sunnudagur, ágúst 29, 2010

Classic Icelandic Albums (CIA) # 13: "Ekki enn"/"EhgjI En:" by Purrkur Pillnikk

CIA
# 13
"Ekki Enn" or "EhgjI En:" (1981)
Purrkur Pillnikk
The punkrock band Purrkur Pillnikk released this album on 29. October 1981 on the Icelandic Gramm Label (Gramm 3). P.P. existed for about 18 months (1981-1982), but they were very active & released 2 LPs, 2 EPs & 1 live album.
In March 1981 the band was formed to play a gig with other school bands in the basement of their school, a gymnasium called MH (Menntaskólinn við Hamrahlíð).
Purrkur
refers to the latin word for pig Porcus; Pillnikk is a reference to the chess grandmaster Herman Pilnik from Argentina (German roots). First idea was to call the band Purrkur Pillnikk og Friðlarnir. But Friðlarnir was to similar with Fræbbblarnir, another legendary punk band.
Band members were vocalist Einar Örn Benediktsson (EÖB), Ásgeir R. Bragason on drums (previous he played bass), Bragi Ólafsson on bass & Friðrik Erlingsson on guitar.
Singer Einar Örn was the manager of the punk band Utangarðsmenn ("The Outsiders") @ that time. Back in 1977 when he was in England, he came in contact with the rise of punk music, e.g. The Clash & The Stranglers.
Because Einar Örn was managing Utangarðsmenn, P.P. was able to play some gigs @ Hotel Borg as supporting act of Utangarðsmenn. In the winter of 1981-82 they performed twice a week. The band played 63 gigs in the period 1981-82. In 1981 they supported Mark E. Smith's band The Fall on their Icelandic tour. In 1982 they toured in Great Britain with The Fall.
During the summer of 1981 EÖB toured with Utangarðsmenn in Scandinavia. When Einar came back, Purrkur Pillnikk could go to Sheffield in August 2001. They practised a lot & went to record the LP @ London.
The album was recorded in 50 hours @ Southern Studios (of Crass Records fame) @ London with the help of Simaen Skolfield.
LP "EhgjI En:" contains 17 songs.
Einar Örn's robust haranguing, a kind of Arctic Circle version of Mark E. Smith, is underscored with pithy, scrappy guitar riffs that rarely outstay their Pink Flag-style welcome, although the songs do blur together after awhile, according to Trouser Press.
All the info on the cover & the Icelandic text sheet is in phonetic transcription. "Ekki enn" means Not yet, it is also a song on the album.
About 1.500-1.700 copies were sold in Iceland.
For the Cover Art, a photograph by Arie Lieberman was (ab)used.
Album tracks
Side 1 (Purrkur Side)
1. Svefnpurkur
2. Nú ("Now")
3. Ekki enn ("Not yet")

4. Grimmd ("Cruelty", "Barbarity")
5. Gluggagægir ("Window Peeper")


MusicPlaylist

6. Flughoppið
7. Vaterland
Side 2 (Pillnikk Side)
1. Nafn ("Name")
2. Hvað get ég gert? ("What can I do?")
3. Útilokaður ("Outlocked")
4. Undantekning ("Exception")
5. Vondur strakur ("Bad boy")
6. Án nafns ("Anonymous")
7. Ofhræðsla
8. Enn ungur en ("Still young but")
9. Draumur ("Dream")
10. Rotið
"Gluggagægir" & "Augun úti" Live footage from the documentary Rokk í Reykjavík by director Friðrik Þór Friðriksson.
www.youtube.com/v/vLY_6CxsvTs?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

The LP was re-released on CD by Smekkleysa Label in 1993.

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