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)
Super Freak Family
Nina Hagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family
Nina Hagen fragen
I'm hearing cosmic noises shouted in my ear
They say we've got two choices, one is freedom, one is fear
Walking down on Broadway the birds are singing clear
Nina Hagen fragen, Nina is the pioneer here, here
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freaky family
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family
[Repeat: x2]
Fantastic, so fantastic
[Repeat: x2]
Freak! Freak! Freak!
A very groovy dream I had to dream last night
Guess what, I met Sid Vicious, oh yes that's right
He took me to his funeral, he made a special flip out of the grave just for me
We felt like super family, he and me, he and me
I also have a girlfriend from Hollywood
Her name is Angelyne, and she's a billboard queen
She's gazing into her crystal ball especially for me
Saying, "Nina, did you really?"
Yes I've got married yee hee hee
I also went to see his eminence, prince what's his name you know
The show was pretty funky, so I ran to the very first row
But damn a security was giving it to me
I had to cry, I wonder why the prince didn't rescue me, not me, uh uh, uh uh...
The song "Super Freak Family" by Nina Hagen is a celebration of a unique and unconventional family of freaks. The song opens with the singer hearing cosmic noises and being presented with a choice between freedom and fear. As she walks down Broadway, the birds sing clearly and she celebrates Nina Hagen's pioneering spirit, acknowledging her as a leader in the freak community. The chorus, "Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family," reinforces the sense of belonging to a community of outsiders who share a bond.
The second verse highlights a dream that the singer had, in which she met Sid Vicious and attended his funeral. She describes feeling like part of a super family with him, and later mentions having a girlfriend from Hollywood named Angelyne. The verse concludes with the revelation that Nina has gotten married. The final section of the song describes an encounter with a prince at a funky show, who unfortunately did not come to the singer's rescue when security was giving her trouble.
Overall, the song expresses a sense of joy and pride in being part of a community of freaks, who are united by their outsider status and their shared values of freedom, creativity, and self-expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Freak brothers and freak sisters, my super freak family
Addressing her eccentric friends as her family.
I'm hearing cosmic noises shouted in my ear
Feeling a sense of spiritual awakening and hearing otherworldly sounds.
They say we've got two choices, one is freedom, one is fear
Being told that one can either embrace freedom or live in a state of fear.
Walking down on Broadway the birds are singing clear
Taking a walk on the famous street and marveling at the clear sound of birds chirping.
Nina Hagen fragen, Nina is the pioneer here, here
Asking for Nina Hagen's opinion since she is a trailblazer in her own right.
Fantastic, so fantastic
Expressing her awed admiration of her life experiences.
Freak! Freak! Freak!
Emphasizing her oddball characteristics and the joy of embracing them.
A very groovy dream I had to dream last night
Reflecting on a vivid and surreal dream she had the previous night.
Guess what, I met Sid Vicious, oh yes that's right
Reveling in the bizarre and unlikely encounter with the deceased punk rock icon Sid Vicious.
He took me to his funeral, he made a special flip out of the grave just for me
Having a surreal experience at the funeral, with Sid even performing a special trick just for her.
We felt like super family, he and me, he and me
Feeling a unique bond with Sid even after he had passed away.
I also have a girlfriend from Hollywood
Mentioning her famous friend from Hollywood to further emphasize her own outlandish lifestyle.
Her name is Angelyne, and she's a billboard queen
Angelyne, who is famous for appearing on billboards, is Nina's friend.
She's gazing into her crystal ball especially for me
Having a mystical experience with Angelyne, as she peers into her crystal ball and makes predictions for Nina.
Saying, 'Nina, did you really?'
Angelyne inquiring about something Nina had recently done.
Yes I've got married yee hee hee
Announcing her recent marriage with great joy.
I also went to see his eminence, prince what's his name you know
Recalling a visit she had to see the famous musician Prince.
The show was pretty funky, so I ran to the very first row
Enjoying Prince's performance so much that she rushed to the front row to get even closer.
But damn a security was giving it to me
Having a run-in with a belligerent security guard while up close to Prince's performance.
I had to cry, I wonder why the prince didn't rescue me, not me, uh uh, uh uh...
Feeling indignation that Prince didn't come to her rescue in that moment.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ESC FAN 1965
Nina the best !