10 Albums Recorded In Bizarre Locations
1. Tago Mago – Can
Formed in Cologne, Germany, in 1968, Can's influence on generations of musicians is incalculable. The Fall, Jah Wobble, Radiohead, John Lydon, Jesus And Mary Chain, and even A Tribe Called Quest acknowledge a debt. In truth, any band which falls into the art-rock/post-rock bracket can be traced back to the German pioneers. Can's beat-drive, hypnotic, ambitious and experimental sound remains required listening for anyone interested in the above.
Their core membership comprised of Irmin Schmidt (keys), Holger Czukay (bass), Michael Karoli (guitar) and Jaki Leibezeit (drums), although various additional players came and left, most notably Malcolm Mooney and Damo Suzuki, on vocals. For this entry, we're focusing on Can's second studio album, 1971's double-LP Tago Mago. Extended tracks, avant garde funk rhythms and classic Krautrock beats abound throughout this set which was recorded entirely on location at Schloss Nörvenich, a 15th-century castle in the group's native Cologne.
It's a spectacular backdrop, which you can fully appreciate here, and undoubtedly served as inspiration for the epic slabs of music to be found on the record.