Birthday

 

During the last weekend I found a song in the back of my hard drive. Shortly before The Sugarcubes broke up, they released It's It, an album of remixes from their debut album Life's Too Good. The standout performance came from Justin Robertson, who demonstrated just how much potential Birthday has. The standout mix came from Justin Robertson, who showcased Birthday’s potential. He transformed the new wave track into a dub gem.

The Sugarcubes - Birthday (Justin Robertson 12 Mix)

Years later the brothers Reid did also an excellent Rework of Birthday.

And finally some songs with more post-punk power from their early days. Remember when I saw them live in summer 1989 on an open-air festival playing these songs.

The Sugarcubes - Motorcrash

Forgotten Alternative

 

A few days ago I found in the deepest corner of my hard-drive a compilation of songs from the early 80's and I couldn't resist to give them a listen. Some of the artists were just a small chapter of history, others were well known and some are just obscure. But well worth to take a sentimental journey back to those days. 

Theater of Hate was a post-punk band formed by Kirk Brandon and their first album Westworld from 1982 was produced by Clash's Mick Jones. The lead single is typical for this era, were bands searched for new sounds. Based on a phenomenal bass-line and a tribal rhythm Do You Believe In The Westworld is still a song you can listen to with fun.

Theater of Hate - Do You Believe In The Westworld

Split Enz were formed in the 70's by Tim Finn and Phil Judd in New Zealand. The started as a good progressive/art-rock band to switch at the beginning of the next decade into power-pop and new wave. I Got You was their only remarkable song before they disbanded a few years later

Split Enz - I Got You

Stan Ridgway formed Wall Of Voodoo in 1980 after he tried to express himself in electronic sounds. Mexican Radio is probably their best known song and is the trademark of the band. Sharp guitars, steady rhythms and synths combined with surrealistic lyrics was the next big thing back then.

Wall Of Voodoo - Mexican Radio

One of Iceland's finest exports appeared in the late 80's. Influenced by the guitar and drum work of Siouxsie and the Banshees and  Cocteau Twins The Sugarcubes made it great with Birthday, one of their early singles. The difference to others was Björk with her mighty voice that could turn every song into another sphere. That this concept worked live as well I can testify when I saw them live at an open air festival in 1989.

The Sugarcubes - Birthday

Pray For Air

There are bands that are great in their home country but less known across their borders. Mammut from Iceland is one of them. Formed in 2003 as ROK an all-female trio they changed their name a few years later when male musicians joined the band. I don't know anything  about ROK but I listened to some songs by Mammut from their latest album this weekend. The sound is built over the voice of Katrina Kata Mogensen which is similar to Björk. In their sound I hear a bit of early Sugarcubes (in which Morgensen's father played bass) and on this song influences of Talking Heads.

Almost Blue

I watched the last two games on UEFA Euro 2016 last evening and was once more impressed by the Italian team. Now they are the hottest aspirant for winning the tournament. Looking forward to Saturday when Germany meets Italy. I believe in our team and think by myself we have a big chance if we attack them and play straight forward. In the last game I was surprised that Iceland has beaten England. What happened to the Three Lions? A team with extraordinary players lost again a hard fighting team. It was so disappointing to see highly paid professionals having no idea snapping Iceland's defence. Probably it's the fault of Roy Hodgson who had the wrong tactic for the game and it is time to send him in retirement. But it's not me that should judge about him and the team. Sad to miss England so let's cheer for Wales.

Chat Baker - Almost Blue
Björk - Come To Me

50 Years Of Björk

Today the probably most famous Icelander celebrates her fiftieth birthday. A good reason a look at the beginnings of Björk's career to have. Their parents recognized her musical talent at the age of 5 and gave her a singing training and she released her first record at the age of 12. I never heard anything of it but it must be a crude mixture of Icelandic nursery rhymes and cover versions of hits of the 70s. By getting older she turned away from the sweetness of the nursery rhymes to turn into a punk. One of her first bands was called Tappi Tíkarrass what means 'Plug up the arse of the trollop'. This is Björk and her band back in 1982.

Later she formed a band called Kuki and toured through Europe. I read that they made three records but I never heard any song of them yet. Anyway these band was the ground where The Sugarcubes developed. That was the start of her international career. I once saw them live on an open-air concert and I was impressed of Björk's physical presence and an absolutely new voice in the post-punk era.

In 1992 the band disbanded and she left her island and moved to London to record her first solo record. One year later she released Debut and it was the start to a world-wide career. Human Behavior is likely her well known song from this record.

Until now she released almost 10 more solo albums and she collected more and more influences of electronic and dance music.

Happy birthday Björk.