Looks like an alien, sings like a diva - Klaus Nomi was one of 1980’s most profoundly bizarre appearances. He was a cult figure in the New Wave Underground scene who sang pop music like opera and brought opera to club audiences. He was a performer with a “look” so strong, that his first audiences went wild before he even opened his mouth. On the verge of international fame as a singer, he instead became one of the first prominent artists to die of AIDS. The reaction Klaus Nomi provoked was so strong, that he is still unforgettable, even 20 years after his death.
The Nomi Song is Andrew Horn’s award-winning look at the life of German-born singer Klaus Nomi. One of the most profoundly bizarre characters of the late 70s/early 80s New Wave underground scene, Klaus Nomi was a genuine counter-tenor who sang pop music like opera to enthusiastic club audiences. Through archival performance footage and interviews with his friends and fellow artists, Nomi’s influence and unique style are brought to life twenty-two years after his death from AIDS.
Part documentary, part music film and part sci-fi, The Nomi Song is a story of love of music and love of performing at a time when it seemed as though everyone was struck by a sense of urgency to make something - anything. A time of no limits. Klaus Nomi was on the verge of international fame as a singer when he tragically became one of the first gay artists to die of AIDS (then referred to as the “gay cancer”). He was as much a genuine talent as he was the engine of his own destruction. He was an alien amongst the outcasts and an obviously tortured soul who, at the same time, radiated optimism when optimism was “officially” out of fashion. The Nomi Song is a story that grows out of a group of people who influenced him; people who felt used, cheated yet, overall, inspired. Featuring Ann Magnuson, Gabriele Lafari, David MacDermot, Page Wood, Tony Frere, Man Parrish, Kristian Hoffman, Ron Johnsen, Kenny Scharf, Anthony Scibelli, Alan Platt with a special appearance by David Bowie.
The Nomi Song features the music of Wire, The Marbles, The Bongos, Pylon, The Mumps, Chi Pig, and, of course, David Bowie. This DVD also includes Klaus Nomi performances, many never before seen since originally performed by Klaus including a full performance of “The Cold Song” with full orchestra - Klaus’s ultimate performance.
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