TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY
A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
After nearly a decade without releasing any new music, punk rock queen and innovator Nina Hagen has made her triumphant return with βUnityβ. The cult legend has teamed up with none other than P-Funk icon, George Clinton, for the psychedelic and incredibly timely track. Speaking on the topic of the single, Hagen digs deep into the global issues which sparked the collaboration and discusses her hopes for βUnityβ.
As a pioneer for both punk and new wave music, βUnityβ is refreshing and modern, yet distinct to Hagenβs incredibly unique style. She describes βUnityβ as a βsong collageβ in reference to the seamless blending of punk, funk, psychedelia, and traditional African-American spirituals. It was inspired by the likes of Else Lasker SchΓΌler, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Wolf Biermann, and Bob Dylan, βrevolutionary singers and songwritersβ, as Hagen calls them, βand other socially critical songs that build up and enforce the love and the unity in the communityβ. Expanding on the significance of βUnityβ, Hagen states, βThe Song is built as an inviter and a reminder to enjoy and to feel our humanity in solidarity with enforcing our human rights for all of humanityβ.
Perhaps, however, it was the wrongful death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 that motivated Hagen the most. The world watched in horror as a police officer kneeled on the unarmed Floydβs neck which resulted in a flurry of marches, protests, petitions, and the dismantling of colonial statues and institutions. Hagen adds, βThe murder of our brother George Floyd, through choke-hold in broad daylight, witnessed by cameras and by the whole world, was something so heavily unfathomable, so dermassen Unmenschliches – dass es mir schwer fΓ€llt , es in englischer Sprache auszudrΓΌcken [so inhuman – that I have a hard time expressing it in English]. I witnessed several livestreams from the USA, then I contacted Warner, my co-producer, and we immediately started working on βUnityββ. Given the social importance of the track, it seems only fitting that Hagen has collaborated with Parliament and Funkadelic leader George Clinton. βMy wonderful friend and brother George Clinton from the P-Funk-Connection was my very special guest on my song “SchΓΌttel Mich” on an earlier album in the β90s, and he also co-starred in Peter Sempelβs movie Nina Hagen – Punk & Gloryβ. βHe left me such a sweet and funky remark on my answering machine: βHey Nina, this is George callingβ that I have cherished ever sinceβ.
If βUnityβ is any indication, it is clear that Hagen is on yet another creative peak, exclaiming βwe are working on some fantastic albums–with love and thanks to Groenland Records!β It seems as though Hagen simply needed enough of a social motivator to light the fuse. She has sonically manifested her desires of love, compassion and social justice on βUnityβ and it seems that she is only getting started.
ArtistΒ Links
Main Photo Credit: Benjamin Huseby
SPILL FEATURE: THE ORIGINS OF A HIP-HOP SAMPLE – A CONVERSATION WITH JaRON MARSHALL
SPILL FEATURE: OUR OWN LITTLE PLANET – A CONVERSATION WITH PEARL & THE OYSTERS
SPILL FEATURE: NO LIES, NO TRICKS – A CONVERSATION WITH DES PARKS, JON DOMBROSKI & CHAD PLAMONDON OF SPARROW BLUE
SPILL FEATURE: SOFT WINDS AND ROSES – A CONVERSATION WITH DIANA PANTON
