Holger Czukay

Matt Till · #1 08-08-2008, 07:25 PM

For those of you who aren't familiar Holger played for the amazing german psychedelic/progressive/krautrock band Can. I know he's done some post Can stuff that I have yet to hear, but for the time being, his Can stuff is all I know.

The more I listen to Can, the more I realize how genius his bass playing is. Here's an example

Vitamin C (live): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vLewIZEsOw

Most of the time, Holger's bass is the melody that defines the songs. The organ/keys are atmosphere, the guitar is usually noodley stuff that fits really well actually, the drumming is godly, and Damo is outer space.

A lot of his playing is very chordal and vocally supportive, it's so interesting. I can't think of anyone who plays bass like Hoger Czukay. Any other fans?

Sneckumhaw · #2 08-09-2008, 12:20 AM

Huge fan. There are a few fairly talented pretenders to the throne like Jah Wobble, but Holger just seems to breathe music.

Matt Till · #3 08-09-2008, 07:50 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QLL2j8ZtxE : Paperhouse

I know Radiohead wouldn't exist were it not for Can.

I'd put him in a similar category as Jah Wobble for sure, both bassist who really define the music they play. I only know Jah's Pil stuff, I just did a search for him to find in his solo material, he collaborated with members of Can! That's crazy, I'll have to check that out.

Syeknom · #4 08-09-2008, 08:18 AM

Aw man, Holger is absolutely /amazing/ - his presence practically defines Can for me. From MONSTER grooving on Halleluhwah to relentless pounding on Mother Sky, subtle swinging jazz on She Brings The Rain and a melodic and graceful lead on Bel Air... simply astonishing and diverse talent

bassteban · #5 08-09-2008, 08:23 AM

I had a Holger LP(that's 'Long-Playing' record- you know, those great big CD-looking things at garage sales)that I bought because it had Wobble on it as well(I knew a little about PiL); for that reson I looked at the Can video. Neato- I love 'new'(to me)discoveries.

Reuben · #6 08-09-2008, 09:22 AM

Can had a huge effect on me in the early 90's when all the reissues came out on Mute. I had a friend working for the label and he gave me promos of Delay 1968, Monster Movie, Tago Mago, Ege Bamayasi, Soundtracks, Future Days, and a few others... What a lucky haul that was. Kinda changed my life in a way. Got me back into improvising as a way of life, which led to everything I do now. And Holger, man...! His playing on all those early records (not to mention his awesome production efforts) was a big eye opener for me.

Future Days is still my big favorite. I never get sick of it.

Matt Till · #7 08-09-2008, 10:47 AM

Future days, definitely! The first time I listened to it, I was put in a trance. It's so amazing that so many great musicians can be in a band together and make music completely sans-ego. Everyones music contributions are equally important, Future days is one of those albums where there is just so much going on, but it's not too busy. With my musical ADD I need music like this.

Moonshake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCLXVh9zirA

Reuben · #8 08-09-2008, 11:04 AM

Here's a rare example of Holger playing a non-short scale instrument, but he has a capo on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29t_mv8FaNM

Matt Till · #9 08-09-2008, 12:17 PM

Found this ditty from his solo career: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if5eTwaieMw

Pretty amazing. Different from Can for sure, but I dig it.

Muddslide · #10 08-10-2008, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syeknom

Aw man, Holger is absolutely /amazing/ - his presence practically defines Can for me. From MONSTER grooving on Halleluhwah to relentless pounding on Mother Sky, subtle swinging jazz on She Brings The Rain and a melodic and graceful lead on Bel Air... simply astonishing and diverse talent

Well said. 100% agreed!

willyrep · #11 08-10-2008, 01:49 AM

It's so good to see that others appreciate the music of Can and the playing of Holger. This stuff consistently blows my mind and inspires me....his playing is so different from what i was used to and challenges me still. Can set the pace for so many other musicians, we owe alot to these german and Japanese lads. Ege Bamyasi is one of my top ten desert island albums!

RCCollins · #12 08-10-2008, 10:19 AM

Great to see his name come up. Can are definitely one of of top 5 groups of all time... saw the Damo Suzuki Network (with a local pickup band) earlier this year and it was awesome!

Re: Holger, I've always been saddened by the fact that he quit playing bass - apparently he decided it was too limited an instrument - he went on to radio experiments (where he had started pre-can) and such - on albums like Saw Delight, they've brought in the West Indian rhythm section from Traffic (!) with mixed results - at least, if you're a Holger fan.

I can't think of a more disciplined, patient improviser on bass than Herr Czukay. The dynamics between him and Jaki Liebzeit (arguably one of the best drummers to ever walk the Earth, check out his older jazz stuff supporting trumpeter Manfred Schoof) are tense and meditiative at the same time - day-um!

Syeknom · #13 08-10-2008, 12:31 PM

Forgive the slight tangent, but I just found out that Damo Suzuki will be performing together with Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple (!!) in Bristol soon - sounds like a totally kick ass combination

andymcclure · #14 08-10-2008, 12:57 PM

I went to see Holger a few years ago. I was vaguely familiar with Can, but didn't know he was the bass player or anything. I just saw that it was a guy from Can, and figured I'd check it out.

I was so disappointed. He was a DJ. He pressed a button every couple minutes, then danced.

Maybe the programming was brilliant, I'm not a good judge of that. But IMO, when you have something prerecorded (or preprogrammed) and your entire performance consists of pressing a button periodically, it's hardly what I would call "live".

First the computers came for the drummers, and I said nothing, because I was not a drummer. Then the computers came for the bass players...

Muddslide · #15 08-10-2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sneckumhaw

Huge fan. There are a few fairly talented pretenders to the throne like Jah Wobble, but Holger just seems to breathe music.

Just wanna say that I think more highly of Wobble than to call him a "pretender."

I would agree that it's very likely Wobble wouldn't have been Wobble if it hadn't been for the influence of Czukay and that Czukay has had a greater impact on music and our favorite instrument, but I think Jah Wobble is very worthy in his own right. He's covered a lot of territory.

Muddslide · #16 08-10-2008, 01:35 PM

BTW, aside from Can is there anyone here into other krautrock/spacerock/motorik/cosmiche muzique?

I really love a lot of that stuff. You have to wonder what the hell was in the water in Germany and other parts of Europe that played into that back in the late 60s-mid 70s.

Can is great, but I also really like the first 4 or 5 Tangerine Dream albums and Popol Vuh, more heavy, proggish krautrock like Agitation Free and Guru Guru and Amon Duul, the Cluster, Moebius and Conny Plank material, Harmonia, Faust and especially Neu! who were just fantastic.

Not to mention Kraftwerk, whose influence can't be overstated and who were funky as all hell. In a cold, Germanic way.

It was just a very creatively explosive scene. Elements of funk, pop, prog, ambient, jazz improvisation, mixed acoustic, electric and electronic instrumentation, still analog recording technology and futuristic themes coalescing within the framework of the ending of the countercultural revolution of the 60s. Very interesting period, not as often spoken of as other musical movements.

Syeknom · #17 08-10-2008, 02:56 PM

Krautrock is one of my most adored periods and styles of music. I'm even listening to Cluster's Zuckerzeit as I type this! Hell of an album.

If you've not heard of them, check out a 1972 band called German Oak - their eponymous album is a forgotten gem of raw krautrock. Julian Cope wrote a great article on the album too, if you're interested: http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung...ofthemonth/290.

E2daGGurl · #18 08-10-2008, 03:08 PM

Gracefulness and support for vocals are two talents that any great bass player should have. And Czukay is so sensitive to the music around him, he could support anyone on any instrument. He's also so inventive. By himself, with others, in so many different contexts/styles: he's just amazing. There's also wit, musical depth and compositional ability.

My admiration for him never ceases.

And yes, I am into krautrock/spacerock/motorik/cosmiche muzique. I'm fortunate to live with someone who grew up in Moscow, where there was a great deal of attention to German rock, and a lot of influence from Stockhausen and Kraftwerk. I never thought about it being German funk before though. It's its own thang in my head.

Will be grateful if folks post more examples of groups, as I am absolutely terrible at remembering names...just the music itself stays in my head.

The Lurker · #19 08-10-2008, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddslide

Just wanna say that I think more highly of Wobble than to call him a "pretender."

I would agree that it's very likely Wobble wouldn't have been Wobble if it hadn't been for the influence of Czukay and that Czukay has had a greater impact on music and our favorite instrument, but I think Jah Wobble is very worthy in his own right. He's covered a lot of territory.

+1. I think he and Czukay have a lot in common, too.

I noticed it more in his post-PiL stuff like Rising Above Bedlam, though PiL definitely had some Can-style elements.

reens · #20 08-10-2008, 06:02 PM

holger's sense of space and dynamics is great. the stuff on Future Days is so simple and melodic, most of the time it sounds like a major chord. The Can Box live set is great, and his film soundtrack album is supposed to be good. But what a bummer he dropped the bass after can...