Klaus Nomi

Klaus Nomi

The B52s invited me to go to Max’s Kansas City in New York to see a new New Wave artist.

I went without any expectations. I remember it was blowing a blizzard that night, but Max’s was so close to my bosses’ studio that the snow wasn’t a problem.

I don’t know how Klaus, Adrian and Joey found their way to Max’s with those balls on their heads and must have been quite a spectacle walking through the snow with their bodies wrapped in Saran Wrap…

Klaus Nomi

I don’t know if this is Joey or Adrian. How they found the club with those balls on their heads is beyond me.

Klaus Nomi

Here is Adrian with the ball removed.

Klaus Nomi

I was astonished by Klaus’s singing in a contra-tenor range and renditions of “The Boots Are Made For Walking” by Nancy Sinatra, “Lightning Striking” by Gene Pitney, songs frm my youth, but delivered in Klaus’s unique style.

Klaus Nomi

Here is Joey Arias aka Joey Fiorucci. When Klaus died, Joey said he was going to have a Klaus Nomi museum. At Klaus’s memorial service at the club Danceteria, I gave Joey 20 - 35mm slides from the concerts by Klaus that I had photographed. I think I shot all of Klaus’s Manhattan concerts. Thirty eight years later, Joey never started the museum and now all these years later, he refuses to let me access the films that I gave him. Shame on Joey.

Klaus Nomi

Adrian in full blown Saran Wrap with his ray gun.

Klaus Nomi

Adrian in full blown Saran Wrap with his ray gun.

Klaus Nomi

Here is Joey Arias. Joey, where is the Klaus Nomi museum?

Klaus Nomi

At Max\s Kansas City, NYC. Never knew who all the musicians were at this gig. After this show, I only saw Klaus performing to pre-recorded tapes.

Klaus Nomi

At Max\s Kansas City, NYC. Never knew who all the musicians were at this gig. After this show, I only saw Klaus performing to pre-recorded tapes.

Klaus Nomi

Here is a rare shot of Klaus at an instrument.

Klaus Nomi

Singing his heart out at the Max’s Kansas City concert. May have been his debut, I am not sure…the fog of war…

Klaus Nomi

Here is Klaus, Joey and Adrian at the famous New Wave Vaudeville show at Irving Plaza in NYC.

Klaus Nomi

She was called “Lil’ Sis”. Never knew her real name.

Klaus Nomi

She was called “Lil’ Sis”. Never knew her real name

Klaus Nomi

At Hurrah’s.

Klaus Nomi

At Hurrah’s. This show was probably Klaus’s “most produced” of all his concerts.

Light show and everything.

Klaus Nomi

This shot is from Hurrah’s, in NYC. I think it was the third concert where I saw and photographed Klaus.

By this point, Klaus and I were friends. We hung out at the Mudd Club. He came to my 30th birthday party and brought me a lime torte that he had made himself.

Klaus told me that he would put me on the guest list for his show at Hurrah’s and when I got to the club, there was a line around the block. There must have been 3000 people that were trying to get into the show.

Howie Montag, the doorman said, “George DuBose is already inside;;;”

Somebody had used my name to get in…

Klaus Nomi

I “think” this is from his show at Hurrah’s.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus’s rendition of operatic arias would bring tears to my eyes, they were so powerful. They still do…

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This is Klaus at the peak of his fame. He performed his last Manhattan concert at a disco called Xenon.

The place was packed.

Klaus Nomi

This shot is from the last time I saw Klaus. He had gotten a record deal with RCA France and went off to do a European tour.

I had been helping recruit New York artists to perform at monthly events in Boston called “New York Nights’. The promotors of the Boston events had booked Madonna, Man Parrish, Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force, The New York City Breakers, to give Boston a look at the music scene emerging from New York.

When Klaus returned from Europe, I called him to tell him that the Boston promoters wnted to book him for a show.

Klaus said, “I can’t go to Boston, I am sick”.

I said, “Well, when you get better.”

“I am not going to get better”, was his reply.

Klaus died from AIDS a short time later. RIP Klaus