From 1972 to 1973, Hagen enrolled in the crash-course performance program at The Central Studio for Light Music in East Berlin. Upon graduation, she joined the band Automobil (picture), which released a well-received album in Germany, including her first hit "Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen" in 1974.
After a concert for a West German labour union in 1976 her stepfather, Wolf Biermann, was forbidden to return to the GDR. Because of their protests against it her mother, Eva-Maria Hagen and Nina were thrown out of GDR in 1977, and followed Biermann to his hometown Hamburg.
Nina subsequently met West-Berlin photographer Jim Rakete (who also produced some bands he shot the cover-photos for - like "Nena" some years later). He brought Nina together with the politically left-wing band "Lokomotive Kreuzberg" (later known as "Spliff"): thus the "Nina Hagen Band" was born.
In 1978 The Nina Hagen Band released their self-titled debut album, which included titles like "TV-Glotzer" (a cover of "White Punks on Dope" by The Tubes) and "Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo".
According to reviewer Fritz Rumler, she thrusts herself into the music, aggressively, directly, furiously, roars in the most beautiful operatic alto, then, through shrieks and squeals, precipitates herself into luminous soprano heights... she parodies, satirises, and howls on stage like a dervish.
Nina Hagen's eccentricity led to big disputes in the band and during a subsequent European tour Hagen decided to leave the band, though she was still under contract to produce a second album in 1979. This LP, Unbehagen (in addition to the obvious pun on her name, in German this also means 'discomfort' or 'unease'), was eventually produced with the band recording their tracks in Berlin and Hagen recording the vocals in Los Angeles, California. It included the single "African Reggae"/"Wir leben immer... noch" (a cover of Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number"). The headless Nina Hagen Band soon developed a successful independent musical career as Spliff.
Meanwhile, Hagen's public persona was steadily creating an increasing media uproar and she became infamous for an appearance on an Austrian talk show called Club 2, in which she performed an explicit simulation of masturbation. She also acted with Dutch sex-drugs-and-rock-'n'-roll legend Herman Brood in the movie Cha Cha, along with Lene Lovich and various Dutch bands.
An European tour with a new band in 1980 was cancelled, she had a love affair with a 16 year old punk from Amsterdam called Noddy (www.noddyriot.co.uk) and sang a RHCP rapduet with him at the OneWorldPoetry festival at the MilkyWay and lived with him in New York and in the Bahamas.
In 1982 her first solo album NunSexMonkRock, a dissonant mix of punk, funk and opera, was a minor hit, and led to a world tour with the No Problem Orchestra.
In 1983 came the album Angstlos and a minor European tour. By this time, Hagen's public appearances were becoming even stranger; over the years they frequently included discussions of God, UFOs, her social and political beliefs, animal rights / vivisection and claims of alien sightings. The English version of Angstlos, 'Fearless', generated two major club hits in America , "Zarah" and the disco/punk/opera classic, "New York New York".
1985's 'Nina Hagen In Ekstasy' fared less well, but it did generate club hits with "Universal Radio" and a cover of "Spirit In The Sky", and it also featured her hardcore punk take on Frank Sinatra's "My Way", which had been one of her signature live tunes in previous years. Her contract with CBS over, she released the Punk Wedding EP independently in 1987, a celebration of her marriage to an 18-year old punk. It followed an independent 1986 one-off single with Lene Lovich, the anthemic "Don't Kill The Animals".
In 1989 Hagen released the album Nina Hagen which was backed up by another German tour. Now living in Paris with her daughter Cosma Shiva, in 1991 she toured Europe in support of her new album Street.
In 1992 Hagen became the host of a TV show on RTLplus. The following year she released Revolution Ballroom and two years later the German-language album Freud Euch appeared, recorded in English as Beehappy in 1996. Also in 1996, Hagen collaborated with electronic music composer Christopher Franke on "Alchemy of Love", the theme song for the Tenchi Universe movie Tenchi Muyo! in Love.
In 1998, Hagen became the host of a weekly science fiction show on the British Sci-Fi-Channel, in addition to embarking on another tour of Germany. In 1999, she released the devotional album Om Namah Shivay, which was distributed exclusively online. She also sang "Witness" on KMFDM's Adios.
Nina has a strong interest in various religions, but that is mainly driven by her urge to build a better world and her own colorful freedom within it.
In 2000, her song Schön ist die Welt became the official song of Expo 2000. The album The Return of the Mother was released in February 2001, accompanied by another German tour.
Hagen dubbed the voice of Sally in the German release of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and she also did some voice work in Hot Dogs by Michael Schoemann.
Hagen has been featured on many songs by other bands, for instance Oomph!'s song Fieber, a cover of Rammstein's "Seemann" with Apocalyptica and in 2008 appeared readily on psy-trance act S.U.N. Project's X Black Album, most notably on the fully vocal track We're In Space. She also sang the song "Garota de Berlim" with Brazilian singer Supla in her early years.
Her two children are Cosma Shiva and Otis.
URLs:
BEST archive for Nina Hagen pictures and stuff (regrettably just in German), incl. very old GDR pics like a beautiful one at the age of 18 and one shot by the "Stasi" (together with her stepfather Wolf Biermann - wiki)
And The Angels Sing
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
You speak, and the angels sing
Or am I breathing music into every word
Suddenly, the setting is strange
I can see water and moonlight beaming
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
Suddenly, I see it all change
Through it all your face that I adore.
In "And The Angels Sing," Nina Hagen describes a profound, almost magical experience of meeting someone special. From the moment they meet, there is a sense of otherworldliness, as if the angels themselves are singing to herald their encounter. The music of the angels is so sweet and pure that it intoxicates the singer, making her feel as if every word uttered by her new love is set to music. The setting around them shifts from the mundane to the extraordinary, with waves crashing on an undiscovered shore, and long winter nights filled with the glowing warmth of candlelight. Throughout it all, the singer is captivated by the beauty of this new person, and her love for them only seems to grow stronger.
As with many of Nina Hagen's songs, "And The Angels Sing" is a complex and multi-layered work that defies easy categorization. The lyrics speak to a deep spiritual connection between two people and the transformative power of love, while the haunting melody and ethereal vocals create a sense of otherworldliness that is both enchanting and unsettling. With its blend of classical and rock influences, the song is a testament to Hagen's unique artistic vision, which has made her one of the most innovative and influential musicians of her generation.
Line by Line Meaning
We meet, and the angels sing
Our connection is so pure and blissful that it feels like the angels themselves are singing in celebration
The angels sing the sweetest song I ever heard
The feeling of being with you is so beautiful that it's like hearing the sweetest melody ever created by angels
You speak, and the angels sing
Just hearing your voice is so divine that it feels like the angels are joining in on the conversation
Or am I breathing music into every word
Maybe my feelings for you are so intense that I'm hearing music in the way you speak, or perhaps I'm projecting my own emotions onto your every word
Suddenly, the setting is strange
Despite being fully immersed in the moment with you, something about our surroundings or circumstances is making me feel unsettled or disoriented
I can see water and moonlight beaming
In the midst of this strange feeling, I'm envisioning a peaceful scene of water and moonlight shining down, perhaps as a reminder of the beauty still present amidst any chaos
Silver waves that break on some undiscovered shore - Then
This peaceful vision becomes more specific, as I picture silver waves washing up on an undiscovered shore, hinting at a sense of adventure and the unknown that could be waiting for us
Suddenly, I see it all change
Once again, something about the moment causes a shift, and the peaceful vision of water and moonlight is replaced by something else
Long winter nights with the candles gleaming
This new vision is one of long, cold winter nights, but even this image is softened by the warm glow of candles
Through it all your face that I adore.
Amidst all of these shifting visions and emotions, the one constant that brings me joy and comfort is the sight of your face, which I love more than anything else in the world
Contributed by Molly H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nina HagenFan
Wow thats very very good!