Holger Czukay – Good Morning Story – Review

Holger Czukay

Good Morning Story (Tone Casualties)
by Lex Marburger

Good humor. It follows Holger Czukay around like a loyal dog, or like my cat, who follows me around from room to room, but bites when I try to pet her. Ever since Can, where his bass was sparse and jaunty and his sound collages pissed off almost everyone, Czukay (my spell check is gonna kill me) has injected whatever he does with a childlike mirth, and Good Morning Story is no exception. Jah Wobble helps out on the opening track, “Invisible Man,” a world-dub style groove, with ambient guitar and Czukay’s pseudo stream of consciousness rhymes. This helps as an introduction of what’s to come. But first, some background… Back in the Can days (1968 onwards), they only had a two-track studio. In order to create the sonic masterpieces that made Can “the band that influenced everyone but nobody’s ever heard of,” Holger had to spend hours splicing tape by hand. Since then, technology has gotten just a little better. But he’s never used a sampler… until now. And what did he sample? Can, of course. “Vitamin C,” the unknown hit single, to be exact. And he uses it in two different songs, adding found sounds and ambient overlays. The songs on Good Morning Story are not pop songs, they’re not radio accessible, and his name is almost impossible to pronounce correctly. The music is difficult to listen to, with sometimes a drum beat being the only thing understandable. Especially “Mirage,” the CD’s closer, a 22-minute samplefest, similar in sound if not construction to side two of Tago Mago (if you don’t get the reference, it’s OK. Mute has re-released all the Can material. It would do you worlds of good to get everything they’ve ever done). But it’s okay to listen to difficult music. Damn, you want to have things handed to you forever?
(6353 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038)