Klaus Sperber (January 24, 1944 – August 6, 1983), known professionally as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona.
Klaus Nomi | |
|---|---|
 Nomi in 1979 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Klaus Sperber |
| Born | 24 January 1944 Immenstadt, Bavaria, Germany |
| Died | 6 August 1983 (aged 39) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, performance artist |
| Years active | 1978–1983 |
| Labels | RCA |
| Website | klausnomi |
In the 1970s Nomi immersed himself in the East Village art scene. He was known for his bizarre and visionary theatrical live performances, heavy make-up, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo that flaunted a receding hairline. His songs were equally unusual, ranging from synthesizer-laden interpretations of classical opera to covers of 1960s pop standards like Chubby Checker's "The Twist" and Lou Christie's "Lightnin' Strikes". Nomi was one of David Bowie's backing singers for a 1979 performance on Saturday Night Live.[1]
Biography
editEarly life and career
editKlaus Nomi was born Klaus Sperber in Immenstadt, Bavaria, on January 24, 1944.[2] He was raised by his single mother, Bettina Sperber, who had fled Essen, Rhine Province, for the Allgäu due to Allied bombing during World War II. His father was a soldier in the German Army with whom Bettina had a brief relationship during his furlough; he died from influenza before Nomi's birth.[3][4] At age four, he and his mother moved back to the Ruhr, first to Fröndenberg before returning to Essen. Nomi grew up listening to classical music, gaining an interest in opera from listening to soprano Maria Callas over the radio, but also became fascinated with pop rock, buying Elvis Presley records with money he stole from his mother.[5] Inspired by Callas, he developed a six octave vocal range and in the mid-1960s, he moved to West Berlin to study at Berlin University of the Arts, but as the school did not offer countertenor courses at the time, he trained to be a baritone.[5][6] As he did not believe that earning a living on a musical career alone was feasible, Nomi took an apprenticeship as a pastry chef and worked as an usher at the Deutsche Oper, where he sang for the other ushers and maintenance crew on stage in front of the fire curtain after performances. He also sang opera arias at the Berlin gay discothèque Kleist-Kasino, under the stage name "Renata Castrata".[5][7]
Nomi emigrated to New York City in 1972.[8][9] He did some off-Broadway theater work and operated a pastry shop as a day job.[10][11] In 1977, Nomi appeared in a satirical camp production of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold at Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theater Company as the Rheinmaidens and the Wood Bird.[12] In October 1978, he took the artistic name "NOMI", initially as a mononym before rendering it as "Nomi" and adopting it as a last name. It stood as an anagram for "omni" ("all" or "every"), after the then-newly released science fiction magazine Omni.[4][10]
Music career
editNomi came to the attention of the East Village art scene on November 2, 1978 with his performance in "New Wave Vaudeville", a four-night event at Irving Plaza MC'd by artist David McDermott.[13][12] Dressed in a skin-tight spacesuit with a clear plastic cape, Nomi sang the aria "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" ("My heart opens to your voice") from Camille Saint-Saëns' opera Samson et Dalila. The performance ended with a chaotic crash of strobe lights, smoke bombs, and loud electronic sound effects as Nomi backed away into the smoke. Joey Arias recalled: "I still get goose pimples when I think about it ... It was like he was from a different planet and his parents were calling him home. When the smoke cleared, he was gone." After that performance Nomi was invited to perform at clubs all over New York City.[12]
At the New Wave Vaudeville show Nomi met Kristian Hoffman, a songwriter for the Mumps. Hoffman was a performer and MC in the second incarnation of New Wave Vaudeville and a close friend of Susan Hannaford and Tom Scully, who produced the show, and Ann Magnuson, who directed it. Anya Phillips, then manager of James Chance and the Contortions, suggested Nomi and Hoffman form a band. Hoffman became Nomi's de facto musical director, assembling a band that included Page Wood from another New Wave vaudeville act, Come On, and Joe Katz, who was concurrently in The Student Teachers, the Accidents, and The Mumps.
Hoffman helped Nomi choose his pop covers, including the Lou Christie song "Lightnin' Strikes". Hoffman wrote several pop songs with which Nomi is closely identified: "The Nomi Song", "Total Eclipse", "After The Fall", and "Simple Man", the title song of Nomi's second RCA French LP. This configuration of the Klaus Nomi band performed at Manhattan clubs, including several performances at Max's Kansas City, Danceteria, Hurrah and the Mudd Club.[14] He also appeared on Manhattan Cable's TV Party.
Disagreements with the management Nomi engaged led to the dissolution of this band, and Nomi continued without them. In the late 1970s, while performing at Club 57, The Mudd Club, the Pyramid Club, and other venues, Nomi assembled various up-and-coming models, singers, artists, and musicians to perform live with him, including Joey Arias, Keith Haring, John Sex and Kenny Scharf.[12] He was briefly involved with Jean-Michel Basquiat, then known for his graffiti art as SAMO.[15]
Nomi and Arias were at the Mudd Club when they were introduced to David Bowie, who hired them as performers and backing singers for his appearance on Saturday Night Live on December 15, 1979.[16] They performed "TVC 15", "The Man Who Sold the World", and "Boys Keep Swinging".[17] During the performance of "TVC 15", Nomi and Arias dragged around a large prop pink poodle with a television screen in its mouth. Nomi was so impressed with the plastic quasi-tuxedo suit that Bowie wore during "The Man Who Sold the World" that he commissioned one for himself. He wore the suit on the cover of his self-titled album, as well as during a number of his music videos. Nomi wore his variant of the outfit, in monochromatic black-and-white with spandex and makeup to match, until the last few months of his life.
Nomi played a supporting role as a Nazi official in Anders Grafstrom's 1980 underground film The Long Island Four.[18]
The 1981 rock documentary film Urgh! A Music War features Nomi's live performance of "Total Eclipse".[12] His performance of "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" was used for the closing credits. In the liner notes of Nomi's 1981 self-titled record, 666 Fifth Avenue was listed as the contact address.
He released his second album, Simple Man, in November 1982. He also collaborated with producer Man Parrish, appearing on Parrish's 1982 album Man Parrish as a backup vocalist on the track "Six Simple Synthesizers".[19]
In the last several months of his life, Nomi changed his focus to operatic pieces and adopted a Baroque era operatic outfit complete with full collar as his typical onstage attire. The collar helped cover the outbreaks of Kaposi's sarcoma on his neck, one of the numerous AIDS-related diseases Nomi developed toward the end of his life.
Za Bakdaz, a suite of home-studio recordings circa 1979 restored by Page Wood and George Elliott, was released posthumously in 2007.[20]
Illness and death
editNomi died at the Sloan Kettering Hospital Center in New York City on August 6, 1983, as a result of complications from AIDS. He was one of the earliest known figures from the arts community to die from the illness.[21][22] Nomi's close friend Joey Arias was executor of his estate.[23] Nomi's ashes were scattered in New York City.[11]
Legacy
editFilmmaker Andrew Horn and writer Jim Fouratt consider Nomi an important part of the 1980s East Village scene, which was a hotbed of development for punk rock music, the visual arts, and the avant-garde. Although Nomi's work had not yet met with national commercial success at the time of his death, he garnered a cult following, mainly in New York and in France.[24] Andrew Horn's 2004 feature documentary about Nomi's life, The Nomi Song,[25] which was released by Palm Pictures, helped spur renewed interest in the singer, including an art exhibit in San Francisco at the New Langton Arts gallery and one in Milan at the Res Pira Lab, which subsequently moved to Berlin's Strychnin Gallery, called "Do You Nomi?" New music pieces inspired by Nomi were commissioned by the gallery for a variety of European musicians, including Ernesto Tomasini.[26][27][28][29]
In pop culture
editIn 2001, German pop duo Rosenstolz and English singer Marc Almond recorded a cover version of "Total Eclipse".[30][31] Garbage used his "Valentine’s Day" song as the basis for their 2012 "Beloved Freak".
Nomi makes an appearance in Derf Backderf's graphic novel Punk Rock and Trailer Parks, released in 2008.[32]
Rush Limbaugh would degrade LGBTQ+ people with his Gay Community Update. During that portion of the show Klaus Nomi's "You Don't Own Me" would play in the background. [33]
Timur and the Dime Museum covered Nomi on their America's Got Talent audition.[34] In 2023, Timur and Matthew Setzer premiered a musical "Klaus from Space" curated by composer of Nomi's hits, Kristian Hoffman at O. Festival in Rotterdam, described by Theaterkrant critic as "This reincarnation of Klaus Nomi shows serious feelings beneath the glitz and kitsch."[35]
In the film Suspiria (2018), Nomi singing "Total Eclipse" can be heard in the background on the radio in the room of another dancer.[36]
Nomi makes an appearance in the Adult Swim cartoon The Venture Bros. in the 2006 season 2 closing episode "Showdown at Cremation Creek.[37]" He is portrayed as one of two bodyguard henchmen of the leader of the villainous organization the Guild of Calamitous Intent, The Sovereign (shown to be David Bowie in the episode, or at least taking his form). The henchmen (the other being Iggy Pop) seemingly assassinate The Sovereign (Nomi shown to have flight and a sonic scream as superpowers), only to be duped and later killed by him.
He made an appearance on The Special Without Brett Davis' TV Party homage.
The Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin staged a mixture of drama, opera and performance about Klaus Nomi's life and death under the title “Don't You Nomi?” in the 2023/2024 season. Various songs by Klaus Nomi were interpreted by the German countertenor Nils Wanderer.[38]
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Album | Year | Album information |
|---|---|---|
| Klaus Nomi | 1981 |
|
| Simple Man | 1982 |
|
| Za Bakdaz: The Unfinished Opera | 2007 |
|
Compilations
edit| Album | Year | Album information |
|---|---|---|
| Encore | 1983 |
|
| The Collection | 1991 |
|
| Klaus Nomi | 1994 |
|
| Eclipsed: The Best of Klaus Nomi | 1999 |
|
| Nomi | 2023 |
|
| Remixes |
| |
| Remixes: Volume 2 |
|
Live
edit| Album | Year | Album information |
|---|---|---|
| In Concert | 1986 |
|
Singles
edit| Single | Year | Single information | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "You Don't Own Me" b/w "Falling in Love Again" |
1981 |
|
Klaus Nomi |
| "Total Eclipse" b/w "Falling in Love Again" |
| ||
| "Nomi Song" / "The Cold Song" (Double A-side) |
1982 |
| |
| "Lightning Strikes" b/w "Falling in Love Again" |
| ||
| "Simple Man" b/w "Death" |
|
Simple Man | |
| "Ding Dong" b/w "Death" (Germany/UK) b/w "ICUROK" (France) |
| ||
| "Just One Look" b/w "Rubberband Lazer" |
1983 |
| |
| "ICUROK" / "Simple Man" (12" single) |
| ||
| "The Cold Song" b/w "Wasting My Time" (France) b/w "Keys of Life" (Japan) |
|
Klaus Nomi | |
| "Ding Dong" b/w "Samson and Delilah" (12" single) |
1985 |
|
Encore! |
| "I Feel Love" b/w "I Feel Love" (Live) |
1986 |
|
In Concert |
| "Za Bak Daz" / "Silent Night" (CD single) |
1998 |
|
Za Bakdaz: The Unfinished Opera |
| "Total Eclipse" (Remake) | 2011 |
|
– |
| "Cold Song 2013" | 2013 |
|
Remixes: Volume 2 |
| "Simple Man" (Agar Agar Remix) | 2023 |
|
Remixes |
| "The Cold Song" (Arnaud Rebotini Remix) |
| ||
| "Nomi Song" (Vince Clarke Remix) |
|
Promotional releases
edit| Title | Year | Information | Tracklist |
|---|---|---|---|
| You Don't Own Me | 1981 |
|
|
| Wayward Sisters | 1982 |
|
|
| The Nomi Song: Remixes | 2005 |
|
|
Music videos
edit- 1982: "Simple Man" (directed and edited by John Zieman)
- 1982: "Lightning Strikes"
- 1982: "Nomi Song"
- 1982: "Falling in Love Again"
Film appearances
edit- Long Island Four (1979)
- Mr. Mike's Mondo Video (1979)
- Urgh! A Music War (1982)
- The Nomi Song (2004)[39]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Klaus Nomi | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
- ^ Felder, Rachel (July 4, 2022). "Overlooked No More: Klaus Nomi, Singer With an Otherworldly Persona". New York Times. p. D7. Retrieved July 5, 2022 – via nytimes.com.
- ^ Rosen, Steven (February 3, 2005). "The man who fell to Earth". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Felder, Rachel (June 30, 2022). "Overlooked No More: Klaus Nomi, Singer With an Otherworldly Persona". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Schreiber, Sylvia (January 24, 2024). "Klaus Nomi – Countertenor und Popstar: Ein Allgäuer erobert New York". Bayerischer Rundfunk Klassik (in German). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Halle, Ruth (March 7, 2008). "Uraufführung von Neuwirths Nomi-Hommage in Berlin". Neue Musikzeitung (in German).
- ^ Aston, Martin (2016). Breaking Down the Walls of Heartache: How Music Came Out. Unknown Publisher. ISBN 978-1472122438.
- ^ Gdula, Steven (September 14, 1999), "Eclipsed: The Best of Klaus Nomi (Review)", The Advocate
- ^ Smith, Rupert (July 1994), "Klaus Nomi", Attitude, vol. 1, no. 3
- ^ a b Eßer, Torsten (July 25, 2023). "Vom Konditor zum Kultstar - Klaus Nomi". WDR (in German). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Landoli, Kathy (December 10, 2015). "The Curious Career of Klaus Nomi". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Hager, Steven (1986), Art After Midnight: The East Village Scene, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 978-0-312-04976-8, OCLC 939928152
- ^ Connelly, Charlie (August 6, 2020). "GREAT EUROPEAN LIVES: The life of Klaus Nomi". The New European.
- ^ Boch, Richard (2017). The Mudd Club. Port Townsend, WA: Feral House. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-62731-051-2. OCLC 972429558.
- ^ Hoban, Phoebe (1998). Basquiat: A Quick Killing In Art. New York: Viking. pp. 50–51. ISBN 978-0-670-85477-6.
- ^ Arias, Joey (January 11, 2016). "My Saturday Night (Live) With Bowie". www.out.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Whatley, Jack (July 4, 2020). "When David Bowie performed on Saturday Night Live, 1979". Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Internet Movie Database: The Long Island Four
- ^ "Interview: Man Parrish on "Hip Hop Be Bop," Klaus Nomi and (Not) Sleeping With Madonna". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Behgtol, LD (January 8, 2008). "Resident Alien Klaus Nomi is Back From Outer Space—25 Years After His Death—With a Wondrous New Disc". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 5, 2022 – via villagevoice.com.
- ^ Smith, Rupert (July 1994), "Klaus Nomi", Attitude, vol. 1, no. 3, London, England.
- ^ Rosenzweig, Leah (November 30, 2018). "Cause of Death: Uncovering the hidden history of AIDS on The New York Times obituary page". Slate.com. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- ^ King, John Paul (December 10, 2019). "Queer icon Joey Arias donates archives to Harvard". Los Angeles Blade: LGBTQ News, Rights, Politics, Entertainment. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Cvejić, Žarko (2009). "Do You Nomi?: Klaus Nomi and the Politics of (Non)identification". Women and Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture. 13 (1): 66–75. doi:10.1353/wam.0.0016. S2CID 170189568.
- ^ "The Advocate". The Advocate: The National Gay & Lesbian Newsmagazine. Here Publishing: 56. February 15, 2005. ISSN 0001-8996. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ Clare, Lenora (2008), "Naked City: Informer (article)", Frontiers, vol. 27, no. 2, archived from the original on May 31, 2008
- ^ "Man Parrish on the Angie Bowie Show, 2014". blogtalkradio.com. December 11, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ Diana, Barbara (2008), "Ladies and Gentlemen Ernesto Tomasini (article)", Il Giornale della Musica, no. April 28
- ^ M, G (2011), "OTHON: Digital Angel (article)", African Paper, no. August 31
- ^ Köhnlein, Stephan (October 8, 2001), "'Wir hassen Schlager'" Archived August 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (in German), Rhein-Zeitung
- ^ "Rosenstolz – Marc Almond – Nina Hagen – Total Eclipse – swisscharts.com", Hung Medien
- ^ "Derf Backderf a écrit une BD géniale sur la scène punk d'Akron, Ohio". www.vice.com (in French). April 16, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ https://www.nbcnews.com/think/amp/ncna1258297
- ^ "Melisurgo, Len (June 02, 2010)". June 2, 2010.
- ^ "Music Theater Review – Klaus from Space, Theaterkrant". www.theaterkrant.nl (in Dutch). May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ Klaus Nomi – List of Songs heard in Movies & TV Shows, retrieved November 22, 2021
- ^ "The Sovereign Returns to the Venture Brothers". November 23, 2009.
- ^ "Don't you Nomi? | Staatsoper Berlin". www.staatsoper-berlin.de. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
- ^ "Out". Out: America's Best Selling Gay and Lesbian Magazine. Here Publishing: 82. June 2005. ISSN 1062-7928. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
External links
edit- Image of Klaus Nomi 1979
- Klaus Nomi papers, circa 1950-1983, Houghton Library, Harvard University
- Klaus Nomi at IMDb
- Klaus Nomi discography at Discogs
- Official Web Store
- The Nomi Song
