Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Nina Hagen


I finally found this at the record fair, I've been looking for it for a while.

I have forgotten how much I love her. Before there was Lady Gaga, there were avante garde artists in the eighties that were just wayyyy ahead of their time. Nina Hagen was one of my favorites. She's from Germany, and had a pop/new wave style all of her own. At first I used to make fun of how she looked in this video, but then she grew on me. She sounds like some sort of creature from the Dark Crystal or the Labyrinth or something, and looks like Rainbow Brite.
I think she was never big in the US, although I've found a cassette tape of hers "Fearless" at Half Priced, and I know Laura has found this record on vinyl (I'm so jealous).
In the nineties she went totally GOTH on us all and was the subject of a few Pierre et Gilles pieces, such as the one above.

She also had this Industrial phase in the 90s that I find fascinating. I even like this song, even though it's cheesy and Ramsteinish. She's just a misunderstood pig tailed goth lady, singing about I don't know what. The video is captivating too. Nina with her tig old skull bitties singing a ballad through a mouthful of cigarette butts. The imagery is actually pretty beautiful I think. It's funny how she went from being so colorful, to so dark and achromatic.
I love you Nina!

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