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Can (stylized in all caps) were a German experimental rock band formed in Cologne in 1968 by Holger Czukay (bass, tape editing), Irmin Schmidt (keyboards), Michael Karoli (guitar), and Jaki Liebezeit (drums). They featured several vocalists, including American Malcolm Mooney (1968–70) and Japanese Damo Suzuki (1970–73). They have been hailed as pioneers of the German krautrock scene.

The founding members of Can came from backgrounds in avant-garde music and jazz. They blended elements of psychedelic rock, funk, samba and musique concrète on influential albums such as Tago Mago (1971), Ege Bamyasi (1972) and Future Days (1973). Can also had commercial success with singles such as "Spoon" (1971) and "I Want More" (1976) reaching national singles charts. Their work has influenced rock, post-punk, indie rock, post-rock and ambient acts.

History

1960s

Can, initially named the Inner Space, was formed in Cologne, Germany, in 1968 by Holger Czukay (bass), Irmin Schmidt (keyboard), Jaki Liebezeit (drums) and Michael Karoli (guitar). Czukay and Schmidt were from academic backgrounds, students of the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, and were fascinated by the possibilities of rock and roll. By mid-1968, Can played their first show at an art opening at invitation of art collector Christoph Vohwinkel. The performance was taped, and extracts were released in January 1985 as a cassette Prehistoric Future. The live performance was recorded with Manni Löhe who played flute and percussion, with occasional vocals. In July 1968, Irmin's film industry connections delivered the group’s first commission. German public broadcaster ARD requested a track for 1970 film Das Millionenspiel. The title track featured saxophone player Gerd Dudek and appeared on The Lost Tapes compilation.

In late 1968, the Inner Space enlisted the American vocalist Malcolm Mooney. They recorded an album, Prepare to Meet Thy Pnoom, but could not find a recording company to release it. The Inner Space made the soundtrack pieces for 1969 films Agilok & Blubbo and Kamasutra: Vollendung der Liebe, making a brief appearance in the latter movie. "Man Named Joe", a track from Prepare to Meet Thy Pnoom, resurfaced on Kamasutra: Vollendung der Liebe. At Mooney's suggestion, the band changed their name to Can. Around the time of Johnson's departure, Mooney suggested the name for its positive meanings in various languages—for example, the English can ("be able to"); the Turkish can (pronounced [dʒan]), meaning "soul", "spirit", or "life"; and the Japanese 感 (kan; "feeling, emotion") and ちゃん (-chan, a suffix meaning "beloved"). Liebezeit later suggested the backronym definition "communism, anarchism, nihilism", after an English magazine claimed that this was the intended meaning.

At invitation of Vohwinkel, they moved to Schloss Nörvenich, where they established a recording studio Inner Space. There, they recorded their debut album, Monster Movie (1969). It contained new versions of two songs previously recorded for Prepared to Meet Thy Pnoom, "Father Cannot Yell" and "Outside My Door". Monster Movie received acclaim.