Song of the 183. Week: "Flóð" by For a Minor Reflection

183. Song of the Week is For a Minor Reflection's song "Flóð".

One of the songs ontheir 2nd Album "Höldum í átt að óreiðu" (Heading towards chaos) that was released on 6. September 2010 in Europe.
FaMR

Off-Venue Gigs @ Reykjavík Downtown Hostel @ Iceland Airwaves 2010

Reykjavík Downtown Hostel
@ Vesturgata 17
Official Off-Venue
for Airwaves 2010 Festival

Program
Thursday 14. October
16:00 Bastardgeist (US)
16:30 Pagan Wanderer Lu (UK)
17:00 Snailhouse (CA)
17:30 Reptile & Retard (DK)
18:00 Orphic Oxtra (IS)
19:00 We Aeronauts (UK)

Friday 15. October
16:00 The Esoteric Gender (IS)
16:45 Manny – DJ Set (US)
17:00 Hundreds (DE)
17:30 Ólafur Arnalds (IS)
18:00 Hafdis Huld (IS)
18:30 Joanne Kearney (IS)
19:00 Ljósvaki (IS)

Saturday 16. October
16:00 Svavar Knútur (IS)
17:00 Útidúr (IS)
18:00 Rökkurró (IS)
19:00 Vuk (FI)

Classic Icelandic Albums (CIA) # 17: "Hana-nú" by Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson

CIA
# 17
Hana-nú (1977)

Album "Hana-nú" was released on 23. June 1977 on Hljómplötuútgáfan Label.

Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson was born on 11. April 1945. His father, Vilhjálmur Hinrik Ívarsson, was a well known musician. During his childhood Vilhjálmur showed his musical talent. He studied both law & medicine, but didn't finish this studies. In 1970 Vilhjálmur became a pilot and moved to Luxemburg. Living far away didn’t stop him in recording two LPs in Iceland, "Glugginn hennar Kötu" (1972) and "Fundnar hljóðritanir" (1973).
In 1974 Vilhjálmur got married and moved back to Iceland and in 1975 he opened Iceland’s first complete recording studio. In 1978 Vilhjálmur was planning a new album when he passed away on 28. March in a tragic car accident in Luxemburg while working as a pilot. He was just 33 years old.
Album was recorded with help of Tony Cook & Magnús Kjartansson (Júdas) @ Hljóðriti Studio @ Hafnarfjörður in December 1976.
All lyrics were written by Vilhjálmur Vilhjálmsson.
Two songs written by American Harry Chapin ("Einhverntímann" & "Einshljóðfærissinfóníuhljómsveitin"). Harry died in a car accident, just like V.V., in 1981.
The lyrics of the song "Söknuður" (Longing or Missed dearly) were written after the death of a friend Jón Heiðberg. Jóhann Helgason wrote the music. The song is played very often @ Icelandic funerals nowadays.
Photograph on the cover was taken by photographer Arni Páll.
About 21.000 copies of the LP were sold in Iceland.
In 2008 the album was re-released on CD with 2 extra songs.
Songs on the Album:
Side 1
1. Og Co
2. Ég Labbaði í Bæinn
3. Lítill Drengur
4. Einhverntímann
5. Söknuður

www.youtube.com/v/oq9tphh6Apw?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Side 2
1. Þú átt Mig Ein
2. Það Er Svo Skrítið
3. Jamaica
4. Martröð
5. Einshljóðfærissinfóníuhljómsveitin

Icelandic Artists @ Iceland Airwaves 2010 Festival - U got the Look & Listen

I've put a lot of music & videos in this post.
But a few days ago a lot of other artists were confirmed to play @ Airwaves. So let's have a look & listen.

The Icelandic Artists @
Airwaves 2010
The New Names

200.000 Naglbítar
"Láttu mig vera" Video
www.youtube.com/v/HccC7OOpL80?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

59's

Amiina

Andvari

Bárujárn
Live @ Airwaves 2009
www.youtube.com/v/Unmo4kyylrg?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Benni Hemm Hemm
"Retaliate" Video
www.youtube.com/v/3jfBJko3oWk?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Berndsen
"Supertime" of the Album "Lover in the dark"
www.youtube.com/v/ysPcyOvNJew?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Biogen

Synchronised Swimmers on the music of Biogen @ The Pool of Thingeyri, West Fjords, April 2010

www.youtube.com/v/-o5AWtimsKU?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Bróðir Svartúlfs

Buxnaskjónar

Cynic Guru
"Drugs", a song featured on the Album "Iceland". Video was directed by Bang Gang's Barði Jóhannsson.
www.youtube.com/v/pwsAnld0tgY?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

DJ Margeir

Evil Madness
"Female Alien Fantasy"
www.youtube.com/v/NLId8KNu0w8?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Fist Fokkers

FM Belfast
"Back & Spine" Live @ Icelandair Opening Party @ Airwaves 2007
www.youtube.com/v/DeB2twGjXqY?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Fönksveinar

Fu Kaisha

Futuregrapher
"Hrafnagil"
www.youtube.com/v/VTI992Xx8PA?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Ghostigital
"A Quiet Afternoon", EÖB & Curver Thoroddsen together with Finnbogi Pétursson off-venue @ Art Gallery @ Airwaves 2009
www.youtube.com/v/921AhmNI85c?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Go Go Darkness
"It's just that song" Video
www.youtube.com/v/jghbdSpQ5fQ?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Gone Postal

GP!

Hellvar
"Nowhere", a song of their Debut "Bat out of Hellvar" (first release on Kimi Records Label, 2007) Live @ Airwaves 2008
www.youtube.com/v/lqQ_FdAPfZU?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

"Falsetto", a song for the 2nd Album to be released early 2011
www.youtube.com/v/_C1Jj4BATE8?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Hoffman

Hraun
"Thunderball" Live @ Icelandic TV
www.youtube.com/v/lGeaFxJyDoU?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Hunk of a man

Hypno

Inferno 5

Jan Mayen
"We just want to get everybody high" of their Album "So much better than your normal life"
www.youtube.com/v/ilWQEtmD7nM?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Jón Tryggvi

Jungle Fiction

Just Another Snake Cult

Kalli

Kippi Kaninus

Klassart
"January Sun" Live @ Icelandic TV
www.youtube.com/v/0jS8EHZHCP8?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Kristín Bergsdóttir

Lazyblood
Live @ Café Video, Ghent, Belgium (2010)
www.youtube.com/v/LpmF9CD5tEI?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Ljósvaki
Live @ b5 Bar, off-venue @ Airwaves 2009
www.youtube.com/v/TeD1wFmgyQo?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Locerbie

Markús & The Diversion Sessions

Miri

Momentum

Morning after Youth

Morðingjarnir
"Til hvers" Video
www.youtube.com/v/oZv_TUPJDs4?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Moses Hightower

Múgsefjun

Muted

My Summer as a Salvation Soldier

Náttfari

Nögl
Live @ Rock Bar Dillon (2010)
www.youtube.com/v/iVsltJSZS5s?fs=1&hl &fmt=18

Noise

Nóra

Ojba Rasta

Original Melody

Orphic Oxtra

Pétur Ben
"Billie Jean" Live @ La Filature, Brussels (February 2010)
www.youtube.com/v/GWN7ELExBB4?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Poetrix

Prins Póló

Quadruplos

Rabbi Bananas

Rafgashaus

Raychem

Reason to Believe
Live @ Rock Bar Dillon (2010)
www.youtube.com/v/NXcKp54fc2Q?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Reptilicus

Ruxpin

Samúel Jón Samúelsson Big Band

Save Public
Started in the summer of 2010 as a solo “Formaður Dagsbrúnar" project of the drummer Þormóður Dagsson (Skakkamanage, Jeff Who?, Hudson Wayne)

Sin Fang

Sindri Eldon

Sing for Me Sandra

Sjálfsprottin Spévísi

Snorri Helgason

Soffía Björg

Sólstafir
"She Destroys Again" Video
www.youtube.com/v/UybW5z5UDLs?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Stafrænn Hákon

Stereo Hypnosis

Steve Sampling

Subminimal

Svavar Knútur

Swords of Chaos

Ten Steps Away

The Esoteric Gender

The Vintage Caravan

Thizone

Ultra Mega Technobandið Stefán
Live @ Prikið Bar, off-venue @ Airwaves 2009
www.youtube.com/v/CTXWBKu_CiA?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Uni

Varsjárbandalagið

Vicky
"Lazerbeam" @ Skifan Record Store, off-venue @ Airwaves 2008
www.youtube.com/v/xSUxuIDqOyE?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Vindva Mei

Worm is Green
My personal favorite: "Love will tear us apart", a Joy Division cover of the Album "Automagic"

XIII

Yoda Remote

Æla
Live @ Karamba, off-venue @ Airwaves 2009
www.youtube.com/v/bcqJ8-nG66o?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Airwaves Festival on Twitter

Fellow Icelandic music enthusiast Mark of Iceblah Blog made a Twitter list for the upcoming Airwaves Festival

Gigs in Reykjavík the Next Weeks/Pre-Airwaves

I'm counting the days to the kick-off of Airwaves. Until then you can enjoy these performances downtown 101:
Saturday 25. September 2010
Ask The Slave Album Release @ Faktorý @ 23:00 + DJ Logi Pedro @ First Floor
Klassart - Markús & The Diversion Sessions @ Sódóma Reykjavík @ 23:00
Sveitaball @ University of Iceland with DJ Atli & Skitamórall
Wednesday 29. September 2010

S.L.Á.T.U.R. Festival

More information @ S.L.Á.T.U.R.

@ 17:00 Opening of the festival @ S.L.Á.T.U.R. Headquarters @ Njálsgata 14
with sound installations on display
@ 20:00 Concert @ Útgerðin
Fengjastrútur, which focuses on performing "open" scores.

Sunday 3rd of October


Thursday 30. September 2010
Svavar Knútur @ Hemmi & Valdi @ 15:00
Jóhann Kristinn & Bowen Staines(USA) @ Hemmi & Valdi @ 21:00
Rokktóberfest X-ins 977 @ Sódóma Reykjavík @ 22:00

S.L.Á.T.U.R. Festival

@ 20:00 Concert @ Útgerðin with Skmendanikka specialized in performing on new/specially designed/homemade instruments. Consists of members of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, múm, The conductor of The Workers MarchingBand & a professional brewmaster.

30. September / 1. October / 2. October with
Cliff Clavin
Mammút
Ourlives
Endless Dark
Noise
Ten Steps Away
Bloodgroup
Sing For me Sandra
Hoffman
Agent Fresco
Vicky
XIII
Ultra Mega Technobandið Stefán
59s
Admission: For 3 nights 2500 IKR / 1500 IKR for 1 night
Friday 1. October 2010
Rokktóberfest X-ins 977 @ Sódóma Reykjavík @ 22:00
Swords of Chaos Album Release @ Faktorý @ 22:00 - DJ Dans Hans @ First Floor
Hvannadalsbræður @ Café Rosenberg @ 22:00
S.L.Á.T.U.R. Festival
@ 21:00 Concert @ Kjarvalstaðir with Finnish ensemble Defun. The ensemble specializes in performing works that combine traditional instruments and computers. On this concert they will play music from Finland and other place.
Saturday 2. October 2010
Momentum Release Concert @ Faktorý @ 23:00 + DJ Maggi Legó @ First Floor
Rokktóberfest X-ins 977 @ Sódóma Reykjavík @ 22:00
Hvannadalsbræður @ Café Rosenberg @ 22:00

Grapevine Grassroots # 20 with DJ Flugvél og geimskip, ThizOne, Corvus & Crackers & more @ Hemmi & Valdi @ 20:30
S.L.Á.T.U.R. Festival
@ 20:00 Concert @ Sölvhóll with Finnish ensemble Defun. The ensemble specializes in performing works that combine traditional instruments and computers. On this concert it will premiere works by members of the
S.L.Á.T.U.R. collective
Sunday 3. October 2010
S.L.Á.T.U.R. Festival
@ 14:00 Panel discussion in co-operation with Reykjavík Media Lab @ Útgerðin
Tuesday 5. October 2010
Myrra Rós & Gabriel Lynch (AUS) @ Hemmi & Valdi @ 21:00
Wednesday 6. October 2010
Birthday Memorium for Árstíðir with Mammút, Bárujárn, Manslaughter, Poetry and more @ Venue @ 21:00
Thursday 7. October 2010
Two Step Horror Live DJ @ Bakkus @ 22:00
Red Square Rokk @ Rock Bar Dillon @ 22:00
Kimi Records Airwaves Warm-Up with Just Another Snake Cult & guests @ Venue @ 21:00 - Free Admission

The History of Icelandic Rock - Part 22

The History of Icelandic Rock Music
Part 22
Life Outside The Mainstream (1982–1985)
Dr. Gunni in Grapevine Magazine (Issue 15, September 2010)
Bubbi Morthens and Utangarðsmenn hit the dull sugarcoated Icelandic pop scene in 1980, spreading raw excitement in their wake. Almost overnight all the seventies pop stars seemed passé.
In 1981, the new rock scene exploded with bands such as Þeyr, Purrkur Pillnikk, Tappi Tíkarrass, Fræbbblarnir and Jonee Jonee doing their best stuff. The wave was perfectly captured in the documentary film "Rokk í Reykjavík", which was premiered in April of 1982. After that, things started to fade out. The rise and demise of Kukl has already been documented in these pages, and next time I plan to tell the story of my own band, S. H. Draumur, which struggled on in 1982–1986 to little fanfare.
The ‘mainstream ’ returns - Disappointment
Things were getting seriously "mainstream" all over again. Rás 2, a “pop" branch of Icelandic State Radio, commenced broadcasting in December 1983. Up to that point, "pop music" had not been a priority on the only radio station in Iceland, ‘The Steam’, as it was nicknamed. Some people thought the new station would tend to fresh sounds, but soon it was obvious that it mainly took care of what was already popular.
The seventies fun rockers Stuðmenn - who had been dormant since 1976 - had a massive comeback with their musical comedy "Með allt á hreinu" (aka ‘On Top’). It premiered before Christmas in 1982 and more than half the island’s population would eventually go see it at the cinemas. Stuðmenn would go on to be the nation’s darlings during the eighties and nineties - often referred to as "The band of the people". Stuðmenn lay the foundation for the "Icelandic pop sound," a well that many bands have drunk from ever since. Vonbrigði (“Disappointment”) were four young guys that came from the Breiðholt suburbs. Brothers Tóti and Árni on drums and guitar, bassist Gunni and cocky singer Jói. They had gained some fame belting out the opening tune of Rokk í Reykjavík - the anthem "Ó Reykjavík" with lyrics by poet Didda, who wrote many of the band's lyrics.
www.youtube.com/v/Bi_G3wXdwV4?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Vonbrigði leaned towards the Gang of Four/Killing Joke-school of hard post punk and were furiously excellent. The band released two records during their eighties life span, a 4 track 7" EP in 1982 and the seven track "Kakófónía" EP in 1983. Neither managed to capture the true essence of the band as they recorded the newest songs in their repertoire and were too in awe of the studio effect possibilities to just keep it real. Vonbrigði split up in 1985 but reformed in the ‘00s.
The band has released two CDs of new music and new, almost heavy metal versions of their old songs.
The rise of "Killembilly"
Oxsmá was about the most exciting thing in Iceland from 1982-1985. The group had formed in the Reykjavík Art School in 1980, but didn't start to play live until 1982. Hrafnkell "Keli" Sigurðsson sang, Axel "Seli" Jóhannesson played guitar, and Óskar "Skari" Jónasson occasionally blew a sax and behaved like an idiot. When drummer Kormákur "Kommi" Geirharðsson was added to the equation the band finally clicked. Kommi had played with a cool new wave group, Taugadeildin (“The Neurotic Ward” – one fine EP released in 1981), and punk group turned new romantic band Q4U. Lead by singer Ellý this fine group released a 12" EP in 1983 and is in the midst of a comeback right now.
Oxsmá took their cue from The Cramps and the other punk rockabilly acts of the early eighties and at first tended more to their looks than to their music. After doing ultra slow versions of "Fire" and other rockabilly classics, original material started to pop up in Oxsmá's program. They called their music "Killembilly," and tellingly their lyrics (written by Keli) were tongue in cheek funny, often about horrible stuff and sex with titles (in Icelandic) like "Bibi's Tits" and "Bits of Elsa". More members joined, Danny Pollock fresh from his Utangarðsmenn stint played guitar for a while, and bassist Jón Skuggi and Hörður "Popcorn" Bragason on Hammond organ became steady members.
“Clever Kitty, drunk in a bathtub”
The Oxsmá guys were multi talents. They made two films, first the sci-fi horror short "The Oxsmá Planet" followed by the ambitious feature "Suck Me Nina" a drama comedy that was set in the Icelandic hippie years. The "feel" of this film would some years later be repeated in Óskar Jónasson's much loved "Sódóma Reykjavík" comedy. Besides "normal" concerts Oxsmá would stage arty theatre shows and make environmental sculptures.
Oxsmá released a cassette in 1983 entitled "Bible For The Blind". It had sixty minutes of exciting lo-fi killembilly, including a song sung by an uncredited Bubbi Morthens, who just happened to come by the rehearsal space. A cassette of the "Suck Me Nina" soundtrack was also released (Oxsmá doing their own take on Icelandic hippie rock). 1985 saw the band's only record, a 3 track EP called "Rip Rap Rup".
www.youtube.com/v/Y77saAN4y94?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

On the A side Keli sang once more about a girl, this time she was called Kittý (in Icelandic, of course): "Thirteen years old / kinky costume / what a perfume / clever Kitty / drunk in a bath tub / chocolate."
Oxsmá's final concert was at Hótel Borg in July 1985. Soon afterwards, Keli and Skari went to London to attend art and film schools. The coolest looking Icelandic band ever hasn't returned since, and unfortunately none of their
music or films are available to the general public. You can hear some of it on YouTube, though.
www.youtube.com/v/0Qz9g5349PM?fs=1&hl&fmt=18

Dr. Gunni