Entertainment For Lively Minds
So do you know the band?
I've just been watching an engaging Sky Arts documentary about Sigur Ros. The film follows the band around a farewell tour around the small towns and villages of Iceland in 2006. A beautiful documentary that left me with two main thoughts;
1. I do need to finally make that long planned trip to Iceland. The place looks stunning.
2. Sigur Ros - a band whose music I have loved for the past 6-7 years however until I saw Jonsi's wonderful appearance at Latitude last year I rather doubt I could have identified or even named a single member of a band who have provided much of the soundtrack of my life for the past few years.
However this is not unique. I'm struggling to think of any band I have followed the past 20 years where i can name very single member if the band.
Is it just me?
- More from Sebastian Beach.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Heima is a wonderful film
...but even it pales in comparison to actually seeing them perform live.
I've seen them four times, including a festival appearance and each are amongst the most memorable concerts I've been to. As wonderful as Heima is, somehow no amount of official or bootleg videos/recordings of songs like Popplagid and Vidrar quite match the experience and memory of seeing those songs done live.
I'm with you on your main point. There are a lot of bands I really like that I would struggle to name more than the singer and maybe one other. Either reflects that I'm more interested in the music than the people making it, or that few bands these days are quite as interesting beyond their music as they used to be.
Even for Sigur Ros. They're my favourite band but right now Jonsi, Kjartan and Georg are the three I can remember, but the drummer's name escapes me just now though I can picture him.
Quick check: his name is Orri. Of course.
Sigur Ros?
Jonsi
Päl
Georg
and
Rjingo
To respond to your first point
Yes, you do need to make that long-planned trip to Iceland; the place is stunning.
I know the line up of
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch
Peter, Paul and Mary
the Three Johns
and
The Polyphonic Spree
Go soon
and enjoy the endless daylight!
A fantastic place.
Ever seen 101 Reykjavik?
An odd little Icelandic art house / black comedy from the end of the 90s. Damon Albarn did the soundtrack with one of the guys from the band GusGus. It's a really good film. Very weird and Icelandic, but certainly worth checking out.
And if you like Sigur Ros, have you ever heard of Mum? They're a fantastic Icelanic band as well. They're album "Go Go Smear The Poison Ivy" is stupendous, easily one of the most inventive and greatest of all Icelandic albums. And they're really good live as well. Stunning visuals of Japanese cartoons and 1930s clothing ads, mixed with the band playing children's toys, cellos and weird electronic equipment that I couldn't discern. If you're into that sort of thing...
Mum
Oddly enough someone else mentioned them over the weekend. Will investigate.Thanks
Thus:
Marmalade Fires
Aren't Album Leaf
something to do with Sigur Ros? I have one of their albums and it is excellent.
Sort of
The Album Leaf is the project of a guy from San Diego called Jimmy LaVelle.
Half of Sigur Ros joined his touring band from 2002-2004, also playing on his album "In A Safe Place" (the blue album).
"The Light" off of the next album he released, "Into The Blue Again" is one of my favourite pieces of instrumental music, fact fans. Well worth checking out. Wasn't as convinced by the "Chorus of Storytellers" album, but the other two I have are fantastic.
I can remember their surnames
but I'm blowed if I can name all the members of The Ramones.
On an Icelandic theme a) I can recommend a visit - it's a stunning country but beware the midges around Lake Myvatn; b) remember that the local drink Brennivin is known as "Black Death" for good reason; and c) check out Amiina, who have played with Sigur Ros but also released a couple of cracking albums under their own steam.