OFF: Can and Neu - which albums?

[Chris Warburton]

Here goes...

>------Original Message------
>From: David Bottomley <merlinas at DIRCON.CO.UK>
>To: BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU
>Sent: March 23, 2001 2:54:33 PM GMT
>Subject: Re: OFF: Can and Neu - which albums?
>
>Mike asked:
>
>>I've been meaning for a while to give these bands a spin. My
>>electronic music tastes run to mid-period Tangerine Dream
>>(Rybycon until Hyperborea), Tim Blake, the more melodic stuff
>>of Klaus Schulze, Ian Boddy, Software... What would you folks
>>reccommend?

I'm not really sure that I'd call Can "electronic" since virtually everything was done on conventional instruments, I don't think Irmin Schmidt even used synths per se, though I think they did use the odd oscillator here and there. Holger Czukay was in to tape manipulation early on in a "musique concrete" fashion, and there are incidences of "found sound" (e.g. random radio reception) here and there. Jaki Liebezeit would probably paradiddle on your head until your skull cracked if you suggested they'd used drum machines *g*

>
>Well, I can't comment on Neu myself, but am also intrigued. I
>understand their albums are being re-issued v. soon on CD so
>I'd appreciate recommendations too.

I remember Neu! quite fondly, though I don't actually possess any of their albums...

>As for Can, I guess my personal faves are "Tago Mago",

For a fan, THE album to have I'd say.

>"Future Days" & "Soon Over Babaluma",

These two, particularly "Future Days" are the easy way in to Can,
much the most approachable material.

>but others have their moments, even if they're not quite as
>consistent (e.g. "Soundtracks" (for the awesome "Mother Sky"),

No arguments there

>"Ege Bamyasi", "Monster Movie" and even "Saw Delight").

"Saw Delight" is a bit iffy IMHO, but the other two are stone classics that sit on the right & left hand of the mighty "Tago Mago". IIRC, "Landed" is pretty good too.

>Beware, though. There are a few that should be avoided. These
>include the dire "Out Of Reach"

Dire may be too kind a word...

>and also "Can" (aka "Inner Space").

Slightly better, but not much

>Their re-formation album "Rite Time" was also a huge
>disappointment IMHO.

I wasn't impressed enough to buy it!

>To be honest, a good bet would probably be to start with
>"Cannibalism 1", a comp. which I don't have but seem to recall
>contains many of the truly great Can moments.

Yes, an excellent compilation that covers the prime UA period of the band very well indeed.

>And then there's always Holger Czukay's solo stuff.....

A slightly different kettle of fish to Can proper, but I love it... especially "Movies".  The first album of soundtrack music by Irmin Schmidt is pretty impressive - a bit more like Can proper.

>Whilst we're on the subject, anyone here heard the Can BBC
>sessions or remix CDs (the latter's called "Sacrilege" I
>think)? If so, opinions welcome from me too.

Dunno about the BBC stuff, though if it contains the "OGWT" performance it'll be worth having - tragic that that got faded out on the broadcast! "Sacrilege": some would say that it is; I found it interesting, but maybe a little pointless, since most of the stuff was done direct to two track, limiting the options rather!

Hope that helps, Mike.

ChrisW