Acknowledgements - You Are Beautiful and You Are Alone: The Biography of Nico

It has taken more than the proverbial village – more like several galaxies of people – to put together what I hope is a compelling, thoughtful and proper biography on the complicated, funny, tal­ented, flawed and inspiring Christa Päffgen. It has been an honour to dedicate these last years trying to set the record straight and illus­trate the very real woman behind the myth. It would never have happened without the generous, unending support of so, so many people.

The biggest thanks has to go to my husband James for being my world, and always encouraging me to go for the seemingly impos­sible. I love you with all of my heart. You inspire me every day to just give it a bit more.

I never thought in a zillion, million years I would have the opportunity to write a book for Faber or Hachette. It is beyond a bucket-list accomplishment, and I am forever grateful and indebted to the all-round legend that is my agent Matthew Hamilton. Your belief in me means everything. Having you in my life makes it a better place to be.

The patience, generosity and support of my editors has blown my mind, and I am eternally grateful to the goddess that is Faber’s Alexa von Hirschberg and Hachette’s fabulous Ben Schafer. To somewhat quote Hall & Oates, you’ve made my dreams come true.

Another massive shout-out must go to the Faber team, Alex Bowler, Mo Hafeez, Hannah Marshall, Dan Papps and Josephine Salverda, as well as the beautiful Hachette crew Michael Barrs, Michael Giarratano, Carrie Napolitano and of course Zachary Polendo. I am honoured and grateful for all your work on this ­special project.

This book would never have been the comprehensive text it hopefully is without the friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, fans and even random strangers, ranging from people I met at the British Library to the archivist at the Andy Warhol Museum, being so insanely generous with time, resources, emails, phone calls, con­tacts, cups of tea and my constant fact-checking.

SO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TO: Actors Studio New York, Andy in Brixton, Ian Bahrami, Joe Bidewell, Bruno Blum, Victor Bockris, Joe Boyd, Victor Brox, Budgie, Clive Crocker, David Croland, Jonathan Donahue, Marianne Enzensberger, Tammy Faye Starlight, Steve Finger of the Los Angeles Free Press / Los Angeles Free Press Archive, Ford Models New York, Christina Fulton, Lutz Graf-Ulbrich, Matt Gray at the Andy Warhol Museum, Stella Grundy, David J. Haskins, Peter Hook, Phil Jones, Robert King, ‘Spider’ Mike King, Mark Lanegan, Mark the cab driver, Stephen Mallinder, Gillian McCain, Jonas Mekas, Kris Needs, Lucy O’Brien, Andrew Loog Oldham,  Danny O’Sullivan, Ari Päffgen, Davey Payne, Henry Rollins, Peter Saville, Jerry Schatzberg, Aaron Sixx, Jim Tisdall, Lol Tolhurst, John Torjusson, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Michael Wadada and Guy Webster.

Thank you to Vincent Fremont for being my first interview and being so generous with thoughts and memories.

BIGGEST HUGE KISSES AND HUGS to the living legend that is Danny Fields. I love you. Thank you. You are amazing. I could not have asked for a more meticulous, loving, honest, funny, generous human to come into my life – you are a joy.

To Dave Navarro – of the hundreds of interviews I did for this book, yours was one of my favourites. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your time, your support and your thoughts with me and everyone who reads this book. You are a true gem. A big thank you to the fabulous human that is Peter Katsis for making it happen. You are brilliant.

To Mr Iggy Pop – I can never thank you enough. From the first moment I found out I was going to have the honour of interviewing you to the kind words about the book, I am humbled. This under­taking would not have been complete without you, and I am ever so grateful. Thank you to Henry McGroggan for all of the encour­agement and support – it means more than I can say.

Thank you to Robert and Ollie at Orbit Beer for being the fire starters to the Nico marketing campaign here in the UK. Huge love to my rad Northern pal Mal Campbell and the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge for all the support from the second news dropped of the book.

Huge thank yous to some other ‘behind the scenes’ folks that made all of the interviews, transcribing and research magic happen: Dave Anderson, Alice Atkinson, Kevin Banducci, Neil Bradshaw, Rafa Cervera, Steve Chibnall, Alice Cowling, Kunal Dole, Laura Dre, Matthew Elblonk, Jenn Federici, Kevin Gasser, Luke Griffiths, Constantin Grönert, Peter Hale, Ed Hamilton, Robert L. Heimall, Mike Heron, Emily Holley, Carrie Kania, Daniel Kellner, Becky Knight, Betsy Lerner, Beth Lopez-Barron, Joel McIver, Alexandra Mills, Alicia Morton, Jeremy Nagle, Jean Petrovic, Marie-Hélène Raby, Maggie Rodford, Gaynell Rogers, Corrina Seddon, Fran Shepard, Lisa Silverstein, Kirsty Swift, Barry Taylor, Taylor Thompson, Brendan Toller, Dave Tomberlin, Ayşegül Üldeş, Cyndi Villano, Jon ‘Webbo’ Webster and Leone Webster.

Thank you Christian Biadacz for sharing your incredible inter­view with Helma Wolff.

I would not get through without my family of friends – love you to the Milky Way and back: Lucy & Shaks Ahmed, Carissa Ainley, Nina Butkovich Budden, Kristen Carranza, Calyx Clagg, Mary Close, Emma Curley, Terry Currier, Cyn Dillane, Audrey Faine, Julie Foxen, Bill Frith, Caleb Gomes, Peasy Gordon, Stacy Horne, Alex Hurst, Jessica Jones, Ian Luke, The Mandell family, Kym Martindale, Rich McGonigal, Ian Scott McGregor, Becky McGrellis, Pat McGrellis, Rebecca McGrellis, Molly McKay, Christina Meloche, Roisin O’Connor, Megan Page, Kelly Paschal-Hunter, Tim Piumarta, Marci Prolo, Janeen Rundle and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, Will Sergeant, Francesca Shepard, Sheri Siegfried, Ben Smith, Long Sun, Jo Whitty and my beloved BIMMers, Hayley Jordan, Nic Ledger and Laurence Tritton. Thank you to my guru and mentor David O’Connor for being the best boss ever.

Thank you to my best friend of over two decades, the infallible, inspiring Lynne Collins. I love you so much and am honoured to have you in my life.

My UK family of besties – do not know what I would do with­out you. Thank you for being my backbone Andrea Fincham, Alix Brodie-Wray, Niamh Downing, Margareth Ainley, Julia Ruzicka, Julie Weir.

Special thank you to my idol and all around bad-ass Barney Hoskyns. I am also hugely grateful to Jeffrey Smith and Nicole Raney at Discogs for believing in my writing and helping me to stay positive during the plague lockdown.

Thank you to Rich Novak for believing in me and being an amazing mentor.

Thank you to my tireless research assistants – this book would not be here without you. Big love Cameron Black and Roisin Downing.

Thank you to Andrea Halter and Philip Steger for tirelessly and generously sharing your resources and work with me.

The folks who were close to Nico during her Manchester years – Una Baines, Graham Dowdall, Jane Goldstraw, Phil Rainford, Barbara Wilkin – you have given so much to this story and I am honoured and thankful. You are all such special people.

To James Young, who wrote one of the best books ever about rock ’n’ roll – thank you for being a sounding board, for making me laugh and always inspiring me to write better.

THANK YOU to my Santa Cruz family, for always cheering me on and reminding me of what is important: my forever VP Tami Cady, Tori Kistler (lady bugs rock!), Bruce and Mary McPherson, my brother from another mother Steve Palopoli and my adopted big sister Celeste Faraola Perie.

A big hug and a kiss to my Aunt Janet Pucci for being the best role model of how to be a strong, beautiful woman, and to my Uncle Ray Santana for teaching me patience, acceptance and how to eat a sawdust taco.

If I stupidly forgot you, thank you too.

Lastly, a huge thank you to Christa Päffgen. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to spend the last two years with you. I hope I have done you justice.