Nico: From Tragic Beginnings to Musical Legacy
Explore the life of Nico, from her early years in Nazi-controlled Germany to her rise as a model, actress, and singer in New York and Paris. Join her journey with The Velvet Underground and her haunting solo career, filled with mystique and unique artistry. Discover the enigmatic persona behind the deep narcotic monotone voice that captivated audiences.
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Presentation Transcript
6. Nico (1938 - 1988)
EarlyYears She was born on October 16th, 1938, in Cologne, in Nazi-controlled Germany At the age of two she was taken to the little town of Spreewald on the outskirts of Berlin where she lived together with her mother and grandfather, a railway man, through the end of World War II Her father died in a concentration camp.
New York and Paris In 1960 Nico went to New York to model and enrolled in Lee Strassberg's Method School, joining the same class as Marilyn Monroe, in preparation for acareeras aseriousactress She had an affair with French actor Alain Delon, whom she had met in Italy in 1962, andhadachild. Nicocalled the boyAri. In that period everybody wanted to know that mysterious blonde girl, and gave her shortbut completeadoration Afterwards in Paris, Nico met Bob Dylan who urged her to pursue her career as singer and gave her a song: I'll Keep It with Mine, later recorded on the solodebut-albumChelseaGirl BobDylan also introducedher toAndyWarhol
TheVelvet Underground In 1967, Nico gave up modeling and spent a year touring with the New York bandTheVelvetUnderground She joined then to sing in long improvisations as well as the classic LouReed compositions Femme Fatale,AllTomorrow'sParties andI'll BeYourMirror Even before the legendary Banana album was released she went her own way; the band worried about being eclipsed by her haunting, charismatic presenceandforcedher outofthe line-up The main reason was trouble between her, Lou Reed and John Cale, jealously inlove andhate
Solo career Her first solo album Chelsea Girl contained songs written by Bob Dylan, unrecorded VelvetUnderground songs andnew compositions byLou Reed andJohnCale The tone was set: her deep narcotic monotone voice became one of her trade- marks, as well as her low moans, high cheekbones and heavy make-up, a style resurrected bythe goths With John Cale as her producer she made three albums full of mysteries, loaded with strangesoundsandfeelings These albumsare The MarbleIndex, Desertshore andTheEnd Her performances in those times were unforgettable experiences; her singing, her playing on the old Indian pump organ, almost in a mystical intensity, echoing aroundthe mind ofthe listener
The 1980s Throughoutthe 1980s, Nicostruggled with a heavy drugaddiction She became a truly obscure underground figure, giving sporadic but always intense live performances She finally settled in Manchester, UK, where she became a haunting, shadowypresence She recorded two more solo albums, Drama of Exile (1982) and Camera Obscura (1986) In the second half of the 1980s, Nico got rid of her addiction and seemed healthy andrejuvenated
Death Her deathwas sudden andtotally unexpected On 18 July 1988, she went for a bike-ride on the isle of Ibiza, her favourite island which she was visiting again, a healthy-living woman, clean of her narcotic past People found her unconscious by the side of her bike, and took her to the Cannes Nisto Hospital, where she died at 8 pm
Legacy Nico went downto history as New York s femme fatale Her musical and lyrical output represents the best that has ever been produced in the field of goth music Nico was one of the most fascinating and mysterious women of the revolution of the 1960s, and long after that till the present day
Example Janitor of Lunacy Janitor of lunacy Paralyse my infancy Petrify the empty cradle Bring hope to them and me Janitor of tyranny Testify my vanity Mortalize my memory Deceive the Devil's deed
Tolerate my jealousy Recognize the desperate need Janitor of lunacy Identify my destiny Revive the living dream Forgive their begging scream Seal the giving oftheir seed Disease the breathing grief
Study questions Nico s lyrics have often been described as goth . How does this song support the claim? Describe the imagery of the song. What emotions does it evoke? To what effect are images of motion and paralysis juxtaposed in the text? How does Nico achieve the effect of ritual incantation? The text often refers to them . Within the context of the lyrics, who may they be?
