Nico, Songs They Never Play on the Radio

'A coolly literary masterpiece' - Greil Marcus, Esquire. 'Sad, funny, brilliant' - The Daily Telegraph. 'In classic fish-out-of-water fashion Young writes with wry amusement alongside a fair bit of affection for his icy boss' - The Times.

Fully updated with a new introduction, this is the story of Nico, former model, film actress, singer with the Velvet Underground, and darling of Andy Warhol's Factory, at a time when the world had all but forgotten her. In 1982, Nico was living in Manchester, primarily interested in fuelling her heroin habit. Local promoter Alan Wise ('Dr Demetrius') hired musicians, rented a van, and set off with the band on a tour of Italy. James Young played keyboards for Nico throughout this period. Over six years, until her death in 1988, Nico toured the world, encountering poets, artists, gangsters, losers, and drifters. Fellow spirits including John Cale, Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, and John Cooper Clarke are among those who appear in this classic memoir of Nico, 'the last bohemian'.

'Stunning... Nico is so HERE in this wonderful narrative; I recognised her right away. James Young was the keyboard player in Nico's very insane bande à part on the last tours of her life and is a spectacular writer; let him be your perfect witness from the nomadic court of the once and future goddess of the musical underground' - Danny Fields, friend of Nico, and manager of The Ramones, Iggy Pop, and The Stooges.