Quarashi Videos

Quarashi
"Pro"
www.youtube.com/v/-muxXNEZ17A&hl&fmt=18

"Brass Knuckles"
www.youtube.com/v/SePm2FxrPzk&hl&fmt=18

Retro Stefson's "Montana" Live @ Kimi Records Evening @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Retro Stefson
"Montana", the title song of their Debut Album, released on Kimi Records Label
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAjatEGWon4&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/retrostefson
Video by Wim Van Hooste.

FM Belfast "Frequency" @ Kimi Records Evening @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

FM Belfast
"Frequency" of their Debut Album "How to make friends" (World Champion Records, 2008 )

FM Belfast @ www.myspace.com/fmbelfast & www.fmbelfast.com
Video shot by Wim Van Hooste.

Nista released an EP

The band Nista is based in Montreal, Canada. The music is characterized by eclectic melodies, innovative instrumentation and quirky lyrics. The group is half-Icelandic, with lead-singer Stína Ágústsdóttir.
Nista @ www.myspace.com/nistamus

New Reykjavik! Video "Kate Bush"

Reykjavik! released their Second Album "The Blood" (Kimi Records, 2008) during the Airwaves '08 festival. A very special edition with a sandpaper sleeve was made & sold @ Kimi Headquarters @ Smidjustigur (next to Grand Rokk venue).
"Kate Bush"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5j6saYK6RM&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/reykjaviktheband

Skátar's New Song "Party Liners" Live

A new Skátar Song played Live @ Akureyri. A video by iceairpodcast.
"Party Liners"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI3OhvEfxek&hl&fmt=18

Skátar @ www.myspace.com/skatar

Borko "Ding Dong Kingdom" @ His Apartment @ Reykjavik

Borko Live Video shot by Stuart of Iceairpodcast
"Ding Dong Kingdom"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZhDbGEJjuw&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/borkoborko
www.kimirecords.net

Björk: Letter in The Times Online

After financial meltdown, now it's smeltdown -
The men who made Iceland go cap in hand to the IMF are now bent on ruining its landscape
by Björk

After touring for 18 months I was excited to return home a few weeks ago to good, solid Iceland and enjoy a little bit of stability. I had done a concert there earlier this year to raise awareness about local environmental issues and 10 per cent of the nation came to it; but I still felt it wasn't enough.
So when I returned I decided to contact people all over the island who had attempted to start new companies and bring in new greener ways of working but had not succeeded. For a long time Iceland's main income was fishing, but when that become uneconomic people started looking for other ways to earn a living. The ruling conservatives thought that harnessing Iceland's natural energy and selling it to huge companies such as Alcoa and Rio Tinto would solve the problem.
Now we have three aluminium smelters, which are the biggest in Europe; and in the space of the next three years they want to build two more. The smelters would need energy from a handful of new geothermal power plants and the building of dams that would damage pristine wilderness, hot springs and lava fields. To take this much energy from geothermal fields is not sustainable.
A lot of Icelanders are against the building of these smelters. They would rather continue to develop smaller companies that they own themselves and keep the money they earn. Many battles have been fought in Iceland on these issues. One resulted in the Environment Minister insisting for the first time that an environmental impact assessment should be carried out before any smelters or dams were built.
Background
And then the economic crisis hit. Young families are threatened with losing their houses and elderly people their pensions. This is catastrophic. There is also a lot of anger. The six biggest venture capitalists in Iceland are being booed in public places and on TV and radio shows; furious voices insist that they sell all their belongings and give the proceeds to the nation. Gigantic loans, it has been revealed, were taken out abroad by a few individuals and without the full knowledge of the Icelandic people. Now the nation seems to be responsible for having to pay them back.
What makes people furious is that those responsible for putting Icelanders in this situation are now the ones trying to get us out of it. Many here want those in charge to resign and allow others to tidy up after them. Most criticism is aimed at Davíð Oddsson, who made himself chairman of the central bank after 19 years as Mayor of Reykjavík and then 13 years as Prime Minister. A crowd is gathering in downtown Reykjavik once a week to demand his resignation.
Then a huge and most spectacular strike came surprisingly from your own Prime Minister. I quote a petition signed by a tenth of the nation: “Gordon Brown unjustifiably used the Anti-Terrorism Act against the people of Iceland for his own short-term political gain. This has turned a grave situation into a national disaster...hour by hour and day by day the actions of the British Government are indiscriminately obliterating Icelandic interests.”
Usually I don't notice politics. I live happily in the land of music-making. But I got caught up in it because politicians seem bent on ruining Iceland's natural environment. And I read last week that, because of the crisis, a number of Icelandic MPs are lobbying for the environmental assessment to be ignored so that the dams can be built as quickly as possible to give Alcoa and Rio Tinto the energy they need for the two new smelters.
Iceland is a small country. We missed out on an industrial revolution and my hope was that we would skip it completely and go straight to sustainable hi-tech options. If anyone could achieve this, we could. There is a wonderful characteristic in the Icelandic mentality - fearlessness, with an addiction to risk-taking to the point of being foolhardy. In music-making, storytelling and creative thought, this risk-taking is a great thing. And after my introduction to a lot of Iceland's small, growing companies, I realise how many of them have shown this fearless approach either in biotechnology or high technology.
Icelanders are highly educated in advanced sciences. We have ORF, one of the best biogenetics company in the world; Össur, an artificial limb-maker; CCP, a computer games maker, and so on. We also have a lot of doctors and health professionals. Because of the hundreds of naturally hot pools all over the island and our (so far) almost untouched nature, Iceland could easily become one big lush spa where people could come and nurse their wounds and relax. If only the Government could put its money into supporting these companies rather than serving Alcoa and Rio Tinto.
Flexibility is important: we will have to live with the three aluminium smelters that are here already and try to find ways of making them greener. But do we need five? In the past, having all our eggs in the same basket has proven far too risky, as we discovered in the days when we got 70 per cent of our income from fish. Now we are facing a disaster from betting everything on finance. If we build two more aluminium smelters, Iceland would become the biggest aluminium smelter in the world, and be known only for that. It would leave little room for anything else. If the price of aluminium falls - as it is doing - it would be catastrophic.
Iceland can be more self-sufficient and more creative - and still have an approach that is more 21st than 19th century. It can build fewer, smaller and greener dams. Let's use this economic crisis to become totally sustainable. Teach the world all we know about geothermal power plants. Support the Icelandic seed companies. Support the grass roots. It may take longer to build and deliver profits but it is solid, stable and something that will stand independently of the rollercoaster rides of Wall Street and volatile aluminium prices.
And it will help Iceland to remain what it is best at: being a gorgeous, untouched force of nature.

Björk's new single is called Náttúra. For more information about the eco-awareness Nattura Campaign go to http://www.nattura.info/
Source:
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5026175.ece

Hafdis Huld "Stop" Live @ Icelandic TV

Hafdis Huld covers song of Sam Brown
"Stop"
www.youtube.com/v/Yvfo-7cS9Aw&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/hafdishuld

Ólafur Arnalds @ Nordic House @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Ólafur Arnalds @ Nordic House, Reykjavik @ Airwaves '08
www.youtube.com/v/ZrRTGfk7Zks&hl&fmt=18

Ólafur Arnalds @ www.myspace.com/olafurarnalds

More Early Sigur Rós Live Videos (1999)

Sigur Rós
"E-bow"
www.youtube.com/v/Jna71VoOp7w&hl&fmt=18

"Syndir Guds"
www.youtube.com/v/foJNzHozjjU&hl&fmt=18

"Von"
www.youtube.com/v/K9uKuOq87Hk&hl&fmt=18

"Ég fæ jólagjöf"
www.youtube.com/v/0qPF1q1JYHo&hl&fmt=18

"Dánarfregnir Og Jarða"
www.youtube.com/v/HK4gDlKEfFs&hl&fmt=18

"Svefn-g-Englar"
www.youtube.com/v/KZHfvyWRKWE&hl&fmt=18

"Popplagið"
www.youtube.com/v/i8HC0MWMt3U&hl&fmt=18

www.sigurros.com

Eliza "In the beginning" @ Smekkleysa Shop @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Eliza Newman Geirsdottir, former singer of the bands Kolrassa Krókrídandi, Bellatrix and Skandinavia & keyboardplayer Disa @ Smekkleysa Recordstore @ Laugavegur shoppingstreet @ Iceland Airwaves '08 festival.
"In the beginning"
www.youtube.com/v/m5AXU8a0rEw&hl&fmt=18

Eliza @ www.myspace.com/elizanewman
Video shot by Wim Van Hooste.

Björk Interviewed by Associated Press (AP) about Nature Awereness in Iceland

Björk Interviewed by Associated Press (AP)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LUKqMQB9jM&hl&fmt=18

www.bjork.com

Ghostigital @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves 2008 (16. October)

Ghostigital @ Tunglid
EÖB & Einar's son, Curver Thoroddsen & Gisli Galdur formed the Ghostigital Quartet.
Part 1
www.youtube.com/v/XqzwvvBsOJw&hl&fmt=18

Part 2
www.youtube.com/v/SRnSg44cYCU&hl&fmt=18

www.ghostigital.com
Videos by Wim Van Hooste.

Interview with Björk @ Pitchfork.com

15 & 16. October I took part in the conference "You are in control" organised by IMX (Iceland Music Export) @ Hotel Saga.
Amy Phillips also took part in a panel & she found time to do a long Interview with Björk.
Amy Phillips of Pitchfork
When you buy the new Björk single, "Náttúra", you aren't just getting a brand new collaboration between two titans of avant-rock, Björk and Thom Yorke. You're also helping to steer the course of the future of the country of Iceland.
As previously reported, all proceeds from "Náttúra" go to the Náttúra Campaign, the Icelandic environmental movement co-founded by Björk. Náttúra's original mission was to protest the construction of foreign-backed aluminum factories in Iceland, but in recent weeks, the movement has taken a dramatic turn. In the month of October 2008, the Icelandic economy has crumbled under the weight of massive amounts of debt (sound familiar, Americans?), resulting in a government takeover of its largest banks. As the value of the Icelandic krona plummets, businesses find themselves unable to take out loans, and the cost of importing goods to the small island nation becomes prohibitively expensive, people are getting angry. And they're looking for quick fixes. One popular proposed quick fix? Building more aluminum factories.
Over the weekend, while in Reykjavík for the Iceland Airwaves festival, we sat down with Björk for a lengthy chat about "Náttúra" and the Náttúra Campaign. In the process, she outlined Náttúra's plan for the development of a new, independent, environmentally friendly Icelandic economy. It isn't a quick fix. And it isn't going to be easy. But when has Björk ever taken the easy way out?
Pitchfork: How did you become involved with the Náttúra Campaign? What is the organization's mission?
Björk: I kind of founded it. In a way, it's just me and four other people who share a Google group. [laughs] The other people include Andri [Snaer Magnason], who has written this book [Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual to a Frightened Nation] and Magga Vilhjálms, who has been my friend since I was 11. She's an actress, and she organized a concert called Hætta!, which means "stop," two years ago.
When I did the gig in the summer [the Náttúra concert] with Sigur Rós and 30,000 people came-- which is 10% of the [population of Iceland]-- we wanted to raise awareness for the environment. We did that and it was amazing. Then for six weeks, I was in hotel rooms and dressing rooms thinking fuck, that's not going to do shit. I'm gonna have to have one more whack at it, and try to be functionalist and not just ideological. As much as I don't want to get my hands dirty-- I would rather just do music-- I have to follow this up, or it was totally pointless.
I don't know where to start. If I spoke to you in a week, I would say something different, because every hour there is new information. It's so complicated. I think after Iceland's independence in 1944, we were not very sure of ourselves and our confidence was really low. It took one generation to sort of get over that. I'm second generation. My parents were born in 1945-46. Our movement at the punk times was like, we can sing in Icelandic, we are strong.
What's happening now is we grew and grew and grew from being one of the poorest nations in the world to being one of the richest. And then within the past 10 years Iceland discovered the stock market and it just went, went, went, went, went. I think it hit a roof and it's just crashed. Just a small percentage of the nation did a lot of damage.
Pitchfork: The same thing seems to have happened in America as well.
Björk: It was a combination of these people from my generation who went crazy on the stock market-- obviously I am simplifying very, very much-- and then the people in power, similar to your country, who were born in 1945-46. They are conservative capitalists who were supporting these guys, the free capitalists. They just let them loose. And all of Iceland's money evaporated.
Pitchfork: That's exactly what a lot of people in America have been saying as well, that the Bush administration's lack of regulation on business caused our current crisis.
Björk: Yes. A lot of working-class families are going to suffer, and unemployment hasn't even surfaced yet. What our movement has been more worried about is that many surveys have been done and the majority of Icelanders don't want [American aluminum company] Alcoa and these big industries to come, but they still just do it. And they don't give the nation any chance to vote for it or have a say in the matter.
In the last election, which was two years ago, everything that was talked about was green issues. Are you going to dam every single river in Iceland? There is literally a plan for every waterfall, every thermal energy place. In order to make two more aluminum plants, they have to dam all of them. They were just going to do it.
The winners of last election was this group called Samfylkingin, similar to the social parties in Scandinavia. Everybody voted for them, for the first time they won the majority. The conservative party in Iceland-- not far away from the Republicans-- for 80 years, they have had [majorities] in every election. But for the first time this party won, mostly because of green issues.
But then when all these people for the first time got into government with all of these kind of like Dick Cheneys of Iceland and George Bushes of Iceland-- you know what's going to happen. Maybe they just got the glow of power, but they were suddenly like, "Let's build an aluminum factory!"
Now the minister of industry, ministry of environment, and minister of foreign affairs are from this particular party. When they had the election, they had a list they put everywhere in the press, saying, "We are going to protect the country." You can take everything off the list. I think it's because these characters in government, these conservative capitalists born between 1940 and 1950, they are just so overpowering. It's always the same thing. And then this crash happens.
Pitchfork: How has the crash affected the environmental movement?
Björk: The minister of environment, she was supposed to stop an aluminum factory by the international airport by insisting that environmental value would happen, similar to what happens in all European countries. In Iceland they have just been like, "Who cares, let's just build the dams." She said, "It's gone too far with the planning, I can't stop it." And everybody was just like, "What! You were voted in to stop this!" Then they want to build another one up north, which would be the hugest one in Europe, if they get it built. She managed to stop it. She said we need environmental value, we are sacrificing too much. And now, after what happened last week, everybody in parliament, the right, they are saying, just ignore the environmental value, dam everything.
You know, the Russians are loaning us a lot of money. Roman Abramovich, the billionaire who bought [the soccer team] Chelsea in London, he got rich by aluminum factories. Now the news says that he is going to buy a lot of aluminum factories and make Iceland the biggest aluminum smelter in the world.
Pitchfork: Do the people of Iceland think that this is the answer to their economic problems?
Björk: The country's really split. I personally think that it's the generation that was born in the 40s that only sees very right-wing free trade. It's like they want to catch up. Iceland missed out on 600 years of industrialization, which was a bummer, but they want to catch up. They want to be like Germany, like, now. They want to build all these 19th century huge factories that eat up the environment. They think that's the only solution.
The extreme right-wing think environmentalists are just people in woolen sweaters who want to live in a cave and go back to medieval times and sing hippie songs. This is so not the case.
So I came two months ago and I started meeting with all of the job development centers in the countryside and saying OK, what are people suggesting in the countryside? Because there, a lot of them are like, "All the fish is gone, what should we do? Oh, Alcoa! They'll just build a factory and I just need to turn up." No, you have to grow from the roots up, you have to start small. It takes forever, two people are working at the company, and in ten years, maybe you can have five. We need to see what Iceland can do.
What I've discovered by talking to these people at the University of Reykjavík is there are so many companies that are amazing here, that are world class in biotechnics, in high-tech stuff, in computers, in artificial intelligence. These people have been on the verge of starting companies. They've got business plans, they've got everything, but they're not getting any support financially from the government or the private fundraisers. Because all the money went to this stock market roller coaster ride.
We'd been working for eight weeks, and then suddenly this thing happens a week ago. I was like, whoa. We were going to investors, setting up workshops, and introducing people to each other. We got the MBA students at the University to make business plans for the companies in the countryside who don't know how to make business plans but have amazing ideas. This is what we've been doing for the past few weeks.
This has to be our answer. What's really important now… it's such a moment of danger. All the people who are losing their jobs in the banks, who are going bankrupt, we are hoping they will get into these industries, believe in this, build this purely Icelandic thing up with Icelandic money, Icelandic companies. Icelandic people are really educated. But maybe we are at where the people in the States were 50 years ago, where they think that stuff that isn't done with a hammer or physical power is not a job. It's that backwards.
For example, there's a company here in Iceland called CCP. They made their own computer game and now they have 400 people working for them here in Iceland. We're saying that's the same manpower that's in an aluminum factory. And it's not just working class low paid jobs, functioning as a third world country for Alcoa, doing the dirty job for them, taking all the pollution and all the shit and just moving it somewhere else. We should make companies here made of Icelanders, both working class and the brainpower, discover new things that stay in the country. This is a problem on so many levels.
We're having it again tomorrow. We are going to try to make the MBAs make business plans for groups tomorrow. Because the groups need to work together. We're going to try to make a center for all the high-tech companies that are just ideas. It's one big institution where everybody who has a good idea goes and they all work together and help each other and then companies start to come out of there. But it takes like eight years. For me, it's sort of like a record company. It's like an indie label in a way. It's grassroots, where all these people can come and feed off of each other and get support. Where if one person gets a good idea, the other five will help them..
Another example of where we have to work together as a group is the health spas. [laughs] (I know, what have I gotten myself into? It's hilarious.) Iceland is only 300,000 people and there is a health spa here and another one here and they are in competition with each other. There are all these little swimming pools. We need a map of all of those and present it as one thing.
Tomorrow there's a workshop on clusters in Iceland. We've got the possible high-tech cluster, the possible health spa cluster, the possible culture cluster, possible travel business cluster, possible biotech cluster. It's especially for the rural areas, they need to work together. They're going to discuss how it's going to help us to work together, and how it's going to hinder us. Maybe the high-tech cluster needs a totally different support mechanism than the food cluster, for example.
I don't have answers to those questions. I work more as a medium to link these people together, and asking everybody to stop this competitive whatever. My motive was I don't want more aluminum factories. And now my motive is a lot of other peoples' motives as well. A lot of people in Iceland are saying what we need now is support for sustainable seed companies for a lot of different reasons. A lot of people are doing it because they're bankrupt and they can't go abroad and get more loans now because nobody will loan Iceland money. So that's where it's at now.
Pitchfork: Will these initiatives have a chance to get off the ground before there are more aluminum factories? Or are they going to take the crisis as an opportunity to ram this stuff through?
Björk: For the last two weeks, Icelanders are getting a crash course in economics. I mean, I didn't know about these things two weeks ago. The news is full of right-wing guys saying, "Stop the environmental value stuff! We should just build factories everywhere now, because that's where the money is!" And the thing is-- sorry I'm going to sound like a politician now-- but they're putting numbers in the papers that aren't true, saying that what we are getting from the fish industry every year is this much, and then just a little bit below that is what we're getting from aluminum. They're saying that aluminum is almost is as big as fish today-- that we are getting 100 billion [Icelandic] krona a year from aluminum. The thing is, the energy companies who built those dams-- the biggest aluminum smelter in Europe today that was built in the east, that was built two years ago...
Pitchfork: Wait, you already have the biggest aluminum plant in Europe and they want to build a bigger one?
Björk: We already have three. They want three more. They built a dam for Alcoa that cost $3 billion. They took that loan abroad to build this dam. Alcoa didn't pay anything on that. Iceland paid for that dam, and then they are selling Alcoa energy at a discount...They want to take more loans to do the same thing again.
The thing is, in the aluminum factories here, there's not many Icelandic people working there. There's mostly Polish immigrants. If you are from a fishing village with 1,000 people or something and everybody's leaving the town to Reykjavík, and you're 18, and there's an aluminum factory coming, is that very exciting? I mean, some people, of course, want to work there. But not all people, and especially not women. There are also numbers from Alaska and remote areas that have said, OK, big industry is our answer, and then nobody wants to work there.
These aluminum smelters, nobody wants to build them in Europe, because there's so much pollution. So it's like, "Oh, just go dump them in Iceland." We are getting them energy for so cheap that they are saving so much money by doing all this here.
Instead, what we are saying is, we've got three aluminum factories, let's work with that, we cannot change that. Why not have the Icelandic people who are educated in high-tech and work already in those factories in the higher paid jobs, why not let them build little companies who are totally Icelandic with the knowledge they have? Then they get the money and it stays in the country. Then we can support the biotech companies and the food companies and all these clusters. I think that if you want to be an environmentalist in Iceland, these are the things you've got to be putting your energy into.
A lot of investors [are] coming, and I'm hoping they will want to invest in the high-tech cluster. There are money people here that did not lose a lot of money. For example, here is one investment company in Iceland only run by women. They are doing fine. [laughs] They aren't risk junkies. They just made slow moves. The people who are crashing, they took a huge loan and then another huge loan, and so on. And it's all just air. But these women didn't build on air.
Source:
www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/146670-interview-bjrk-part-one
Read Part 2 @
www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/146669-interview-bjrk-part-two

Bang Gang "One More Trip" Live 25. October 2008

I am excited to see Bang Gang this Sunday @ Botanique venue @ Brussels.
Here's a Video that I found today of the song "One More Trip" of the 3. Album "Ghosts from the past" (2008). Barði Jóhannsson is not the lead vocalist in this song.

Go for Bang Gang @ www.banggang.net & www.myspace.com/banggangband

Song of the 83. Week by Ellý Vilhjálms

Ellý Vilhjálms' Song "Vegir liggja til allra átta" is Song of the 83. Week. I was inspired by conversion with Kristinn Palsson of Ras 2 @ Grand Rokk 18. October 3:00.

Best 10 gigs & Worst gig @ Iceland Airwaves '08 according to Wim Van Hooste

I’ve seen more than 50 gigs @ Airwaves ’08 in a period of 5 days.
Top 10 Icelandic band gigs (listed alphabetically):

Dýrðin@ Organ (Friday 17. October)
FM Belfast @ Tunglið (Thursday 16. October)
Ghostigital @ Tunglið (Thursday 16. October)
Hellvar @ Tunglið (Wednesday 15. October)
Jan Mayen @ Reykjavik Art Museum (Saturday 18. October)
Punk concerts (e.g. DYS) @ Hljómalind (Saturday18. October)
Purrkur Pillnikk Tribute Band @ Grand Rokk (Friday 17. October)
Reykjavik!@ Tunglið (Wednesday 16. October)
Singapore Sling @ NASA (Saturday 18. October)
Vicky@ Skifan (Friday 17. October)

Best non-Icelandic bands:
Boys in a Band (Faroe Islands) @ NASA (Sunday 19. October)
Ghost (Faroe Islands) @ Nordic House (Friday 17. October)
PNAU (Australia) @ Tunglið (Saturday 18. October)

Worst gig @ Airwaves festival ever (since 2005 in my experience):
During the gig of the Canadian band Crystal Castles @ Tunglið, Saturday 18. October, the press (photographers) people were not allowed in front of the stage. This was the first time ever for me not to be allowed there @ Airwaves, and without any notice some time before. So I was hanging with my head in heavy noise, fortunately with earplugs. It took the band a long time to start playing, and because of that the atmosphere was getting tence/nervous/à la Heizel dramatique for the first time in an overcrowded venue spot (where everybody wanted to be in the front, especially the British people). The performance was therefore very disappointing musically, and non-musically.

Photographs & Video "Bubble Girl" of Slideshow by Wim Van Hooste.

Vicky's "Lazerbeam" Live @ Skifan Recordstore @ Iceland Airwaves 2008 (17. October)

Another Vicky Video that I shot @ Skifan Store @ Laugavegur Shoppingstreet.
Song "Lazerbeam" of their Debut Album "Pull Hard", released very recently on Töfrahellirinn Label (October 2008). The drummer Orri is working in the Skifan store, when he's not drumming in the band of course. Vicky was on Tour in China together with the band Hellvar, even after Björk said some nasty thing about China & Tibet this year on her Tour around the globe.
This song was also broadcasted on the Icelandic Radioshow Poppland (RAS 2)(www.ruv.is/poppland).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSUxuIDqOyE&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/vickypollardmusic

Sigur Rós @ Laugardalshöll, Reykjavik 23. November 2008

Sigur Rós plays their last Concert of their World Tour @ Laugardalshöll, Reykjavik 23. November.
Sigur Rós' Last Album "Með suð í eyrum spilum við endalaust" already sold 0.5 million copies worldwide; 7,000 copies were sold in their homeland.
Ticket sale starts 4. November @ MIdi @ www.midi.is
Notice that there will also be a reduced rate for 13-16y years olds: Price 1,000 IKR
Sources : Fréttabladid & www.sigur-ros.co.uk

Acoustic version of "Salvatore" by Retro Stefson

I was not the only one shooting movies @ Airwaves '08. Stuart of Icearipodcast shoot one of Retro Stefson.
"Salvatore" in the Acoustic version, a song featured on their Debut Album "Montaña" (Kimi Records, 2008).
www.youtube.com/v/ov6pyNrBbPM&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/retrostefson
www.kimirecords.net
Release Concert:

Brain Police "Jacuzzi Suzy" Video (2003)

Brain Police
"Jacuzzi Suzy" Video
www.youtube.com/v/YShl313BFE8&hl&fmt=18

FM Belfast "Back & Spine" Live @ Kimi Records Office/Rehearsal Space @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

FM Belfast
"Back & Spine", a song of their Debut Album "How to make friends", released during the Airwaves festival on their own Record Label "World Champion Records" (Distribution by Kimi Records)
www.youtube.com/v/XiEb_Q6-njY&hl&fmt=18

www.fmbelfast.com
www.myspace.com/fmbelfast
www.kimirecords.net

Survival of the Cute - Controversy in Icelandic papers about the "cuddly generation"

Article on the site of Iceland Review by Zoë Robert:

While the government is preoccupied with acquiring loans to rescue the nation’s frozen economy, debate about the economic recession among the public has finally moved on—and in this case, to the trivial: to the survival of the krúttkynslódin or the “cuddly generation,” and the use of this bizarre label. The term has been used to describe a generation of young creative Icelanders and is often associated with environmentalism and anti-materialism?and naivety.
A recent article on the The Guardian website described the generation like this: “Older islanders call them the ‘Krútt-kynslotin’ [sic] - the cuddly generation. Eco-aware, earnest but pampered, they drift from organic café to bar, listening to the music of Björk and Sigur Rós, islanders who have made it big abroad.”
Not the most flattering description. But, now that Iceland’s economy has gone bust, what lies in store for Iceland’s cuddly youth? Let me fill you in with the current debate.
Icelandic historian Valur Gunnarsson arose controversy when he wrote a lengthy opinion piece in daily Morgunbladid last Saturday), arguing that the Icelandic krútt generation was dead. Gunnarsson argued that “in all likelihood the so-called krútt generation has sung its last song. Those who are in some way opposed to the mainstream will no longer find it sufficient to be just a krútt. The demand will follow that artists will have more to offer.”
Gunnarsson went on to say that this young carefree generation will become angrier and more serious due to the economic crisis in Iceland, and that a new approach by today’s youth will be necessary.
Something that has been in the back of my mind during these past few weeks, after obviously how ordinary families are coping, is how the recession will affect creativity in this country so abundant with young artists, musicians and writers. Will the economic depression stifle creativity? We have already seen many businesses close, and small independent stores are perhaps most exposed to the financial downturn. Will artists be among the victims of the economic crisis?
The recent Iceland Airwaves music festival—which attracts music-lovers from all over the world and has helped Icelandic artists, and the Icelandic music scene in general, gain international recognition—went ahead this year despite spiraling costs, caused by the sharp depreciation of the króna against the euro.
The weak króna made paying international acts in euro particularly painful for organizers, who say they lost money on this year’s festival which will make it a challenge to put on the event in the same form next year.
In response to Gunnarsson’s article, Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen, a music critic for Morgunbladid, came to the defense of Iceland’s youth in an opinion piece on Wednesday. Thoroddsen argued that “if anyone will have anything to offer in the times ahead then it will be precisely these [members of the krútt generation].”
Supporting his case, Thoroddsen went through the list of bands and artists that have been given the controversial krútt label, such as Sigur Rós, Múm, Amiina, Björk, Emilíana Torrini, Benni Hemm Hemm and Ólöf Arnalds, most of whom have gained respect inside and outside of Iceland through their contribution to music.
Thoroddsen also commented that the term krútt is too vague to be applied in an analysis of the music scene, and didn’t have any value to the discussion, something that Amiina vocalist María Huld Markan agrees with.
Markan commented in an article in Morgunbladid that she hoped journalists would put an end to such unsophisticated labeling which attempts to put a diverse group of artists in one box. And, I agree, I’ve never understood why such a ridiculous term, which refers to a generation as “cute” and “cuddly,” continues to be used. Markan also criticized Gunnarsson’s piece, saying that it was easy to attack such sincere artists who had put their heart and soul into their work.
An article in the Advertising Age says that the cuddly generation “is a generation of yuppies begat by fishermen—a generation that's now going to have learn how to roll up its sleeves.” One man has, in good humor, set up a website entitled: “Adopt an Icelander” with the aim of saving Iceland’s trendy youth.
“[...] they need your help. Please donate whatever you can - money, plane tickets, alcohol or kind words (they all speak English). Anything to help these beautiful, fun-loving Viking progeny reclaim the free-spirited times of no work and all play to which they grew so accustomed... even if it's just for one wild night,” the website reads.
How the economic crisis will affect Iceland’s cuddly generation is anyone’s guess, really. A keener interest in politics in this country, and an appreciation for hard work—including manual labor such as construction that immigrants returning home will leave behind—can only be good. May the future be bright.
Source: Iceland Review Online
www.icelandreview.com

Why is it that Belgium has such a sloppy journalism? - Especially concerning the topic "Iceland"

Like Björk Guðmundsdóttir wrote in Reykjavík Grapevine Magazine some months ago: journalists do you homework before you write down something. As a told earlier on this blog than Björk, nearly nobody pronounces Björk, Sigur Rós correctly in Belgium (with ¨ and accents), and now the same is happening with the bank KaupÞing (æ plís au!), Ter Zake newsmagazine writes Reykjavic (sic), or musical journalists don’t recognise Iceland’s best drummer Sigtryggur Baldursson when performing in Brussels (who are you?).
One week ago, Saturday noon, I talked with a Belgian journalist working for VRT Nieuws (Flemisch Radio & Television News), Lukas De Vos. I started to talk to him when I saw him walking with his big microphone @ Tjörnin lake. For the last 20 years, VRT brings out reports on Iceland of bad quality: full stereotypes and mistakes. The time was there to put things right. Like a real pro he was running out of batteries for his camera and his mic. I told him I went to the protest against Davíð Oddsson. I organised the meetings with some Icelanders who were protesting on Saturday 18. October downtown Reykjavík: Jón Léosson @ Kolaportið Flea Market, Heiða Eiríksdóttir and husband Elvar, both musicians in the band Hellvar & Heiða is also politician for the Left-Green Party in Iceland, Kristinn Pálsson a Radio host of Rás 2 Program Uppruni Tegundanna, and Haukur S. Magnússon, a journalist, also musician in the band Reykjavík!, and webmaster for Iceland Music Export (IMX),
Sorry Icelandic friends that I wasted your time with this journalist!
Shame on you Lukas! Shame on you VRT!
I’ll keep on listening to the Dutch radio and watch Dutch TV to be better informed. Or streaming Icelandic media of course.

The mistakes in his online article are marked in red.
Free Food: For every mistake you can claim a free waffle with cream @ VRT, A. Reyerslaan 52, B-1043 BRUSSELS.
IJsland kraakt (Belga)
vr 24/10/08 20:44
Het eerste en grootste slachtoffer van de Amerikaanse kredietcrisis en het bankroet van Lehman Brothers is IJsland geworden.
Een portret vanuit IJsland van Lukas De Vos.

De fall-out van de instorting van de woningmarkt sloeg diepe bressen in de IJslandse financiële bodem. Omdat de IJslandse economie overmatig steunde op de doorgedreven vrijemarktvisie van de drie grootste banken, Kaupthing KAUPÞING, Landsbanki en Glifnir GLITNIR– die samen tegoeden beheerden die twaalf keer de omvang hadden van de het jaarlijks BNP -, kwam de klap ook des te harder aan.

“Nee, het land is niet failliet”, houdt eerste minister Geir Haarde vol als ik hem zie in het Government Guest House aan de Tjarnargata. “Maar de ruggegraat is gebroken. Als je ziet welk effect de val van Fortis en Dexia in België hadden, dan kun je je indenken hoeveel zwaarder nog de onafwendbare nationalisering van de banken bij ons om dragen is”.
Wat valt er te redden?
Op het eerste gezicht blijven de IJslanders er nuchter en zelfs blijmoedig bij.
Wie van de internationale luchthaven Keflavik KEFLAVÍK (de vroegere Amerikaanse NAVO-basis) naar de hoofdstad rijdt, ziet aan de zeekant in Hafnarfjörd HAFNARFJÖRÐUR een lange lichtgroene loods staan. Aluminiumverwerking. Een sterkhouder van de economie, omdat door de verwaarloosbare kost van geothermische energie, de bewerking van aluminium van overal ter wereld naar IJsland komt.
“Gaan ze binnenkort nog uitbreiden”, knikt mijn taxichauffeur Snorri. Hij kent zijn wereld, leidt veiligheidsoefeningen op de Reykjavikurflugvöllur (de oude, nationale INTERNATIONALE (OOK VLUCHTEN NAAR GROELAND & FAROËR) luchthaven), reist geregeld rond. “Ook naar Brussel”, zegt hij.
Energie, aluminium, visserij, dat moet de reddingsboei worden. En intussen zie je overal onafgewerkte werven. In de haven de nieuwe opera, elders flatgebouwen en opslagplaatsen. “Hebben we niet nodig”, gromt Snorri. “We zijn maar met 300.000. Voor wie bouwen we eigenlijk nog? Kijk, tot voor de crisis werd hier zeven dagen op zeven doorgewerkt. Nu ligt alles stil. De gastarbeiders uit Polen en Litouwen zijn terug naar huis, ze verdienen de korst van hun brood niet meer”.
Oluf ÓLÖF Einarsdottir EINARSDÓTTIR vult aan: “Al die huizen, dat is wellicht voor de trollen. Hetzelfde met de winkels. Kijk naar dat monsterlijk grote gebouw dat de Duitse keten Bauhaus heeft neergepoot. Voor wie is dat bedoeld ? We hebben al veel te veel winkels, als we echt inkopen doen, vliegen we naar Engeland. De voorbije jaren hebben de IJslanders gekocht en gekocht als kiekens zonder kop. Een auto, een nieuwe auto, een 4x4, een buitenhuisje – en alles met kredietkaarten, want niemand loopt hier met geld op zak. En dan zie je niet eens of je nog wat in handen hebt”.
Papier
De paar honderd anarchisten in IJsland hebben de instorting zeer letterlijk opgenomen. “Waardepapieren ?”, roept Valur. “Dit is de waarde. Puur papier”. En hij plakt tientallen briefjes van honderd en duizend kronen op de grond.
Het is een vrolijke bedoening als ze wat later met vijftienhonderd samenstromen voor het parlement. Er zijn protestsongs zoals in de jaren zestig – “Daar”, grijnst Gunnar KRISTINN PÁLSSON, “Die bard is de eerste homoseksueel die zich als zodanig uitte in 1975”. Klinken doet het niet, het rauwe IJslands overstemt moeiteloos de slaggitaar.

Maar het blijft beschaafd, het ergste is een bordje met de slogan: “Ontslag, idioot”. Die idoot, dat is David DAVÍD Oddson ODDSSON, de huidige voorzitter van de Centrale Bank. “Hij heeft het land naar de afgrond geleid, met zijn wilde privatiseringen en zijn ongebreideld winstbejag”, klaagt Heida HEIÐA, die bij de Groenen aanleunt.
“Eerder was hij al burgemeester van Reykjavik, waar tweederde van de bevolking woont, en premier. Dat zegt genoeg. Overigens heeft Reykjavik op korte tijd al drie burgemeesters versleten. Trouwens, het hele land wordt gedomineerd door hooguit een tiental families, zij moeten de zaak nu maar rechttrekken”.
Koude winter
De gewone man in de straat doet er nogal meewarig over. Jan Gerritsen is correspondent van het NRC Handelsblad, en getrouwd met een IJslandse.
“Dat klopt. Ze laten het lijdzaam over zich gaan, ze sluiten de rangen bij alle onheil. We zijn Vikings, zeggen ze, als we niks meer hebben, dan gaan we weer vissen”.
Stoere taal, omdat de gevolgen nog niet helemaal merkbaar zijn. De eerste honderden ontslagen zijn wel gevallen, 500 bij Kaupthing, 200 bij de Landsbanki.
“En vooral de ouderen, reizigers en mensen met een hypotheek dreigen de dupe te worden”, voegt Oluf eraan toe. “Nogal wat mensen hadden leningen en verzekeringen in vreemde valuta, euro’s of yens. Dat breekt ze nu zuur op, de kroon is fors in waarde gedaald: een paar maand geleden betaalde je 90 kronen voor 1 euro, nu al 150. Vliegtuigreizen zijn een luxe geworden”.
Oluf weet waarover ze spreekt, haar zoon speelt bij FC Barcelona, ze is pas terug. “En het is niet zeker of onze pensioenfondsen nog voldoende gewaarborgd zijn”.
Politiek element
Regering en banken volgden dan ook de piste om zo snel mogelijk het staketsel van de economie te stutten. Europa schoot eerst aarzelend ter hulp, Groot-Brittannië schoffeerde zelfs de IJslanders door de antiterreurwet te gebruiken om spaarders bij IJslandse banken te beschermen.
Maar na de Top in Brussel van 16 december heeft de Unie resoluut voor ondersteuning gekozen. “Als we al een landje als IJsland niet kunnen redden”, merkt minister van Buitenlandse Zaken Karel De Gucht op, “met een begroting van 30 miljard euro, wie kunnen we dan wel bijspringen?”
Er speelde ook een politiek element mee: IJsland keek ook in de richting van de Russen om een lening van 4 miljard euro te krijgen. Simpele verkopers (JÓN LÉOSSON IS NOT ORDINARY) op de vlooienmarkt staken hun sympathie voor Rusland niet onder stoelen of banken. Dat verontrustte de Unie, want Moskou had duidelijk militair-politieke compensaties op het oog. En dus werd voluit de kaart van internationale samenwerking getrokken.
Nieuw geld
“Het hele zootje gaat ons 37 miljard kosten. De banken geven het op”, waarschuwde de kwaliteitskrant Morgunbladid MORGUNBLAÐIÐ zondag 19 december. Hoog tijd dus dat het Internationale Muntfonds (IMF) ging bijspringen, zoals het dat eerder had gedaan voor Brazilië, Argentinië, en in 1976 zelfs voor Groot-Brittannië. “Maar op veel minder strenge voorwaarden”, verzekerde Geir Haarde.
Vijf dagen later was de zaak beklonken. Het IMF sloot met Reykjavik een akkoord om 2,1 miljard dollar (één honderdste van zijn noodkas) te pompen in het bankwezen. IJsland kan nog een beroep doen op 4 miljard dollar extra die andere landen aanbieden. De Britten zijn tot inkeer gekomen, en onderhandelen nu over een steunpakket van drie miljard pond sterling.
Ook Noorwegen heeft een afvaardiging naar IJsland gestuurd om steun uit te werken, maar de grootste zorg die de IJslandse regering nu achtervolgt is hoe de inkrimping van het BNP en de hoog oplopende inflatie op te vangen. “Inflatie is er altijd geweest”, ruim 14 % op dit ogenblik, “En ook dat vreet aan mijn pensioen”, zegt Svéin SVEINN me. “Maar we kunnen rekenen op onze Europese vrienden”. Svéin is christendemocraat, -“ik ben zelfs in het Europees Parlement geweest” - maar stemmen haalt zijn partij niet.
Nieuwe tijden
Het is hopen op een verstandige aanpak van de regering. En Geir Haarde geeft toe dat er wellicht fouten zijn gemaakt in de agressief-expansieve politiek van de banken (Kaupthing bv. bood de hoogste rente aan voor spaarders in de Lage Landen), maar dat zijn vijgen na Pasen.
“Wij staan er borg voor dat mijn centrum-rechtse regering alle wettelijke afspraken zal nakomen”, herhaalt hij als een mantra.
Haarde zit natuurlijk met de hete adem van de oppositie in de nek. Zijn coalitie haalde één zetel op overschot in de Althing. En dus switchte hij van partner, de Progressieve Partij moest na twalf TWAALF jaar de baan ruimen, de Sociaal-Demokratische Alliantie deed haar intrede.
Of Haarde daar echt blij mee is, is onduidelijk. De SDA is duidelijk pro-Europees en milieugerichter, en dat verdeelt de geesten over het al dan niet toetreden tot de eurozone.
Haarde is daar niet voor te vinden, maar peilingen geven aan dat de helft van de IJslanders wel in die richting denken. De grootste vakbond van IJsland, ASI, eist de onmiddellijke toetreding tot de Europese Unie. Er is geen andere uitweg voor de crisis, zegt hij.
“Maar om op te gaan in een groter geheel, nee”, besluit Oluf Einarsdottir ÓLÖF EINARSDÓTTIR. “De Unie is een stap te ver. Eigenlijk zijn heel wat IJslanders blij met de ontnuchtering. Zelfs de kinderen zien het. Mijn dochtertje wou niet in het boekenwinkeltje bij haar school wachten tot ik haar op kon halen. ‘Dat is failliet’, zei ze. Veel kleinere ondernemingen gaan de fles op. Maar de winter komt, en die brengt raad. IJslanders lezen dan veel. En vergeet niet: wij hebben niet gevochten voor onze onafhankelijkheid van Denemarken. Jon Sigurdsson JÓN SIGURÐSSON was een schrijver en journalist, hij schrééf ons naar zelfbestuur in 1874. Sveinn Björnsson, onze eerste president, was de zoon van een uitgever. We praten er ons wel uit”.
Lukas De Vos
Source:
www.deredactie.be/cm/de.redactie/buitenland/1.403882
www.youtube.com/v/w5SBTmWBvIk&hl&fmt=18

All Photographs & Video made by Wim Van Hooste.

Singapore Sling @ NASA @ Iceland Airwaves 2008 (18. October 2008)

Some lazy Belgians dare to say that I don't post enough on Iceland Airwaves '08. This blog tries to post as much videos as possible of Icelandic artists of all websites.
I'll never be a saint in my home country.
It's the same with Belgian journalists, try to ignore them, except for Mr. Dirk Steenhaut of Newspaper De Morgen.
Áfram Ísland! !
Espec. for F.
Singapore Sling @ NASA:
www.youtube.com/v/CU1uNyyj03I&hl&fmt=18

www.youtube.com/v/aps50ohy4_k&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/singaporesling
Videos by Wim Van Hooste

Reykjavik! Live @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Reykjavik! @ Kimi Records Evening @ Tunglid (ex-Gaukurinn) @ Iceland Airwaves festival 2008.
www.youtube.com/v/GXbgq865I1w&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/reykjaviktheband
Haukur & Boas takk fyrir sidast!
Video by Wim Van Hooste

Eliza performed "Diamond" @ Smekkleysa Shop @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Eliza Newman Geirsdottir
"Diamond" of her Debut Album "Empire Fall" (released on Lavaland Records, 2007)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLv8NDtALpQ&hl&fmt=18

www.myspace.com/elizanewman
Eliza takk fyrir mat (vafla). Bjor & Vafla, eda Belgia @ Café Rosenberg.
Icelanders are not terrorists!
But next time kick the noisy, drunken Swedish hooligans out of the bar when Heida is on stage.
Video by Wim Van Hooste

Einar Örn Benediktsson: "If Now Was Then" @ IMX Conference "You are in control" @ Hotel Saga, Reykjavik, Iceland 15-16. October

Einar Örn Benediktsson, the singer of Iceland's best pop group The Sugarcubes, talked about 45 minutes on the "You are in control" conference about internet & music about Ghostigitalproject & what The Sugarcubes would/could have done with the internet.
An Extract of this Session:
www.youtube.com/v/i9Ccm2qy3g0&hl&fmt=18

IMX @ www.icelandmusic.is
Ghostigital @ www.ghostigital.com
Takk fyrir Haukur!
Video shot by Wim Van Hooste

Björk's new single "Náttúra": The Official Video

Björk's new Single
"Náttúra" Official Video
www.youtube.com/v/Ja-duZMC5r0&hl&fmt=18


Björk releases her brand new single “Náttúra” through One Little Indian on October 20. The single will be initially available as an iTunes exlusive except Iceland where it is available from Nattura.info; then everywhere digitally on October 27. All proceeds from the track will go towards the Nature (Náttúra) Campaign (www.nattura.info).
The single was composed specifically to encourage active support for the Nattura campaign, which aims at collating and providing sustainable and eco-friendly options suitable for Iceland, and generating alternative ways to utilize it’s natural resources. People will be able to submit their ideas on the website for sustainable green workplaces for Icelanders. According to Björk, “It is now more important than ever before to emphasize a respect for nature…I believe that profits, technological advances and working together with nature can all go hand in hand. None need to be sacrificed at the expense of the others.”
The new single is written and produced by Björk and features Radiohead’s Thom Yorke on backing vocals, Brian Chippendale (Lighting Bolt) on drums, Matthew Herbert on synth/bass, and Mark Bell on additional electronic beats. Opening with a huge elemental swirl, “Nattura” then fires up an incendiary and fierce tribal rhythm. The song sees Björk firmly on the march in celebration of her homeland, in hopes that Icelanders harness its energy in a sustainable way.
For more information on the single and the Náttúra Environmental Campaign please visit www.nattura.info or www.bjork.com.
Further to this there will be a massive conference on sustainability in Reykjavik, hosted by nattura.info and the University of Reykjavik as can bee seen in this statement:
Working meeting on alternative ways to utilize natural and human resources in a self-sustainable ways
For some years, various attempts have been made all around the country to find ways to utilize natural and human resources other than those employed by large scale industry. These innovatory attempts have increased our capacity for a greater variety of options and helped to increase Icelanders' personal accountability for their own landscape. Yet, for various reasons little heed has been paid to these attempts and there has rarely been sufficient follow-up to many of the ideas that have been forwarded. There has been a sharp division between promising plans and their entrepreneurial implementation on the one hand and between investments and the networks that serve to generate them on the other. In these difficult times, when people are desperately trying to find alternatives to the excesses of large-scale industry, then we must a way erect bridges between unlike areas of interest.
In cooperation with the University of Reykjavík and Klak, a research- and consulting institute for entrepreneurial implementation (seed-stage companies), Fræ, the institute of U.R. for public good, Björk Guðmundsdóttir has together with the organisers of the website nattura.info summoned a workshop where to gather for an open conversation with investers and métier designers, representatives from economic development associations, universities, and with those prolific individuals who work with ideas, establishments and other innovation in the field of self-sustainability and diversity. Ideas are being collected for further development and promotion, with companies of all kinds of researches, development and production, from woolens to state of the art inventions in the field of biotechnology.
The goal of the workshop, and other related events, is to connect experience, knowledge and inventiveness from different fields of society, to nourish the soil of seed-stage companies and their self sustainable developement; to open access to the motive power of financial- and executive power, and generate a creative dialog and researches. By building these bridges, the outcome will be an open interconnectivity and a clear work of development in the form of extensive business plans for the ideas of seed-stage companies of Iceland.
Following the workshop held in the University of Reykjavík, nattura.info is hosting seminars inviting foreign thinkers and generating workshops across the country. The new website nattura.info is about to open as a site for conversation about the resources of Iceland, the diverse possibilities of using them, and self sustainability. On the website is a think tank for other ways than heavy industry, and the funds from Björk's song, Náttúra, goes to the developement of prolific ideas.
Source:
www.bjork.com

Dýrðin performed "Bubble Girl" Live @ Organ @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Dýrðin
"Bubble Girl"

www.mmedia.is/dyrdin
www.myspace.com/dyrdin
Video shot by Wim Van Hooste

Jan Mayen @ Reykjavik Art Museum @ Iceland Airwaves 2008

Jan Mayen
www.youtube.com/v/hchfIAZHKs0

www.myspace.com/janmayen
Video by Wim Van Hooste

Vicky: "The Plan" Live @ Skifan Recordstore @ Iceland Airwaves 2008 (16. October)

Vicky performed some songs on stage @ Skifan, the biggest recordstore in Iceland. Three songs were put live on air of the Icelandic radioprogram Poppland.
Their Debut Album "Pull Hard" (Töfrahellirinn, 2008) is very good.
www.youtube.com/v/Dt1LMIgGvjg
www.myspace.com/vickypollardmusic
Takk fyrir undirskriftar!
Video by Wim Van Hooste

Purrkur Pillnikk Tribute Concert @ Grand Rokk venue, Reykjavik (17. October 2008)

A tribute to the famous Icelandic punk rock band Purrkur Pillnikk @ Grand Rokk venue (a famous chess place too)
Notice the interruption of Heida Eiriks (aka Heida i Unun) of the band Hellvar @ the end.
www.youtube.com/v/jvcMGwsMrGY&hl&fmt=18

Espec. for Veerle, Jen goes digital, Jennifer Leigh, Heida, Elvar & Alexandra.

Slideshows of Ghostigital @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves '08 (16. October 2008)

Ghostigital @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves '08
The band this time as a Quartet. As always Einar Örn Benediktsson (EÖB) on vocals & trumpet, Curver & Gisli Galdur on the buttons & Einar's son on trumpet too.
Part 1: "Where is my money" (aka "Bank")

Part 2: "In Cod We Trust"

http://www.ghostigital.com/
All photographs of slideshows by Wim Van Hooste.

Hellvar @ Tunglið @ Airwaves '08 (15. October 2008)

Hellvar played 7 songs @ ex-Gaukurinn venue, now called Tunglið (The Moon). Tunglið was the name of another famous venue spot downtown Reykjavík until it burned down.
Wednesday 15. October was Kimi Records Evening.
"Nowhere" of their Debut Album "Bat out of Hellvar", released last year on Baldvin Esra Einarsson's Kimi Records Label. It was the first release of this label based in the capital of the North, Akureyri.
www.youtube.com/v/lqQ_FdAPfZU&hl&fmt=18

Hellvar, the band formed by singer/guitar player Heiða Eiríks aka Heiða í Unun and Elvar her husband, completed as a Quartet with Sverrir on bass & Alexandra on guitar, performed 4 songs not featured on their Debut Album: "Falsetto", "Morceau de gaiété", "I should be cool" and "Stop that noise".
"Falsetto"
www.youtube.com/v/_C1Jj4BATE8&hl&fmt=18

"Stop that noise", the last song of the gig
www.youtube.com/v/3hEaq5xWOb0&hl&fmt=18

Want to know more? Go to Hellvar @:
www.myspace.com/hellvarmusic
http://hellvar.blogspot.com
http://gotohellvar.blogspot.com
www.kimirecords.net
Videos shot by Wim Van Hooste.

The New Adventures of Davíð Oddsson - I found a New Job for David Oddsson: Cartoon character 4ever

I wasn't only listening to Icelandic music @ Airwaves 2008. I took some to time to talk with the Flemish radio journalist Lukas De Vos of VRT Nieuws while protesting the present-day (or shouldn't we say current in both ways) situation in Iceland on Saturday 18. October @ 15:00 downtown Reykjavík.

While listening to the troubadours/singers on stage (off-venue of Airwaves?), I remembered that Davíð Oddsson was nice as cartoon figure in the Suske en Wiske (in Iceland known as Siggi og Vigga) Cartoon Album # 212 called "Edele Elfen" by the late Willy Vandersteen (Engl. transl.: Noble Fairies - Standaard Uitgeverij, 1993).

This Album is situated in Iceland, one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Flying from Brussels with Eagle Air, where are the days?

Translation of the text:

Lambik says: Here young man, can you carry my luggage.

A journalist says: Hey, this is the major of Reykjavik, David Oddsson.
Davíð Oddsson says: A hearty welcome.

Maybe he can apply for that job again ;-) and become a cartoon figure 4ever.

Or if that is not possible in some way, maybe Davíð Oddsson can become major, this time of Iceland's most northly rocks in the Atlantic Ocean to keep the 200 miles zone safe against the British Army in the Oddsson War.

Personal note:
Some of the Siggi og Vigga Albums are translated into Icelandic (I own Album # 138 & 184 @ home) and published by Fjölva Utgafa for the Icelandic market.

www.standaarduitgeverij.be

Bang Gang: News - @ Botanique, Brussels 2. November 2008

First the Belgians came to Iceland for the Airwaves. Now the Icelanders are coming back to perform in Belgium. 2. November I am heading with Leo to the Botanique venue @ Brussels to see the Bang Gang gig. Bardi Johannsson & Band are busy touring Europe & also collaborating with French combo Air.
New single is the song "The World is Gray" of Bang Gang's Third Album "Ghosts from the Past".

www.banggang.net

www.myspace.com/banggangband

Hellvar @ Tunglid @ Iceland Airwaves 2008 (15. October)

Hellvar Slideshow

Hellvar @ www.myspace.com/hellvarmusic & http://hellvar.blogspot.com
Kimi Records Label @ www.kimirecords.net
My Hellvar fanfage @ http://gotohellvar.blogspot.com
All Photographs of this slideshow by Wim Van Hooste.
Artwork by Hellvar.

Another suitcase full of Icelandic music

Again I found & bought a lot of old (1981) and new (Released 15. October 2008) Icelandic music (related stuff) while attending the 10. Edition of the cozy, yearly Iceland Airwaves Festival :
CDs:
The Soul of the Great Viking (FANS CD 101)
Það vantar spýtur (safn bestu barnalaga Ólafs Hauks Símonarsonar (12 Tónar, 2006)
Borko: Celebrating life (Kimi Records, 2008)
Botnleðja: Magnyl (Error Music/Magnyl Music, 1998)
Brúðarbandið: Meira! (12 Tónar, 2004)
Dísa: Dísa (Cod Music, 2008)
Dr. Spock: Dr. Phil (Smekkleysa, 2005)
FM Belfast: How to make friends (World Champion Records, 2008)
Ghostigital, Finnbogi Pétursson & Skúli Sverrisson: Aero (Smekkleysa, 2008)
Guðmundur & Steingrimur: In the swing of the night (Músik, 2006)
Hairdoctor: Shampoo (Smekkleysa, 2005)
Hinn Íslenzki Þursaflokkur (Steinar, 1992)
Kenya: Change a life (Skifan Saga Boutique, 2007)
Kimono: Mineur Aggressif (Smekkleysa, 2003)
KK: Blús (12 Tónar, 2006)

Mammút: Karkari (Record Records, 2008)
Margeir: Blue Lagoon Soundtrack (Sena, 2006)
Morðingjarnir: Áfram Ísland! (Kimi Records, 2008)
Motion Boys: Hang on (Sena, 2008)
Retro Stefson: Montaña (Kimi Records, 2008)
Reykjavík!: The Blood (Kimi Records, 2008)
SSSól: Blóð (Skifan, 1994)
Steintryggur: Trappa (Smekkleysa, 2008)
Utangarðsmenn: Fuglinn er floginn (2CD) (Skifan, 2000)
Úlpa: Attempted flight by winged men (12 Tónar, 2005)
Vicky: Pull Hard (Töflahellirinn, 2008)
LPs:
Bubbi & MX-21, Sykurmolarnir: Tónlist úr kvikmyndinni Skytturnar (Gramm 31, 1987)(movie soundtrack with music by Bubbi & MX-21 & early The Sugarcubes)
Megas: Höfuðlausnir (Gramm 36, 1988) with Björk and her sister on vocals and cover
7”:
Purrkur Pillnikk: No time to think (Gramm, 1982)
Þeyr: Life Transmission (in Icelandic Útfrymi (Ectoplasm) – 2 songs Life Transmission & Heima er bezt (Eskvímó/Fálkinn EF1, 1981)
DVDs:
Movie by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson: Rokk í Reykjavík (Sena, 2008)
Movie by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson: Skytturnar (Sena, 2008)
DVD Magazine Tölublað Rafskinna # 1: Fiskur (Fish) featuring Ghostigital, Björk, Skakkamanage a.o.
DVD Magazine Tölublað Rafskinna # 2: Hús (House) featuring Björk, Hjaltalín, múm a.o.
Book:
Stuðmenn: Draumur Okkar Beggja (Iðunn, 1983)

Song of the 82. Week: "Habacrap" by Naflakusk

Just got home from the 10. Edition of the Iceland Airwaves festival and I can present you Naflakusk's "Habacrap" as the 82. Song of the Week.
More on the band @ www.myspace.com/naflakusk

Music Alliance Pact # 1

This blog is part of the Music Alliance Pact (MAP) -
A new worldwide collaboration of blogs on music.
15th of every month we are going to select & post one song of each of the collaborating countries (blogs):
First Post of MAP 15. October 2008
AMERICA
I Guess I'm Floating http://iguessimfloating.blogspot.com
Arizona - "The Glowing Bird"
www.myspace.com/arizonatheband
The title track from their sophomore album which came out on October 14 on Echo Mountain.
ARGENTINA
Zonaindie http://zonaindie.com
Brian Storming – "France" www.myspace.com/brianstorming
France is the new single by Brian Storming, a psychedelic pop orchestra from Buenos Aires. This band was the support act for Coldplay and Björk when they performed in Argentina. The song is included on their new EP, Brian Storming Avec L´Enchanting Device.
AUSTRALIA
Who The Bloody Hell Are They? http://whothehell.net
Miami Horror – "Don't Be On With Her" www.myspace.com/miamihorror
Miami Horror pretty much blew everyone's mind from the start, just by being called Miami Horror even though he's a producer from Melbourne (kinda like when everyone freaked about The Streets being just one guy). Then he cemented the name he had made for himself with unapologetically synth-heavy remixes - bootleg and official - of a crazy-wide array of artists from Perth's The Dirty Secrets to France's Stardust. And now here he is with the official release of his first single.
DENMARK
Pastries, Peppers And Canals http://danishmusic.blogspot.com
Diefenbach – "On The Move" www.myspace.com/diefenbachmusic
Diefenbach have been long-time stalwarts of the Danish indie scene, starting out as a post-rock band and gradually evolving into what they are today. Think Beach Boys meets Mogwai meets...well, Diefenbach, actually. The new album, Dark Spinner, is due in late October but the track we're presenting is from 2005's Set And Drift.
ENGLAND
The Daily Growl http://thedailygrowl.blogspot.com/
Absentee – "Bitchstealer" www.myspace.com/donkeystock
Absentee’s debut album proper Schmotime was one of The Daily Growl’s favourites of 2006, and new record Victory Shorts is a direct continuation of what the Londoners do best. Singer Dan Michaelson's ravaged drawl, the sweet boy-girl vocal play-offs with keyboardist Melinda Bronstein and hugely pleasing riffs from Babak Ganjei all call to mind a much less polished Teenage Fanclub or a poppier Pavement.
ICELAND
I Love Icelandic Music http://icelandicmusic.blogspot.com
Plúseinn – "Shake" www.myspace.com/pluseinnpluseinn

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

The man behind the band Plúseinn is Árni Rúnar Hlöðversson also known as Árni Plúseinn (a.k.a. Árni +1). He recently released an album called Lettuce And Tomato, made in his apartment in Brooklyn, New York under the name Hungry And The Burger. Árni Rúnar is and was involved in a lot of Icelandic bands and projects (e.g. Hairdoctor, Motion Boys) and is a founding member of the band FM Belfast.
IRELAND
Nialler9 www.nialler9.com
Fight Like Apes – "Digifucker"
www.myspace.com/fightlikeapesmusic
The band have just released their debut Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion in Ireland and the UK. The album was produced by John Goodmanson in Seattle over the summer. They are currently touring the UK with The Ting Tings.
ITALY
Polaroid http://polaroid.blogspot.com/
Le Man Avec Les Lunettes – "The Happy Birth Of You And Me" www.myspace.com/occhialuto
LMALL's new album Plaskaplaskabombelibom is free to download from their website www.lmall.it.
PERU
SoTB http://sideoftheblog.blogspot.com
ERA – "Opium" www.myspace.com/nucleoera
Taken from the band’s second album Ufocalipsis which was released last year.
SCOTLAND
The Pop Cop http://thepopcop.blogspot.com
Roddy Hart – "Dead Of The Night"
www.myspace.com/roddyhart
Roddy Hart made the folk-rock masterpiece Bookmarks, arguably one of the best albums to have come out of Scotland. Dead Of The Night is the first fruits from its follow-up due out in 2009. It’s a live favourite and easily the most immediate pop song the Glaswegian has ever written.
SPAIN
El Blog De La Nadadora
http://lanadadora.blogspot.com
Blacanova – "Los Remedios"
www.myspace.com/blacanova
Blacanova is a band from Seville and this song is from their second demo, Perro EP. They are influenced by Joy Division, Seefeel, The Cure, Spanish band Sr Chinarro, David Lynch and Tod Browning films, and the writer Alejandra Pizarnik. Their music is a cross between dark pop, IDM (intelligent dance music) and shoegaze.
SWEDEN
Swedesplease www.swedesplease.net
Tvärvägen – "September"
www.myspace.com/tvarvagen
Tvärvägen is an eclectic one-man orchestra from Gustavsburg, Sweden. Notice both the clattering instrumentation and hummable melody. It's that dichotomy that makes Tvärvägen so unforgettable. The band's debut record is out November 6 on the small label Knoppar.


Get the Songs @ www.mediafire.com/?e0mxmcymmnh