Icelandic rock
Encyclopedia
Rock and roll
is a style of popular American music
which has spread across the world, including to the North Atlantic island nation of Iceland
.
& His Rockets in May 1957. A few bands with their own style did emerge, however, including City, Disco and Lúdó
.
From 1930 until the mid 1980s, radio broadcasting in Iceland was a state monopoly which did not allow much time for rock music. But despite this state of affairs, Icelandic popular culture was not completely isolated from the outside world. Crews of Icelandic fishing boats and commercial aircraft would buy rock records in America, England and Germany and bring them back home to Iceland. Also, the US Navy base in Keflavík
, Iceland, operated a radio station for the troops (AFRS 1484 on the radio dial) that mainly played rock music and was very popular with young Icelanders in the Reykjavík
area and remained important to Icelandic rock music until at least the mid 1970s. Some of the disc-jockeys from the early 70's were Tom Wiecks, Jim Roark, Karl Phillips, Ron Smart, Tom Hughes and Mark Lazar.
The British Invasion
and Beatlemania
arrived in Iceland in 1964, and the indigenous groups Hljómar from Keflavík and Dátar
from Reykjavík arose as Icelandic counterparts to The Beatles
, later followed by Flowers, Bendix and other bands. Beginning in about 1969, the English language period of Icelandic rock began, with bands like Trúbrot
, Náttúra
and Pelikan
becoming popular.
From 1973 to 1979, the Reykjavík rock scene was dominated by progressive rock and funk groups such as Eik and Cabaret (these two groups merged under the name Eik in 1977).
The mid to late 1970s saw the rise of Gunnar Þórðarson and Magnús Eiríksson
, who revitalized the field of Icelandic rock and created a more distinctive national style. A wave of punk rock based out of Reykjavík occurred in about 1981 and temporarily displaced more traditional rock music, much like rock had displaced jazz in the early 1960s. Notable mid to late 1980s Icelandic rock bands include Grafík and Tobmobile as well as the alternative rock
band The Sugarcubes
featuring Björk
. Towards the end of the 20th century and continuing to the present (2005), the group Quarashi
with its mixture of rock and rap has achieved international attention; the same applies to the hard rock group Mínus
and the lethargic Sigur Rós
. From the late 1980s continuing to the present (2005) the band "Sálin hans Jóns mins" or just "Sálin" has had a strong presence on the Icelandic rock scene.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
is a style of popular American music
Music of the United States
The music of the United States reflects the country's multi-ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Among the country's most internationally-renowned genres are hip hop, blues, country, rhythm and blues, jazz, barbershop, pop, techno, and rock and roll. The United States has the...
which has spread across the world, including to the North Atlantic island nation of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Summary
Rock came to the island beginning in the mid-1950s. Rock's popularity increased steadily over the next few years. This wave peaked with the tour by Tony CrombieTony Crombie
Anthony John "Tony" Crombie was an English jazz drummer, pianist, bandleader and composer. He was regarded as one of the finest jazz drummers and bandleaders, and occasional but very capable pianist and vibraphonist, to emerge in Britain, and as an energising influence on the British jazz scene...
& His Rockets in May 1957. A few bands with their own style did emerge, however, including City, Disco and Lúdó
Ludo
Ludo may refer to:* Ludo , a board game of the Cross and Circle game family* Luděk Mikloško Czech football goalkeeper.* Ludwig II of Bavaria, nicknamed 'Mad King Ludo', a king of Bavaria who reigned between 1869 and 1886...
.
From 1930 until the mid 1980s, radio broadcasting in Iceland was a state monopoly which did not allow much time for rock music. But despite this state of affairs, Icelandic popular culture was not completely isolated from the outside world. Crews of Icelandic fishing boats and commercial aircraft would buy rock records in America, England and Germany and bring them back home to Iceland. Also, the US Navy base in Keflavík
Keflavík
Keflavík is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. In 2009 its population was of 8,169.In 1995 it merged with Njarðvík and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesbær with a population of 13,971 .- History :...
, Iceland, operated a radio station for the troops (AFRS 1484 on the radio dial) that mainly played rock music and was very popular with young Icelanders in the Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
area and remained important to Icelandic rock music until at least the mid 1970s. Some of the disc-jockeys from the early 70's were Tom Wiecks, Jim Roark, Karl Phillips, Ron Smart, Tom Hughes and Mark Lazar.
The British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
and Beatlemania
Beatlemania
Beatlemania is a term that originated during the 1960s to describe the intense fan frenzy directed toward The Beatles during the early years of their success...
arrived in Iceland in 1964, and the indigenous groups Hljómar from Keflavík and Dátar
DATAR
DATAR, short for Digital Automated Tracking and Resolving, was a pioneering computerized battlefield information system.Development on DATAR was started by the Canadian Navy in partnership with Ferranti Canada in 1949. DATAR combined data from various ships providing commanders with an "overall...
from Reykjavík arose as Icelandic counterparts to The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, later followed by Flowers, Bendix and other bands. Beginning in about 1969, the English language period of Icelandic rock began, with bands like Trúbrot
Trúbrot
Trúbrot were an Icelandic psychedelic/progressive rock band active in the late 1960s and early 1970s.-History:The band was formed in 1969 as an Icelandic supergroup composed of members of the bands Hljómar and Flowers...
, Náttúra
Náttúra
"Náttúra" is a song written and recorded by Icelandic singer Björk. The track was released as a single promoting the protection of the Icelandic environment. All proceeds from the single will be donated to the Náttúra Foundation, the environmental preservation campaign after which the song is named...
and Pelikan
Pelikan
Pelikan is a German manufacturer of fountain pens and other writing, office and art equipment, credited with the invention of the differential-piston filling method....
becoming popular.
From 1973 to 1979, the Reykjavík rock scene was dominated by progressive rock and funk groups such as Eik and Cabaret (these two groups merged under the name Eik in 1977).
The mid to late 1970s saw the rise of Gunnar Þórðarson and Magnús Eiríksson
Magnús Eiríksson
Magnús Eiríksson was an Icelandic theologian and a contemporary critic of Søren Aabye Kierkegaard and Hans Lassen Martensen in Copenhagen....
, who revitalized the field of Icelandic rock and created a more distinctive national style. A wave of punk rock based out of Reykjavík occurred in about 1981 and temporarily displaced more traditional rock music, much like rock had displaced jazz in the early 1960s. Notable mid to late 1980s Icelandic rock bands include Grafík and Tobmobile as well as the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes
The Sugarcubes were an Icelandic alternative rock band formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. They received critical and popular acclaim internationally.-History:...
featuring Björk
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
. Towards the end of the 20th century and continuing to the present (2005), the group Quarashi
Quarashi
Quarashi was a rap and hip-hop group from Reykjavík, Iceland. It was composed of Hössi Ólafsson , who was the lead vocalist and frontman of the group, Ómar Swarez , rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney , also rapper and hype man...
with its mixture of rock and rap has achieved international attention; the same applies to the hard rock group Mínus
Mínus
Mínus is an Icelandic alternative rock/hardcore band from Reykjavík. They are signed to the record label Smekkleysa. Mínus have shared the stage with, among others, Metallica, Foo Fighters, and Queens of the Stone Age...
and the lethargic Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
. From the late 1980s continuing to the present (2005) the band "Sálin hans Jóns mins" or just "Sálin" has had a strong presence on the Icelandic rock scene.