SIGUR RÓS - ICELAND (Reykjavik)

I know it's trivial, but their music really is magical - thanks to characteristic Jón's vocal and beautiful, ethereal instruments sounds. It is one of very few exceptions when it doesn't bother me that I don't understand lyrics (Jón mostly sings in Icelandic or Hopelandic, unbreakable code to me) - perfect example confirming statement that music is universal language. However they have recently made English singing debut - on their last album "með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust". Though most of the album is still sung in Icelandic, more familiar language can be heard too. Mentioned album title is translated by Sigur Rós as "with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly". I really hope they will play endlessly. :-) 

CONTENTS:

1. BAND NAME (etymology)
2.  FORMATION YEAR 
3.  GENRE 
4. HOMETOWN  
5. RECORD LABEL 
6. MEMBERS  
7. HISTORY
8. DISCOGRAPHY
9. OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEOS
10. LIVE PERFORMANCES
11. VIDEO INTERVIEWS (in English)
     

(etymology)

Sigurrós is an Icelandic female name, formed by conjoining sigur (victory) and rós (rose). However there is sweeter story behind this band name. Sigur Rós was formed in august 1994, the same day Jónsi's sister - Sigurrós - was born (hence the band name!).

sources: 1, 2

1994

post rock

Reykjavik

Parlophone/XL

 

Jón Þór Birgisson (vocals, guitar)

Orri Páll Dýrason (drums)

  

Georg "Goggi" Holm (bass)

Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson (keyboard)

The band were formed by Jónsi, Georg and original drummer Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsso in 1994. they were later joined by Kjartan and when Ágúst left the band after the recording of Ágætis Byrjun in order to pursue a career in graphic design, he was replaced by Orri in 1999.
The first album, recently given a worldwide release for the first time, is called von (hope).
The band really found their feet with their second album, the masterpiece that is Ágætis byrjun (a good beginning). The album was originally released only in Iceland, but was discovered by Brighton's Fatcat records, who snapped the band up and released the album in the UK in august 2000. The band attracted a huge critical acclaim throughout the world in the second half of 2000, particularly in America. this resulted in a frantic hunt by major US labels to secure the rights to their material in the states. large quantities of cash were offered, although in the end the band chose the deal which gave them most artistic freedom. This was with MCA records. the band toured North America for the first time in april and may 2001, and the vast majority of the dates sold out straight away. perhaps due to the hype in the american media, the shows were attended by many big name celebrities, somewhat to the band's bemusement. Sigur Rós released their third album in october 2002, entitled ( ), which came out to favourable reviews around the world. The album sold well and even reached #52 on the American billboard chart. The first track from the album was released as a single in may 2003 and reached the #9 spot in America's Nielsen chart. At this point in their career, Sigur Rós had now sold over one million records worldwide. The band produced three videos from the first three albums; two for songs from ágætis byrjun and one from ( ). the band's first video, svefn-g-englar, was released in june 2000. The second video, for viðrar vel til loftárása, was released in september 2001.

The band's third video, 'untitled 1' (aka vaka), was directed by the highly respected Italian director and photographer Floria Sigismondi, and was released in february 2003. The video garnered MTV's attention and was awarded the best video of 2003 at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Early in 2003, Sigur Rós embarked on an extensive European and American tour which included legendary performances at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and Radio City Music Hall in New York city. they took a well-earned break that summer, after which they joined forces with Radiohead to write music for the modern dance piece split sides by Merce Cunningham, one of the band's numerous side projects since the release of ( ). 2004 was largely spent writing and recording the band's fourth album, 'Takk…' (thanks). Finally released in september 2005, 'Takk...' quickly became Sigur Rós' largest selling album to date and charted highly across the globe. It entered at number 16 in the uk charts and at 27 in the us.The band celebrated the release of 'Takk...' with an extensive world tour, playing their largest shows to date, including a headline show at the Hollywood bowl. They are then taking a well deserved break before beginning work on new material.

source

Albums:
 
'Von' 1997

       

1. sigur rós 
2. dögun 
3. hún jörð 
4. leit að lífi 
5. myrkur 
6. 18 sekúndur fyrir sólarupprás 
7. hafssól 
8. veröld ný óg óð 
9. von 
10. mistur 
11. syndir guðs (opinberun frelsarans) 
12. rukrym 

'Von brigði' remix album 1998

     

1.  syndir guðs (recycled by biogen)
2. syndir guðs (recycled by múm) 
3.  leit af lífi (recycled by plasmic) 
4.  myrkur (recycled by ilo) 
5.  myrkur (recycled by dirty-bix) 
6.  180 sekúndur fyrir sólarupprás (recycled by curver) 
7.  hún jörð (recycled by hassbræður) 
8.  leit af lífi (recycled by thor) 
9. von (recycled by gusgus) 
10. eit af lífi (recycled by sigur rós) 

'Ágætis byrjun' 1999

     

1. intro 
2. svefn-g-englar 
3. starálfur 
4. flugufrelsarinn 
5. ný batterí 
6. hjartað hamast (bamm bamm bamm) 
7. viðrar vel til loftárása 
8. olsen olsen 
9. ágætis byrjun 
10. avalon 

 







'( )' 2002

  

All tracks are officially untitled, although each has an alternate name by which the band refers to it.

1. "Untitled #1" (a.k.a. "Vaka")
2. "Untitled #2" (a.k.a. "Fyrsta")
3. "Untitled #3" (a.k.a. "Samskeyti")
4. "Untitled #4" (a.k.a. "Njósnavélin") 
5. "Untitled #5" (a.k.a. "Álafoss")
6. "Untitled #6" (a.k.a. "E-Bow")
7. "Untitled #7" (a.k.a. "Dauðalagið") 
8. "Untitled #8" (a.k.a. "Popplagið")

 
 






'takk...' 2005

    

1. takk... 
2. glósóli 
3. hoppípolla 
4. með blóðnasir 
5. sé lest 
6. sæglópur 
7. mílanó 
8. gong 
9. andvari 
10. svo hljótt 
11. heysátan 

     

'með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust' 2008

    

1. gobbledigook 
2. inní mér syngur vitleysingur 
3. góðan daginn 
4. við spilum endalaust 
5. festival 
6. með suð í eyrum 
7. ára bátur 
8. illgresi 
9. fljótavík 
10. straumnes 
11. all alright

  

     

Singles & EPs

 
svefn-g-englar 1999

    

1. svefn-g-englar 
2. viðrar vel til loftárása 
3. nýja lagið (live at the icelandic opera house, 12.6.99)
4. syndir guðs (live at the icelandic opera house, 12.6.99) 

 






ný batterí 2000

   

1. rafmagnið búið 
2. ný batterí 
3. bíum bíum bambaló 
4. dánarfregnir og jarðafarir   

steindór andersen / rímur ep 2001

    

1. kem ég enn af köldum heiðum (with sigur rós) 
2.  til ei ltur tíðin mér (solo) 
3. fjöll í austri fagurblá (with sigur rós) 
4. slær á hafið himinblæ (solo) 
5. hugann seiða svalli frá (with sigur rós) 
6. lækurinn (duet with sigurður sigurðarson) 

 




untitled #1 (a.k.a. vaka) 2003

    

1. untitled #1 (a.k.a vaka) 
2. track 2 
3. track 3 
4. track 4 

 




ba ba ti ki di do 2004

    

1.  ba ba 
2. ti ki  
3. di do 

 




hoppípolla 2005

    

1. hoppípolla 
2. með blóðnasir 
3. hafsól

 




sæglópur 2006

    

1. sæglópur 
2. refur 
3. ófriður
4. kafari 

hvarf-heim 2007
 

Hvarf

'hvarf' studio cd

1. salka
2. hljómalind
3. í gær
4. von
5. hafsól

Heim

'heim' live acoustic cd

1. samskeyti
2. starálfur
3. vaka
4. ágætis byrjun
5. heysátan
6. von





other works

heima movie 2007
hlemmur soundtrack 2002
englar alheimsins [angels of the universe] (film & cd) 2000
popp í reykjavík (film & cd) 1998
smekkleysa í hálfa öld (cd) 1994

&

"Gobbledigook"

"Heima"

"Viðrar vel til loftárása (HQ)"

"Sæglópur"

"Von"

"Dauðalagið"

"Inní mér syngur vitleysingur "

"Ágætis Byrjun"

"Hoppípolla"

Untitled #3 (aka "Samskeyti")

Untitled #8

"Olsen Olsen" in Poland ! 

This is Sigur Ross first substantial British TV interview and includes exclusive performance for The Culture Show at their studio outside Reykjavik.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3 

 

Red Carpet Interview at AFI FEST 2007

 

To listen to the interviews CLICK HERE

To read interviews CLICK HERE 

Posted in: BANDS,ICELAND