HAM's "
Voulez-Vous", the best Abba cover I know
Concert of
HAM @
Reykjavik to Rotterdam FestivalFriday, the 23rd of November 2007
Waterfront
Warm up by the band
Reykjavik!
HAM is an Icelandic rock band which was active in the years 1988 to 1994. The band reunited for two Rammstein concerts in 2001 and last appeared in concert in september 2007. They did not attain significant popularity while active, but have gradually come to be acknowledged as an important part of Icelandic rock history. Today they command a cult following among many Icelandic rock enthusiasts.
HistoryHAM's first album was
Hold, a controversial record which received no radio airtime. The band's attempt to get into the big league began when they warmed up for
The Sugarcubes in five concerts in 1988. The following year they released the album
Buffalo Virgin with One Little Indian records and held several concerts in New York. The album
Pleasing the Pirahna was recorded in 1990 but was never released - supposedly another album by the name
Pimpmobile was also recorded but remains unreleased.
In 1991-1992, the band participated in the making of the film
Sódóma Reykjavík, with singer and guitarist
Sigurjón Kjartansson writing most of the soundtracks. HAM's participation in the making of this cult Icelandic classic played a significant part in the band's later notoriety.
The album
Saga rokksins was released in 1993, and on June 4 1994, the band held its last concert in the now defunct night club
Tunglið in downtown Reykjavík. The live concert recording was subsequently released as the album
Lengi lifi. In 1995, the band's remaining studio recordings were released as the album
Dauður hestur (Equus Mortus).
HAM did not perform again until 2001, when it was clear that the German metal band
Rammstein would be holding a concert in Iceland that summer. It was rumoured that Sigurjón had spoken of HAM reuniting for a concert if Rammstein were to visit Iceland on tour. The band played in the
Gaukur á Stöng bar on June 14 2001 and then again on June 15, with 5500 people in attendance. The Gaukur á stöng concert was later released as the live album Skert flog.
HAM was to participate in the music festival
Reykjavík Rokkar in the summer of 2006 along with
The Darkness and
Motörhead. The festival was cancelled due to disappointing ticket sales, but HAM instead performed in the NASA club in downtown Reykjavík on June 29 to a packed house. In october 28 the same year HAM performed at a north atlantic music festival in Copenhagen with bands from Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Lyrics of "
Voulez-Vous"
PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
A SENSE OF EXPECTATION HANGING IN THE AIR
GIVING OUT A SPARK
ACROSS THE ROOM
YOUR EYES ARE GLOWING IN THE DARK
AND HERE WE GO AGAIN
WE KNOW THE START
WE KNOW THE END
MASTERS OF THE SCENE
WE'VE DONE IT ALL BEFORE
AND NOW WE'RE BACK
TO GET SOME MORE
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
chorus
VOULEZ-VOUS
TAKE IT NOW OR LEAVE IT
NOW IS ALL WE GET
NOTHING PROMISED NO REGRETS
VOULEZ-VOUS
MAKE NO EXPLAINATIONS
YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO
LA QUESTION C'EST VOULEZ-VOUS?
VOULEZ -VOUS...
I KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
THE GIRL MEANS BUSINESS SO I OFFER HER A DRINK
LOOKING MIGHTY PROUD
I SEE YOU LEAVE YOUR TABLE
PUSHING THROUGH THE CROWD
I'M REALLY GLAD YOU CAME
YOU KNOW THE RULES
YOU KNOW THE GAME
MASTER OF THE SCENE
WE'VE DONE IT ALL BEFORE
AND NOW WE'RE BACK
TO GET SOME MORE
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN
chorus
www.myspace.com/bertel
