In 1984, Madonna turned on the world and ticked off conservatives with “Like a Virgin,” her paean to the unlikely restorative properties of shagging. But two years earlier, another ambitious blonde already had given both the prurient and puritanical something to shout about. As frontwoman of the high-tech, high-fashion outfit, Berlin, Terri Nunn sang of desire with a carnal knowingness that belied her 19 years. By declaring herself a slut on the hit “Sex (I’m a… ),” the synth-pop tart not only put Berlin on the map, she single-handedly changed the landscape of the music world for women in rock.

Today, in part inspired by the sinewy electronica of current estrogen-based bands, Nunn has reformed Berlin and begun laying down new tracks (two EPs of feral dance music and haunting ballads) and dusting off old ones (for Reconstruction, a remix collection on Cleopatra Records). And isn’t it ironic? New Wave’s original Boy Toy even enlivens the Material Girl’s material on the Virgin Voices tribute. Calling recently from her West Coast H.Q., the eternal “Sex” symbol revealed her plan to take listeners’ breath away all over again. — Charlie Mason

Charlie Mason: It’s been more than a decade since Berlin broke up. What have you been doing all this time?

Terri Nunn: I’ve been making music, just not in the mainstream as much. There was almost two years when I got married when I wasn’t even that active. The last time I was on a national album was in ’92 [with the solo release Moment of Truth]. Then I put together an entirely new band called Sin City.

CM: What gave you the idea to restart Berlin?

TN: John Crawford [Berlin’s founder] got me into it, in a roundabout way. We tried writing together again in ’95, but it didn’t work out. He didn’t want to do the whole touring thing anymore—he’s married and has two kids—so I took Berlin on. At that point, I’d decided what I wanted to do with it. There was a long time where I didn’t know what the next step would be. But as some other music came out that was taking what Berlin had done further—like Garbage and Sneaker Pimps—I thought, Wow, I could take it even further than they’re going.

CM: Is having been big in the ’80s a help or a hindrance?

TN: It’s both. It’s weird. It was explained to me this way, and it’s true: When a band starts out, they rely on record sales because they don’t make much in the live shows—you know, people are just checking you out. But as time goes by, touring becomes the huge moneymaker for the band because people want to see them—[audience members] have songs that they grew up with. I can live completely without a record company now; our touring is phenomenal. But it’s hurt us in that record labels tend to be more interested in new bands because a band that’s been around for awhile is less of a cash cow for them.

CM: Speaking of touring, any plans to come east?

TN: God, as soon as we can. Right now it’s just a matter of getting good offers, because it’s expensive. The farther away we go, the more it costs. But we’ll get there.

CM: Tell me about the remix album.

TN: I’m excited about it. A lot of guys from bands that I really like are doing remixes [of Berlin’s hits]… Love & Rockets and Mission U.K. and KMFDM… And I love remix albums, like Bjork’s. Because I already like the music, so it’s not like I have to try and get into the songs. I just get to hear them with a different take on it.

CM: Like listening through a funhouse mirror.

TN: Sometimes. Sometimes they’re awful. I think “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails is one of the sexiest songs ever written, so I bought the whole remix album on that one song. God, that was some bad shit.

CM: What’s the status of a new Berlin album? Is the material written?

TN: Yeah, that’s what we’re playing. At this point, there will be one song on it that John and I wrote. And I wrote two with Johnette Napolitano [of Concrete Blonde].

CM: Do you have a label yet?

TN: No. Three have come forward. Now we’re just talking about different scenarios. Every label is different. I remember when we first signed with Geffen [shortly after the launch of MTV], we were also talking to Capitol, and the guy who ran Capitol said, “Video will never make it. We’re not going to give you money for video.” We disagreed.

CM: You do a lovely cover of “Live to Tell” on Virgin Voices, but I found it ironic to hear you on a Madonna tribute album.

TN: I guess it’s back and forth. Girls help each other out.

CM: Do you ever feel like she got credit for pushing the envelope that should have gone to you?

TN: [Pause] Well, I’ll put it this way: I never felt like I wasn’t given my due. I can’t say that. The fortunes have gone up and down and left and right just like with anybody’s business, but I never felt shortchanged.

CM: Did you get pigeonholed, being, you know, the “Sex” singer?

TN: Yes, but I dug my own grave on that one. I did things that I thought would be taken lightly, and they weren’t. One of the jokes that we had [in the liner notes] on the first album was, ‘BJs by Terri Nunn.’ And I knew the way people would take it, but I thought it was funny. I never heard the end of that.

CM: Since we’re sort of on the subject, how’s your love life? You’re married now?

TN: No, I got a divorce last July.

CM: Oh. Anyone significant then?

TN: Actually, yeah. I’m shocked. I didn’t expect to be in another relationship. I met him soon after the divorce, and I’m so grateful. There is a God.

CM: Is he in entertainment?

TN: No, he’s a loan officer… a money man. [Laughs] But I like going with people who aren’t in music because it’s not their end-all, be-all. When I come home freaking out because a recording session didn’t go well, he’s like, “Get over yourself, you’re not curing cancer.” I like that. I need to hear that.

CM: I can tell by the new music that you haven’t mellowed with age. How have you changed?

TN: I’m happier. I used to think that if I could be successful, everything would be wonderful—my love life would be great, I’d have money… I really thought that! [Laughs] And it’s wrong. I lost everything. I lost some friends, I lost family, I lost love in my life from that perspective. And I wasn’t happy. So I thought, Well, okay, I’ll try having a life. And everything changed once I put the work in its proper place as part of my life, but not everything, not my savior.