevold Hystad with Damo Suzuki – ''Simon Torssell Lerin / Bettina Hvidevold Hystad with Damo Suzuki'' (2013) (Vinyl Box Set including Book and LP) * Damo Suzuki – ''Seven Potatoes: Live in Nanaimo'' (2×LP) (2013) * Damo Suzuki & Øresund Space Collective – ''Damo Suzuki møder Øresund Space Collective'' (2014) (Digital and 3×LP) * Damo Suzuki & Mugstar – ''Start From Zero'' (2015) (LP) * 1-A Düsseldorf – ''Uraan'' (2016) (2×CD, Album) * Damo Suzuki &

Black Midi Black MIDI is a music genre consisting of compositions that use MIDI files to create a song or a remix containing a large number of notes. People who make black MIDIs are known as blackers. However, there are no specific criteria of what is con ...

– ''Live at the Windmill Brixton with 'Sound Carriers (2018) (Digital) * Mugstar & Damo Suzuki – ''Live at The Invisible Wind Factory'' (2020) (Digital and LP. Released by The Weird Beard) * Damo Suzuki & Jelly Planet – ''Glocksee'' (2020) (2×LP. Released by Catweezle Records) * Damo Suzuki, Echo Ensemble – ''Live at the Green Door Store'' (2020) (CD. Released by Willkommen Records) * Damo Suzuki with Numinous Eye & Steve Eto – ''High School Pharmacy!!!'' (2021) (LP. Released by Charnel Music) * Damo Suzuki & Spiritczualic Enhancement Center – ''Arkaoda'' (2022) (LP. Released by Akuphone)

Videography

*'' Romantic Warriors IV: Krautrock'' (2019)

References

External links

Official SiteInterview with ''Spike Magazine'', February 2005Interview with ''The Guardian'', October 2022
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suzuki, Damo 1950 births Japanese expatriates in Germany Japanese male rock singers Living people Japanese buskers Can (band) members German rock singers German male singers Musicians from Kanagawa Prefecture Japanese Christians Former Jehovah's Witnesses