He calls himself Klaus Nomi and appears in “New Wave Vaudeville,” a gay art spectacle directed by actress Ann Magnuson. In grotesque costumes and with the attitude of an alien, Nomi initially sings art songs and arias. Anya Phillips, the manager of James Chance & The Contortions, is – like so many from the New York no wave scene – enthusiastic and brings the German singer together with the musician Kristian Hoffman.
Hoffman becomes Nomi’s bandmaster. He selects suitable cover versions and writes songs to his fragile body that are otherworldly and touching at the same time. Nomi’s shows quickly become dazzling spectacles, with art stars such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat taking part. Even David Bowie became curious and hired the German oddball for a collaboration in December 1979 Appearance on the TV show “Saturday Night Live”.
Kinky artificiality
It is primarily the live performances in the Mudd Club or the Pyramid Club that establish the singer’s legendary reputation. Only the first album, “Klaus Nomi,” manages to capture the kinky artificiality of the shows. It is an ingenious balancing act between art song, baroque opera and new wave – more artificial than the music of Rufus Wainwright, more delicate than Antony & The Johnsons.
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One of the most beautiful songs, however, is the recording of Schumann’s “Der Nussbaum”, which Morrissey also loved. Pieces like “Nomi Song” or “Total Eclipse,” on the other hand, were more vibrant New Wave – and made Nomi a star in 1981. His fame became tragic two years later: Klaus Nomi was the first prominent victim of AIDS.