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Nico
Christa Päffgen (; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988), known by her stage name Nico, was a German singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Nico had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) and Andy Warhol's ''Chelsea Girls'' (1966). At the insistence of Warhol, she sang lead on three songs of the Velvet Underground's debut album '' The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (1967). At the same time, she started a solo career and released '' Chelsea Girl'' (1967). Her friend Jim Morrison suggested that she start writing her own material. She then composed songs on a harmonium, not traditionally a rock instrument. John Cale of the Velvet Underground became her musical arranger and produced '' The Marble Index'' (1968), '' Desertshore'' (1970), '' The End...'' (1974) and other subsequent albums. In the 1980s, Nico toured extensively in Europe, United States, Australia and Japan. After a concert in Berlin in June 1988, she went on holiday in Ibiza, wher ...
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The Marble Index
''The Marble Index'' is the second studio album by the German musician Nico, released in November 1968 on Elektra Records. The avant-garde sound introduced in the album—a stark contrast with her folk pop debut, '' Chelsea Girl'' (1967)—was the result of the combination of Nico's droning harmonium and somber vocals, and the producer John Cale's musical arrangements, which were inspired by modern European classical music. Nico envisioned the release as an attempt to get artistic legitimacy and changing the looks that had made her famous as a fashion model. Although ''The Marble Index'' was largely unnoticed when it was released, it has achieved acclaim over time. Nico's unprecedented sound and personal style—both recognised for their tenebrous quality—are considered an influence on several artists. Most notably, they served as a musical and visual prototype for the 1980s gothic rock scene. Nico and Cale continued working together, releasing two more studio albums in the ...
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground and the German singer Nico. Released by Verve Records in March 1967, the album underperformed in sales and polarized critics upon release due to its abrasive, unconventional sound and controversial lyrical content. It later became regarded as one of the most influential albums in rock and pop music and one of the greatest albums of all time. ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' was recorded in 1966 while the band were featured on Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. Warhol, who designed the album's record sleeve, served as co-producer alongside Tom Wilson. The album features elements of avant-garde music incorporated into brash, minimal and groove-driven rock music. Lead singer and songwriter Lou Reed delivers explicit lyrics spanning themes of drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and urban life. Characterized as "the original art-rock record", it was a ma ...
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Chelsea Girl (album)
''Chelsea Girl'' is the debut solo album and second studio album by German singer Nico. It was released in October 1967 by Verve Records and was recorded following Nico's collaboration with the Velvet Underground on their 1967 debut studio album. ''Chelsea Girl'' was produced by Tom Wilson, who added string and flute arrangements against the wishes of Nico. The title is a reference to Andy Warhol's 1966 film '' Chelsea Girls'', in which Nico starred. Much of the album features instrumental work and songwriting credits from Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and John Cale. The song " I'll Keep It with Mine" was written by Bob Dylan, while three songs are by Jackson Browne, who contributes guitar. Background After collaborating as a singer with the Velvet Underground on their debut '' The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (recorded in 1966 and released in March of the following year), Warhol superstar Nico toured with the band in Andy Warhol's Exploding Plas ...
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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionist Moe Tucker. Though their integration of rock and the avant-garde earned them little commercial success during their initial nine-year run, they are now widely regarded as one of the most influential bands in rock music, as well as Underground music, underground, Experimental music, experimental, and Alternative music, alternative music. Their provocative subject matter and experimentation were instrumental in the development of punk rock, new wave music, new wave and other genres. The group performed under several names before settling on the Velvet Underground in 1965, taken from the title of The Velvet Underground (book), a 1963 book on atypical sexual behavior. In 1966, the experimental pop artist Andy Warhol became their official man ...
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Desertshore
''Desertshore'' is the third studio album by German musician Nico. It was released in December 1970 on the Reprise label and co-produced by John Cale and Joe Boyd. Recording ''Desertshore'' was co-produced by John Cale and Joe Boyd. "Janitor of Lunacy" was composed as a tribute to her friend Brian Jones, founding member of the Rolling Stones, who had died the previous year. The back and front covers feature stills from the film '' The Inner Scar'' by Philippe Garrel which starred Nico, Garrel and her son Ari Boulogne. A few of the songs from the album were included on the film's soundtrack. Legacy Like '' The Marble Index, Desertshore'' obtained a small cult following its release, but was overlooked by most large publications and the public in general. However, it has received mainstream praise from critics in subsequent years with AllMusic and The New Rolling Stone Album Guide in particular providing a strong and positive reception. Tiny Mix Tapes rated ''Desertshor ...
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John Cale
John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, drone, classical, avant-garde and electronic music. John Cale studied music at Goldsmiths College, University of London (UoL), before relocating in 1963 to New York City's downtown music scene, where he performed as part of the Theatre of Eternal Music and formed the Velvet Underground. Since leaving the band in 1968, Cale has released seventeen solo studio albums, including the widely acclaimed '' Paris 1919'' (1973) and '' Music for a New Society'' (1982). Cale has also acquired a reputation as an adventurous record producer, working on the debut studio albums of several influential artists, including the Stooges and Patti Smith. Early life and career John Davies Cale was born on 9 March 1942 in the mining village of Garnant in the ...
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Chelsea Girls
''Chelsea Girls'' is a 1966 American experimental underground film directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey. The film was Warhol's first major commercial success after a long line of avant-garde art films (both feature-length and short). It was shot at the Hotel Chelsea and other locations in New York City, and follows the lives of several of the young women living there; it stars many of Warhol's "superstars". The film is presented in a split screen, accompanied by alternating soundtracks attached to each scene and an alternation between black-and-white and color photography. The original cut runs at just over three hours long. In 2024, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Cast The cast of the film is largely made up of persons playing themselves, and are credited as follows: * Brigid Berlin as Herself / The Duchess * Nico as He ...
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Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol is considered one of the most important American artists of the second half of the 20th century. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, advertising, and celebrity culture that flourished by the 1960s, and span a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, and filmmaking. Some of his best-known works include the silkscreen paintings ''Campbell's Soup Cans'' (1962) and '' Marilyn Diptych'' (1962), the experimental film '' Chelsea Girls'' (1966), the multimedia events known as the '' Exploding Plastic Inevitable'' (1966–67), and the erotic film '' Blue Movie'' (1969) that started the " Golden Age of Porn". Born and raised in Pittsburgh in a family of Rusyn immigrants, Warhol initially pursued ...
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Stage Name
A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers eventually choose to adopt their stage name as a legal name. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and may be similar or nearly identical to an individual's birth name or be inspired by Nickname, nicknames or Maiden Name, maiden names. Some people take a stage name because their birth name is difficult to pronounce or spell; is considered unattractive, dull, or unintentionally amusing; or projects an undesired image. Sometimes a performer adopts a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Some individuals use a stage name because their birth name is already being used by another notable individual, including names that are not exactly the same but still too similar; many guilds and associations ...
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Art Rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an artistic statement, opting for a more experimental and conceptual outlook on music. Biography"]. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Allmusic. Accessed 12 February 2020. Yes (band), Yes, Genesis (band), Genesis, Jethro Tull (band), Jethro Tull and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Journalist Roy Trakin said in 1981: "Of course, these stalwarts can still fill Madison Square Garden and sell a great many records, as they always have, but their days of adventurous risk-taking and musical innovation are long gone – replaced by the smug satisfaction of commercial success." In the early 1980s, the art rock genre influenced the emerging post-punk and new wave movements, as bands incorporated experimental and avant-garde elements that were hallmarks of art rock. Groups ...
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Pump Organ
The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reed aerophone, free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal strips mounted in a frame. Types include the pressure-based harmonium, the suction reed organ (which employs a vacuum system), and the Indian harmonium. Historical examples include the ''Kunstharmonium'' and the American reed organ, while earlier forms include the physharmonica and the Seraphine (instrument), seraphine. More portable than pipe organs, free-reed organs became widespread in smaller churches and private homes during the 19th century, although their volume and tonal range were limited. They generally featured one, or occasionally two, Manual (music), manuals, while pedal keyboard, pedal-boards were rare. Higher-end pump organs offered a broader range of tones, and models intended for churches or affluent households were often housed in finely crafted Cabinet (furniture), cabinets. Between the 1850s and the 1920s, se ...
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