Jared Braden A healthy obsession with pop music!
German music icon Nina Hagen, often called “The Mother Of Punk,” is gearing up for the release of her fourteenth studio album,Volksbeat. The album, which is slated for release on November 11, 2011, features production work from Peter Schmidt and Peter Hinterthür and marks her first all German album since the 80s.
Nina, who is an avid fighter for human rights, tells me the album is an attempt to bring unity. “It’s [Volksbeat] an attempt to sing and shout for peace, for love & compassion, for freedom against war and injustice, embracing our ancestors, like Brecht, Martin Luther, Larry Norman. In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesus the Christ, who have gone before us, who have fought for the same ideals, as well as also embracing beloved artists like Biermann & Dyla, Mayfield and Burke, to never forget why we are here; we are born to love one another and take good care of each other. We are born to be free, born to serve humanity, so that one fine day, we all shall be free and live in peace and dignity. It’s about our love that never fails!
“The Bertolt Brecht texts are so strong, they are like children’s prayers for peace,” Hagen explains. “It was amazing to be granted the freedom to write a new melody and beat for the Brecht Songs. It was a funtastik experience to bring strong American lyrics from Dylan, Burke, Mayfield, Norman into my mother-tongue: the German language united in spirit with all these inspiring artists, whom I love so dearly.”
While the album is a return to rock, Nina insists Volksbeat is not a step backward, but a step forward. “I am moving forward, spreading the everlasting message of love divine, singing for peace and standing up for Truth!”
Nina’s album covers have always been amongst my favorites, and the artwork forVolksbeat is no exception. Nina says she was very involved in creating the colorful artwork. “I chose it from my many scrapbooks with self-made collages and collages my friends gave to me,” Nina reveals. “We worked with an original collage from the artist Bruna Kahr and we threw more flower power into it, also in reference to Jesus and the power of the flower. We decorated with jumping fish and peace-doves and flowers like the lily of the valley, the rose of Sharon, the forget me not and lilac.”
Nina Hagen has always had a very loyal fan base. They have stuck by her through all of her transformations; from punk rock queen to Gospel singer, and for that she is grateful. “I love you!!! I so hope we will embrace each other again at live-concerts and celebrate our love forever and ever!! Our Love never fails!”
Volksbeat is out November 11, 2011 via Polydor München (Universal).
