Nico: The Life and Lies of an Icon

by Richard Witts

This is the biography of Nico, the cover girl of the fifties, siren of the sixties and the female face of punk in the eighties. Written shortly before her death, it explores her fight to assert her independence as a performer, her tormented mother and troubled son.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Rock N Roll

311 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nico was the proto-Goth Empress of Hideous Smackness, the patron saint of Injecting Between Your Toes, a living breathing vortex of gloom who makes Leonard Cohen seem like a playful kitten, and she morphed from a swingin' sixties model into a Warhol superstar and then into the deathwish junkie grandma we knew and didn't particularly ever want to be in the same room with.

She got the idea she could write songs and sing them and as she was 6 foot tall and had a violent streak no one dared to tell her she couldn't.

She was not for most people, and that's putting it mildly. But she was proof that some junkies managed to crawl out of their besmirched selves long enough to create something genuinely eerie, genuinely unsettling, haunting, full of icy contemplation and pitiless beauty. Desertshore is one of my all time favourite albums. My Funny Valentine by Nico is probably my favourite cover version of anything. I saw her live once, on her last tour. That was 1988, man that's a cruel long time ago. She looked like she'd already died then. It was one of those gigs you can't quite believe you went to. I treasure the memory.


Bonus extra! This is priceless - in 1965 they thought she might be the German Marianne Faithfull or something

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PINZN...

[Jeff Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent bio of Nico that doesn't underestimate her skills as singer and composer of formidable albums like 'The Marble Index' and 'Desertshore.' Richard Witts has his work cut out for him untangling the facts of Christa Pafgen's life from the countless lies she purposefully told, but he does an admirable job sorting the various levels of verity and piecing together a cohesive narrative. He has a great sense of humor and a keen eye for both the absurdities and horrors of her life.

Her early years in war-torn Nazi Germany are fascinating. And it's amazing the circles she came to travel in -- moving effortlessly between Fellini's Dolce Vita, Warhol's Factory scene, Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, Iggy Pop, Brian Jones and the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Ernest Hemmingway, and of course the Velvet Underground. There's also her fruitful collaboration with filmmaker Phillipe Garrel which resulted in movies like 'The Inner Scar,' though Witts can't hide his contempt for the man, undercutting him at almost every juncture.

This is my one quibble with the book - Witts constantly editorializes, throwing out glib put-downs of various figures whose work deserves respect or at least a fair accounting. Still, if you're a fan of Nico or interested in the worlds she passed through, you'll find this very worth your time.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

All this talk of Celine Dion inspires me to post about the chantootsie who really does it for me. This is the most comprehensive biography of the goddess and is therefore required reading for any number of reasons.

[Andrew Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fair, comprehensive history of the singer and her life. Witts sifts through a lot of testimony to get to the truth and finds it often enough, surprisingly. I still can't believe how she managed to stay alive, but Witts makes it clear that she had her support system. It's just that in terms of a moral support system, there was a major lack. However, skeptical as he is regarding much of her behavior, Witts never abandons concern or sympathy for the woman. Whenever she falls or rises, Witts documents the struggle. Despite her intelligence, Nico comes across as very bored and distracted. While this rarely makes her less than compelling, the story told by her friends is a very frustrating one. It's incredibly sad to learn that after Warhol was shot, Nico lost her one, true friend. Then her mother died and she hit the drugs very hard. Warhol as a stabilizing influence? Yes. Although as Paul Morrissey makes clear, she still courted a lot of trouble. As Witts makes clear, the real trouble began after her mother died. Enter Philippe Garrel, drugs, and the seventies. I admire much of Garrel's cinema, but it was incredibly depressing to read of their dual drug habit. A partnership sustained by heroin and their shared deprivation. Witts stresses Nico's work ethic and musical inspirations to make clear his appreciation for her music - several excellent comments from John Cale greatly elucidate the magic of their collaboration - but his telling of it all indicates a deep unease with her self-destruction. As a musicologist, he offers his own informed analyses of her songs as a counter to the junkie indulgence narrative offered by those immune to her art. If anything, Cale gains in sympathy for his own frustrations with Nico, but he is never less than professional in his evaluation of her. I love Cale's work greatly so it was gratifying that he was so diplomatic. (Witts doesn't omit mention of Cale's and Nico's contretemps, though.) Witts is circumspect in the telling of her intimate life - no doubt, to steer clear of Delon and Garrel - even if she saw so many people so as gain friends or material support. Like Warhol, Nico affects a bland (and sometimes aloof) indecisiveness as an outer defense, but it becomes very clear that it's intention is bizarrely opaque. Nico wasn't constantly on the nod so Witts leaves a lot unsaid as even he barely knew what she was on about. I can only surmise that it was an incurable response to early life stress - Witts is very strong on the postwar situation that she lived through - but her incisive self-consciousness surely belies such an idea. I'm more than disposed to give her benefit of the doubt here, but thinking on it for long yields to very sad reverie. Witts draws a very sharp portrait of the woman, but with the last two chapters of the book detailing her drug-induced descent the pain of tears almost becomes too much. There is a beautiful legacy of music, but also an awful lifetime of struggle. One could think it was the fault of the stars, but no. A very difficult person to love, but thanks to Witts not an impossible one. For good and ill, Nico shines very brightly in this book. An excellent resource for all, but be prepared for the emotional work out.

[Eve Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, Nico, the sole holder of a cosy and comfortably soft spot of my heart (just like her voice) which is covered in black lace in representation of her dark austerity.
For years I had a poster of her on my wall where she stands in a great big black coat and stares at you with those haunting eyes of hers - something like straight from an old, classy, horror film.
That image of her will follow me everywhere.
This book sadly won't. It was an okay account of her life and it was interesting to learn everything about her but in some sense it lacked heart, it lacked passion. It was about Nico, for christ sakes, where's the love?!
So I'll just leave this comment here
and I'll be leaving in the fairest of the seasons...

[Tuli Márquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

good biography

[Bárbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say the least: reading this was a fantastic experience.

It's so well written and researched, full of references and details. It took me longer than usual to go through it, partially because I kept searching for everything that was mentioned that I didn't know before (music, artists, poems, movies, places, models etc.), partially because I wanted to take my time digesting what I was getting from it.

As a Velvet Underground fan and a person interested in the 60s, I was always so curious to know more about Nico - to me, one of the most beautiful people to ever walk the face of the Earth - and to try to figure out who was Christa Päffgen. And what a life she had.

This book fulfilled me and exceeded my expectations. I'm so happy I randomly stumbled upon it and got my hands on a physical copy. I'll definitely read it in again the future.

Well done, Richard Witts!

[eLwYcKe · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite singer of all time given an epic book to describe her epic life. She might only have been 49 when she died in 1988 but according to this account she'd lived many lives in that short time.
I loved the fact she walked away from the image of a beautiful, blonde, Superstar model that had taken her so far: changed her style, changed her sound and pursued her own art: The Marble Index, Desertshore, The End...when I heard this music and her voice, it was like hearing something I'd always yearned to hear but couldn't quite describe. Mr.Witts navigates us bravely through a labyrinth of 20th century namedropping, under the eavesdropping, fables and fibs and then over the cloudy borderlines of her unforgettable life and times.

[Ingo]

Already own the Softcover from way back when I started to read about Joy Division/New Order, Cure, Doors and of course Nico. Pre-ordered this for Kindle.
And recently bought a few of her albums again from iTunes, although I already own them on CD (but some are remastered and/or have additional songs).
Also bought, and can highly recommend "John Cale, Lou Reed & Nico - Le Bataclan (Live) [Remastered]", an exceptional old concert I did not own previously.
While Nico voice is strange, and her songs are not all good and not for everyone, that recording with most songs sung by Reed / Cale may be more accessible and a good introduction.
Will re-read this book sometimes and fill this review.

[E. B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbiased, amazing book that really brings this goddess into the light. Pretty hard to find on print.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best Nico bio out there. It's not mere hagiography...Witts clearly is fascinated with his subject, but also realizes the reality of her life and the fact that much of the things she told the press (and her friends) were lies/fabrications.

[Anthony Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great but..no mention of the 72 Bataclan concert?

[Cobertizo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Amo la naturaleza. Me encantan los bosques y las colinas, también los desiertos y los objetivos bombardeados. Las ciudades tienen mucho mejor aspecto cuando, por fin, están en ruinas"

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been a long time since I enjoyed reading a book so much. Highly recommended.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Nico died she was very much at the centre of the mythology she had created for herself over many decades. There was little clarity about her time and place of her birth, her parents, her early years - the information was either missing or had been spun by Nico into her own versions of the past.

Richard Witts, in this meticulously researched biography, written after her death, kills off many of the myths. He creates a real person, with a specific past, based on evidence and the testimonies of people who knew her. This included not only the famous collaborators and lovers, but family members who knew her from her early years.

What emerges is a fascinating study of a real person. The biographical insights into the circumstances of her birth and early upbringing, throw light on her later troubled life. He goes on to chart her rise to fame, and the subsequent decline into notoriety, drawing extensively on interviews with people who knew her well. Unfortunately, and this is why I dropped it one star, Witts does not always delve deep enough into certain events. What, for example, was Marc Almond's view of Nico (who is quoted as describing him in less than complimentary terms)? Almond himself has been critical of Witts lack of contact before publishing the book.

Witts cannot keep his value judgements at bay either when it comes to writing about some of Nico's closest collaborators. He was obviously peeved that Alain Delon, Lou Read, and Phillippe Garrell chose not to co-operate with him. Not really surprising given Nico's problematic relationships with them all.

However, as a biography about one of the most iconic figures of the second half of the twenty century, this goes a long way to filling a huge chasm. The chasm was created of course by Nico herself, weaving titbits from the past, with fanciful imaginings, and downright lies. As Witts accurately described it in the book's subtitle - The Life and Lies of an Icon.

[Tommaso Emiliani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-researched and authentic portrait of one of the most enigmatic and individualistic figures in post-war music and counterculture. Nico: Life and Lies of an Icon stands out for its solid documentation and reliance on first-hand testimonies, avoiding hearsay and cheap sensationalism linked to the artist's drug use or romantic flings.

What emerges is the story of a truly original artist, singular in her vision and utterly uncompromising. Despite a discography that spans only 36 original songs and a handful of covers over three decades, Nico left an indelible mark on contemporary music. Her haunting voice, minimalist arrangements, and radical detachment from mainstream norms continue to influence artists to this day. But Witts also doesn’t shy away from the destructive side of Nico’s character. Her fiercely independent spirit, while artistically liberating, also alienated those closest to her, most painfully her mother and her son. Her refusal to conform, coupled with deep emotional wounds, paved the way for a long and tragic decline into heroin addiction that defined her final years.

More respectful and nuanced than other accounts—like Songs They Never Played on the Radio—this biography is essential reading for those who want to understand Nico beyond the "Velvet Underground" mythos.

[Marble Index · Rating 5 out of 5]

This woman raised me

Nico remembered little of Lübbenau's heaven, but much of his hell. “What scares me the most? Be in hell. I am very superstitious. I really believe in heaven and hell,” she told the German magazine Twen in 1969. Twen was a monthly magazine aimed at readers over the age of twenty, and perhaps because she was required to respond in German, Nico gave less vague answers than to English or American journalists. But even in this case, there was one catch.

“Yes, I remember the war years very well. But it wasn't me, it was another girl. I feel like a criminal who spends her whole life with forged documents. I cannot identify with the past. Life consists of experiences that a person accepts or rejects; you are shaped by what you receive. My memory consists of fragments and short flashes, never presenting a complete picture.”

[Ione · Rating 4 out of 5]

richard witts balances love and criticism for nico, which i think was done really well. nicos life was full of tragedy, hardship and dysfunction before hard drugs completely derailed it, and because of this, the excellent work she managed to put out is incredible, despite there not being much of it. richard witt zeroes in on nicos desperation to define herself while also wanting to obscure everything to protect herself, a contradiction that did horrible damage to her career and life. this biography is not overly sentimental, like many music biographies end up being, and i think that's good. nico has been mythologized enough, as human, she deserved this book, a book that openly and honestly discussed her as a human being, not a piece of iconography.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not written by Nico herself but can tell that the author had been good friends with her and had really done his research. I especially like the part which accounts her relationship with Jim Morrison and how he taught her to write songs of her own.

[Andres Tsèz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nico Icon, always and forever.

Richard Witts did a great job with the research of this book. I entered it without knowing anything about Nico and finished it wishing to have had the opportunity to attend one of her concerts.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very relatable, engaging. I am several years younger than Nico, but shared many of her experiences. Some positive, some not so positive. We seem to have been on the same planet on many levels. Well written.

[Frank P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exhaustive and well researched. With index and sources. Some fine pictures. Writing style emotionally gripping but shoddy in places, not clear who is speaking at times.
Nevertheless, a convincing biography that can by recommended to Velvet lovers and more.

[jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
"nobody could love her. she was unfuckable"
nico was definitely something. v interesting kind of unnecessarily convoluted at points tho

[Hannan edde]

Lowkey a nazi tho

[Alec Downie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The old saying goes, "don't meet your idols" to paraphrase that, "don't read about your idols".

I have read a few Warhol related books recently and one common thread is most the people were self obsessed assholes with real issues that need good mental health treatment, rather than drugs.

It is amazed what some people will do or put up with to be in the presence of beauty but there is zero glamorous or redeeming about the life of Nico, she lived and died in a cruel cycle of using, being used, addiction, guilt and lies.

I truly struggled to read this book, as too many people and actions were loathsome, though I do hope those that survived their 15 minutes or being in Nico's emotional tsunami, got well.

[Peter]

Only finished first half. It turns out, I'm not as interested in Nico as I thought I was!