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Outlook: Unrepeated: Damo Suzuki's improvisations in music and life

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Damo Suzuki.jpg

15/02/2024 GMT

Unrepeated: Damo Suzuki's improvisations in music and life

BBC World Service - Outlook, Unrepeated: Damo Suzuki's improvisations in music and life

The legendary Japanese vocalist passed away earlier this week.

The legendary Japanese vocalist made his name with the pioneering band Can, but quit because he didn't want to be famous. He passed away earlier this week.

Legendary Japanese vocalist Damo Suzuki passed away earlier this week. 
 
He was born in Japan in 1950, but his desire to explore the world saw him move to Sweden as a teenager. He spent the next few years busking in an improvised style on the streets of various European towns and cities. A chance encounter in Munich with the pioneering German band Can led to him being asked to join them as their new vocalist, and he appeared on stage that same day. But Damo left Can when they were at their peak, shunning fame for a simpler life bringing up a family and working as a hotel receptionist. He lived with cancer for much of his later years, but he kept experimenting until the end. He spoke with Jo Fidgen in 2022. 
 
Cambodia's biggest rubbish dump was home to thousands of children, picking through rubbish to sell. From this bleak wasteland emerged a band, Doch Chkae - young musicians who grew up in extreme poverty, turning their anger into heavy metal music. Harry Graham speaks to two of the band members, Sok Vichey and Ouch Theara. We also hear from one of the charity workers who spotted their talent for metal music, Timon Seibel, from Moms Against Poverty. First broadcast on 23rd November 2019.
 
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(Photo: Damo Suzuki Credit: Getty Images)

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