D.A.M.O. Interview

 

During the month of October Damo Suzuki and band made a short tour of the US in support of the excellent new album ODYSSEY. They played several dates along the West Coast. During their show in Portland on 10/07/00, Damo and I met up and arranged the following interview. It offers a glimpse into the past and current musical ideas of one of the original movers and shakers (literally) of “Krautrock”. To see him live after all these years was a gas, and the fact that he has lost none of his energy or spontaneous creative juice was refreshing to say the least.

In the last few years we’ve seen a rebirth of your musical activity. For some time before nothing was heard – what did you do in the first years after Can?

 

D: I split from CAN in the autumn of 1973, and then I joined the Jehovah Witness religion. I got a normal job, at first working as a receptionist in a small business hotel.

Have you been making music all this time?

 

D: No, not at all. From this time onward for about 11 years I never made music and had nothing to do with music scene.

Your recent releases are all live recordings. Do you ever plan to do a studio album?

 

D: I'm not much interested in Studio works. I love to play live, meet people and also interact with audiences. At the moment I'm not thinking of recording in the studio. I like the concept of INSTANT COMPOSING; so recording live is the best way I think. Living things are positive and have energy, I like to live in the moment and enjoy this moment. In front of an audience I can be natural and I feel energy coming from the people. Also DAMO'S NETWORK is not only about making music, we create a space you can enjoy AT THAT MOMENT, because it’s a living creation.

How does the overall vibe of the music scene today compare with the old days – in particular the concert atmosphere, business situation, etc.?

 

D: I can talk about this in terms of my own experiences at my shows because; I don't go to anyone else’s concerts. I think the business situation has changed for the worse. But, I don't worry about this so much as there's always a place to play. How much money I get is not important. The important thing is that there are people who still like to hear and see me, even if sometimes the audience is not so large. I'm really happy to meet the people coming, everywhere in the world. And if possible, I speak with them before, or after the show. That's why I began with the NETWORK group idea...I don’t mean NETWORK in the computer sense. My meaning of NETWORK is a back to the roots thing. If you see the T-shirts with my logo, it says, "The Beginning was smoke - Established since the Stone Age." The first communication between people began with smoke giving someone a signal, to people on another hill who answered with smoke. That was also the beginning of music (communication with others). It all happened in the Stone Age (I think I'm getting away from your question, sorry!)!

What kind of audience do you get now – mostly old fans, or younger experimentalists?

 

D: Oh, it is different from city to city, country to country. Last weekend we played in a very beautiful city called Schwerin, in the former GDR. There came older people, who were not able to see me in my time with CAN for political reasons. No, I cannot say they are only old...mostly I'm the oldest in this situation. In 1998 I played a show in London, I saw only younger people between ages 18 & 24. I was like their father.

You’ve played in many countries in the last years – which has had the biggest audiences and best reaction?

 

D: I like every concert. When everyone is in the same space and time it can be very harmonious. For me it is a really great moment, sometimes-even teardrops start falling because of my happiness. I feel very lucky to be in this moment with such an audience.

To me it seemed to be sort of a “golden age” back in the beginnings of experimental and progressive rock. Does the scene seem different to you today – less drugs, less political, less creative?

 

D: Fewer drugs would be not so bad. Less politics would also be OK, who can trust in politicians? On the other hand we're now living in a global family. Art should not mix with politics. I think today's generation is creative. They create in their own way. Also, it is impossible if you are living at the end of a year (now), to try and change for the better, things that have already happened earlier in the year (in the past).

Do you have any special projects planned for the future?

 

D: Yes, I have. But, I won't tell you now. I'm just working it out, and then you will see. I don't want to talk about things before they happen. You know what I mean?

Would you like to play again with the former members of Can and perhaps do a reunion concert or album?

 

D: Not really, maybe with Karoli? Reunion things are not for me. I'm not interested to see passed landscape again. I feel like I’m in a train traveling down the track... I’m anxious to get to the next station, and if this stop is not on map, it will be much more fun. I can paint with my music when I get there, as I like, a nice picture for the audience.

 

- Archie Patterson

 

 

(D.A.M.O. Photos by Pedro Sena)