Published
Mon, Apr 16, 2018, 17:45
- Only 200 copies of the collector's item will be available, retailing at £275 each.
Details surrounding a limited-edition version of Can's forthcoming biography, All Gates Open: The Story Of Can, have been revealed.
The project, which will be available in both standard and limited-edition versions, is a collaboration between the influential band's founder, Irmin Schmidt, and Rob Young, a veteran music writer and former editor of The Wire. Retailing at £275 and limited to 200 copies, the collector's item will include a 78-page replica of a rare studio notebook shared by the group, featuring sketches of drum kit layouts by Jaki Liebezeit and various scribbles and jottings that "reveal the group's playful sense of humour and surrealistic chains of thought," according to the press release. It's out on May 3rd via Faber & Faber.
The main book, which is also out in May, is split into two parts. First, Young tells the band's story in full, making use of exclusive interviews with the members, plus various friends and industry figures. The second part, titled Can Kiosk, was assembled by Schmidt. He describes it as a "collage," presenting an oral history of the band alongside interviews with artists and filmmakers, and extracts from old diaries and notebooks.
Can, regarded as pioneers of the German krautrock scene, was formed in Cologne in 1968. In addition to Schmidt, who played keyboards in the band, Can consisted of Holger Czukay (bass), Michael Karoli (guitar) and Jaki Liebezeit (drums). They would go on to influence a whole generation of post-punk, new wave and electronic acts, some of whom were mentioned in our most recent video essay.
