Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.09.2016, Blaðsíða 54

Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.09.2016, Blaðsíða 54
INTERVIEW An Instant Classic The Icelandic Museum of Rock 'N' Roll Words HANNAH JANE COHEN Photos ART BICNICK Tommi Young is the Keflavík na- tive and Icelandic music scene vet- eran who runs the Icelandic Mu- seum of Rock ’n’ Roll. From Björk to Quarashi, the museum tracks Icelandic rock ’n’ roll from 1930 to 2014. It’s designed as a timeline, so visitors walk through the dis- play and read about each period of Icelandic music. I’m lucky, though, because Tommi gives me a person- al tour around the museum him- self, regaling me with tales of each artist. I’m instantly captivated. Páll Oskar’s drag race To anyone who knows anything about Icelandic music, the muse- um is fantastic. There’s everything from a collection of Páll Óskar’s outfits to Rúnar Júlíusson’s jacket and hat. “Rúnar was the man,” Tommi tells me. “He was in the most popular bands in Iceland. His wife was Miss Iceland, and he was also playing for the national football team.” Rúnar’s band, Hljó- mar, also boasts the most valuable item of the museum. It’s an old LP. “For some reason that’s become a big item among collectors,” says Tommi. “It sold on eBay for $3000.” This man just becomes more and more impressive. The Páll Óskar exhibit is not to be counted out, though. On a guitar-pick-shaped balcony lie a number of Páll artifacts, complete with detailed explanations of each period of his life, from his drag days to his reign as the king of Ice- landic pop. The cherry on top is a set of videos made by Páll specifi- cally for the museum. In them, he explains his life, his inspiration, and his music. Unfortunately, the videos are only in Icelandic, but Tommi tells me they’re working on adding Eng- lish subtitles. The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 14 — 2016 54 Stick ‘em up Tommi’s knowledge of Icelandic music is deep and broad. He con- tinually references artists and al- bums with the ease of someone discussing the weather. He seems to know everyone and everything, so naturally I ask for some rec- ommendations. He names Júníus Meyvant and Aron Can as current personal favourites. “Aron is ac- tually playing here tonight,” he smiles. “It’s a school dance.” As we arrive in the 80s, Tommi motions to a glass case on the wall. “This is one of my favorite covers,” he tells me, pointing to an LP. It’s Leoncie’s ‘My Icelandic Man’. The cover presents the icy spicy singer in a provocative Egyptian outfit, posing in front of an Icelandic bodybuilder. “The only thing I can think of,” he says with a laugh, “is that they don’t make them like this anymore.’” They certainly don’t. But what is it that inspires a country of 320,000 to nurture a rock scene rich enough to neces- sitate a museum? Tommi shrugs, replying: “The short days in the winter, the size of the market— musicians here aren’t trying to break some sort of barrier and en- ter the mainstream. They’re doing what they want to do.” That’s why, he explains, Iceland seems to have a disproportionately large number of creative, subver- sive artists. He pauses, laughing: “Or maybe the elves are making music while we’re sleeping so then you wake up, you think ‘Oh, I have such a good idea!’” And hey, maybe he’s right. SHARE & MORE PICTURES: gpv.is/rock14 REYKJAVÍK CLASSIC WHALE WATCHING REYKJAVÍK EXPRESS WHALES & PUFFINS NORTHERN LIGHTS CRUISE VIÐEY ISLAND Call us on +354 519 5000 or visit www.elding.is Duration: 1,5 - 2,5 hours Departures: 1. September - 15. April Schedule on elding.is Departures: Daily Duration: 1-1,5 hours Departures: 1. April - 16. October Duration: 2,5-3,5 hours Departures: All year round from Reykjavik Price 1.200 ISK Price 9.900 ISK Price 22.990 ISK Price 9.900 ISK Come and meet us at Reykjavík Old Harbour +354 519 5000 www.elding.is
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