On the Radio

Nico was a remarkable woman. Except, of course, she wasn't called Nico at all. She was born Christa Päffgen in 1938 and went through her teenage years in the ruins of post-war Berlin. At 16yrs old she became a model, and a few years later she appeared in one of Fellini's most acclaimed movies, following which she acclaimed the status of a true icon of the Beat Generation. In 1965, she became involved with Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones and she made her first album a year or so later. But her reputation only really began when Andy Warhol invited her to join the legendary Velvet Underground. Her solo career proper began in 1968 and she released four more albums over the next 17yrs.