RIP Holger Czukay (CAN)

It's really hard to fight tears today ... really hard.
 
As much as I have loved CAN from its very first days, and "Mother Sky" ripping through Guy Guden's Space Pirate Radio and many other of his shows ... still, today, I can hear the music, and a few years later, the two albums that I have mostly appreciated ... "Movies" and "On The Way to the Peak of the Normal" ... two albums, that I know Holger was not a total fan of a few years later as mentioned in a letter way back when. I always thought that the mixes of the sound effects, the music and the "story" that it told was outstanding, and totally far out.
 
Like some experimental things with sound effects, even Guy Guden's "mind melts" (my term, I seem to remember he did not like that term at all), which were sound effects in every which way, and sometimes combined with a bit of his own comedy, these are always difficult to listen to and appreciate and only later, after a 2nd listen does one see a thread that carries it and makes it into a new story and a new book and a new painting ... done with music and sound effects.
 
Holger did not follow up on these much, but his touch was still quite enjoyable in the next several solo albums, of all the CAN members these were my favorites and the ones I played the most.
 
I do not profess to have any Gods or idealistic heroes to look up to, but if there were any for me to name, Holger would be one of them, because the fearlessness to be able to experiment with the sound and cutting and eventual music, is something that does not exist in music today. And, even though, it was more a result of the time and place, that allowed for such things (in theater in Germany something similar was happening and in film Werner Herzog was allowing actors to do what they wanted), in the end, in the music business, this is a highly under appreciated side of things. Perhaps the more invisible and abstract forms that are found in some music, are more interesting to some audiences, as in a jazz type of thing, but done in rock music?
 
You can count those folks in one hand, and maybe in just one finger.
 
Today, a great friend, and to me, a total artist, has left us. I'm not sure I want to stop a few tears, or not, because some of the music he made, was for me, some of the most important things I have ever learned in my life, and took me to places that are even hard to explain, and word for anyone to hear and relate to ... a non-sense dream more of less ... but one that would stand out for a long time, and you never knew or understood, why you remembered it so well, again and again.
 
R.I.P. my friend ... you will be missed and one can only hope that many other musicians learned something from what you and CAN did for such a long time ... the way of the world continues and all flames will flicker and eventually die ... but there is no reason why we can not say something like ... that was beautiful ... that was totally beautiful ... and one of the best things ever.
 
Your total family of friends and fans will forever remember you ... for the beauty that you have shared with us for such a long time.
 
With much love to you and family. And all CAN folks and fans ... for they have helped show something in music that is not the norm, and yet ... is one of the best!