Nico Archives | The Quietus

Reviews 2

Reissue of the Week: Nico – Desertshore

Frozen Warnings: Maxine Peake As Nico And The Roots Of Oblivion

Articles 11

The Velvet Underground Live In 1969 At 50

Half a century after the release of one of the all-time great live albums, John Doran argues that the Velvet Underground only really hit their true peak after they lost Nico, Warhol and Cale. This feature was first published on 2 April 2020

Anniversary

An Altamont for Rock Music’s Imperial Period: June 1, 1974 Half A Century On

The diaristic title of the Kevin Ayers, John Cale, Brian Eno and Nico's live record demands it be put into some kind of historical context. Michael Bellis looks at a highly unusual album released in a time of great cultural and social change

Low Culture Podcast

The Low Culture Podcast: Nico’s The Marble Index

In the first subscriber-only Low Culture podcast of 2023, John and Luke go deep into the bleak midwinter of Nico’s masterpiece, The Marble Index.

Low Culture Essay

In Praise Of John Cale, The Superior Velvet, By Daniel Dylan Wray

It seems odd to argue that a member of one of the most celebrated rock bands of all time, the Velvet Underground, is under-appreciated, says Daniel Dylan Wray in this subscriber only essay, until you consider just how absent he is from conversations about popular music

Low Culture Essay

Low Culture 1: The Velvet Underground Live In 1969

Low Culture is a new series where tQ writers use lockdown time to pull some of their favourite music, films, games and books off the shelves in order to tackle an idea that's been bugging them for a long time. In the first instalment John Doran argues that the Velvet Underground only really hit their true peak after they lost Nico, Warhol and Cale

Books

The Quietus’ Top 40 Books About Music

From New Orleans rap to noughties New York rock, via krautrock, jazz, riot grrrl and the story of political pop, we asked Quietus contributors to pick out forty of the finest music books ever written

A Quietus Interview

Arc Of Le Kovenant: Gwenno On Her Cornish Language Album

Gwenno Saunders talks to Jeremy Allen about her Cornish language album Le Kov

A Quietus Interview

Growing Through The Cracks: Gagarin Interviewed

Graham Dowdall, aka Gagarin, talks to Bobby Barry about his new album, plus working with Ludus, Nico, John Cale, Pere Ubu and getting his tea made by Morrissey. Portrait by Brian David Stevens

A Quietus Interview

Pulling Son House From A Burning Building: Mark Lanegan Interviewed

Rob Hughes talks to Mark Lanegan about not being able to say no to collaborations and unlikely disco songs

A Quietus Interview

A Will Of Iron: John Cale Interviewed

As John Cale prepares his first album for Domino, Robert Barry speaks to the musician and composer about his life and work, from Stockhausen to Warhol and the Velvets to Nico and the present day

Books

‘White Light/White Heat, The Velvet Underground Day-By-Day’ Reviewed

Critic Steve Jelbert digs deep into the latest page in the VU's ongoing mythology

Baker’s Dozen Appearances 18

Baker's Dozen

Drumroll Please: Jim White’s Baker’s Dozen

From hearing a drumroll so good he dropped out of university, to the links between Iggy Pop and Lana Del Rey, the much-lauded percussionist Jim White speaks to Julian Marszalek about the 13 albums he loves the most

Baker's Dozen

Dark Nights Of The Soul: Chelsea Wolfe’s Baker’s Dozen

From a teenage love of Fleetwood Mac and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet soundtrack, to real life encounters with Sunn O))) and Smashing Pumpkins, Chelsea Wolfe talks to Greg Hyde about the 13 records that most impacted her life

Baker's Dozen

Found In Translation: Gwenno’s Baker’s Dozen

Covering all things psychogeography and domesticity, Gwenno talks Ronnie Angel Pope through the albums that capture the atmosphere of the places and communities that matter to her

Baker's Dozen

A Drone And A Drum: Lisa Gerrard’s Favourite Music

From falling into the ‘massive abyss’ of Alfred Schnittke, to the ‘silly and lovely’ Electric Light Orchestra, Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance delivers Lottie Brazier a guide to her thirteen favourite pieces of music

Baker's Dozen

Oh Yes! Jamie Stewart Of Xiu Xiu’s Favourite Music

As Xiu Xiu release latest album Oh No, Jamie Stewart guides us through his 13 toppermost records – including three compilations! I only want the best ice cream, he tells Hannah Pezzack

Baker's Dozen

Vanity Subjects: Baxter Dury Picks His 13 Favourite Albums

Patrick Clarke meets Baxter Dury in his West London flat, to talk about his favourite albums from Frank Ocean to his father, and an excruciating encounter with Lou Reed and Lana Del Rey

Baker's Dozen

Overlapping Terrain: Richard Skelton’s Favourite Music

Following the release of his new album LASTGLACIALMAXIMUM, the prolific Richard Skelton speaks to Luke Turner about the music that inspired his own work, from Thomas Tallis to Phuture, Nico to Sly & The Family Stone, The Stooges and Gorecki

Baker's Dozen

Working Class Woman: Marie Davidson’s Favourite Albums

Following the release earlier this month of her best record yet, titled Working Class Woman, Marie Davidson talks to Christian Eede about 13 of her favourite records covering Kraftwerk, Eminem, Donna Summer and more

Baker's Dozen

No Music: A Baker’s Dozen with Alva Noto

From Laurie Anderson’s United States Live to Meredith Monk’s Dolmen Music, Carsten Nicolai tells Mollie Zhang about 13 records that shaped his musical backbone. Photo by Andrey Bold

Baker's Dozen

A Kind Of Visceral Quality: Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Favourite Records

With the imminent release of his score for Arrival, the latest in a now thriving partnership with Denis Villeneuve that will see him take on Blade Runner next year, the Icelandic composer shows traditional reluctance in crafting a list of defining albums and opts instead of 13 works that exemplify a philosophy of minimal gestures with maximum impact

Baker's Dozen

Howls From The Soul: Bobby Gillespie’s Favourite Albums

After the release of Primal Scream's eleventh album, Chaosmosis, the singer boils his record collection down to a mean 13, a selection that formed his "own private world" while he was growing up in Glasgow

Baker's Dozen

Monumental Simplicity: Anna Von Hausswolff’s Favourite Albums

The Swedish musician talks to John Freeman about the 13 records that "opened doors" and helped create the blueprint for the mighty organ drone of her new album, The Miraculous, before she plays two UK shows

Baker's Dozen

Winners’ Music: Daniel Patrick Quinn’s Favourite Albums

Island-dwelling outsider musician and One More Grain brain Daniel Patrick Quinn tells us about his 13 favourite albums from Suede to Fela Kuti, Nico to Robert Wyatt and Gamelan to ELO, plus the sound of a snipe drumming, and wonders whether he'd have sexual feelings for Jeff Lynne were he a woman.