Megas
Encyclopedia
- This article contains Icelandic characters. For more information see Icelandic languageIcelandic languageIcelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
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Megas (born April 7, 1945 in 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...
, 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...
), is a rock and roll
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...
singer, songwriter and writer who is well-known in his native country 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...
.
Interest in music
Being an admirer of Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Megas welcomed the arrival of rock & roll to Iceland by 1956, although his interest in music had to be postponed while he attended grammar school in 1960.
While he was young, he studied piano and showed skill at painting. He wrote outrageous short stories for the school papers and in 1968 he also published the sheet music and lyrics to 14 songs, many of which would be released on his first records. As a young bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
writer, he was inspired by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
, and embarked into songwriting, but his works were not copies of the American or British idols, but in fact, his songs were very original.
First release and controversy
At the beginning of the seventies, his music works were not accessible to the audience as Megas only performed them to his friends of the left-wing circles. However in 1972, Icelandic students in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
helped him release his first album, in which diabolic and satiric lyrics were accompanied by a mild acoustic music played by Norwegian folk musicians. This work caused controversy and his music was banned by the Icelandic national radio, but Megas became a cult figure in the growing alternative scene.
In 1973, as Megas found it difficult to release further albums, he published his verses and music in 3 books.
When his original lyrics were performed with the electric rock band Judas in 1975, Megas managed to reach a broader audience. Several of those songs lampooned the Icelandic cultural legacy, including his two next albums: Millilending (1975) and Fram og aftur blindgötuna (1976), which were much heavier than the first one. He focused on topics that challenged all of Icelandic society’s taboos with references made to classical literature and a sarcastic revisionist history. His work polarized the audience, splitting them into a hostile minority and an enthusiastic majority. His songs remarkable poetry and use of Icelandic language proved a novel way to boost Icelandic rock and roll.
In 1977 Megas released Á bleikum náttkjólum with the accompaniment of Spilverk þjóðanna, a popular folk-rock band. This album was voted the best Icelandic album ever made, and with a variety of music styles, it features what many critics considered the first Icelandic punk song. By the end of the seventies, Megas was perceived as a provocateur and his important roll in the Icelandic rock scene turned him into a reference for future artists.
Then, he released a children’s song album and a double live album and withdrew from the Icelandic music and started working as a dock worker and graduated from arts school.
Back to music
By 1983 reappeared in the Icelandic music scene by collaborating with other bands and playing as a guest musicians on several albums.Towards 1985 joined KUKL in a new project was named MEGAKUKL and toured all over Iceland recording around 20 songs which still remain as unpublished material.
After seven years of absence, his solo career was resumed in 1986 with the release of Í góðri trú.
In 1990 Megas released Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella
Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella
Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella was an album released in September 1990 by Icelandic rock singer Megas. This double CD album featured The Sugarcubes, a band led by Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson....
, and started a new project music with KUKL members called Hættuleg hljómsveit (A Dangerous Band), featuring singer 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...
as backing vocalist.
The present
Megas has remained one of the most important Icelandic artists. Considered the father of Icelandic rock and acclaimed for his prolific and, sometimes controversial works, his complete discography up to 1990 was reissued in 2002, remastered and with bonus tracks.More recently, he joined Súkkat to create a new project called Megasukk and released Hús Datt, their debut album in 2005.
Some of the artists that have worked with Megas are the following: Björgvin Gíslason, Björn Bjarnason
Björn Bjarnason
Björn Bjarnason is an Icelandic politician. His father was Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs and Mayor of Reykjavík....
, Bragi Kristjónsson, Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson
Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson
Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson , guitar player and engineer. He is a mathematician, an inventor, a practising polytechnic engineer, lecturer and the author of several scientific papers....
, Hjálmar Sveinsson, Páll Baldvin Baldvinsson, Páll Valsson, Svavar Gestsson, Þórður Magnússon and Þórunn Valdimarsdóttir, among many others.
Trivia
Megas is mentioned in the song "Iceland" by The Fall which appeared on Hex Enduction HourHex Enduction Hour
Hex Enduction Hour is a 1982 album by The Fall. It was the first album to feature both Karl Burns and Paul Hanley in a two-drummer lineup and was partly recorded in Iceland during the group's 1981 visit, with the remainder being completed in a disused cinema in Hitchin, England...
(1982). The song was recorded in Hljóðriti studio in Iceland in 1981. In a Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
article about The Fall's stay in Iceland called "The Decline and Fall in Iceland" (published September 26, 1981) is this written about Megas: "Our hosts play us tapes of a man with a cracked voice and a Dylanish air and describe him as “the father of Icelandic rock’n’roll”. And they tell us the story of Megas, who ridiculed the sacred Sagas of the land, wrote scathing, surreal lyrics, got heavily into booze and drugs, was barred from radio and shunned by society. In 1979 he released a double album called “Plans For Suicide” announced his retirement, and hasn’t performed in public since he’s now a dock worker.
Mark Smith is entranced by the story, and rivetted by the music., The following day Megas, a pale, gaunt figure, turns up at The Fall’s concert at the Austurbæjarbíó and shakes him by the hand. Mark will return to England clutching a parcel of Megas records under his arm."
Solo career
Albums:- 1972 - MegasMegas (album)Megas was is the first album by Icelandic rock singer Magnús Þór Jónsson .The original album released in 1972 has 15 songs and was released on CD in 1994. The 2002 remastered reissue has 7 bonus tracks, demos and live recordings. Most of the bonus tracks have not been released on any other album...
(MGAB 720601), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks. - 1975 - Millilending (Demant D1-002), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
- 1976 - Fram og aftur blindgötuna (Hrím hf D1-005), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
- 1977 - Á bleikum náttkjólum (Iðunn 002), with Spilverk Þjóðanna,, re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
- 1978 - Nú er ég klæddur og kominn á ról (Iðunn 004), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
- 1979 - Drög að sjálfsmorði (Iðunn 008-09), live album recorded 1978.
- 1985 - Megas allur (Svart á hvítu), box set with all previous albums and two bonus LP's with rare and unreleased tracks.
- 1986 - Í góðri trú (Hitt leikhúsið HITT 011), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
- 1987 - LoftmyndLoftmyndLoftmynd was an album released in August 1987 by Icelandic rock singer Megas. Formed by 17 tracks, this album was released through Gramm and featured singer Björk and her sister Inga Guðmundsdóttir as background vocalists...
(GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks. - 1988 - HöfuðlausnirHöfuðlausnirHöfuðlausnir was an album released in May 1988 by Icelandic rock singer Megas. This album was released through Gramm and featured singers Björk and Rose McDowall as background vocalists...
(GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), re-release in 2002 with bonus tracks. - 1990 - Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið StellaHættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið StellaHættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella was an album released in September 1990 by Icelandic rock singer Megas. This double CD album featured The Sugarcubes, a band led by Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson....
(Megas), re-release in 2006 with bonus tracks. - 1992 - Þrír blóðdroparÞrír blóðdroparÞrír Blóðdropar was an album released in 1992 by Icelandic rock singer, Megas, through Skífan.Formed by 16 songs Þrír Blóðdropar, which in Icelandic means “Three Drops of Blood”, counted with the participation of Bubbi Morthens for the song “Ég Det Líka ”, Móeiður Júníusdóttir collaborated in...
(Skífan), re-release in 2006 with bonus tracks. - 1993 - Paradísarfuglinn (Skífan), best-of compilation.
- 1994 - Drög að UpprisuDrög að UpprisuDrög að Upprisu is an album released in 1994 by Icelandic singer Megas. Formed by 16 tracks, this work counted with the collaboration of guitarist Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson.-Track listing:-External links:* - It features discography with mp3 samples....
(Japis), live album by Megas and Nýdönsk recorded 1993, re-release in 2006 with bonus tracks. - 1996 - Til hamingju með fallið (Falleg)
- 1997 - Fláa veröld (Falleg)
- 2000 - Svanasöngur á leiði (Eyrað)
- 2001 - Far... þinn vegFar… Þinn VegFar... Þinn Veg was an album released in 2001 by the Icelandic rock singer Megas. This work was integrated by 13 songs and counted with the presence of Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson in guitars.-Track listing:-External links:...
(ÓmiOmiwas an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that, along with muraji, was reserved for the most powerful clans during the Kofun period...
) - 2001 - HaugbrotHaugbrotHaugbrot was an album released in 2001 by the Icelandic rock singer Megas. The album contained 14 songs and featured Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson on guitar.-Track listing:-External links:* - features discography with mp3 samples.***...
(ÓmiOmiwas an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that, along with muraji, was reserved for the most powerful clans during the Kofun period...
) - 2002 - Englaryk í tímaglasi (Íslenskir tónar), re-release of Bláir draumar (1988) with bonus tracks.
- 2002 - Megas 1972-2002Megas 1972-2002Megas 1972-2002 is a compilation released in 2002 by the Icelandic Rock legend, Megas to commemorate his 30th anniversary of music career. This compilation made up of 43 tracks, contains several of Megas hits, from the first album called Megas to Englaryk í Tímaglasi .This compilation features...
(Íslenskir tónar), best-of compilation. - 2002 - (Kristilega kærleiksblómin spretta í kringum) hitt og þetta (Íslenskir tónar), a bonus cd with Megas 1972-2002Megas 1972-2002Megas 1972-2002 is a compilation released in 2002 by the Icelandic Rock legend, Megas to commemorate his 30th anniversary of music career. This compilation made up of 43 tracks, contains several of Megas hits, from the first album called Megas to Englaryk í Tímaglasi .This compilation features...
with rare and unrelaesed tracks. - 2006 - Passíusálmar í Skálholti (Tindur), live album recorded 2001.
- 2006 - Greinilegur púls (Íslenskir tónar), live album recorded with Hættuleg hljómsveit 1991.
- 2007 - Frágangur (SenaSena (record company)Sena is an Icelandic company that is owned by 365 ljósvakamiðlar. It specializes in the distribution of music, movies and videos. Sena runs the Smárabíó, Regnboginn and Borgarbíó Akureyri movie theaters....
), with Senuþjófarnir. - 2007 - Hold er mold (SenaSena (record company)Sena is an Icelandic company that is owned by 365 ljósvakamiðlar. It specializes in the distribution of music, movies and videos. Sena runs the Smárabíó, Regnboginn and Borgarbíó Akureyri movie theaters....
), with Senuþjófarnir. - 2008 - Á morgun (SenaSena (record company)Sena is an Icelandic company that is owned by 365 ljósvakamiðlar. It specializes in the distribution of music, movies and videos. Sena runs the Smárabíó, Regnboginn and Borgarbíó Akureyri movie theaters....
), with Senuþjófarnir. - 2009 - Segðu ekki frá (með lífsmarki) (Borgin), live album with Senuþjófarnir, recorded in 2007.
- 2011 - (Hugboð um) Vandræði (SenaSena (record company)Sena is an Icelandic company that is owned by 365 ljósvakamiðlar. It specializes in the distribution of music, movies and videos. Sena runs the Smárabíó, Regnboginn and Borgarbíó Akureyri movie theaters....
), with Senuþjófarnir.
MEGAKUKL (1985)
- No official releases: - Megas and KUKL recorded about 20 songs but the original tapes are lost.
Hættuleg hljómsveit (1990)
- No official releases: - Megas and KUKL recorded some tracks at Pulsinn.
Megas - featuring and collaborations
- 1981 - Northern Lights Playhouse (FálkinnFálkinnFálkinn was an Icelandic record label.The label's only well known original release was Björk's 1977 debut album Björk. Fálkinn is sometimes used as the title for the album as the album did not have an official title....
), Icelandic compilation. - 1983 - Nýtt lífNýtt LífNýtt Líf is a film directed by Þráinn Bertelsson and released in 1983. The film is a comedy shot in the Westman Islands and stars Eggert Þorleifsson and Karl Ágúst Úlfsson, among others. The music features several musicians including the band Tappi Tíkarrass , which contributed the songs...
(Nýtt líf ehf.), film directed by Þráinn BertelssonÞráinn BertelssonÞráinn Bertelsson is an Icelandic film director, writer, politician, journalist and newspaper editor. He moved into politics in the wake of the financial crisis in 2008, and was elected a member of the Althing in 2009, initially for the Citizens' Movement...
. Megas worked as a music advisor. - 1983 - Fingraför, a Bubbi MorthensBubbi MorthensBubbi Morthens , is a singer and songwriter from Iceland. His name of birth is Ásbjörn Kristinsson Morthens, Bubbi being the affectionate form of Ásbjörn.- History :...
album (vocals on two tracks) - 1983 - The Boys from Chicago (GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), an album by Þorlákur Kristinsson (Tolli Morthens and Íkarus. - 1984 - Rás 5-20 (GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), an album by Íkarus. - 1984 - Tvær í Takinu (Spor), Icelandic compilation.
- 1987 - Hvít er borg og bær (SmekkleysaBad Taste (record label)Bad Taste is one of Iceland’s most important record labels; located in Reykjavík and known worldwide for being home to The Sugarcubes, it also publishes poetry books, short films, greeting cards and Icelandic gifts...
), Christmas compilation. - 1987 - SkytturnarSkytturnar (soundtrack)Skytturnar is the soundtrack to the Icelandic film directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson in 1987. This 12" EP was released through the Gramm-label and was produced by Kjartan Kjartansson and the renowned Tómas Magnús Tómasson....
(GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), soundtrack to the film directed by Friðrik Þór FriðrikssonFriðrik Þór FriðrikssonFriðrik Þór Friðriksson , sometimes credited as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, is an Icelandic film director....
. - 1987 - Geyser - Anthology of the Icelandic Independent Music Scene of the EightiesGeyser - Anthology of the Icelandic Independent Music Scene of the EightiesGeyser – Anthology of the Icelandic Independent Music Scene of the Eighties is a compilation released in 1987 by the record label Enigma Records...
(Enigma RecordsEnigma RecordsEnigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
), Icelandic compilation. - 1988 - Bláir draumar (GrammGrammGramm was an Icelandic record label created by Ásmundur Jónsson and Einar Örn Benediktsson in 1981.Located in Reykjavík, Gramm’s first release was a 10-track 7" vinyl titled Tilf by Purrkur Pillnikk, a punk group led by Einar Örn....
), BubbiBubbi MorthensBubbi Morthens , is a singer and songwriter from Iceland. His name of birth is Ásbjörn Kristinsson Morthens, Bubbi being the affectionate form of Ásbjörn.- History :...
and Megas. - 1989 - Og augun opnast (???), an album by Hilmar Oddsson.
- 1997 - Stelpurnar okkar 1970-1994 (Spor), Icelandic compilation.
- 2002 - FálkarFálkarFálkar is the soundtrack to Falcons , which was directed by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson in 2002. With 12 tracks, this album contains a variety of Icelandic artists, from Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, who was in charge of the music composition of the soundtrack, to Mínus, Múm, and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson ,...
(Smekkleysa), soundtrack to the film directed by Friðrik Þór FriðrikssonFriðrik Þór FriðrikssonFriðrik Þór Friðriksson , sometimes credited as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, is an Icelandic film director....
. - 2005 - Dense TimeDense TimeDense Time is an album released on December 9, 2005 by Icelandic guitar player Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson.This album contains Guðlaugur’s compositions and features some of the most important Icelandic performers, such as Magnús Þór Jónsson , Björk, Ragnhildur Gísladóttir, among others.The music...
(Pronil Holdings), album by Guðlaugur Kristinn ÓttarssonGuðlaugur Kristinn ÓttarssonGuðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson , guitar player and engineer. He is a mathematician, an inventor, a practising polytechnic engineer, lecturer and the author of several scientific papers....
. - 2006 - Magga Stína syngur Megas
Tribute albums
- 1997 - Megasarlög by various artists.
- 2006 - Pældu í því sem pælandi er í by various artists.
- 2006 - Magga Stína syngur Megas by Magga Stína