GusGus

GusGus
Background information
Origin	Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres	Electronic music
Years active	1995–present
Labels	4AD, Kompakt
Website	gusgus.com
Members	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Högni Egilsson Birgir Þórarinsson

GusGus: Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson and Birgir Þórarinsson performing in Aarhus, Denmark 2016
Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson

GusGus is an electronic band from Reykjavík, Iceland.^[1] They were founded in 1995. The group's discography consists of nine studio albums.

History

Initially formed as a film and acting collective, the group became mostly known for its electronic music. GusGus has had a varied lineup, including the following:

• Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
• Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir
• Magnús Jónsson (a.k.a. Blake)
• Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir
• Urður Hákonardóttir (a.k.a. Earth)
• Högni Egilsson
• Birgir Þórarinsson (a.k.a. Biggi Veira or Biggo)
• Magnús Guðmundsson (a.k.a. Maggi Lego, Herb Legowitz, Hunk of a Man, Buckmaster De La Cruz, The Fox, Fuckmaster, or Herr Legowitz)
• Stephan Stephensen (a.k.a. President Bongo, Alfred More, or President Penis)
• Sigurður Kjartansson (a.k.a. Siggi Kinski)
• Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson
• Baldur Stefánsson
• Ragnheiður Axel
• Páll Garðarsson

Its 2015 incarnation consists of four members (President Bongo, Biggi Veira, Urður Hákonardóttir and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson). After the group's third album, This Is Normal (1999), the filmmaking arm of Gusgus (Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson) split off to form the production company Celebrator, now known as Arni & Kinski,^[2] which has produced advertisements and videos. A few former members such as Hafdís Huld, Blake, and Daníel Ágúst have gone solo, most notably though Emilíana Torrini, who provided a song for the soundtrack of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Gusgus' music is eclectic, and although primarily classified as techno, trip hop, and house music, the band has experimented with numerous other styles. It has also remixed several famous artists, including Björk, Depeche Mode, Moloko, and Sigur Rós. In January 2004, GusGus released the song "Desire" with Ian Brown. A remix of the track "Purple" appeared on Paul Oakenfold's trance compilation Tranceport.

The band's name refers to the 1974 German film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, where a female character is cooking couscous for her lover, pronouncing it Gusgus. The band regards it as a sex reference.^[3]

Band members

1995	Daniel Ágúst Haraldsson Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir Magnús Jónsson Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Magnús Guðmundsson Sigurður Kjartansson Ragnheiður Axel Páll Garðarsson
1996–2000	Daniel Ágúst Haraldsson Magnús Jónsson Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Magnús Guðmundsson Sigurður Kjartansson Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson Stephan Stephensen Baldur Stefánsson
2001–2007	Urður Hákonardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen Magnús Guðmundsson
2008–2010	Daniel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen
2011–2013	Daniel Ágúst Haraldsson Högni Egilsson Urður Hákonardóttir Birgir Þórarinsson Stephan Stephensen
2014-onwards	Daniel Ágúst Haraldsson Högni Egilsson Birgir Þórarinsson

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

• Gus Gus (1995)
• Polydistortion (1997) — UK No. 130
• This Is Normal (1999) — UK No. 94
• Gus Gus vs. T-World (2000)
• Attention (2002)
• Forever (2007)
• 24/7 (2009)
• Arabian Horse (2011)
• Mexico (2014)

Live albums

• Mixed Live at Sirkus, Reykjavik (2003)

Compilations

• 15 ára (2010)

Singles

• "Polyesterday" (1996) — UK No. 55 (as Purple EP: Polyesterday)
• "Believe" (1997) — UK No. 154
• "Standard Stuff for Drama" (1997)
• "Ladyshave" (1999) — UK No. 64
• "V.I.P." (1999) — UK No. 86
• "Starlovers" (1999) — UK No. 62
• "Dance You Down" (2002) — UK No. 141
• "Desire" (2002) — UK No. 95
• "David" (2003) — UK No. 52
• "Call of the Wild" (2003) — UK No. 75
• "Lust / Porn" (2005)
• "Need in Me" (2005) — BG No. 24
• "Forever Sampler" (2006)
• "Moss" (2007)
• "Hold You" (2007)
• "Add This Song" (2009)
• "Thin Ice" (2009)
• "Within You" (2011)
• "Over" (2011)
• "Deep Inside" (2011)
• "Crossfade" (2014)
• "Obnoxiously Sexual" (2014)
• "Mexico" (2014)
• "Airwaves" (2014)

See also

• List of bands from Iceland

References

1. Gusgus
2. Arni & Kinski | Biography
3. Gusgus Interview with Nina Asseng, Berlin 2007 (comment by Daníel Ágúst, starting at 5:30)

External links

• Official website
• Gus Gus Artist Station on Slacker.com