The Fanpage of the Icelandic band Hellvar by Wim Van Hooste

Monday, November 13, 2006

Unun in Deutsch

Musikalisches aus Island

Unun

Unun wurde im August 1993 durch Thor Eldon und Dr. Gunni geboren. Beide hatten gemeinsame Ideen und spielten sich gegenseitig selbstgebastelte Songs vor. Daraus wuchs das erste Album "´Æ " heran, das im November 1994 erschien. Sängerin Heiða brachte frischen Wind ins Studio, da sie über eine Stimme verfügt, die sowohl bei Balladen als auch bei fetzigen Punksongs hervorragend klingt und Ausstrahlung besitzt.
Zur Überraschung verkaufte sich das Album wie verrückt und mit "Log unga folsins" und "Ást í viðlogum" hatte Unun Tophits in den isländischen Charts. Unun wurde der isländische Markt zu klein, sie wollten international bekannt werden und gaben im Sommer 1995 die englischsprachige CD " Super shiny dreams" heraus.
Mittlerweile wurde ein Plattenvetrag mit dem Londoner Plattenlabel Deceptive Records unterzeichnet und die erste internationale Single ist für Juli geplant... . Daß die Band damit den internationalen Durchbruch schafft ist zu erwarten.


Another Review of the Unun Album Super Shiny Dreams by Craig Thorn

May 2 - 9, 1 9 9 6

Craig Thorn

Unun: Innocence Earned

Unun's Super Shiny Dreams (bad taste USA) reinvents new wave in an accident of odd combinations. From Reykjavik, Iceland, these puckish druids fall right out of the trees into the American Mall of fluorescent daylight and indoor villages. Of course, malls are few and far between in Iceland, and the gleefully anomalous qualities you hear in lead singer Heida's porcelain innocence demonstrate that the filter through which the band hear the '70s and '80s must have cracked in cold temperatures. And so they are utterly refreshing, approaching old themes with the same wonder and immediacy of a boy who skips on a rubberized mat just to see the pneumatic doors whisper open.
A humorous mix of pop melodies, dance tracks (imagine Gary Numan and the Go-Go's) and funky little discords (a kind of two percent feedback-free Belly), Unun delights immediately with the quirky "First Aid": "I saw him/at the first-aid evening class/so peaceful/in placid harmony/I touched him/he stirred." Dr. Gunni's bass is mischievous and protective, marshaling Heida's earnest romance with a CPR dummy with whom she has found "elastic unity," but guiding the rest of the band through the modest wow and flutter of early B-52's. Twinning refrains equally ingenuous -- "No, no, no . . . Yes! Yes! Yes!" and "This was love at first aid" -- pretty much summarizes the engaging themes on this debut disc.
"Fistful of Love" does not suggest a fist at any point: a bouncy 4/4 and syncopated handclaps place you in the midst of delirious teenyboppers singing, say, Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me." Heida's girlish voice creates another sweet persona, this time drowning in the moonlight on her living room floor as she waits for that special someone, perhaps one of the guys from A-Ha. "Far" is a pop rave-up with lots of "oohs" and "aahs," sweet synthesizers, and little crescendos that explode like bubble gum. It opens with tilted keyboards à la Martha & the Muffins, but slips into Unun's thoroughly rejuvenated pop world where Scott Baio posters slip off the wall at a pajama party run just slightly amuck. The odd mix of small-town rock and new-wave punk in "Kung Fu Blue" defines the band's studied naiveté. At the same time that the music works because it borrows without irony, the lyrics conjure up images of Fred Schneider winking: "He is hot but still so cool/mega biceps packed with power/beating up the Triad scum/in a warehouse by the Hong Kong harbor./He keeps the ghetto clean/so superfunky mean/kung fu death machine/straight off my TV screen."
Listen to the pale intonations and high-sentimentality in "Dead & Breakfast" where Heida ventures forth into the afterlife as a Kewpie doll, round-cheeked under spiked quills. She's accompanied by Johann Johannson's mock-serious organ; and guitarist Thor Eldon's easy blend of rhythm leads and light runs sending you into the world of John Hughes until it all bleeds into weird whistles and chants before returning to the safety of the movie set. Brief, amusing forays into heavy metal, hardcore, and sticky-sweet folk-pop follow, but Heida wants to sing the way Julianna Hatfield would sing if all her prismed light illumined romance. This would be a great album to have for a beach party. In a landscape where fireflies don't light up the trees and what blossoms is scarce, her innocence is earned.

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/alt1/archive/music/reviews/05-02-96/REX/UNUN.html

PS The original review is consistent in using Heidi instead of Heida

Review of Unun Album Super Shiny Dreams by Marc Hawthorne

Thursday, December 7, 1995

Stylus Record Review - University of Washington

Unun Super Shiny Dreams
by Marc Hawthorne

When the Sugarcubes decided to call it quits almost three years ago (the band referred to it as an "indefinite hiatus," but we all know what that means), distraught Sugarcubes fans were appeased by the announcement of an upcoming Björk solo album. Surely Björk's stuff would reflect and be influenced by the work she had done with her former bandmates. Or so we all naively assumed.
Then Debut was released, and suddenly we all realized we were going to have to share Björk with every techno-raver alive. Don't get me wrong, the dance-oriented direction of Björk's solo material isn't unbearable. It's just that the void the Sugarcubes left in my life when they broke up hasn't been filled by either of her albums.
Enter Unun, the Icelandic trio that features former Sugarcubes guitarist Thor Eldon. With the release of their debut stateside release, Super Shiny Dreams, my prayers have finally been answered.
Unun's guitar-driven catchiness rivals Tiger Trap and even Heavenly, sometimes surpassing them. Eight musicians play on the record, but the three core members are Eldon, Icelandic noise hero Dr. Gunni on bass and singer Heida.
Super Shiny Dreams is the over-the-top pop record that the Sugarcubes' quirky instincts never allowed them to make. All the stops have been pulled out with Super Shiny - it's pure ear candy from start to finish. You know when you hear a really catchy song, and then realize that if there were really epic keyboards added it would be the best song ever written? Unun uses those keyboards.
Maybe it's just an Icelandic thing, but Miss Heida sounds a lot like Björk on a really happy day after drinking way too much coffee. Unun's music definitely sets the stage for their super-catchiness, but it's Heida's hyper energy that makes this record worth listening to 20 times in a row. Her witty lyrics round out the whole picture, which she uses to discuss falling in love at a first-aid evening class ("First Aid") and falling in love with a TV star ("Kung Fu Blue"), and to compare getting fucked over by a lover to Christ being crucified in "The Good Friday": A very Good Friday/ maybe for Him who's nailed to the cross/ and excellent Friday/ for you who's nailing some uptown slut.
This is great pogo-pop with an excellent sense of humor - which is a major feat, considering that all these songs were originally written in Icelandic.

Unun is super shiny indeed.

http://archives.thedaily.washington.edu/1995/120795/unun.html

Review of Album Svarid of Heida by Anna Maria Stjarnell

Svarid by Heida

A CD Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Posted on August 4, 2004

Icelandic artist Heida used to be in a band called Unun who recorded in English, but for her solo debut she sings in her native tongue. The music is experimental, but still accessible and Heida's vocals take center stage. Its hard not to think of Bjork when hearing Heida's accent. There's also a Bjorkish playfulness in the darting between musical styles. The punky "Loftborg" sits next to the indie-poppy "Silvur" and the ballad "103.mars."
This makes "Svarid" a daring adventure for those souls who have grown tired of top 40 fare.

Lets hope Heida can cross over like certain other artists from her homeland has.

http://www.collectedsounds.com/cdreviews/svarid.html

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Give me gold as mp3 on Rokk.is

Give me gold in mp3-format:
http://rokk.is/mp3/h/hellvar_give_me_gold.mp3

Snarf from Denmark - Red eyes picture

Til venstre er det Heather fra amerikanske ZAHNARZT og til højre er det Heida fra islandske HELLVAR… de var alle (osse de andre i bandsne) meget søde og det var fedt at møde dem ude i virkeligheden, og ikke blot på myspace.

Hjemme igen fra Berlin…
Tirsdag, d. 17. oktober 2006

..har lige været i Berlin sammen med NikNik… jeg har været hjemme tre dage nu … jeg har stadig tømmermænd … kan ikke så mange ord … her er to piger jeg mødte … de spiller i to gode bands …
Der kommer nok flere meldinger fra vores Berlintur, men lige nu er jeg helt fladmast… NikNik har lidt at byde på osse for de nysgerrige…

Comment by Heida
Fredag, d. 27. oktober 2006
Hey Snarf! Jeg taler jo ikke godt dansk, men jeg forstor bedre...hahaha. Min weblog er skemmtilegt.blogspot.com hvis du vil prove ad forstaa islandsk...skemmtilegt betyder sjovt! Hilsen fra Island

Wolfgang Muller und Island + Concert of Hellvar in Berlin


Wolfgang Müller´s Zeitreise in das mittelalterliche Island

Am 19. April liest der Berliner Autor und Künstler aus dem historischen Reisebericht NEUE NORDWELT und zieht dabei - mit einem kleinen Augenzwinkern - Vergleiche zum heutigen Island.

12.4.2005

Der Verbrecher-Verlag (http://www.verbrecherverlag.de) präsentiert das jüngst von Wolfgang Müller herausgegebene Werk NEUE NORDWELT im zauberhaften Festsaal Kreuzberg.

Wolfgang Müller wird mit Sandra Nass, Sekretärin des Botschafters von Island in Berlin über Kultur, Sitten und Gebräuche der Isländer plaudern. Sie vergleichen das Islandbild von 1613 mit dem Bild von heute und stellen Eigenartigkeiten, Merkwürdigkeiten und Ungereimtheiten fest.Das Publikum wird zudem mit einer musikalischen Kostprobe des isländischen Duos Hellvar (Heida Eiriksdóttir und Elvar Saevarsson) verköstigt.

Adresse:Festsaal Kreuzberg,Skalitzerstr. 130, 10999 Berlin (U-Bhf. Kottbusser Tor)
Beginn: Dienstag, 19.04.2005, um 20.30 Uhr, Einlass ab 19.30 Uhr. Eintrittspreis: 5 Euro.

Heida - Rokkad eftir Rammstein - Article in Newspaper Morgunbladid

Morgunblaðið
15.6.2001

Rokkað eftir Rammstein

Söngkonan Heiða heldur tónleika á Grand Rokk í kvöld. Ætlunin er að halda áfram nettu rokkstuði eftir að Rammstein-tónleikunum í Laugardalshöllinni lýkur en tónleikar Heiðu hefjast upp úr miðnætti.
"Við erum rokkhljómsveitin Heiða og heiðingjarnir," segir Heiða og kímir. "Við ætlum okkur að vera með hæfilega blöndu af rokki, pönki og poppi og höfum lagt dag við nótt að æfa okkur. Við erum komin með þokkalega dagskrá en við teljum einmitt að það vanti svona rokkböll. Það gefur nú tóninn ef maður er á leiðinni á Rammstein-tónleika að mann langi til að halda áfram á eftir."
Heiða segir þau vera fjögur í sveitinni. "En þess má geta að söngkona hljómsveitarinnar hefur einstakling innra með sér þannig að við erum eiginlega fimm," bætir hún við og hlær. Sveitin er annars skipuð þeim Birgi Baldurssyni trommuleikara; Sverri Ásmundssyni bassaleikara og Elvari Sævarssyni gítarleikara. Heiða sér síðan um söng og gítarleik.
"Við ætlum að halda uppi stemmningunni til kl. 3.00," tilkynnir Heiða. "Nema það verði svo ógeðslega gaman að við þurfum að taka öll lögin aftur. En við eigum sem sagt nóg af lögum til kl. 3.00."
Miðaverð er kr. 500 og gerjaður gosdrykkur fylgir til kl. 1.00.

Heida en francais Pop-Rock-Punk bon pour la santé

Flyer of the Concert in Grand Rokk (15 June 2001)

Pop-rock-punk bon pour la santé

Heiða était la chanteuse du groupe Unun.
Vue en concert en juin 2001 enceinte jusqu'aux dents: mémorable !

10 avril 2004
site perso de Heiða ! Il est tout frais, il se trouve ici: http://easy.go.is/heidinginn/index.html
De plus elle tient un blog (journal en ligne n'est-ce pas), en islandais certes...
Il va falloir se (re)mettre à l'islandais !!
Elle anime une émission de radio tous les samedis de 22h10 à 1h sur la radio rás 2.
Il est possible d'écouter cette émission en direct sur le net.
(décalage horaire : h-2 là-bas, donc écouter à partir de 00h10 heure française)
Pour cela allez sur la page de la radio: http://www.ruv.is
Cliquez sur rás 2, puis sur le haut parleur en haut à gauche, et choisissez un des 3 liens du milieu.
Vous aurez la joie de l'entendre parler islandais et vous pourrez écouter sa sélection de cds.

4 janvier 2004
Le nouvel album de Heiða est sorti en novembre 2003.
Il a pour titre "Tiufingurupptilguðs" (traduction : "10 doigts levés vers Dieu" ?) et est disponible sur Bad Taste.

http://dnalsiisland.free.fr/musique/heida.htm

Heida @ Gaukurinn anno 2000

Heida playing at Gaukurinn.
Pictures by Bjorg Sveinsdottir. For more pictures:
http://bsmyndir.mis.is/album/?cat=45&album=40

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Biography Unun @ Roskilde 1997

Unun is an Icelandic band whose bassist Dr Gunni has his roots back in Icelandic rock's golden age from 1979-82. He played in bands like S.H. Draumur and Bless before embarking on a solo career in 1991 which he dropped in August 1993 when he began to write songs with guitarist Thor Eldon previously of the legendary Sugarcubes. They "discovered" singer Heida and Unun recorded its first album "ae" as a trio. The Icelandic-language album was released in late 1994 to brilliant reviews and in 1995 it was voted Album of the Year at the Icelandic Grammy Awards. After that the trio became a quintet with the addition of keyboard player Jóhann Jóhansson and drummer "". In April 1995, the group flew producer Ken Thomas in and together they re-recorded the material from "ae", released to positive response as "Super Shiny Dreams" in Europe and the USA after which the group toured most of the two continents, including a stint as support for Eldon's ex-Sugarcube colleague, Björk.

Thor Eldon in Unun

Thor Eldon aka þor Eldon Jonsson
Birthday: 2 June 1962
Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Guitarist
Nationality: Iceland
Executive summary: Guitarist for The Sugarcubes

Thor Eldon was co-founder and guitarist of the band The Sugarcubes, as well as being co-founder of their Smekkleysa (Bad Taste) record label. Eldon was married for a time to singer Bjork Guðmundsdóttir, with whom he had one son. His post-Sugarcubes projects include the band Unun, a collaboration with Icelandic weirdo Dr. Gunni.

Wife: Bjork Guðmundsdóttir (musician, m. 1986, div. 1987)
Son: Síndri Eldon Thorsson (b. 1986)

The Sugarcubes Guitarist 1986-92
Unun Guitarist 1994-98

Dr Gunni in Unun

Dr. Gunni aka Gunnar Lárus Hjálmarsson

Born: 7 October 1965
Birthplace: Kópavogur, Iceland
Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Occupation: Musician

Nationality: Iceland
Executive summary: Icelandic underground mainstay

One of the central figures of the Icelandic underground music scene, Gunnar Hjálmarsson made his first appearance with the short-lived group Dordinglar in 1980. Within several months he had moved on to the punk outfit F/8, soon followed by an equally brief stint with new wavers Geðfró (later known as Beri-Beri). It was in early 1983 that his first enduring band, S. H. Draumur, came into being -- the same year that he published his first book of poetry, Tíu göt á hausinn eða blóðbolla?, which obviously translates as Ten holes on the head or a cup of blood?. With S. H. Draumur he released several albums throughout the late 1980s (most notably the full-length effort Goð in 1988 and the EP Bless later that same year), as well as opening for acts such as Einstürzende Neubauten and fellow Icelanders The Sugarcubes.

At the end of 1988 S. H. Draumur transformed into Bless, under whose auspices Gunni -- with some help from the Sugarcubes-founded label Smekkleysa (Bad Taste) -- secured his first release to be distributed in the States, 1991's Gums. Bless also provided his first opportunity to tour North America, although this experience was largely a disaster and ultimately led to the band's destabilization; a different line-up of Bless continued for a while after the tour, but a permanent end to their existence arrived in the final months of '91. Over the next couple of years Gunni released a series of entirely self-performed singles under the name Dr. Gunni through the legendary Finnish label Bad Vugum. The energetic viciousness of the arrangements on tracks like Nonni Stubbur (which explored the circumstances of a disadvantaged young boy on the 1992 Eins og Fólk er Flesk 7") and Doktor Moðerfökker (no explanation needed, from the 1993 Vessar EP) meshed perfectly with the label's peculiar aesthetic. A brief ressurection of S. H. Draumur took place in the middle of all this excitement.

During this time Gunni also pursued parallel careers as a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines and a radio presenter for various Icelandic stations. 6 shows with the astonishing Finnish multimedia project Keuhkot were accomplished in 1992. His concession to the pop market was finally made in 1994 when Gunni formed the band Unun with ex-Sugarcubes guitarist Thor Eldon. Three albums were produced under this name before the band dissolved in 1999: æ (1994, also released in a mostly English-language version as Super Shiny Dreams the following year), the EP Bones (1997), and Ótta (1998). Numerous appearances were made in Europe to support the records, but the breakthrough never quite arrived; Eldon jumped ship in mid-98, and Unun performed their final show approximately one year later.

In the midst of his work with Unun, Gunni had a surprise hit in the form of Prumpufólkið -- a song about farting from his solo album for children Abbababb! (1997). Between recording and touring, service for the Smekkleysa label was dutifully rendered. In the final years of the 90s and the first couple of 2000 he returned his attention to radio and journalism work (although never fully abandoning music), hosting The News and Fun Program of Dr. Gunni and Mr. Mikael and Alætan, as well as writing a book on the history of Icelandic music, Eru ekki allir í stuði? Rokk á Íslandi á síðustu öld. His Dr. Gunni project was revived as a proper band in 2002, and the role of host on the pop music quiz show Popppunktur was undertaken that same year.

S. H. Draumur Bassist/Vocalist 1983-88
Bless Bassist/Vocalist 1988-91
Dr. Gunni Multi-instrumentalist/Vocalist 1992-present
Unun Bassist 1994-99

Official Website:
http://this.is/drgunni

http://www.nndb.com/people/103/000035995/

Monday, November 06, 2006

Hellvar 4 Concerts in Berlin

Hljómsveitin Hellvar heldur til Berlínar
Hljómsveitin Hellvar heldur til Berlínar þann 6. október til tónleikahalds. Hljómsveitin var stofnuð þar haustið 2004 og því má að einhverju leiti segja að verið sé að halda aftur til heimahagana með ferðinni til Berlínar. Í Hellvar eru þau Heiða Eiríks, söngkona, Elvar Sævarsson sem sér um gítarleik og forritun og Flosi Þorgeirsson bassaleikari. Hellvar spilar á fernum tóleikum en þrennir þeirra eru partur af sameiginlegri tónleikaferð þeirra og New York-sveitarinnar Zahnarzt, en henni kynntust þau í Berlín.

7. október kl. 20 - Intersoup, Schliemannstrasse 31
10. október kl. 20 - Hotel Bar, Zionskirchestrasse 5
11. október kl. 20 - NBI, Schönhauser Allee 36
12. október kl. 20 - Schokoladen, Ackerstrasse169

http://www.islandus.net/de/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1159967342&archive=&start_from=&ucat=65

Sonorama.net 2005

De Islandia se conoce poco: Björk, Sigur Ros, Gus Gus y ahora Hellvar. Heiða Eiriksdottir es constantemente comparada con su similar Björk. Aunque, a decir verdad, si tienen matices parecidos al momento de la ejecucion vocal, Hellvar es una banda mas enfocada en la creacion de un electro-rock mas desenfadado, sin pretenciones y sin maquillajes exagerados. A pesar de haber pasado por una y otra banda, Heiða Eiriksdottir ahora encamina su sapiensia musical hacia la exploracion de la indietronica al lado de Elvar y Flosi, los otros dos integrantes de este trio islandes.
A pesar de no contar aun con una produccion en forma, Hellvar esta en la promocion de su primer demo, el cual, seguramente dara una buena impresion a las disqueras independientes mas importantes del globo.
Descarguense tres rolas incluidas en este demo. Y de paso, juzguen y encuentren las coincidencias con la favorita de la Isla…
3 mp3s:
  • Electric Toy
  • Give me Gold
  • Speedmental

http://www.sonorama.net/2005/11/28/hellvar/

Tazz Germany

12.10.2006
Das Duo Hellvar kommt aus Island und macht Musik zwischen New Wave und Elektro-Pop. Und dabei hört man tatsächlich ein bisschen Björk heraus. Das macht aber gar nichts, denn Heida and Elvar von Hellvar haben trotzdem einen eigenen Sound. Zu hören ist der heute ab 21 Uhr im Schokoladen, Ackerstr. 169.

http://www.taz.de/pt/2006/10/12/a0248.1/text

Heida & Heidingjarnir Pictures













http://easy.go.is/heidinginn/heidingjamyndir.html


More pictures of concert @ Gaukirinn (2004):
http://www.hardkjarni.com/photo/?dir=Heida_og_Heidingjarnir:

  • Andkristnihatidin_gaukurinn_201204_gudny
  • Harum Scarum 130204

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Listen to the Radio Show of Heida


Saterday Night
Live Streaming RAS 2 (RUV):
Naeturvordurinn
http://dagskra.ruv.is/streaming/ras2/live/

Listen to Hellvar songs Electric Toy and Speedmental in mp3-format

You can listen to 2 Hellvar songs in mp3-format if you go to the homepage of Iceland Airwaves (www.icelandairwaves.com):
  • Electric Toy
  • Speedmental
http://www.icelandairwaves.com/artists.asp?pageID=&artistID=232

Benni Hemm Hemm Magazine - Interview with Heida

In Benni Hemm Hemm Magazine you can find an interview with Heida and a beautiful drawning of "DJ" Heida.
http://www.bennihemmhemm.com/NEWS/Malid/malid.pdf

Reviews in Morgunbladid

Heida writes reviews of concerts & CDs for the Newspaper Morgunbladid

Example of Concert Review

Sunnudaginn 11. júní, 2006
TÓNLIST - Tónleikar
Á röngum tíma, í vitlausu húsi
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney á Nasa sunnudagskvöldið 4. júní 2006. Tónleikar voru sameinaðir tónlistarhátíðinni Reykjavík Tropík.

"Það fór því svo að eftir ESG voru margir áhorfendur mun fremur að bíða eftir að Trabant hæfi leik til að geta dansað svolítið meira en raunverulega að gefa Sleater-Kinney gaum," segir í dómi.
HLJÓMSVEITIN Sleater-Kinney hefur um áraraðir verið leiðandi í bandarískri neðanjarðar-rokksenu, og hefur þar fyrir utan sérstöðu fyrir það að vera kvennasveit. Stúlkurnar Carrie Brownstein og Corin Tucker spila á gítar og syngja og Janet Weiss spilar á trommur og syngur bakraddir. Bassaleikari er enginn, og eykur það mjög á séreinkenni sveitarinnar og þeirra eigin hljóm. Þær eru hressileg rokksveit, með grípandi melódíur og sönglínur án þess að missa nokkurn tímann hráleikann og nýbylgjuna sem þær standa fyrir. Þær gáfu út fyrstu plötu sína árið 1995, en eru nú að kynna sína sjöundu, The Woods, frá árinu 2005.
Tónleikar Sleater-Kinney höfðu verið ákveðnir með miklum fyrirvara, og þær að koma beint frá Primavera-hátíðinni í Barcelona, en á laugardagskvöldinu var ákveðið að færa lokakvöld tónlistarhátíðarinnar Reykjavík Tropík inn á Nasa. Sleater-Kinney var bætt á prógram hátíðarinnar, og þær settar fyrir aftan bandarísku sveitina ESG, en það kom því miður ekki nógu vel út. Þessar sveitir eru báðar frábærar og mjög eftirtektarverðar, en hljóðheimur ESG er harla ólíkur Sleater-Kinney, og hljómur hjá ESG þetta kvöld var mjög þéttur og þær að hvetja dansþyrsta áhorfendur til dáða. Bassinn í ESG er áberandi og trommuleikari framúrskarandi og sú sveit notast alls ekki við rifinn hljóm eða bjagaða gítara, og því var vægast sagt undarlegt að skella Sleater-Kinney þarna á eftir. Þær hefðu sómt sér mun betur á eftir Dr. Spock og á undan ESG, því þar hefðu tónleikar þeirra komið sem gott framhald af tilraunakenndu rokki Dr. Spock. Það fór því svo að eftir ESG voru margir áhorfendur mun fremur að bíða eftir að Trabant hæfi leik til að geta dansað svolítið meira en raunverulega að gefa Sleater-Kinney gaum.
Þetta skilaði sér í því að ákveðinn kjarni áhorfenda sem stóð þétt upp við sviðið var í miklu stuði og í rífandi stemningu, en megnið af áhorfendum biðu sem illa gerðir hlutir eftir að Sleater-Kinney lyki sér af, og drap tímann með gsm-símum og myndavélum sínum. Þarna var greinilega um rangt ,,krád" að ræða, og ef þeim 200 manns sem voru í alvörunni að lifa sig inn í tónleikana hefði verið smalað á Grand-rokk og Sleater-Kinney spilað þar fyrir fullu húsi, hefðu líklega allir skemmt sér betur, hljómsveitin með talin.
Ég stóð því miður aftarlega og þótt ég sæi og heyrði vel var ég alls ekki að upplifa mig sem hluta af einhverjum skemmtilegum tónleikum, og fékk ekki á tilfinninguna að Sleater-Kinney væru að því heldur. Þær byrjuðu óþétt og alls ekki eins kraftmikið og maður hefur kynnst á diskum þeirra. Þær reyndu sitt besta til að rífa upp stemmninguna, en virkuðu ósannfærðar sjálfar. Söngurinn er full-lágur og vantar töluvert upp á að rödd njóti sín vel. Hljómurinn lagaðist þó heilmikið eftir því sem leið á tónleikana, og í vissum lögum náðu þær að gleyma sér og komast á smá flug, en það var lágflug og þær lentu mjög fljótt aftur. Í raun og veru fannst mér eins og þær hefðu skynjað að áhorfendur væru ekki komnir til að sjá þær þetta kvöldið, og þær því ákveðið að spila bara prógrammið sitt og fara. Þær töluðu lítið til áhorfenda, og týndu sér í löngum ,,djammköflum" sem voru ekki nógu góðir til að halda athyglinni. Lögin runnu í gegn hvert af öðru, og sum voru hressilegri en önnur, og svo bara lognuðust tónleikarnir eins og af sjálfu sér út af. Það er helst að trommuleikarinn hafi einhvern veginn náð að skila kraftmiklum tónleikum, en hún spilar mikið með gólfpákur, og hrynjandi sveitarinnar er því oft villimannslegur og ögn brjálaður. Söngkonur sveitarinnar ollu vonbrigðum og voru alls ekki að gera það sem gera þarf til að góðir tónleikar séu góðir. Ég tek fram að ég hef mjög gaman af tónlist stúlknanna í Sleater-Kinney og hef hlustað svolítið á bæði eldri og nýrri diska hennar, en þessir tónleikar hafa eflaust ekki verið gott dæmi um kraftinn sem í þeim býr. Það var reyndar mjög skiljanlegt, og mér dettur sjálfri ekki í hug nein rokkhljómsveit sem myndi sóma sér vel á eftir hinum vel öldnu dansvænu blökkudísum í ESG. Svo fór sem fór, og vona ég bara að Sleater-Kinney komi síðar og troðfylli Grand eða Gauk og haldi nýbylgjupartý ársins. Þetta kvöld var eyrnamerkt ESG.

Heiða Eiríksdóttir

http://www.mbl.is/mm/gagnasafn/grein.html?radnr=1087571

Example of Review of CD
Mánudaginn 17. júlí, 2006
TÓNLIST - Geisladiskur

Band öfga og andstæðna
Sólstafir - Masterpiece of bitterness

7 lög, heildartími 70.24 mínútur. Sólstafir eru: Aðalbjörn Tryggvason gítar og rödd, Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, trommur, Svavar Austman, bassi og Sæþór M. Sæþórsson, gítar. Lög og textar eru eftir Sólstafi.Tekið upp í Stúdíó Helvíti af Sigurgrími Jónssyni.7 lög, heildartími 70.24 mínútur. Sólstafir eru: Aðalbjörn Tryggvason gítar og rödd, Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, trommur, Svavar Austman, bassi og Sæþór M. Sæþórsson, gítar. Lög og textar eru eftir Sólstafi.Tekið upp í Stúdíó Helvíti af Sigurgrími Jónssyni. Upptökustjórn Sigurgrímur Jónsson og Aðalbjörn Tryggvason. Hljóðblöndun Sigurgrímur Jónsson. Masterað í Finvox í Helsinki af Mika Jussila. Myndverk og hönnun er í höndum Söndru Maríu Sigurðardóttur/SMS. Söngkona í "I myself the visionary head" er Hlín Pétursdóttir. Spikefarm records gefur út 2005.
ÞAÐ FYRSTA sem maður tekur eftir við að hlusta á tónlist Sólstafa er hve "lífræn" rokktónlist þeirra er. Vissulega er hún rafmögnuð og í engu til sparað í notkun á effektum í gíturum og bassa, og því er hún ekki lífræn í merkingunni órafmögnuð. Hún er meira lífræn í þeim skilningi að hafa eigið líf. Trommuleikurinn á sinn þátt í því, en hann er oft með mjög ófyrirsjáanlega nálgun við lögin og takturinn er hægur og hraður eftir því hvort um er að ræða hægan og dreymandi kafla eða skyndilegan og ofsafenginn stuðkafla í lagi.
Sólstafir eru mikið fyrir kaflaskipt lög, svo mikið er óhætt að segja. Þeir líta út fyrir að fá svolítið "kikk" út úr því að taka hugmynd og fara með hana yfir mörk velsæmis, ef svo mætti að orði komast. Gott dæmi um það er "I myself the visionary head", fyrsta lag plötunnar. Grunnhugmyndin að því lagi er mjög góð og úr henni hefðu venjulegar hljómsveitir gert ca 5-6 mínútna fyrirtaks lag. Svo hefðu leiðinlegar hljómsveitir farið með lagið í eitthvert runk og endurtekningar og gert lagið að 12 mínútna löngum afspyrnuleiðindum.
Sólstafir sýna snilligáfu sína með því að þora að hafa lagið 19.55 mínútna langt. Þeir ýkja hæga framvinduna og gera sér mat úr endurtekningunum þangað til lagið hættir bara að vera lag og verður miklu frekar saga. Það er nógu langt til að hægt sé að hjóla út í búð og kaupa mjólk í kaffið og hjóla til baka og það er enn í gangi. Það er líka nógu langt til að hægt sé að leggjast endilangur í sófann og komast í hugleiðsluástand í þessar tæpar tuttugu mínútur sem það spannar. Þeir spara kraftinn eins lengi og þeir geta og springa svo að lokum út í kringum 17 mínútna mörkin. Svavar bassaleikari raddar gítarlínurnar skemmtilega undir lok lagsins og gefur það endalokunum aukið vægi, sem og kraftinum í gítardrón-kaflanum.
Þetta langa upphafslag fangar athygli hlustenda, öfugt við það sem maður myndi halda. Spennan hefur magnast í fyrsta laginu, því maður hefur upplifað eitthvað, gengið í gegn um einhverja sögu með hljómsveitinni Sólstöfum.
Það eru miklar tilfinningar í rödd söngvarans, og hans helsti styrkur hve röddin er brothætt, því við það verður mjög sérstakur hljómur til. Slíkur hljómur lærist ekki nema að takmörkuðu leyti, en viðkvæm túlkun hans virkar einmitt mjög vel með sterkum og þungum bassanum og gíturunum. Þarna eru andstæðurnar að vinna vel saman: Lífrænar trommur, gítarveggur, þéttur bassi og tilfinningarík rödd, og úr verður eitthvað alveg sérstakt: Sólstafir.
Sólstafir hljóma, þótt undarlegt megi virðast, ekki eins og neitt annað sem ég hef heyrt og verður það að teljast vel heppnað afrek í dag. Platan Masterpiece of bitterness inniheldur blöndu af krafti og gítarveggjum, og sorglegri, dramatískri tónlist sem lætur manni renna kalt vatn milli skinns og hörunds á stundum.
Tónlistin er í senn drungaleg og kraftmikil, draugaleg og hressandi, draumkennd og rokkuð. Í næstsíðasta laginu, Ritual of fire, eru þessar andstæður eins mikið sameinaðar og möguleiki er á. Þá hljóma Sólstafir eins og stóri bróðir Sigur Rósar, en klæddur í svart leður frá toppi til táar, á leiðinni á þungarokkstónleika. Líklega er þetta eina lagið á plötunni sem skartar dúrkafla, og því verður það aðeins glaðlegra fyrir vikið, og þá dettur manni í hug Sigur Rós, en það er eins og flest annað við Sólstafi; tímabundin tálsýn og blekking. Sólstafir eru eins og afturganga: Þegar henda á reiður á henni smýgur hún manni úr greipum og reynist að lokum vera eitthvað allt annað en í upphafi var talið. Sólstafir eru band öfga og andstæðna og ná því sem marga samferðamenn þeirra skortir: Að hlusta á sína eigin rödd og fylgja henni eftir. Vel gert, strákar.

Heiða Eiríksdóttir

Porkmuffin - Sexy Icelandic Rockstars - Heida = Icelandic Rockstar of the Week 3.II.2004 -

Heida was voted Sexy Icelandic Rockstar of the Week (3 Feb. 2004):

Heida sings and plays guitar. currently she is a solo artist, but in the 90's she could be seen with the band Unun. Unun means "pleasure" and we are sure you can derive pleasure from Heida's fine-formed rock offerings. please note that she plays a Telecaster, which we all know is the guitar of champions. also, for those who enjoy a more hirsute underarm area, Heida is happy to field your questions about her own, and even indulges in fetish photography (link http://this.is/unun to Heida's Hairy Armpits ).

Heida's hairy armpits

Mikko Kuorinki from Finland saw Unun and fell in love – with Heida's hairy armpits. He sent her some questions.

1. When did you first realise there was starting to grow hair in you armpits? What kind of emotions you felt that time?
I must have been around 12, sitting in the hot-pot of the swimming pool in my home-town, when a girl my age, pointed it out to me that I must start shaving my armpits. I had something like 3 almost invisible hairs at the time! I didn't really care myself, but as teenagers are, they all want to be the same, so for the next 2 years or so, I shaved my (almost invisible) hairs. Then I realized I wasn't doing it for anybody else, it was only I that had to be happy with me, so I stopped because I like my blond, soft armpit-hairs.
2. Why did't youave your armpits at the first place? is it some sort of statement? Lifestyle?
I refer to the answer above. But it has become some sort of a statement also, because I realized that some person must have thought up the idea of shaving women's armpit hair to begin with, and it bothers me. Why is hair ok under the arms of men but not women? I kinda think it must be a trick from the companies that make shaving related material, to be able to sell more products. Hair on the head for me is different, it´s more like clothes, it´s something people notice immedietly when they see a person, but body hair is sexy, because it is only for a few chosen to see (unless you stare under other people's arms, instead of listening to what that person is saying to you, when you meet her). And what if I was a man, would this discussion still take place?
3. What have your boyfriend/girlfriends thought about your armpits? What kind of feedback have you got from your armpits?
If somebody complains about it, then I know that it is not the right person for me. When somebody sees hair under the armpits as an obstacle, maybe thinks it is unsexy or uncool or something, and is more interested in that, than my mind, then that person doesn't deserve me!
4. Tell us about that incident you had with your ex-record company.
There wasn't an incident with the record company that I remember, but I remember when we were doing a video for the song "I See Red", and the director insisted I shave my hair. I refused at first, on the ground that this was a principle of mine, but gave in, and regretted it horribly when, 2 days later, the hair started to grow back, and it hurt terribly. So that was 2 and a half years ago, last time I ever do that shit!
5. Is there a message hidden behind those armpits?
If you're asking whether I have some ugly scars, or a bad tattoo or something hidden there, the answer is no. I'm quite a normally formed girl under all the hair.
6. Do you ever fear that your armpits will be more popular than unun?
I've never quite thought of it that way, but now that you mention it...
7. What does the future of your armpits look like?

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!

Psst... hey you punk, wanna see Heida's hairy armpits?

http://porkmuffin.typepad.com/porkmuffin/sexy_icelandic_rockstars

Rjominn.Is - Heida Interview 26.X.2006

Öll svörin
Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir
26.10.2006
Heiða er valinkunnur andans maður, næturvörður, heimspekiprinsessa og síðast en ekki síst hörku söngkona og tónlistarmaður.

Veit hún öll svörin?
Heiða færir okkur öll svörin.
Gaman að því.

Besta lag í heimi er...
Wichita Lineman með Glen Campbell
Besta plata í heimi er...
The Rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars með David Bowie
Af hverju eru ekki allir að hlusta á ...
Purrk Pillnikk?
Öll börn ættu að sofna við að hlusta á...
Rammstein.
Allir ættu að hlusta að minnsta kosti einu sinni á ævinni á...
Bob Dylan
Bestu tónleikar sem ég hef séð voru ...
Fyrri Sonic Youth tónleikarnir á Nasa í fyrra, 2005.
Þeir tónleikar sem ég sá ekki en vildi mest hafa séð eru ...
Sonic Youth tónleikarnir sem ég missti af á Reading 1996.
Plöturnar sem mótuðu unglingsárin mín eru...
Ziggy Stardust með David Bowie, Hunky Dory með David Bowie, The most of the Animals, Hljómar (með lituðu andlitunum framaná), Deep Purple in rock, Led Zeppelin I, Daydream Nation með Sonic Youth, Miranda með Tappa Tíkarrass, Tilf með Purrki Pillnikk og Rokk í Reykjavík.
Þegar ég geng í kringum tjörnina á elliárunum vil ég hlusta á ...
Einhverja ótrúlega furðulega tónlist sem verður ný þá...og Rammstein.
Ég er það sem ég er af því ég hlustaði á ...
Bítlana þegar ég var lítil.
Ég vildi að ég hefði samið...
Wichita Lineman
Sá texti sem hrærir mest í hjarta mínu er...
Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree!!!
Besta bömmerlag í heimi er...
You're a big girl now með Bob Dylan.
Í eigin hugarheimi gangandi um öngstræti lífsins hlusta ég helst á... Japanskt noise og japanska teknódiskinn minn sem heitir Homegrown beats, eða á Can.
Þegar ryksugutónarnir óma finnst mér að undir eigi að hljóma...
Hávaðarokk með grípandi gíturum, HAM til dæmis.
Ég var ástfangnastur unglingur þegar ég hlustaði á...
uuuu var aldrei neitt sérlega ástfanginn sem unglingur, nema þá kannski bara af David Bowie.
Í sturtunni er best að syngja...
Á Bítlalög, eða Bohemian Rhapsody með Queen.
Ég myndi helst vilja spila í bandi með (lífs eða liðnir)...
John Lennon á gítar, Ringo Starr á trommur, Thurston Moore (S.Y.) gítar og söngur, Kevin Shields (My bloody valentine) gítar og hávaði og Jean-Jaques Burnell (Stranglers) á bassa. Ég myndi syngja.
Þú ættir að hlusta á...
Hellvar
(Heiða fékk að bæta við einni spurningu)
Hvað er fyrsta lagið sem þú manst eftir að hafa sungið með?
Lagið „Miles from nowhere“ af plötu Cat Stevens ,,Tea for the tillerman”. Frábært lag.

http://www.rjominn.is/articles/show/145

Indie-mp3 UK

Heiða Eiriksdottir has been a prolific rock musician for many years now, and her voice has often, much to her irritation, been compared to Bjork's. She's from Keflavik, the cradle of rock in Iceland, and her former projects include the band Unun and Heiða og Heiðingjarnir (Heiða and the Heathens), but currently she leads the computer-based rock trio Hellvar along with her spouse Elvar. They have recently acquired the assistance of Flosi from the incomparable rock band Ham and all put together they put on quite a live performance, she with her heavily applied trademark make-up, the guys almost tripping in their goatees, lots of noise, heavy beats and her angelic voice, which in no time can turn to an infernal scream ready to rip out her tonsils, usually not until the last song though, in case that actually happens.

Head to their www.myspace.com/hellvarmusic and be their friends if you like.

http://www.indie-mp3.co.uk/2005/11/hellvar.html

Listen to Heida songs - Desperately trying, Loftborg & Tango in mp3-format

The Smekkleysa homepage provides also 3 songs by Heida in mp3-format for free:
  • Desperately trying

https://www.smekkleysa.net/audio/full/Heida%20-%20Desperately%20Trying.mp3

  • Loftborg

https://www.smekkleysa.net/audio/full/Heida%20-%20Loftborg.mp3

  • Tango

https://www.smekkleysa.net/audio/full/Heida-Tango.mp3

Listen to Unun songs : Mexiko & First Aid in mp3-format

Dr. Gunni provides some Unun songs in mp3-format on his homepage
http://this.is/drgunni/sounds.html
You can listen to the song "Mexiko" of the album "Otta" :
http://www.this.is/drgunni/mp3/mexiko.mp3

Also the Smekkleysa homepage gives you the opportunity to listen to a song by Unun: "First Aid" of the CD "Super Shiny Dreams":
https://www.smekkleysa.net/audio/full/Unun%20-%20First%20aid.mp3

Discography of Unun

Unun discography

"Smekkleysa i halfa old"
Compilation CD of the Smekkleysa Label/Bad Taste Ltd.
Smekkleysa SM44
Released June 1994
1. Hann mun aldrei gleym'enni (Featuring Runar Juliusson)

"ae"
CD
Smekkleysa SM45
Released November 1994
1. Ast i vidlogum
2. Hnefafylli
3. Eg se hvitt
4. Eg se rautt
5. Log unga folksins
6. Unun
7. Hotel Kuagerdi
8. Fostudagurinn langi
9. Ve la gonzesse!
10. Ledurskipid Vima
11. Sidasta syning
12. Skammhlaup
13. Ljugdu ad mer

"Ein stor fjolskylda"
Soundtrack CD
Smekkleysa SM54
Released March 1995
1. Eg hata thig

"Is med dyfu"
Compilation CD
Rymur CD 3
Released May 1995
1. Ykt dopur (featuring Curver)

"H-spenna"
Compilation CD
Rymur CD 4
Released July 1995
1. Astin dugir
2. Villi og Lulla
* both songs feature Pall Oskar and are credited as "Pall Oskar and Unun".
1. is a cover of a Donna Summer song, Our Love, with lyrics in Icelandic by Pall Oskar.
2. is a cover of an old Icelandic disco song, originally performed by Thu og Eg.

"Einkalif"
Soundtrack CD
Smekkleysa SM57
Released September 1995
1. Halelujah
2. Einkalif
* 1. is written by Margret Ornolfsdottir, the composer of the soundtrack, and the wife of Thor Eldon. Magga was keyboard player of The Sugarcubes.

"G Hlidin"
a Best of Runar Juliusson CD
Geimsteinn GSCD 161
Released October 1995
1. Hann mun aldrei gleym'enni (Featuring Runar Juliusson)

"Super Shiny Dreams"
CD
Bad Taste USA BT001
Released November 1995
1. First Aid
2. Fistful of Love
3. I See White
4. I See Red
5. Far
6. Unun
7. Kung Fu Blue
8. Dead & Breakfast
9. The Good Friday
10. Ve La Gonzesse!
11. SOS Aurora
12. Premiere
13. Blow My Fuse
14. Lie To Me

An English version of album "ae" with one new song ("Far" aka "Ykt dopur")

"I See Red"
7" EP
Bad Taste Ltd. BT006
Released October 1996
1. I See Red
2. Fistful
3. Unun

"Eurospotting"
Compilation CD
Eurospotting, Eurospot-001
Released November 1996
1. First Aid

"You Do Not Exist"
7"
Deceptive Records. Bluff 047
Released August 1997
1. You Do Not Exist
2. Premiere

"You Do Not Exist"
CD-Single
Deceptive Records. Bluff 047CD
Released August 1997
1. You Do Not Exist
2. Premiere
3. Blow My Fuse
(Hidden track: 4. Unun)

"Unun album sampler"
Promo CD
Deceptive Records, Bluff055CDP
Released September 1997
1. I See Red
2. First Aid
3. Driven
4. Kung Fu Blue

"Megasarlög"
CD Compilation
POP Records. Pop 004CD
Released September 1997
1. Heilraedavisur
A Megas Tribute album

"I See Red"
7"
Deceptive Records. Bluff 054
Released October 1997
1. I See Red
2. Loser Town

"I See Red"
CD-Single
Deceptive Records. Bluff 054CD
Released October 1997
1. I See Red
2. Loser Town
3. Far

"Deceptive Fifty"
CD Compilation
Deceptive Records. Bluff 050CD
Released November 1997
1. I See Red

"Stelpurokk"
CD Compilation
Vera. Vera 01CD
Released December 1997
1. Heilraedavisur
A compilation of female artists

"Eurospotting 98"
CD Compilation promo
Danmark's Radio. Eurospot 002/003
Released December 1997
1. The Good Friday
Recorded live at Eurospotting November 9th 1996

"Bones"
CD
Smekkleysa. SM75
Released June 1998
1. Bones
2. You do not exist
3. Driven
4. Heim a Hellissand

"Otta"
CD
Smekkleysa. SM78
Released November 1998
1. Ordin tom
2. Vid vid vidtaekid
3. Rokkur
4. Fullir unglingar
5. Mexiko
6. Geimryk
7. Sumarstulkublus
8. Heimsendir
9. Gaerastar
10. Daudi a minibar

Based on http://www.this.is/drgunni

Lyrics of Unun Songs

MEXICO

I have a world atlas
it gets me through my sleepless nights
head full of sunny visions
palm trees under the northern lights
but the sun is not the main thing
what I need is to get away
I'll find a purpose when I go
leaving straight to Mexico.
I live within four walls
but my navel is where I stay
I look forward to everything
even tomorrows' rainy day
my frame needs a new wall
different landscape for the same old sun
I'll find a purpose when I go
on my way to Mexico.
I might work at a gas station
somewhere near to Tampico
I wake up and I'm drooling on Asia
outside it has started to snow
even while I'm dreaming
awake and asleep I leave
I'll find a purpose when I go
maybe it's in Mexico.

COSMIC DEBRIS (Geimryk)

Jumping on a table, heavy smile
I get attention
shake my tits and throw my hair around
gotta get some
I'm wearing too much make-up
no one cares
the music is playing loud
in the smoky air.
Everybody everybody's cosmic debris
we are what we pretend to be
we came here just to leave.
Someone buys me cocktail with a straw
now I'm flirting
someone's fingers walking up my skirt
I lick his earring
everyone plays the meaningful-glances-game
we think it's new but everything is the same
Everybody everybody's cosmic debris
we are what we pretend to be
we came here just to go away
when the bright light hits us all
where can we go
where should we go.

EX-BOYFRIENDS (Gaerastar)

Sometimes I wonder
where they are now
my old boyfriends
very likely
eating and talking
the talk I once knew
who's the one that
has been listening
is she like me or
just someone I don't like at all?
Ooo
Ex, Ex-boyfriends
forgotten and gone
erased from my memory.
Sometimes I wonder
where they are now
my old boyfriends
sipping whisky
with tongues of twisters
that I once understood
who's the one that
obeys your orders
is she like me or
just someone I don't like at all?
Ooo
Ex, Ex-boyfriends
forgotten and gone
erased from my memory.
Still in my mind
stuck in my memory.

The story of Unun - A lesson in history by Dr. Gunni

1993

Dr Gunni and Thor Eldon get together to form a band. Name Unun (meaning "Pleasure") is found while playing Scrabble. First singer Kristin joins. The threesome practise at Dr Gunni's flat on a 4-track.

1994

Studio sessions for first Unun album start on the 1st of April. Band records a song with rock veteran Runar Jul which becomes a summer hit. While recording it becomes clear Kristin is not good enough. Panic sets in but Heida comes to save the day.
First album - ae - is finished with Heida singing. Ae comes out in the beginning of Dec. and Unun plays some promotion gigs with Dr Gunni on bass, Thor on guitar, Heida on voc and guitar, Obo on drums and Johann Johannsson on keyboards. Johann co-produced "ae" and is later to become part of Lhooq.

1995

"Ae" is voted best album of 1994 in Iceland. Having a surprise hit Unun plays a lot gaining large audience in Reykjavik and outside. In the spring the band starts to translate the Icelandic lyrics into English. The results come out as "Super shiny dreams" on Bad Taste in USA and Europe. Sales are slim. In the summer Unun record two cover songs with Paul Oscar = big summer hits. In the fall Unun plays in Danmark, France and Switzerland. Now Matthias Hemstock (drums) and Valgeir Sigurdsson (keyboards) have joined the band.

1996

Unun supports Bjork on 3 dates in England. Interest is high for Unun in foreign courters. Lots of nice record company people take Unun out for dinner and Unun plays for good people in Iceland and abroad. Still no recording deal but Unun signs publishing deal with Polygram. Unun plays Eurospotting festival in Danmark.

Gigs 1996

20.01 @ G-Mex, Manchester, U.K.
Plus Bjork and The Brodski Quartet. We were supposed to play the night before in Sheffield, but our back line didn't arrive in
time. My left leg is in a cast because I broke it on New Year's Eve in a freak accident involving a tiny drag queen and too much rum. I have to sit on the stage, which is not very "rock 'n' roll" - fuck that. The rider is cool. Someone finds a wheelchair and drives me on stage. We play a "best of" and the crowd thinks it's ok.

22.01 @ A Mall, Bournemouth, U.K.
Plus Bjork and The Brodski Quartet. Smaller and better. We are tighter and the crowd likes us more.

24.01 @ Dublin Castle, Camden, London, U.K.
Plus two local bands whose names I have forgotten. This is a gig for some A&R people who flock to see us. Tiny club, good sound, good gig.

25.01 @ Wembley Arena, London, U.K.
Plus Bjork and Goldie. It's ok.

29.02 @ Thjodleikhuskjallarinn, Reykjavik.
Plus Botnledja. I'm rid of the cast but I have a cane. British A&R hounds come over to see us. Then we all get drunk and stupid.

27.03 @ New Powerhaus, London, U.K.
Plus some local bands. I can walk! All the record company people in town attend, I'm told. We are swell. And then we get drunk.

29.03 @ Tonabaer, Reykjavik.
We are the guest band at the "Music experiments", the local "battle of the bands" thing in Iceland. We do two sets. This is the final night.

17.06 @ Laekjartorg, Reykjavik.
Another Independant's day ball. The same thousands of drunk teenagers. Pall Oskar appears out of nowhere and does "Astin dugir" with us. A big flock of British A&R people are there to see us. Matthias Hemstock's last gig with Unun.

26.07 @ Rosenberg, Reykjavik.
Plus Fraebbblarnir and Q4U. We get to support our all time punk heroes. In that case we do a faboulous punk rock gig plus
we do 4 new songs. The last song is "Surprise" by Purrkur Pillnikk which Einar Orn joins us on the stage for. The is the first gig
for Unun' third drummer, Birgir Baldursson. Me and him have been playing together with S.H.Draumur and Bless so we're tight as shit. The best rhythm section in Iceland no doubt.

I was so lucky to be one of the few people to see this fabulous gig for free, 'cause I was hanging around the Rosenberg concert venue so very early.
In July 2006, I was an exchange student in "Landspitalinn", the University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavik. My apartment that summer was above the apartment in Tryggvagata, that once belonged to Bjork Gudmundsdottir, and with a view on the harbour of R'vik (with the whaling ships "Hvalur").

14.09 @ Hotel Budir, Snaefellsnes
Unplugged Unun at this country hotel under the volcano/glacier Snaefellsjokull. We owed a lot at the bar from our earlier stays
there and had to do something about it. The local band Hundslappadrifa supports. Magga jumps in and plays accordium, but
Valgeir is not with us this time. We practise for 3 days, then play our songs in strange and country-like versions. The crowd of
100 locals and hotel guests like it plenty. So do we. It's freezing outside yet we manage to take a drunk picnic in a cave under the ground. Thor looses his brand new Zippo. Now we offer a price for whoever finds it. Try looking in the Brugg-cave.

14.10 @ Camden Monarch, London, U.K.
We play another empty shithole in Camden for a handful of "music business" people. The stage is small and the stage sound is crap. Naturally we are kinda crap too.

15.10 @ Astoria 2, London, U.K.
With The Wannadies and Davey. We decide to be great and we are. I pity them Swedes in The Wannadies to be after us.

09.11 @ Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark
Unun is part of a 4 day Europian mini-festival, along with 14 other groups. We headline the last gig, The Pansies (from Finland)
and Los Planetas (from Spain) are before us. This gig is recorded for all sorts of Europian radios. We are tight and powerful. I'd say this is our best gig yet.

Unun! Unun! Unun!
1997
Unun plays at the Roskilde festival in Danmark. Deceptive signs Unun and releases two singles. So-so reviews. In native Iceland Dr. Gunni releases children album "Abba babb!" and "The Farting People" becomes a big hit.

Gigs 1997

10.05 @ Laugardalsholl, Reykjavik.
Supporting Skunk Anansie with Botnledja and Sodin Fidla. Tickets for this gig sold out weeks before and the place is packed, mostly with young kids, straight from their comfirmation party. It's our first gig in Iceland for almost a year and we're recieved warmly. Needless to say, we all get drunk after nicking some sandwiches from Skunk's backstage room.

16.05 @ Hotel Island, Reykjavik.
We get a call from the University. They want us to play at their final term ball.Ok, we say, we need the cash but we can only play 1 hour so you'll have to find a 2nd band. They bring in Greifarnir - a band I'd rather have killed myself than play aside 10 years ago - but, Y'know, you get a little more lenient as the years pass. The ball goes fine, oh yeah.

27.06 @ Yellow Tent, Roskilde Festival, Denmark
The first time Unun plays a regular big style rock and roll and rock festival. I stay with friends in a village through the whole festival to catch up on some bands I wanna see. Seeing Bob Hund (an amazing band from Sweden) and Isaac Hayes do The Theme from Shaft were easily the highlights of the time. Playing was rather cool too. It was raining heavily when we started at 14:30 so the tent was just full of people. Two nice fellows from Lithuania throw a stuffed toy cow on me and later come back stage and promise me a tractor when I come to Lithuania. For some reason my bald skull steams through the whole concert, like it's on fire or something. Maybe it was because my girlfriend was in the audience, seeing me play live for the first time.

28.07 @ Barfly, The Falcon, London
A little gig in London to celebrate our first single which is actually coming out a month later. The place is a hole in Camden and it's hotter in there than Georgia asphalt. The room is damp with body fluids of us and the cream of the crop of English music business who's who (I'm told). We shake hands with some people afterwards, including the damp palm of a very famous and a very drunk pop star. "Who was that drunk", Bix asks us afterwards at the bar at the very posh Clifton Ford Hotel. The bartender there, Salah, is our friend and asks us what we do. "Uh, we play in a pop group", we say. "Really!", he exclaims, "I thought you were a bunch of hairdressers because you look so happy!" Then the night goes on with discussions about antiques and bag pipes. Oh joy!

05.09 @ Laugardalsholl, Reykjavik
Supporing Skunk Anansie again with P.P.Ponk. It's a fine gig. We play "Driven" for the first time live, and "Kung Fu Blue" and "You do not exist" with a sequenced beat.

01.10 @ Gaukur á stöng, Reykjavik
"Gaukurinn" as this place is usually called is Iceland's oldest pub. They have live music almost every night but for some reason Unun have never played there before. P.P.Ponk supports us both the nights.

02.10 @ Gaukur á stöng, Reykjavik
Gaukurinn again. We play fast and furiously cos we dig it so much.

30.10 @ Camden Monarch, London
Unun have embarked on the "I SEE RED" tour around Britain. This is the first gig. Heave and Antacid are bands that play with us tonight. Thor and Valgeir have the best kebab of their lives on the way back to the hotel (Hotel Columbia - where every pathetic rock musician of this miserable planet has stayed and whored.)

31.10 @ Hare and Hound, Birmingham
Arni, the sixth Unun-er, drives the van. We sit tight and throb in air tight space. England is totally ugly. There is no landscape, just blurred fog. Then we come to Birmingham, one of the countries ugliest towns. The poster reads FEATURING THOR ELDON EX-SUGARCUBES in bolder letters than unun. The place is next door to a bingo hall and the scattered crowd looks like they should rather be playing bingo. Two fat slags hassle us after the gig, demand a refund and sing Bonnie Tyler songs.

01.11 @ King's Tut, Glasgow
THE place in Glasgow, I'm told. Nice place f'sure. Scotland looks much better than England. Glasgow is a fine town. The junk food is served in heaped porportions and even I get digestion problems. The sausage is pale and the gig goes well.

03.11 @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Wales looks even better than Scotland. It must be the home of Postman Pat cos the landscape is all hilly and nice. This is probably the best gig of the whole tour. Nice non-stuck up crowd.

04.11 @ The Army and Navy, Chelmsford
A lunatic must have designed this shitty little town cos we spend eternity in the van trying to find the bar. Finally we do. It's a small place. A band called Sugarglider plays before us. Heida likes the teenage drummer, but she even likes the Jelly-Belly automat more.

06.11 @ Night and Day, Manchester
At a sudden glance Manchester looks the most miserable of all the cities we see, probably because we see a man puking in the gutter outside our hotel. The crowd to the gig all seems to be on something and afterwards the owner gives us V.I.P cards and asks us to some party. We sneak out before any damage is done.

07.11@ Bass Clef, Northamton
Ah Northamton, the jewel of England... What a crappy place! The Bass Clef is somekinda warehouse disco and the clientele looks like it's 1982 and Alien Sex Fiend is back on top (oh I see, it's 1997 and it's Marylin Manson!). Anyway, dangerous looking crowd that stares at us like ghouls on liver. Before we go on I have a incident with a stereotypical Hell's Angel dude who wants to give me tension, but then laughs and says he's from Sweden and skol! The club manager offers Arni dope and prostitutes before he coughs up the fee.

08.11 @ Union Bar, Maidstone
The worst gig ever. We share people's attention with pin ball machines. Afterwards the bartender at the country hotel stays up late serving us his speciality, the "Blue Fuck" cocktail. He divorces his wife the next week.

10.11 @ Barfly, The Falcon, London
Back to the hottest club hole in London. We sweat like muthafucks. The place is packed. Satellite Beach are on the bill too. A fine end to a fine tour, I reckon.

26.11 @ Gaukur á stöng, Reykjavik
A fuckin' brilliant gig cos it's just pure fun to play those songs tonight. Vinyll, one of Iceland's best new bands support us.

27.11 @ Gaukur á stöng, Reykjavik
This might just be the most accidentally fucked up Unun gig ever, cos I break two E-strings in my basses and Thor breaks one string in his guitar. The gig is therefore interupted by rather awkward gaps of silence which would have been ok if the whole gig would not have been broadcasted live on Bylgjan, one of Iceland's radio stations. Who cares? No one!

1998

Deceptive drops Unun. Unun is like a very tired horse waiting to be slaughtered but still manages to put out "Bones", a 4 track leftover ep. Finally Dr. Gunni and Heida say; "Enough of this, let's have some action", and go into the studio to make "Otta", the 2nd album. All other members quit but three new members join; Birna on keyboards, Viddi on bass and Doddi on drums. The new Unun plays in Iceland.

Heida sings and plays guitar. She used to be a troubador. She studies philosophy and will be delivering mail this summer.
Dr. Gunni plays guitar and screams occasionally. He has been playing music since 1979. Ex-bands include S.H.Draumur and Bless + 3 solo 7"s (pigfucking punk) and one album (best selling children's album). He "works" as a journalist.
Birna plays the keyboard. That's the only thing she wants you to know about her.
Viddi plays bass. He has been in Kvartett O Jonsson og Grjoni and Quarashi. He has worked as a sound- and cameraman for TV and films. Him and Doddi have a studio called Skrifsstofan and a project they call Traktor.
Doddi was also in Kvartett O Jonsson og Grjoni and is in Traktor. He plays drums in Unun. He's in another band called Canada where he plays the bass. Former bands include Muzzolini and Vapp. He drives beds in the local hospital for a living.

Gigs 1998

04.06 @ Hedins-skemman, Reykjavik.
At the Popp i Reykjavik festival along with almost every worthful band in Iceland. There's so many bands that we only do 5 songs, the stuff from the Bones EP plus a brand new hit; "I'm Your Radio", or "Vid Vid Vidtaekid" as it's currently known in Icelandic.

02.07 @ Midt fyn Festival, Danmark
At this festival in Fyn we play @ 3:30 for several hundred curious listeners. The festival is full of young farmer types, most of them pretty louded. Our set is: I'm A Radio, Heim á Hellissand, (new song) Coma, Bones, Vé la Gonzesse!, Driven, I see red Kung Fu Blue, You Do not exist and Astin dugir. Nick Cave is played later on so some of us stick around. After this gig we go back to Iceland and start seriously to make Unun's second album..

06.11 @ 22, Reykjavik
The "difficult" second album "OTTA" is out so we celebrate at the small club 22 where the sweat hangs in the air. The new line-up is Viddi-bass, Doddi-drums, Birna-keys, Heida-vox/guitar, Dr. Gunni-guitar/vox. No old songs are played so the setlist is as thus: Ordin Tom, Rokkur, Heimsendir, Daudi a minibar, Vid vid vidtaekin, Mexico, Geimryk, Gaerastar, Sumarstulkublus. For encore we do three oldies: I can't let go (Evie Sands), Leader of the pack (The Shangri-Las) and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (Abba). Afterwards we get comments like "Wow, it's a real band now" and "I've never seen Unun so good before", and sure, it's a fucking great gig.

19.11 @ Kaffileikhusid, Reykjavik
Another brilliant gig! Fraebbblarnir start the show and kick ass. Runar Juliusson follows with his first accoustic guitar concert ever. He's a mighty rock legend that has survived the 60's, the 70's, the 80's and grows old like fine wine. Unun ends the gig, makes too much mistakes, but sweats a plenty. For encore we get Valli from Fraebbblarnir to sing "Nekrofill i Paradis", and then Runar comes on stage again and sings "Hann mun aldrei gleym'enni", a standard hit we did with him way back, and "Lifsgledi", a song that his old band Hljomar made famous. After all this the crowd naturally wants more so we totally rip Abba's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" apart and mend it together with buckfulls of noise. I find the God of Noise and my hand shivers like a tree in a storm afterwards. Woweee!

22.11 @ Kringlan, Reykjavik
Unun plays few songs in front of Hagkaup in the fuckin' mall. I break a string.

04.12 @ Ras 2
Live at the Ras 2 radio on Mister Oli Palli's show. We rip thru five trax ending with a earwax-melting version of the fucking Abba song. Later in the day we play "Geimryk" for Kolkrabbinn on TV.

05.12 @ Tjarnarbio, Reykjavik
This concert we call "Rock against hang over" and expect people to show up at 2 O'clock. We offer Magnyl (an asperin kinda pill) and hot xmas tea, but almost nobody shows up even though writers Hallgrimur Helgason and Mikael Torfason and Sukkat, Ensimi and Botnledja (aka Silt) are also on the bill. Note for future: Never play at 2 O'clock on a Saturday.

11.12 @ Hitt husid, Reykjavik
Free concert at this youth club at 5 O'clock. Heida the guitar-molester breaks two stings in her guitar.

18.12 @ Japis, Reykjavik
Me, Heida and Doddi play 3 songs unplugged at a record shop. Everything for promotion, yes!

19.12 @ Loftkastalinn, Reykjavik
"Give me rock for my stockings" - xmas harvest rock gig. On the bill with Unun are Botnledja, Magga Stina, Bellatrix, Surefni, 200.000 naglbitar and writers Hallgrimur Helgason and Mikael Torfason. From 21.00 to 01.30 - Big rock deal but not that many people care or show up. I would call it a bummer if I wasn't so optimistic.

Gigs 1999

03.02 @ Thorscafe, Reykjavik.
We are back in the prostitute business ("We're all prostitutes", yes?) and decide to play a couple of balls to make some monee. So we spend some weeks practising songs like Disco 2000 (Pulp), Girls and boys (Blur), Here Comes Your Man & Gigantic (Pixies), Partybaer (HAM), You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC) and five songs from Abba babb! Here we play this plus our own stuff. The place (normally a stripjoint) is packed with drunk collage kids from FG and MA. For 95% of the crowd it doesn't matter what's going on on the stage as long as it sounds like thump-thump-thump.

12.02 @ Sjallinn, Isafjordur.
We take our ball-program to Isafjordur to play for the collage kids there. Here we are met with totally different attitute cos the kids at Isafjordur know HOW TO ROCK. Probably the best gig in the ball-history of Unun. Afterwards we go and party till dawn. Special thanks to Thorkell for driving us around and his poem.

19.02 @ Gaukurinn, Reykjavik.
Plus Orkuml. The weather is mega shitty so not that many folks show up for the ball.

11.03 @ Tonabaer, Reykjavik.
Once again we play as guests at the Battle of the bands at this youth center. This is the first of four semi-final nights, and the winner of the night, Minus (hard core extremists) end up being the winners of this years competition.

17.03 @ So What, Oslo, Norway.
Our 8 date tour starts with a great gig at this fine club in ugly Oslo. Our promoter Heidi and her friend come to pick us up at the airport in a rented van. Goin out of the parking lot they scrape the side of the car. The cost is 5000 NOK, a little less than the incoming money for the gig (a support gig for RadiOrakel - Oslo's cool female operated alternative radio). Anyway, we play along with The Loch Ness Mouse (nice Monkees/Teenage Fanclub/Beach Boys hybrid) and Sister Rain (Some kinda legends in the Norway scene). We get a great reaction from the people. It's a packed house. It's fun. And we're very happy!

19.03 @ Pulkvedim Neviens Neraksta, Riga, Latvia.
We have never been in Latvia before. We take the ferry to Tallinn, then drive to Parnu in a bus and then drive to Riga in a cool Renault. It's a nice ride and the country is exotic to us. We like how cheap everything is. We go ga-ga in the kiosks. We meet Richardo, our promoter under the statue of liberty (or the "green woman" as he calls it) in Riga. Then we walk around town, the Paris of the Baltics (as the tourist brochure says). The gig takes place at the hippest place in town. It has a tiny stage. We go to a gigantic water tower where there is a recording studio. Our support act, Sirke, is recording stuff there. We have a press conference (Unun's second ever!) in a record shop. It's all a bit weird, we're not used to the attention, y'know. We're also recorded for the TV at the club. Anyway, after Sirke plays (very good instrumental stuff, post-rock, Can etc) we do and rock fat.



20.03 @ Waldhof Music Factory, Parnu, Estonia.
The day after we drive from Riga to Parnu taking Sirke along. Parnu is not a big town but famous for it's good beaches (we're told). Timo runs the club, a big youth center-kinda place and an old communist factory, hence the name. A local band, Blind, is the 3rd band on the bill, a very big name in Estonia. They start and the crowd goes wild. The crowd goes less wild for Sirke and Unun, but that's ok as we have a box of Rock beer. (After Soviet fucked off one of the first things Estonians did was to start making Rock beer.) Unun plays thru Chechoslavian amps, brand Tesla, who sound like tractors. Also the light show reminds of a lighthouse. Good time, but our least great gig on this tour.

24.03 @ Tavastia, Helsinki, Finland.
THE place in Helsinki, where everybody eventually plays. The days before we've done Jyrke, a TV special, and some more interviews. We play with Honey B & The T-Bones and PLUM. The famous writers Einar Orn Gudmundsson and Einar Karason are in town (as part of the same "Icelandic week" as we) and the show starts with them screaming in front of the stage. Then lots of people show up and the atmo is electrifying.

25.03 @ Tahti, Kuopio, Finland.
We're on the road with Plum. We have a monster of a bus driven by Kari Vainekainen, a fine fine man who's also the soundmanager and the roadmanager. He does a good job in all departments. The gig takes place in a packed pub where the groove is a-happenin. My old boss, Heikonen from Bad Vugum, shows up.

26.03 @ Karen, Turku, Finland.
Kari, Plum and Unun drive for 7 hours. Then Turku. The venue is a student place. We rock. Full house. Some pervert is lying on the stage the whole time, touching his groin and trying to see under Heida's dress. Eventually she gets tired of this and during the encore she kicks his head in. Poor pervert is dragged out unconscious. Why do wimmen perverts never do this to me?

27.03 @ After Eight, Pietarsaari, Finland.
A no-bar youth-club. The attentants do not usually stand up or clap but they do tonight as Heida threatens them. Pietarsaari is the home of Plum so we go to a party at their rehearsal kingdom afterwards. Pipra vodka from Estonia etc. till dawn.

29.03 @ Jump Inn, Helsinki, Finland.
Our last gig this trip. Monday in Helsinki. We show "Rokk i Reykjavik" and some short films. The club is packed. I'm drunk and have to sit down. Heida is drunk but can stand. We flog the material. Then we all get even more drunk. End of tour.

09.06 @ Bors Night Club, Turku, Finland.
Unun goes again to Finland and this is our first gig on a 4-gig tour. The gig is a part of the "Down by the Lituary" festival and with us play two finnish acts, Ville Pusa and Crash. The club is very fancy, even too fancy, but it's kinda packed too. We play inside a little fence and it's dark, so we don't see much people. But they see us and like what we do. Turku is hoppin with action because of this festival and I witness some party guy shit his pants in the street in broad daylight. Fortunately he does the deed outside a 2nd hand shop so he is wearing new trousers when I meet him a bit later in the pub. A bit later I see his shitty pants in the gutter. One new song on the program: "Esja", which becomes everybody's favorite. Do we have a hit here, eh?

11.06 @ Tulli-Club, Tampere, Finland.
There's a heatwave so many people don't like to be indoors. But they who come enjoy us, Sirke from Latvia and Pansies from Finland.

13.06 @ Bar Mary, Porvoo, Finland.
Small and very very nice club in Finland's oldest village. The P.A. is kinda lousy so Heida kinda looses her cool and freaks out. Kinda fine gig still the same. Sirke plays too.

17.06 @ Gloria, Helsinki, Finland.
Fourth and last gig this round. Nice place. Sirke and Pansies play too. It's a fuckin' good gig and it ends with Viddi loosing control over his limbs and he attacks Heida and then me. In a feedback frenzy we all end up lyin' on the floor laughing and screaming. Nice!

1999

2nd July 1999
Bad news kids. Viddi, Doddi and Birna have quit Unun. Heida and Dr. Gunni are left but who knows what happens. Not me!

16th July 1999
Unun is no more.
Expect the comeback 2010-ish. In 2000 Both Heida and Dr. Gunni plan to release solo albums.

http://www.this.is/drgunni

CDs by Heida

The First CD made by Heida was "Svarid" (The Question). This CD was made in the summer of 2000, came out on the Japis Label. Producer was Bibbi Thoroddsen aka Curver. Mixed by Valgeir Sigurdsson - Mastering by Jon Skuggi.

Pictures were taken by one of Icelands most famous photographers Pall Stefansson (for the magazine Iceland Review).

10 songs on this album are:



  1. Hogsjor

  2. Ekkert sé

  3. 104. mars

  4. Silvur

  5. Hvenaer?

  6. Loftborg

  7. L'athéiste

  8. Aesingur

  9. Sé thig alla leid

  10. Svarid

In 2003 Heida & Heidingjarnir released the album "Tiu Fingur Upp Til Guds" (10 Fingers Towards God) on the Geimsteinn Label.



The album consists of 11 songs:



  1. Tango

  2. Can I get your number

  3. Anything is true

  4. Aldrei

  5. Froststilla

  6. Vaengir (engillinn minn)

  7. Sakleysi

  8. Vetur

  9. Ekki kaupa

  10. All tomorrow's parties

  11. Tango - ur sjonvarpssal

The Heidingjarnir are:

  • Birgir Baldursson (drums)

  • Sverrir Asmundsson (bass)

  • Elvar Geir Saevarsson (guitar)

Indeed, number 10 is a cover of the Velvet Underground !


Number 11 was performed at RUV Studio 12 - Recording by Jon Skuggi, Gudmundur Kristinn Jonsson & Hjortur Svavarsson.

The photograph above was taken by Heida.


This picture of Heida & Heidingjarnir was taken by Eva Ros Olafsdottir.



This CD was made in 2002 but came out in 2003 "Sun°Fruit°Grape°Shine", an album that was inspired by Charles Bukowski.



13 songs:




  1. Desperatly trying 1. skipti

  2. Ding Dong

  3. Please

  4. Last call

  5. Walking with the dead

  6. Framvinda

  7. Orgel

  8. What can you do?

  9. Going away

  10. I know you

  11. In the center of the action

  12. Legrorgel

  13. Desperatly trying