Can – Live in Arles 1975

The CAN Live series continues with “Live In Arles 1975.”

This performance took place in 1975 at the Théâtre Antique in Arles. The band performed as part of a festival that also featured other artists such as Nico and Kevin Ayres. The lineup consisted of the four core members: Irmin Schmidt, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, and Holger Czukay.

As with the other albums in the series, no two shows are alike, thus continuing the unique documentation of CAN’s live improvisations, which captures even the smallest details of a live recording—and often not even those—thereby continually providing a band that never seems to be finished with brand-new recordings.

“Live In Arles 1975” is the seventh album in the acclaimed live series by the German experimental rock pioneers CAN, curated by founding member Irmin Schmidt and released on Mute.

This concert, widely regarded as one of their best performances—even by the band members themselves—took place at the Théâtre Antique in Arles. The lineup consisted of the four core members: Schmidt, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, and Holger Czukay. The band performed as part of a festival that also featured other artists such as Nico and Kevin Ayres.

The recording was unearthed from the archives of Spoon Records after having existed for a long time only in the stories of those who were there. To mark its first release, it seems only fitting that the accompanying texts in the booklet include eyewitness accounts from locals who attended the concert.

Like the other releases in this series, this recording captures the unique character of CAN’s on-stage improvisations. Every show was different, and these recordings offer a fresh perspective on a band whose creative process never truly ended.

Genre: Pop & Rock