8. CanMonster Movie
I got into Can at a similar time as The Fall, I guess they’re in similar worlds. I probably heard about krautrock for the first time from my dad. It was at that age when you’ve collected your tools, and your tapestry of character is forming – then my dad was able to be like, ‘You say you like that thing, well, why don’t you listen to this?’ Which is a cool way to parent. I heard Ege Bamyasi first, then [1971 album] Tago Mago… I was working backwards. When I found this record I loved the vocalist [Malcolm Mooney], and I was like, ‘Who’s this guy? He doesn’t sound like the other guy [subsequent vocalist Damo Suzuki].’ I can’t remember how many records Malcolm did with them, but this is my favorite Can record for sure, and ‘Yoo Doo Right’ is one of my favorite songs of that era.
It’s got the kind of things that give me the ick about improvising and long-winded, droney music sometimes. But when it hits right, it’s so good. It’s a really tough balance to get without over-egging an idea or becoming boring, or becoming too egotistical, because jam music and drone music can be very egotistical, you know. But this record, in four songs, has everything that I love about krautrock.
