Nælur - Compilation Album of Icelandic Punk Rock & New Wave

Nælur
Released 1998
Recorded 1979-1983
Genre Punk rock/New Wave
Length 51:06
Label Spor

Nælur, which in Icelandic means Safety Pins, was a compilation released in 1998 to the Icelandic market through Spor, a local record label. Nælur revives the work of several Icelandic artists from the early to mid eighties when Iceland was being influenced by the Post punk and New Wave music.
This compilation features Utangarðsmenn, a group led by singer Bubbi Morthens playing “Hiroshima”, one of their hits taken from Geislavirkir (1980) and “Where are the Bodies”. Egó, with “Stórir Strákar fá Raflost”, was another group featuring Bubbi and he also appears here with one of his solo songs: “Jón Pönkari”. There is also the presence of Þeyr, one of the most important groups at that time with three tracks: the title song of Life Transmission (1981), "Rúdolf" from Rokk í Reykjavík (1982) and "En..." from Þagað í Hel (1980).
Another important band included is Tappi Tíkarrass, a post-punk/pop group led by singer Björk, and they appear with two tracks: “Iltí Ebni” and "London", both taken from their EP Bítið Fast í Vítið (1982).
Other important bands are Vonbrigði, and Fræbbblarnir among others.
Tracks
1 Hiroshima 02:38 Utangarðsmenn
2 It's All Planned 02:36 Baraflokkurinn
3 Life Transmission 03:44 Þeyr
4 Iltí Ební 02:20 Tappi Tíkarrass
5 Æskuminning 02:07 Fræbbblarnir
6 Böring 02:32 Q4U
7 Where are the Bodies 04:45 Utangarðsmenn
8 Ó, Reykjavík 02:32 Vonbrigði
9 Jón Pönkari 02:31 Bubbi Morthens
10 Talandi Höfuð 03.05 Spilafífl
11 Rúdolf 02:52 Þeyr
12 Matter of Time 04:36 Baraflokkurinn
13 Stórir Strákar fá Raflost 02:53 Egó
14 Jón var Kræfur Karl og Hraustu ... 03:02 Þursaflokkurinn
15 Bjór 02:16 Fræbbblarnir
16 London 02:10 Tappi Tíkarrass
17 Fljúgum Hærra 03:51 Grýlurnar
18 En... 04:50 Þeyr

Utangarsðmenn: Bubbi Morthens - vocals. Michael D. Pollock - guitar. Daniel Pollock - guitar. Magnús Stefánsson - drums. Rúnar Erlingsson - bass.
Songs: “Hiroshima”, taken from Geislavirkir (1980). “Where are the Bodies?”, taken from 45 RPM (1981).
Baraflokkurinn: Ásgeir Jónsson - vocals. Þór Freysson - guitar. Jón Arnar Freysson - keyboards. Baldvin H. Sigurðsson - bass. Árni Henriksen - drums.
Songs: “It’s All Planned”, taken from Baraflokkurinn (1981). “Matter of Time”, taken from Gas (1983).
Þeyr: Magnús Guðmundsson - vocals. Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson - guitar. Þorsteinn Magnússon - guitar. Hilmar Örn Agnarsson - bass. Sigtryggur Baldursson - drums.
Songs: “Life Transmission”, taken from Útfrymi (1981). “Rúdolf”, taken from Rokk í Reykjavík (1982). “En…”, taken from Þagað í Hel (1980) featuring only Jóhannes Helgason in guitar.
Tappi Tíkarrass: Björk Guðmundsdóttir - vocals. Eyjólfur Jóhansson - guitar. Jakob Smári Magnússon - bass. Guðmundur Þór Gunnarsson.
Songs: “Ilty Ebni” and “London” both taken from Bítið Fast í Vítið (1982).
Fræbbblarnir: Valgarður Guðjónsson - vocals. Stefán K. Guðjónsson - drums. Steinþór Stefánsson - bass. Tryggvi Þór Tryggvason - guitar. Kristinn Steingrímsson - guitar.
Songs: “Æskuminning”, taken from Viltu Nammi Væna? (1980). “Bjór”, taken from Bjór (1981).
Q4U: Elínborg Halldórsdóttir - vocals. Gunnþór Sigurðsson - bass. Danny Pollock - guitar. Árni Daníel Júliusson - drum machine and keyboards.
Song: “Böring”, taken from Q1 (1983).
Vonbrigði: Jóhann Vilhjámsson - vocals. Gunnar Ellertsson - bass. Árni Kristjánsson - guitar. Þórarinn Kristjánsson - drums.
Song: “Ó Reykjavík”, taken from Rokk í Reykjavík (1982).
Bubbi Morthens.
Song: “Jón Pönkari”, taken from Ísbjarnarblús (1980).
Spilafífl: Sævar Sverrisson - vocals. Birgir Mogensen - bass. Örn Hjálmarsson - guitar. Halldór Lárusson - drums.
Song: “Talandi Höfuð”, taken from Rokk í Reykjavík (1982).
Egó: Bubbi Morthens - vocals. Bergþór Morthens - guitar. Þorleifur Guðjónsson - bass. Ragnar Sigurðsson - guitar. Magnús Stefánsson - drums.
Song: “Stórir Strákar fá Raflost”, taken from Breyttir Tímar (1982).
Þursaflokkurinn: Egill Ólafsson - keyboards, vocals. Þórður Árnason - guitar. Tómas Magnús Tómasson - bass. Ásgeir Óskarsson - drums. Julíus Agnarsson - Mix.
Song: “Jón var Kræfur Karl og Hraustu ...”, taken from Á Hljómleikum (1980).
Grýlurnar: Ragnhildur Gísladóttir - vocals. Inga Rún Pálmadóttir - guitar. Linda Björk Hreiðarsdóttir - drums. Herdís Hallvarðsdóttir - bass.
Song: “Fljúgum Hærra”, taken from Fljúgum Hærra (1981).

Song selection and publication supervisors: Eiður Arnarsson and Arnar Matthíasson
Cover design: Ísleifur B. Þórhallsson
Text: Arnar Matthíasson