This year marks the 30th anniversary of Nina Hagen's first solo album, the inimitable NunSexMonkRock. Basia Bonkowski introduced me to the single
Smack Jack through her music program Rock Around the World on SBS, and in a suburban
Sydney room I watched in awe, while my brother watched in horror. NunSexMonkRock fuses unlikely musical styles: equal shots of rock, opera, punk, gospel and reggae forming a truly unique sound. Opening track Antiworld sets the scene with a tale of
Jesus: A man is possessed by a demon so Jesus casts out the demon into a
pig, which then runs into the street screaming. Every track is distinctly different with no fillers. It's easy to see why Nina is considered the Mother of Punk in some
circles, with tracks like Dread
Love, Born in Xixax, Iki Maska and Kosma Shiva showing an individuality that few would dare. Thirty years on NunSexMonkRock is still as fresh as when it was when it was released in 1982. No record collection should be without it. Today is Nina's birthday day, so here's a tribute to you Nina. Happy Birthday.
