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 Legendary German punk-rock diva Nina Hagen recently spoke with NY Rock about music, films, and UFOs... NYROCK: Nina, there are three words that I have always wanted to ask you about. One is "schadenfrede." NINA: Schadenfreude... is a nasty human behavior. It's an ugly thing. If you have this disease, you should really do karma yoga. Do some selfless service for people who are in need. Consider the whole picture, not just our little selves. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Which brings me to my second word, "karma." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Karma, ahhh. We sow what we reap.... We reap what we sow! We reap what we sow. The law of cause and effect. And we are all under this law. As long as karma exists, the world changes. There will always be karma to be taken care of. If you do karma yoga, that means you use your karma to serve and help other people, which means you are also serving and helping yourself. Because only through selfless service dedicated to God/the divine/humanity, you can gain happiness and inspiration for yourself. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Third word: UFOs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | UFOs! Ahhh. I have seen one in '81. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
In California? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: |
It was a very amazing, powerful, blissful, private-eye, surprise event. I woke up; I go to the window, open the curtain. I don't know why!? In the middle of night, usually I don't do that. Something drove me...And then I was freeze-framed! The lightship showed one light after the other, in such intensity! These lights, they were stronger than anything I have ever seen on this earth, but it didn't hurt the eyes. And the blue, and the red, the purple, and the orange and the turquoise, and the green, every single color had, ahhhh, such a loving energy. It was so extremely ecstatic! They haven't found a word for it yet. And in the end came white, and afterwards, I could look inside and there were three people inside [of the lightship]. But they didn't look at me. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What did the people look like? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: |
It looked like an office or a recording studio. A neat little kind of recording studio, or something. And then I don't remember how I went back to the bed. But in the morning, when the sun was shining in my face, the curtain was still open. I didn't close it. And then I knew this was not a dream. I knew it was real, standing there. I don't exactly know who they are... I think I do: They are us in the future. And where they come from, I don't know. I just know it was a very positive experience. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
It seems to be a California thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Yeah? Amazing, huh? I wrote many songs about them [UFOs]. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
What do you think of the whole "electro-clash" scene – basically an '80s revival with reformulated sounds? It's fostering an atmosphere where someone like Nina Hagen can come back. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Nooo, I was always back! Every year I'm doing different projects, concerts, touring, open-air festivals. Playing at my daughter's [Cosma Shiva's] open-air festival. I don't have to come back, because I am still here! And I'm not an '80s thing. I already worked with my first band [Automobile] back in East Germany and that was soooo '70s, young man. I'm a seventies thing. If I'm a thing at all... and an exciting thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You have a new project, a new musical project? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | I have many, many projects. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Do you want to talk about them? Elaborate on them? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | No! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Berlin TV then? [Nina's Nightshift at the BKA in Berlin] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | It will all eventually come to happen. I'm not talking about it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Labels? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | I am not talking to labels. My managers are doing it. No, it's work in progress. Life is so great everyday. I am telling things everyday. No need to talk about it because it will just *poof* up in the air and never happen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Your film [Om Gottes Willen] debuted in New York, September 10, 2002. Is this the start of one of your mediums to express yourself through? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Yeah, I want to make another film. I want to make a better film about the legendary Babaji, with more close-encounter stories of people who have been with him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
You were away for awhile? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Away from the USA. Yeah, not from the planet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Is America ready to take you back now? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | America was always ready to embrace me and will always, because I belong here too. My daughter [Cosma Shiva] was born here. I learned here about the wonderful Native American Indians – spirituality, medicine. I have so many friends in the United States. Such an international country, the United States. And I feel at home here as much as Europe or India. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NYROCK: |
Where in California did you live? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NINA: | Topanga Canyon. Lovely. It's also not far from Malibu. Editor's Note: Nina Hagen recently completed her autobiography, That's Why The Lady Is Punk, and is currently working on a new album. January 2003
Nina Hagen in Concert
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