Terri Nunn joined the band Berlin in 1979 and garnered hits from "Take My Breath Away" to "No More Words." She continues playing to crowds with the Regeneration Tour this summer. It was meant to be that she talked Nunn to Nunn eventually.
Windy City Times: So this is ironic—my name is Jerry Nunn! I am from the Oklahoma Nunns. Are we related?
Terri Nunn: Well, my ancestry is from my Dad's side. We are Irish. He said, "If you are half Irish, then you are full Irish because it kicks everyone else out!"
WCT: I found out from my Mom that our family is Irish, also. Must be a Nunn thing! Where did you grow up?
TN: I grew up in southern California. We bounced around a lot.
WCT: I just heard "Take My Breath Away" on a Gain detergent commercial this week. People cannot get enough of this song.
TN: The only thing I don't allow it is on tobacco and alcohol products.
WCT: The movie Top Gun brought attention to that track. Did you know that Kelly McGillis came out as a lesbian?
TN: She finally came out? That's good. People knew that a long time ago. That must be so shitty to have to lie or not be forthcoming about who you are. We are who we are. I like dick. So what if I could not say that? What if I could not be out front with it? That's the way it is, it's not changing anytime in this lifetime. That would just suck!
WCT: Well, it did for me, honey, back when I was in the closet. It's Pride Month, so hopefully more people will come out.
TN: It's slowly changing in this country, and I am pushing for it to change more.
WCT: You have done some acting and even auditioned for the part of Princess Leia in Star Wars.
TN: In fact, George Lucas put the screen test on the 25th anniversary DVD. I didn't see it myself but I did catch it on youtube.com . I think he wanted to embarrass all of his friends that have made it doing other things. So he stuck all of us on this DVD to torture us forever.
WCT: Hilarious. What made you want to go on the Regeneration tour?
TN: ABC, for one. I heard they are amazing. I have always liked their music but never seen them live. Also, the tour is going to a lot of cities that we haven't been to in a couple of years. I am really excited to see some people in different parts of the country.
WCT: I am interviewing the singer from ABC in the morning. What music influences you as an artist?
TN: I am influenced by bands that have taken our sound and morphed it into whole new areas, like Shiny Toy Guns and Goldfrapp. I am a long time fan of Nine Inch Nails. I have an ongoing war with my band that he's still cute with short hair.
WCT: So you have a new live DVD/CD coming out?
TN: It is coming out mid June and I am so excited about it. It's really the best live DVD that I have ever done. It's a chronicle of the show that we are doing this year. It's called, "Terri Nunn & Berlin: All the Way In."
WCT: The cover is hot!
TN: Well, thanks. That outfit was so scary for me. It takes a lot of balls to wear an outfit like that. [ Laughs ]
WCT: You wore it well. You should drop by the nightclub Neo here in Chicago while you are in town. They wear out your song "The Metro."
TN: We are playing in your area twice. [ First is ] June 26, which is my birthday, it is a big deal for me. Then we are playing again at Halsted Market Days on Aug. 2.
WCT: I am so there. We have to meet face to face, Nunn to Nunn.
Come see your favorite retro band live and in concert, from Wang Chung to the Cutting Crew, at the Rosemont Theatre Friday, June 26, at 8 p.m.. For tickets and information, visit www.regenerationtour.com or www.Ticketmaster.com .
