Lorre and guitarist Jet [aka Geoff Siegel] formed the band in New Jersey in the mid 1980s. [The original guitarist who moved to L.A. with Inger was Bobby Belltower.] The band moved to Los Angeles to pursue their musical careers, and after two members returned to New Jersey, Lorre and Jet recruited guitarist Sam Merrick, drummer Alex Kirst and bass player Cliff D [aka Cliff Jones]. The band became known for its wild live shows around Los Angeles, with Lorre once performing oral sex on her boyfriend live on stage.
The band was hoping to sign with an alternative label such as Alternative Tentacles, but their reputation led to interest from the major labels. However, the band's wild behavior led to some companies losing interest. The band was recording a demo for A&M Records when the slick rockstar Bono of U2 walked by as one of the band members was mooning another. Bono called Herb Alpert, which resulted in the session being cancelled.[1]
The Nymphs eventually signed with Geffen Records in 1989, with the label offering an advance of $900,000. The band wanted to record immediately, but faced continuous delays from Geffen. The longest delay was caused when the producer of their album was taken from the project to work on the Guns N' Roses albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.
The delay in recording the album led to rising tension within the band. The band worked on building its name by supporting rising bands such as Soul Asylum and Soundgarden. However, Tom Zutaut, their A&R man, told them not to play live, resulting in a drunken Lorre urinating over his desk as an expression of her anger. The incident attracted widespread attention in the music press, with Rolling Stone magazine quipping: "Talk about being pissed at your record label".[2] Courtney Love of Hole used a recording which Lorre had left on her answering machine for the track "Sassy", which appeared on the Hole album Pretty on the Inside.
The Nymphs made a brief cameo in the 1990 film Bad Influence, performing "The Highway".[1]
The Nymphs eventually released their self-titled album in 1991, but it failed to chart. They were on tour with Peter Murphy when Lorre's ex-fiance Chris Schlosshardt (bassist with the Sea Hags) died of a heroin overdose in February 1991. Shortly afterwards, Lorre suffered a nervous breakdown. The band broke up in 1992, and Lorre returned to New Jersey, destitute and addicted to heroin. An EP called The Practical Guide to Astral Projection, consisting of rarities and outtakes, was released in 1992, but it failed to chart. The Nymphs song "Revolt" appeared on the soundtrack of the 1992 horror film Pet Sematary II.
Inger Lorre eventually resurfaced with the phenomenally artistic 1999 solo album Transcendental Medication.
There is a new version of The Nymphs playing shows in California apparently, but it is almost impossible to find information. Lorre's website is no longer active and no link is given on her MySpace page.
Cold
Nymphs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looks like your heart is cold
Hey Mom hey Dad hey Sis that's right
My heart is cold
Walkin' down the avenue and
Nothin' in my eyes
When the people smile at me, it turns my blood to ice
Long black robe and polka dot shoes
He brushes death thru my hair
He loves me!!!
Hey boy what's wrong with you?
Looks like your heart is cold
Hey Mom hey Dad hey Sis
That's right my heart is cold
It's cold
Cold
Cold
The song "Cold" by Nymphs is an emotional track that explores the depth of the lead singer's depression and loneliness. It starts with the singer asking a boy what's wrong with him because she observes that his heart is cold. However, she is quick to point out that she too has a cold heart, dismissing the idea that there is anything wrong with the boy. Throughout the song, she walks down the avenue, unable to connect with the people around her. While people smile at her, she feels nothing and it only serves to make her feel colder. She then sings about the presence of a mysterious figure dressed in a long black robe and polka dot shoes who she can sense but no one else can see. She describes him as brushing death through her hair and confesses that she believes he loves her.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey boy what's wrong with you?
The singer asks the boy what is bothering him.
Looks like your heart is cold
The singer observes that the boy seems to be emotionally distant and unresponsive.
Hey Mom hey Dad hey Sis that's right
The singer confirms to her family that she is aware of her own cold demeanor.
My heart is cold
The artist admits that she feels emotionally numb and disconnected from others.
Walkin' down the avenue and
The artist describes a mundane activity she is doing.
Nothin' in my eyes
The singer suggests that she feels empty and expressionless.
When the people smile at me, it turns my blood to ice
The singer implies that she finds it difficult to connect with people and their kindness can feel foreign and chilling.
And no one ever sees him but I always know he's there
The artist imagines a dark figure accompanying her, though she feels that no one else recognizes its presence.
Long black robe and polka dot shoes
The artist describes the haunting figure she imagines following her.
He brushes death thru my hair
The artist suggests that the figure is associated with death and touches her hair as a symbolic reminder of mortality.
He loves me!!!
The singer suggests that the figure is not malevolent towards her, but rather cares for her in some way.
It's cold
The artist reiterates her emotional numbness.
Cold
The singer repeats her feeling of coldness for emphasis.
Contributed by Zoe N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.