3DOC12:
Screaming Masterpiece geeft inkijk in muziekscene van IJsland
"Er is niet één IJslands geluid."
Interview met Johann Johannsson van Apparat Organ Quartet door
Thomas van Aalten
17 november 2005
IJsland heeft 300.000 bewoners, ongeveer evenveel mensen als er in de stad Utrecht wonen. Het eiland, gelegen tussen twee continenten, is echter ruim 3 keer zo groot als Nederland. 's Zomers is de gemiddelde temperatuur in de kuststrook zo'n 12 graden. De wegen in het binnenland zijn niet geasfalteerd en maar enkele maanden per jaar toegankelijk. Je kunt je voorstellen dat vanwege dergelijke kenmerken de communedrift van IJslanders groot is; als dan ook nog eens de fles op tafel komt en de zon zich nauwelijks laat zien ga je je buren sneller omhelzen dan ze negeren. De IJslandse muziekscene is er dan ook één van verbroedering en inspiratie, als we Apparat Organ Quartet-frontman Johann Johannsson moeten geloven.
Johannsson is een van de muzikanten die in de 3DOC12 film Screaming Masterpiece voorkomt. Aan de vooravond van het optreden van zijn band in Paradiso op 16 november, spreekt hij met 3VOOR12 over de documentaire en over de muziekscene in IJsland in het algemeen. "Er is niet één soort IJslands geluid. Wij doen heel wat anders dan Sigur Ros, bijvoorbeeld. Maar wat veel IJslandse musici bindt is het niet conformeren aan één muziekstijl of instrumentkeuze. Dat is denk ik de gemene deler, dat we allemaal grensoverschrijdend werken. We beperken ons ook niet tot muziek alleen. Muzikanten van IJsland zijn meestal ook nog bezig met beeldende kunst, film en andere artistieke uitingen en vormen zo weer groepjes met anderen. Dat moet ook wel, je kan in IJsland nauwelijks een bestaan opbouwen als muzikant alleen. Geld verdienen zit er niet echt in."
Als solo-artiest maakte Johann Johannsson ook sfeervolle, bijna filmische muziek met klassieke strijkers en synths. Als producer leverde hij werk voor op het gehoor in contrast met elkaar zijnde artiesten als Marc Almond (ex-Soft Cell en synthdiscocrooner) en Barry Adamson (Die in het verleden o.a. filmmuziek maakte voor de hallucinerende Lynch-film Lost Highway). Het maakt voor Johansson geen verschil: "Op IJsland bestaat er niet per sé zoiets als concurrentie, dus het samenwerken met allerlei mensen zie ik juist als een kracht." Behalve Johannsson komen onder anderen ook nog Sigur Ros, mum, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson en Björk voorbij.
Over Screaming Masterpiece, waar hij en zijn muzikale talent ook wordt geportretteerd, is hij tevreden. Maar hij noemt het wel een enigszins eenzijdig beeld: "Ik snap dat een filmmaker een keuze maakt, omdat hij niet alles in beeld kan brengen. Maar er is bijvoorbeeld ook een interessante metalscene, en die is totaal onderbelicht. Men heeft zich duidelijk gericht op de ietwat modieuze avantgarde. Dat is prima, maar er is nog meer gaande op IJsland." In de film ziet de kijker vooral de live-registratie van verschillende muzikanten, afgewisseld met natuurbeelden die niet onderdoen voor een promotiefilm van het toerismebureau van IJsland.
Johannsson herinnert zich de eerste muziek die hij luisterde toen hij jong was. In zijn kindertijd (eind jaren '70) was er niet zoiets als een florerende popscene, maar muziek is er op Ijsland altijd geweest. "Pas in de jaren '80, met de opkomst van enkele punkbands, begon muziek te leven als onderdeel van de IJslandse jeugd. Daarvoor was het vooral import. Ik herinner me dat ik de A-kant van Velvet Underground & Nico heel erg goed vond. De B-kant niet, die was veel te experimenteel, haha!"
Source:
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/artikel/24962572
sunnudagur, apríl 08, 2007
NilFisk - This is the new low
"This is the new low" Video by NilFiskhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NekMPNaLRJc
http://www.myspace.com/nilfiskonline
NilFisk is a band from Stokkseyri and Eyrarbakki. two very small villages on the south coast of Iceland. The four members of the band have now been playing together since early 2003. In August that same year (2003) they got noticed when Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl invited them to open for them at their show in Iceland. That was NilFisk first public show. NilFisk grew up and started to wrote some grass ripping good music in these little towns. Since then things have been very nice for NilFisk, having preformed all over the country at pubs, festivals and more.
To name a few gigs: Þjóðhátíð í Eyjum, numerous times at Grand Rokk and Bar 11, Iceland Airwaves, with Týr and freak kitchen, and other pubs and festivals around the country. These events are now passing into legend as the band continues to prove itself worthy of praise. NilFisk also appeared in the Icelandic documentary Screaming Masterpiece. The movie has been seen all around the world and was directed by Ari Alexander early 2005. NilFisk has it first album released, called Don´t run after your own apples... The album includes 9 songs. Songs has been played at the icelandic radio stations and people hafe liked it... songs has got straight to the top on some music community websites as www.rokk.is (IS) and Real guide community (UK). The music of NilFisk is best descriped as danceable garage indie rock inspired by rolls of hay and horses. And if you are lucky then you are lucky but only then you will hear something grass ripping good music.
See all at the website:
http://nilfisk.valnir.com
What's in a name ???
Grapevine Magazine by Sindri Eldon http://www.grapevine.is
Monday, July 17, 2006
Company Sucks Band Into Lawsuit
Nilfisk Advance, a Denmark-based cleaning equipment manufacturer, are threatening Icelandic rock band NilFisk with a lawsuit on the grounds of copyright infringement, according to Viðskiptablaðið. The band, whose name was greenlighted by Nilfisk Advance in Iceland when the band first chose their name, dropped off a copy of their debut album at the Copenhagen office while there to play concerts, only to receive a letter from Nilfisk Advance’s lawyers, who threatened to sue if the band did not change their name and recalled all CDs and merchandise with NilFisk’s name on it. They were also commanded to close their website, nilfisk.valnir.com. In response, the band and their lawyer sent an explanation that they were on good terms with Nilfisk Advance in Iceland, and that their name technically differs from that of Nilfisk advance in that the ‘F’ in the band’s name was capitalised. Although Nilfisk Advance have not replied, and were unavailable for comment due to their executives being on vacation, Sveinn of NilFisk told the Grapevine that if Nilfisk Advance persist with the lawsuit, the band will most likely change their name to NilFizk. Also unavailable for comment were French hip-hop band Electroluxe Family and country singer Hoover, who may themselves face lawsuits if this fad continues.
Nylon - 4 Icelandic Spice Girls
http://www.nylon.is"Closer" Video of Nylon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vElfuF7LXo
Wikipedia on Nylon (band):
Nylon is an Icelandic girl group composed of members Alma, Emilía, Steinunn Camilla, and Klara. The group was formed after auditions in Iceland, which Alma, Camilla and Klara attended. A few weeks after the auditions, Emilia was asked whether she would like to be in the band, and after meeting them, she accepted the offer. The group sings pop music in English and Icelandic.
Their first single "Lög Unga Fólksins" (which means "The Young peoples Song" in English), was released in April 2004. The group have had considerable success in their native Icelandic, achieving a total of 9 Number 1 singles to date, as well as two chart topping albums and a book entitled "100% Nylon", which instantly became a best seller.
They have also released a DVD entitled "Nylon Allstaðar", which contained their smash hit TV show as well as other items.
Nylon have released two albums in Iceland, Góðir Hlutir and 100% Nylon. Both albums went straight to number one.
Nylon released their debut UK single "Losing A Friend" (written by English songwriters, Chris and Tony Griffiths, ex The Real People) on 10 July 2006. It reached number 29 in the UK Top 40 singles chart. Nylon have supported Westlife, Girls Aloud and McFly on their UK tours, and were set to support Journey South on their tour, but had to pull out after Klara became ill and had to return to Iceland.
The follow up to "Losing A Friend" was a double A-Side, "Closer", another Griffiths composition, and a cover of the Eurythmics classic "Sweet Dreams". The video for "Closer" was being rotated on 'The Box' and mirrors the video "Whole lotta history" by "Girls Aloud" which was made months earlier. The single was released on October 23rd. Although it had previously made #1 in Iceland, it failed to reach the top 40 in the UK.
Ultra Mega Technobandid Stefan - Live on the Icelandic Television
Story of a star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzoUCKYlRB0
Cockpitter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL8bll__Un4
Interview with 2 band members:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFsadvloR78
More information:
http://www.myspace.com/umtbs
Jan Mayen Videos by Einar Baldvin (Mr Bungalo)
Jan Mayen apeared in the Icelandic music sene late 2003 when they released a five-song EP. Then the full-lenght album Home of the Free Indeed 
apeared a year later on Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Records) and was nominated for three awards at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2005. Their music has been described as a combination of loud rock with pop and noise influences and critics have said their music sound something like Sonic Youth, Minute Men, The Strokes, The Ramones, The Rapture, Pretty Girls Make Graves and Liars.
apeared a year later on Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Records) and was nominated for three awards at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2005. Their music has been described as a combination of loud rock with pop and noise influences and critics have said their music sound something like Sonic Youth, Minute Men, The Strokes, The Ramones, The Rapture, Pretty Girls Make Graves and Liars. A new Jan Mayen album is in the making.
On YouTube the following videos by Einar Baldvin for music by Jan Mayen are available:
Damn Straight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGqAXXAH0J8
Nonsense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM77g5kgemU
On a mission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQrNURKfpDU
More information:
http://www.myspace.com/janmayen
http://www.einarbaldvin.com
http://www.smekkleysa.net
Damn Straight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGqAXXAH0J8
Nonsense
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM77g5kgemU
On a mission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQrNURKfpDU
More information:
http://www.myspace.com/janmayen
http://www.einarbaldvin.com
http://www.smekkleysa.net
laugardagur, apríl 07, 2007
Lady and Bird or Keren Ann and Bardi Johannsson
French singer with a voice like an angel Keren Ann Zeidel and multi-talented Icelander Bardi Johannsson are Lady and Bird:
The French-Icelandic connection.
Kenyon Hopkin of All Music Guide
Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?pid=741465&aid=776051
Lady & Bird are a side project from Israeli-born singer/songwriter Keren Ann and Bardi Johannsson, an Icelandic artist who has worked on film and television music as well as recorded under the name Bang Gang. Highlighted by haunting, childlike voices, Lady & Bird's subdued self-titled effort is a conceptual work about two children living in adult bodies. It was released on Keren Ann's own Yellow Tangerine label in the U.S. in June 2006.
They made the music for this TGV (train à grande vitesse) train commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9vKm1Qp3zc
http://www.myspace.com/ladyandbirdband
http://www.kerenann.net
http://www.kerenann.com
The French-Icelandic connection.
Kenyon Hopkin of All Music Guide
Source:
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?pid=741465&aid=776051
Lady & Bird are a side project from Israeli-born singer/songwriter Keren Ann and Bardi Johannsson, an Icelandic artist who has worked on film and television music as well as recorded under the name Bang Gang. Highlighted by haunting, childlike voices, Lady & Bird's subdued self-titled effort is a conceptual work about two children living in adult bodies. It was released on Keren Ann's own Yellow Tangerine label in the U.S. in June 2006.
They made the music for this TGV (train à grande vitesse) train commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9vKm1Qp3zc
http://www.myspace.com/ladyandbirdband
http://www.kerenann.net
http://www.kerenann.com
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