Nicholas Currie

From Philosopedia

Currie, Nicholas [Momus] (11 February 1960 - )

Currie is a journalist, writer, and recording artist who goes by the name of Momus, the Greek deity of mockery, faultfinding, scoff, and unfair criticism as well as patron of writers and poets.

He was born in Paisley, Scotland, has lived in London, Paris, Tokyo, and New York, but has made Berlin his home since 2003.

His website explains that the patch over his right eye is because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.

According to an article in The New York Times (10 Nov 2000), he has been a fixture on the alternative-music scene since the 1980s and “is prone to striking cranky poses (he’s sort of famous for dissing babies).”

At a charge of $1,000 each, he completed thirty “portrait songs” for individuals who reached him through his Web site, www.demon.co.uk/momus, calling the album Stars Forever. The Times reviewer found his show in New York City’s Chelsea,Folktronia, good clean, guileless fun

• cast in an infantile fairy-tale mode, with paper cutout trees on the wall, bales of hay and computers to play with. Mr. Currie, who refers to himself as ‘a tender pervert’ and has a love-hate relationship with fame, is on hand every day from noon to 5 p.m, encouraging visitors to participate in one project or another.

When celebrities on an online show, The Onion A.V. Club (6 Sep 2000), were asked if they believe in God, Currie succinctly replied,

• “Umm. . . uh, I’m an atheist.”

{CA}