"Nina Hagen Band" is the debut studio album by German singer Nina Hagen, first released in August 1978 in West Berlin by CBS Records, with a broader release across Germany the following month. The album entered the German Official Albums Chart on November 20, 1978. This release marked Hagen’s first project after her departure from East Germany in 1976. Upon arriving in Hamburg, she was introduced to the music industry through her stepfather, singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann, who connected her with CBS Records. Hagen then traveled to London, where she explored punk and reggae music and formed relationships with artists such as Ari Up of The Slits. These influences shaped her return to Germany, where she formed the Nina Hagen Band with musicians Herwig Mitteregger, Bernhard Potschka, and Manfred Praeker. They were soon joined by Reinhold Heil, and the band signed with CBS in November 1977.
The album was produced by the band, with additional production work from Tom Müller and Ralf Nowy. Many of the tracks had been written by Hagen during her time in East Germany. Upon release, Nina Hagen Band received praise from critics, particularly for Hagen's theatrical vocal style, which was a departure from her more restrained singing on her East German recordings. The album achieved commercial success, peaking at number 11 on the German charts and reaching positions in Austria and the Netherlands. It was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) and sold over 250,000 copies.
Four singles were released from the album: "TV-Glotzer," "Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo," "Naturträne," and "Unbeschreiblich weiblich." To promote the album, Hagen and her band embarked on a European tour, including a live performance in Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle in December 1978, which was broadcast on the music TV show Rockpalast.
The album's background is rooted in Hagen's move to the West after Biermann's expatriation and the influence of the vibrant London music scene. Her exposure to punk music, particularly through her interactions with Ari Up, had a significant impact on the album's sound. This newfound musical direction was combined with Hagen's East German musical influences to create a unique blend of punk, new wave, and theatrical rock, which became a hallmark of her career.
