Rare (Icelandic) Records - Part 4: Smekkleysa Compilation Album "Smekkleysa í hálfa öld" featuring the first recording of Sigur Rós as Victory Rose

Smekkleysa í hálfa öld contained the
first Sigur Rós recording "Fljúgðu"

In 1994, 50 years after the independency of the Republic of Iceland, the label Smekkleysa (known abroad as Bad Taste, or even as The Sugarcubes label) released a compilation CD to celebrate this "half century" (in Icelandic: í hálfa öld). A lot of great artists on this CD, like Texas Jesus, Unun, Curver, Bubbleflies, Yukatan, Maus, Olympia & Björk.

Among the artists featured on this SM 44 CD, is the band Victory Rose. The band was formed on 4. January 1994 (the day Jónsi's sister Sigurrós (in 1 word) was born!) by high school friends Georg Hólm, Jónsi Birgisson & Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson. They met each other in the Kaffitár of the school @ Christmas 1993.
In a small studio downtown Reykjavik (Fellahelli) they were able to record a tape, but only completed one song before their billed time ran out (6 hours). The trio send the demo (years later Georg Hólm told David Fricke, senior editor of Rolling Stone Magazine, it was "maybe too floaty") to Smekkleysa. Þór Eldon, guitarist of the Sugarcubes, poet & husband of Björk, heard the song & and het wanted the song for a compilation record of their label. So the song called "Fljúgðu" became track # 16 on the album.
Running time: 4:05
Lyrics by Jón Þór Birgisson, Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson
Music by Jón Þór Birgisson
Later the band changed their name into Sigur Rós.
17 Tracks (Allmusic)

		1	Lífi Lýðveldið!	Exem	4:00
		2	Halaklippan	Texas Jesus	4:12
		3	Pjakkur	Bubbleflies	4:32
		4	HM Atómíka (Heimsmeistarakeppni í Bassaleik)	Funkstrasse	5:10
		5	Höfuðverkur	Tjalz Gizur	3:42
		6	HR. Gott Blóð	Yukatan	4:07
		7	Hann Mun Aldrei Gleym'enni	Runar Juliusson, Unun	4:25
		8	Skjár	Maus	3:22
		9	Gammagarg	Kolrassa Krokridandi	2:34
		10	Jeminn Eini	Kali	4:24
		11	Hvert Sem Er	Olympia	5:05
		12	Ástfrægð	Los	3:06
		13	Syndir Njósnara	Two Thousand One	5:11
		14	Draumur	Nidur	5:17
		15	Kalt	Curver	4:41
		16	Fljúgðu	Victory Rose	4:05
		17	Um Akkeri	Björk	3:17

Sources:
Popplagid
Dr. Gunni's Book "Eru ekki allir í stuði?"