Nico - Biography - IMDb

Model and singer Nico was born in Cologne, Germany in 1938. She was a part of the Andy Warhol "scene" in the 1960s. A member of The Velvet Underground experimental rock band (with John Cale), circa 1967, she made several solo albums during the 1970s. A heroin addict for the latter part of her life, she finally had kicked the habit and become clean before her death. On July 18, 1988, while bicycling in Ibiza, Spain, she suffered a minor heart attack which caused her to collapse and fall from her bicycle, resulting in a head injury that lead to her death. She was 49 year old.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Jess Giessel<jmg@powerscourt.com>

Her deep narcotic monotone voice, as well as her low moans, high cheekbones and heavy make-up, a style resurrected by the goths, who anticipated the "Nico from the Grave" look

The father of her son is Alain Delon. She had an affair with him in 1961.

She taught herself to play the harmonium, with the help of Ornette Coleman, and used it as the primary instrument on her later albums. She was inspired to start writing her own lyrics after Jim Morrison suggested she record her dreams. Her songwriting method was to lie for hours in a darkened bath, surrounded by candles. She credits poets Rainer Maria Rilke and Sylvia Plath as her main influences.

Longtime companion of film director Philippe Garrel; they lived together for about 10 years.

[on one of her experiences with Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground] They also played the record of Bob Dylan's song, "I'll Keep It with Mine", because I didn't have enough to sing otherwise. I had to stand there and sing along with it. I had to do this every night for a week. It was the most stupid concert I have ever done.

I'm a nihilist, so I like destruction. Nihilism seemed to be the most suitable religion since I started to think.

(observing one of Andy Warhol's 1960s "happenings") It's like the Red Sea parting.

I don't think about the future, I can't think further than tomorrow morning -- at the most. I leave that to somebody else.

[on Anita Pallenberg] I knew her since we were first hanging out in London with The Rolling Stones. She was a real nasty person. She would do anything to upset her girlfriends. I don't know her anymore.