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NICO
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There
is a video of 'My Heart Is Empty' in the VIDEO
LIBRARY
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| CAMERA OBSCURA
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With the film documentary, Nico Icon, playing to full houses around the world, the career of Nico is ripe for re-assesment. Born Christa Paeffgren, she was an ethereal beauty, the Germanic Ice queen of the Warhol factory scene. Brought to The Velvet Underground by Andy Warhol, her enduring fame is linked to the Velvet's debut album though she had already released a record in England on Immediate in 1965, accompanied by a budding guitarist called Jimmy Page.
With virtually every album of her subsequent career released on a different label (MGM, Elektra, Reprise, Island, Aura and Beggars Banquet amongst others), there has never been an comprehensive overview anthology of her talents. Her debut, post-velvets solo album featured Cale compositions and playing but her true voice emerged on the two John Cale produced and arranged albums, 1968's The Marble Index and Desertshore in 1971. Singing in German or English and often based around her mournful harmonium accompaniment, this is a dark, European Gothic; an ornate, worldly-wise soundtrack. John Cale collaborated on further albums in the early 70's but there was a ten year musical hiatus in their partnership until Camera Obscura. Recorded in early 1985, the album is so far from the mainstream that it remains fresh, challenging and surprising today. Backed by synthesised keyboards and all manner of percussion, the arid austerity of Nico's music is given a different angle. Some songs are virtually instrumentals; 'Konig' is performed with just the harmonium and the old standard 'My Funny Valentine' becomes a smokey ghost. The quality of Nico's shows and recordings could be very erratic in the late 70's / early'80's (as would be expected from her lifestyle) but Camera Obscura is a cohesive return to form. Sadly, this was Nico's last studio album as she died of a brain haemorrhage on Ibiza in 1988. The film will doubtless highlight the extremes of her life but hopefully it will allow room for an appreciation of her distinctive and unique music. There's a great book "Songs they never played on the Radio" by her keyboard player, James Young, which documents the years surrounding this recording - a harrowing read which captures a lifestyle perfectly. Get it if you can. Hopefully someone will release a detailed anthology box of Nico's work - it's long overdue and she deserves it - September 1996 |
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| Link to another Nico site with photos and full discgraphy. | |||
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