Cologne musician and co-founder of the experimental Krautrock band Can Holger Czukay was found dead today in the legendary Can studio — an old cinema in Weilerswist — which he had converted into the apartment in recent years, according to Cologne newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. Czukay was 79.
Can was formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968 by the core quartet of Czukay (bass), Irmin Schmidt (keyboards), Michael Karoli (guitar), and Jaki Liebezeit (drums). A number of singers performed with the band through the years. The group earned their reputation for their early use of sampling and incorporating elements of minimalism to world music in their songs.
Czukay was born in Poland in 1938. He studied music under Karlheinz Stockhausen from 1963 to 1966 and then worked for a while as a music teacher. He co-founded Can in 1968. He played bass guitar and performed most of the recording and engineering for the group.
Over the years he collaborated with a wealth of musicians including Jah Wobble and David Sylvian as well as U.N.K.L.E, Brian Eno, Eurythmics, and German Neue Deutsche Welle band Trio.
The cause of death is currently unknown.