Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.09.2009, Blaðsíða 2

2
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 15 — 2009
Cover Photo:
Baldur Kristjáns
www.baldurkristjans.is
On Cover:
Milos Forman
Stylist: Ellen Loftsdóttir
Makeup: Hafdís Hinriksdóttir
Thanks: Kormákur & Skjöldur, Hjörtur
Hjartarson og Björg Magnúsdóttir
Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies.
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
grapevine@grapevine.is
Published by Fröken ehf.
Editorial:
+354 540 3600 / editor@grapevine.is
Advertising:
+354 540 3605 / ads@grapevine.is
Publisher:
+354 540 3601 / publisher@grapevine.is
Publisher:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson
hilmar@grapevine.is
Editor:
Haukur S Magnússon
haukur@grapevine.is
Journalist:
Catharine Fulton / catharine@grapevine.is
Contributing Writers:
Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl
Dr. Gunni
Bergur Ebbi Benediktsson
Bob Cluness
Matthías Árni Ingimarsson
Flosi Þorgeirsson
Bogi Bjarnason
Valur Gunnarsson
Hugleikur Dagsson
Birkir Fjalar Viðarsson
Haukur Már Helgason
Ian Watson
Editorial Interns:
Rebecca Louder / rlouder@grapevine.is
Louise Petersson / louise@grapevine.is
Michael Vladimar Zelenko /
michael@grapevine.is
Food Editor:
Sari Peltonen
On-line News Editor
Paul Nikolov
paulnikolov@grapevine.is
Art Director:
Hörður Kristbjörnsson
hoddi@grapevine.is
Design:
Jóhannes Kjartansson
layout@grapevine.is
Photographers:
Hörður Sveinsson / hordursveinsson.com
Julia Staples / juliastaples.com
Sales Director:
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Guðmundur Rúnar Svansson
grs@grapevine.is
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distribution@grapevine.is
Proofreader:
Jim Rice
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editor@grapevine.is
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General inquiries: grapevine@grapevine.is
Founders:
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson,
Hörður Kristbjörnsson,
Jón Trausti Sigurðarson,
Oddur Óskar Kjartansson,
Valur Gunnarsson
The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18
times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from
November through April, and fortnightly
from May til October. Nothing in this
magazine may be reproduced in whole or
in part without the written permission of
the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine
is distributed around Reykjavík, Akureyri,
Egilsstaðir, Selfoss, Kef lavík, Ísafjörður and
at key locations along road #1, and all major
tourist attractions and tourist information
centres in the country.
You may not like it, but at least it's not
sponsored. (No articles in the Rey-
kjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles.
The opinions expressed are the writers’
own, not the advertisers’).
Greetings, nation,
It is with great pleasure that I address
you all today (all y’all tourists, travellers
and others our fine system does not
recognise as being Icelandic, I greet y’all
too).
Finally, the good guys have regained
their strengths and are slowly taking
the reigns again, nearly a year after
this once great nation was all but
destroyed by irresponsible banksters,
irresponsible EEA regulation makers,
irresponsible consumers (I’m looking
your way, f latscreen television owners),
irresponsible future governments and
irresponsible people that disagree with
my politics and/or personal preferences.
Yes, I, Davíð Oddsson, am now
steering this vessel of information, and
as you may remember, I was the only
single person on Earth that warned
against the then-imminent ECONOMIC
COLLAPSE (you wish you’d listened
to me as I cried my warnings from the
obscure, easily ignorable post of Central
Bank manager now, don’t you?).
This was, of course, beautifully
demonstrated by my most devoted of
disciples, political science Professor
Hannes Hólmsteinn Gissurarson,
in a recent issue of this up-until-now
flawed publication). And it’s true.
We did all the right things; we de-
regulated, we privatised, we sold off
banks to responsible parties (-slash-party
affiliates), we created conditions for
ultimate wealth and prosperity. Indeed,
Iceland was on the fast track to Utopia,
right up until I foolishly left others to
steer the country back in 2004.
That was a mistake I do not plan on
repeating.
So, as I’ve told you, we’re taking
back the reigns of Icelandic society, all
pumped up and ready to steer it back to
glory after a dark year of doubt and fear.
It’s like in that Leonard Cohen song,
“First we take Manhattan, then we take
Berlin,” except we’re actually trading
‘Manhattan’ out for ‘The Media’ and
‘Berlin’ for ‘Iceland’. But you get my drift.
We are able to do this with the help
of some good friends that have somehow
managed to retain some of their hard-
earned BILLIONS OF KRÓNUR through
the current government’s reign of terror
and taxation. They most graciously
offered to buy out certain branches of the
local media for our disposal, so that we
could convey the good people of Iceland
the message that THEY’VE GOT IT
ALL WRONG and the people that are
pretending to be cleaning up after us
are actually imposing harsh taxes, mass
unemployment and ludicrous interest
rates on the nation for fun. And because
they’re incompetent. And socialists.
Incompetent, fun-loving socialists,
that’s what your current government
amounts to. Are you happy, nation?
They’re not even trying, those guys.
They just sit around all day, laughing it
up, playing the blame-game. I for one,
unlike those incompetents who really are
to blame for everything, refuse to play
the blame-game, fun game that it is,
When you think about it, how could
I even be responsible for anything?
It’s just not rational. According to
recent scientific studies by the political
science department of the University of
Iceland, existence itself actually began
in February of 2009 (some scientists
actually claim it started in September of
2004), rendering anything that happened
prior to those two respective dates
absolutely irrelevant, as it didn’t happen.
How could our current problems stem
from an imaginary time before time
that didn’t even exist? (apologies to Tom
Tomorrow).
Anyway. I’m back. Or here for
the first time. Or whatever. What’s
important is that I now run this show, and
we’re going to see some changes around
here, starting next issue.
“What will those changes entail?” you
ask?
Well. I’m not sure. I’ve never edited a
magazine before, and I just took over this
one in time to write the editorial. So your
guess is as good as mine, although I will
promise you that I intend to devote a lot
of space to my agenda of regaining power
and, eventually, rebuilding this once fine
nation. I’m also thinking of putting in
more comix and human-interest stories,
and expanding the poetry section.
I also dream of publishing more
original fiction, although I hear that
could cause a stir with the advertisers.
Editorial | Haukur S Magnússon
Davíð Oddsson’s 1st Editorial!
“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”
We stumbled upon Czechoslovakian legend Milos Forman at Kaffi Hressó the other day. The good man was sitting
at a table, smoking a cigar and drinking some Maltöl. He was more than happy to engage Grapevine in conversation
on subjects as diverse as free speech, communism, chess and Tom Cruise. Read all about it. PG. 14.
www.grapevine.is
+ COMPLETE CITY LISTINGS - INSIDE!
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO LIFE, TRAVEL & ENTERTAINMENT IN ICELANDYOUR FREE COPY
Issue 15 – September 25 - October 8 – 2009
The Power
Of Free
Speech
Legendary Director
Milos Forman
On Truth, Liberty,
Censorship
and Maltöl
+
+
Why Do We Have So Many Sex Crimes?
Iceland's Resources On Sale
Meet Your New Editor!
Drinking With Sheep
Riff Raff
Complete Reykjavík Listings! – Lots of cool events
Opinions! Reviews! Comix!
Tel +354 577 60 50
www.sixt.is
“Something new, something new, I need something new,”
goes the chorus of our track o’ de issue. Well, it does
when you translate it. In any case, those seeking new
things to listen to should do themselves and their novelty-
seeking ways a big ol’ favour by checking out psychobilly-
deathsurf outfit Bárujárn who, as it happens, donated this
issue’s track for your downloading pleasures. It’s called
Skuggasörf (‘Shadowsurf’) and it kicks many sorts of ass.
Bárujárn are yet to release an album, but they have been
playing up a storm in Reykjavík’s shady bars and garages
this year, winning over unsuspecting audiences by way of
their anarchistic, rowdy live shows and infectious melodies.
Skuggasörf is a fine sample of what the band is capable
of, even though it leaves a little to be desired production-
wise. Also, check out their video for the song, currently
being removed from YouTube. It features some of the most
awesome penis-on-haddock action you’ll see this year. Hopefully.
Bárujárn
Skuggasörf

hrukkublikk
Download the free track of the issue
SKuGGASöRF at www.grapevine.is
TRACK OF
THE ISSUE
Download your
free copy at
grapevine.is
MUSIC
&
NIGHT
LIFE gogoyo
ko presents an Ic
eland Airwaves E
dition of:
Grapevine Gra
nd Rock
Jeff Who? + Mo
rðingjarnir + Fel
dberg
+ Mr. Fogg (spe
cial int'l guest)
Grand Rokk // 22
:00 // Friday Octo
ber 9 // 1.000 ISK