Can, the German rock band active from 1968 to 1991, has 12 people listed as members according to MusicBrainz. This list reflects the database as retrieved on 2026-10-09 and includes all members who held a ‘member of band’ relation. Roles and years are presented exactly as listed in MusicBrainz, without additions or omissions.
Former Members
- David C. Johnson – not listed, 1968–1969
- Holger Czukay – not listed, 1968–1977, 1986–1988
- Irmin Schmidt – keyboards, 1968–1979, 1986–1988, 1991–1991
- Jaki Liebezeit – drums, 1968–1979, 1986–1988
- Malcolm Mooney – lead vocals, 1968–1970, 1986–1988, 1991–1991
- Michael Karoli – not listed, 1968–1979, 1986–1988, 1991–1991
- Damo Suzuki – not listed, 1970–1973
- Tim Hardin – not listed, 1975–1975
- Magic Michael – lead vocals, 1976–1976
- Thaiga Raj Raja Ratnam – lead vocals, 1976–1976
- Rebop Kwaku Baah – not listed, 1977–1979
- Rosko Gee – not listed, 1977–1979
Original Line-up
- David C. Johnson
- Holger Czukay
- Irmin Schmidt
- Jaki Liebezeit
- Michael Karoli
Line-up Timeline
| Member | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| David C. Johnson | not listed | 1968–1969 |
| Holger Czukay | not listed | 1968–1977, 1986–1988 |
| Irmin Schmidt | keyboards | 1968–1979, 1986–1988, 1991–1991 |
| Jaki Liebezeit | drums | 1968–1979, 1986–1988 |
| Malcolm Mooney | lead vocals | 1968–1970, 1986–1988, 1991–1991 |
| Michael Karoli | not listed | 1968–1979, 1986–1988, 1991–1991 |
| Damo Suzuki | not listed | 1970–1973 |
| Tim Hardin | not listed | 1975–1975 |
| Magic Michael | lead vocals | 1976–1976 |
| Thaiga Raj Raja Ratnam | lead vocals | 1976–1976 |
| Rebop Kwaku Baah | not listed | 1977–1979 |
| Rosko Gee | not listed | 1977–1979 |
Line-ups and Albums
The following section relates each studio album by Can to the members who were in the band during the year of its release. The album titles and years are taken from MusicBrainz, as are the members’ years. The band was active between 1968 and 1991 with varying line-ups.
- Monster Movie (1969)
Members in 1969: David C. Johnson (1968–1969), Holger Czukay (1968–1977), Irmin Schmidt (1968–1979), Jaki Liebezeit (1968–1979), Malcolm Mooney (1968–1970), Michael Karoli (1968–1979) - Tago Mago (1971)
Members in 1971: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Malcolm Mooney (until 1970, so not in 1971), Michael Karoli, Damo Suzuki (1970–1973) - Ege Bamyası (1972)
Members in 1972: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Damo Suzuki - Future Days (1973)
Members in 1973: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Damo Suzuki (until 1973) - Soon Over Babaluma (1974)
Members in 1974: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli - Landed (1975)
Members in 1975: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Tim Hardin (1975) - Flow Motion (1976)
Members in 1976: Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Magic Michael (1976), Thaiga Raj Raja Ratnam (1976) - Saw Delight (1977)
Members in 1977: Holger Czukay (until 1977), Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit (until 1979), Michael Karoli, Rebop Kwaku Baah (1977–1979), Rosko Gee (1977–1979) - Can (1978)
Members in 1978: Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Rebop Kwaku Baah, Rosko Gee - Out of Reach (1978)
Members in 1978: Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Rebop Kwaku Baah, Rosko Gee - Onlyou (1982)
Members in 1982: None listed with years including 1982; therefore, no members were active in the band according to MusicBrainz for this year. - Rite Time (1989)
Members in 1989: None listed with years including 1989; no members are recorded as active in that year.
Note: Malcolm Mooney’s membership ended in 1970, so he was not part of the band in 1971. Damo Suzuki was a member at this time.
Note that some albums were released in years where no members are listed as active, according to MusicBrainz member years. This indicates that the membership data does not include those years or that the band was not active with those members at that time.
How This List Was Compiled
This list was compiled exclusively from MusicBrainz ‘member of band’ relations for Can, retrieved on 2026-10-09. Only individuals with a ‘member of band’ relation and an end date are included. The roles and years are reproduced exactly as found in MusicBrainz. Touring and session players, as well as collaborators or other contributors, are not included, as MusicBrainz does not list them as official members. Wikipedia was referenced only for the band’s general information and active years but not for member details.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many members are listed for Can?
- There are 12 members listed as part of Can according to MusicBrainz.
- Are there any members listed without an end date?
- No; all members have an end date for their membership in the band.
- Who does MusicBrainz mark as original members of Can?
- David C. Johnson, Holger Czukay, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, and Michael Karoli are marked as original members.
- Where does this membership data come from?
- It comes from MusicBrainz’s ‘member of band’ relations, retrieved on 2026-10-09.
Final Thoughts
The membership of Can evolved over their active years with multiple changes in roles and personnel. This list provides a clear reference to who was part of the band and when, based strictly on MusicBrainz data. For further details on their music or history, other sources may be consulted, but membership specifics are best verified here.
Understanding the line-ups in relation to album releases offers insight into the band’s changing composition through time. This factual approach ensures accuracy and avoids assumptions beyond the documented data.
Related
- Complete List of Honeymoon Suite Band Members and Roles
- Complete List of Cowboy Junkies Band Members from MusicBrainz
- Complete List of Kick Axe Band Members and Line-up Details