NINA HAGEN
Nina Hagen was born on march 11 , 1955 in East-Berlin as the daughter of Holocaust -Survivor & film-script-author Hans Hagen & actress Eva-Maria Hagen . When Nina was 9 years young , she became the biggest BEATLES-Fan of Eastern Germany and met the forbidden singer / songwriter Wolf Biermann , who became her step-dad , friend and coach & singing/songwriting teacher. At the age of 11 , she discovered the amazing work of Bertolt Brecht , became a student of his epical Theater in Berlin at the Berliner Ensemble , which inspired her to become a performing artist .
When Nina was 15 , she started her stage-career with her mom Eva-Maria in the musical " CAN-CAN" at a little eastgerman povince-theatre in Annaberg- Bucholz , and co-starred with her mom in many TV and Film-Productions . After finishing school , she became a student at the " Zentrales Studio für Unterhaltungskunst " in the GDR , & started her professional singing carreer with a Leipzig-based Rockband called " AUTOMOBIL " .
When Wolf Biermann was finally kicked out of Eastgermany in 1976 . she followed him to the West . Nina was invited by London-Film-School-Student Juliana Knepler to come over to London in 1977 and star in the leading role in Juliana´s Film " The Go-Blue-Girl " , where they met with Julian Temple
( http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/julien-temple-on-lost-pistols-fi... ) , who also was a student at the filmschool .
Nina met The Sex Pistols and the Slits , becoming bestest friends with Ari Up , the amazing singer & songwriter . Back in West-Berlin , she founded the Nina Hagen Band - revolutionising germany`s Rock-Music .
---> In 1979 Nina was invited by Herman Brood from the Netherlands to costar with him and LENE LOViCH in his Rock&Roll-Movie " CHA CHA " . A wonderful friendship developed and Nina Hagen & Lene Lovich joined forces in the 80ties for The People For Ethical Treatment Of Animals ( PETA ) with a Hip-Hop-Song for the animals .
After Nina met her idol Frank Zappa during a germany- tour , Frank invited Nina to move over to the USA in 1980 , and start singing and writing songs in English . On her first english-language Album " NUNSEXMONKROCK " 1981 , she took on the role of the gender-crossing D.J. , with the Name Hans Ivanovich Hagen , revealed her deep voice , warned about "Smack Jack" & prophecied a funloaded & peaceful future . Later on , at the gigantic Rock-Festival in Rio 1985 , Nina Hagen declared her "own universal radio " , sang the Russian & African Reggae and turned her political cabaret into Rock & Roll . She embraces the pioneers of Rock & Roll in her playlist , like the female Elvis: Janis Martin and the God-Mother of Rock & Roll : Rosetta Tharpe . Her Concerts are undescribable & unpredictable . She sings treasures from all ages and all sages .... she is Nina Hagen and so exited to perform again in LONDON 2016 !
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Whenever her name is mentioned, you can be damn sure it has to do with something new, extraordinary, provocative, and unique. Nina Hagen is truly one of the few artists who, with her fusion of charismatic personality and boundless creativity, can be unquestionably characterized as Gesamtkunstwerk, icon, and (there’s no way to escape using the word) cult. The “Mother of Punk” has been the source of not only a few controversies; she’s polarized the masses, garnered awards, and found the most bizarre ways of maintaining her creative freedom in the face of the harshest criticism. The lady has remained true to her ideologies; live, love and do what you were sent to this planet to do. Nina Hagen is a dazzling example of irrepressible, full-of-humor, beyond-the-limits, fierce and ballsy devotion.
With her released work “Irgendwo Auf Der Welt” (“Somewhere in the World”), Nina Hagen and The Capital Dance Orchestra present an interpretation... no, it’s much more than that... a very personal and special declaration of love to the classic songs and great hits of the past. “ Why these songs in particular? Hello? I grew up with this sound. Rock, Gospel, Jazz, and Swing – all of it. And you keep running into these fantastic old songs and they really move you because they’re so good” explained Nina Hagen about why she recorded the new album, adding, “My rock band and I always try to pack the greatest variety of songs into one show. Big Band and Swing are not some kind of diversion. It’s not like “Nina Hagen is being unfaithful to herself.” Music is music. What I’d really like to do is to mix everything together and do six and seven hour shows that go in every direction.”
Some people not in the know may be startled to hear the names of the original singers, including Frank Sinatra (“Serenade in Blue”), Ella Fitzgerald (“Day in, Day Out”) and The Andrews Sisters (“Bei Mir Bist Du Schön”) and wonder, “Nina Hagen the Lady of Punk is now the Queen of Swing?” This won’t be the first time that she proves Swing and Jazz are an essential part of her repertoire. “These songs are very important to me. For every song there is a story, a life, another time. The lyricists and composers and also the singers wrote and performed these songs in a completely different social situation. Songs reflect many destinies – in a different way, but they still reenact them. This is also what touches me about these songs. They are more contemporary than ever in their depth, in their soul.”
Anyone who still doubts can just take a listen to the catchy and heartwarming title track “Irgendwo auf der Welt.” Though the original was sung by the legendary Zarah Leander, the new interpretation will silence the critics. This is because Nina Hagen is a diva who with great sophistication knows exactly what a real declaration of love should sound like. “Zarah Leander was such a great and strong woman, but she was also misunderstood by many people. Her life and her strength continue to motivate me to do new things. She refused to cooperate with the Nazis and she never tried to fit in. She was more than just a diva. A very special person.” This was how Nina Hagen described her feelings about the Leander songs on “Irgendwo auf der Welt.” The other songs on the album will delight listeners’ ears with complex arrangements and interpretations. “It’s not easy at all to find a new reason to explain the uniqueness of every song on the record. They’re all great and timeless and up-to-date and just plain awesome. Listen closely! You can’t suggest doing that with all the songs that are being written today.“
Nina Hagen and the 13-piece Capital Dance Orchestra have managed to produce a masterpiece of a tribute to the heroes of music history. For years, The Capital Dance Orchestra has been one of the best big bands around. Extraordinary arrangements, first-class shows, and a virtually infinite song repertoire do more than serve as a quality guarantee. The result of this intoxicating combination is no typical album or a tasteless collection of cover songs. Nina Hagen & The Capital Dance Orchestra engage the classics on their most emotional level, providing new arrangements to bring the good old days in all their glory all the way into the here and now.
Sincerity, fun, and the love of Swing make “Irgendwo Auf Der Welt” a thrilling journey through time to the highlights and hits of yesteryear. It’s gripping, like all of Nina Hagen’s work. “The child inside the woman? It’s in every woman. In every human being. Is that a problem for you? That I might be hiding behind some sort of naiveté? What kind of question is that? It’s lust for life, it’s humor, it’s comedy, it’s satire with a philosophical twist. It’s what makes a person human!”
There have been two different types of Nina Hagen Shows in 2019 :
"NINA HAGEN & BAND LIVE IN CONCERT"
"HAGEN SINGS BRECHT - A BRECHT-SONG-EVENING": Brecht Lieder zur Klampfe Abend