I keep hearing about this dude. What was he like?

check out the DVD documentary "the nomi song", which you can get from netflix. it'll tell you everything you want to know and more. it's a good movie, too.

Anx said:

cheers, thanks for the tip. can you recommend a cd of his to check out? maybe one that is more new wave or disco?

he burned down my friends house.
no joke.

DigUBetterDead said:

really? how?

dancerella said:

I'm your man! How can I help?

First, I think its great that you want to know something about him. Many people are disturbed when I introduce him to them, and none of the people I tried to persuade liked him. The hated him sometimes. (LOL, some similarity to Prince).

Anyway, what are you particulary interested in?

As Anx said, "The Nomi Song" would be a very good choice. A documentary about his short life, has been made in 2004. It is available on a DVD which is full of extras.

I am also relatively new to him (I had a thread here shortly after I "found" him), and started being fascinated.

About the cds:
there are only 2 regular studio albums:
- Klaus Nomi (1981)
- Simple Man (1982)

and there is a Collection entitled Encore! which features otherwise unavailable "Der Nussbaum" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" as well as a perfect live version of Total Eclipse (it is the version from the URGH! A music war movie).

These are the necessary things.

I think his albums should be easy to get.

Here some clips:
http://www.youtube.com/wa...FaZyHxQGYQ (Simple Man, I think his most famous song together with Total Eclipse)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...a1D3bAniXQ (Total Eclipse, Nina Hagen once covered it)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...LknoJC2WEQ (Ligthning Strikes)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...TLzQP9J-n8 (After The Fall)
http://www.youtube.com/wa...yjbmA0EN-w

http://www.youtube.com/wa...8OkVdMbiUc (not a video per se since fan made, but a great song: ICUROK)

dancerella said:

i really think any of his best-of compilations are a good starting point. i've seen several, and they all seem to have about the same tracks on them. none appear to specialize in ONLY the new wave/dance stuff, but that's good. the more interested you get in nomi, the more fascinating you'll realize his vocal range was, and some of his operatic pieces are simply unbelievable showcases of his abilities. i don't really care much for opera, but i listen to his classical recordings more than i listen to his pop tracks.

SenseOfDoubt said:

i guess i'd like to check out an album but maybe something less operatic but more disco or new wave. any recommendations?

i guess people are freake out by his appearance which is why they didn't like him. seems like the kinda artists you either loved or hated.

dancerella said:

Yeah, I really think you either love him or hate him - I believe that men sometimes have their "troubles" with his special personality, the way he looks and acts and his homosexuality.

Well, I'd go for the Encore! compilation first. I got all of his stuff cheap as chips, so if you really do not find something to like, there aint much money lost.

SenseOfDoubt said:

thanks for the tip. i get the impression he is sort of like grace jones with the whole performance art thing? also, do you like gina x performance? their first album "nice mover" is a classic!

dancerella said:

Hm, I never heard of Gina X Gonna check it out

SenseOfDoubt said:

oh my god! you would love her. she is the bomb. go check it out and let me know what you think.

when i was in high school (this was in the early/mid 90's) i was a new wave throwback kind of girl...
adored 'visage' and obscure face painting bands of the 80s.

while working at a record store i came across the vinyl for "simple man". id only heard the name before- never his music and i liked his look so i kept the album for myself.

that night i put it on and to be frank- it SCARED me. his version of "ding dong! the witch is dead" made me feel very very very very very uneasy and the cover started to creep me out. that night i put the album at the back of my stack of records and in the morning it was at the front of the stack.

i freaked out and pawned the album off on my friend lloyd (who was creeped out as well, but kind of liked it) and two days later- his house burned to the ground.
the fire started in his room.

klaus nomi is an ARSONIST!

now when i want melodramatic i stick to diamanda galas.

fin.
[Edited 1/25/07 21:29pm]

DigUBetterDead said:

the first time i've ever heard anyone say klaus is more disturbing than diamanda.

This is funny because I just accidently came across the "Lightning Strikes" video on YouTube.

God I love YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...LknoJC2WEQ

Hey, where's that picture?

RipHer2Shreds said:

Anx said:

is that really true?

because i'd like to look cool and everything, but he scares the shit out of me.

people think diamanda galas is a witch and this and that but having met her and seen her sing dozens of times she is (very) intimidating, but very sweet.

nomi crosses the weird line with me somehow. a few years ago when that kn movie was coming out i was walking downtown and everywhere i went there were posters with his face on them that said "do you nomi?" EVERYWHERE. it was making me go insane.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...WY5QUzg&NR
http://www.youtube.com/wa...rRek6kETQo

i mean...who scares you more REALLY?

DigUBetterDead said:

oh, i know. diamanda is a much bigger sweetheart than most people assume she is, and her concerts blow the image of the witchy hardcore goth queen way out of the water. but by comparison, i always thought of klaus nomi as warm and fuzzy by comparison. after seeing the movie about his life, i think both he and diamanda would be great fun at a party.

Anx said:

I want to be at that party ~ even as the fly in the punch bowl.

Anx said:

well...i'm afraid of clowns. i think thats the problem here. although i do appreciate the cabaret- he still creeps me out. i'm silly like that.

who else would be at that party?!