Dick Witts, author of the excellent Nico: The Life & Lies Of An Icon, writes some equally excellent sleevenotes here, but that’s about the best thing to be said about this set.
During the early 80s Nico made Salford, Manchester, her home. She co-habited with John Cooper Clarke and worked towards albums such as Drama Of Exile and her return to critical acclaim, Camera Obscura, which saw John Cale back producing. Her backing band was her harmonium, keyboardist/arranger and latterday Nico biographer James Young, and anyone else who was around, including Eric Random.
This 2-CD set attempts to capture the twilight years of Nico’s career, when she still had enough oomph to go out on stage, looking as decrepit as she did. Both concerts are from her adopted Northern town, but Disc One sounds like a dodgy cassette recording, bereft of location details, save for one track recorded at The Ha
