Today's iceblah interviews are with two great international acts who will be playing at Iceland Airwaves next week. Matias Tellez, a very exciting young band from Norway fronted by erm, Matias Tellez – hotly tipped by the UK press and well worth a look and a listen. After that, Half Tiger, a band based in Cricklewood, London but as you will learn with roots all over Northern Europe…
Hello Matias Tellez, where are you and what are you doing?
Now I'm in Bergen at a bar called Vamoose, basicaly this is the place where the whole Bergen music scene hangs out. I'm surfing on the internet, listening to bands on myspace.
Who's in the band?
Well, we've got Rune Solberg on bass, Einar Ollson on drums, Njål Paulsberg on synth and svisjjglingglong sounds and me, Matias Tellez on vocal and guitar.
Blog readers have a short attention span, can you describe your music in 3 words?
tropical,disco,one stop supershop.
Probably, 5 other bands will play Airwaves at the same time as you, so why should people come and see your show?
I started training on writing music when I was 6 years old. I released my first 7" when I was 12 years old. That’s why I'm probably the best out of those five. Cause normally people start writing song when they are about my age. I'm 19 years old.
What other bands will you try to see at the festival?
I don't know who’s playing.
Any other plans for your visit to Iceland?
I want to take a swim in the hot spa vulcanic mineral water things. Get to know other nice people.
Matias Tellez plays on Friday at Organ just after midnight. He also asked, very nicely that I point you in the direction of http://www.myspace.com/soundsgold
and kakkmaddafakka, Hypertext, Catastrophes, Fjorden Baby and Vinnie
Treach. Basically the whole Bergen music scene.
Hello Half Tiger, where are you and what are you doing?
In the studio, making magic.
Who's in the band, and where are you all from?
It's a mess! Monica's Norwegian, I'm English, and Gisli & Siggi are Icelandic. Really we just think of ourselves as a London band, because that's where we all live and work. And make magic.
Blog readers have a short attention span, can you describe your music in 3 words?
Diamonds are forever.
Probably, 5 other bands will play Airwaves at the same time as you, so why should people come and see your show?
Well, you just have to go to our myspace site http://www.myspace.com/halftiger and check out the music, then multiply that by 100,000 for the live show.
What other bands will you try to see at the festival?
I saw Dirty Projectors playing in London recently and they blew my tiny mind, so I'll definitely be checking them out, and I would encourage everyone to join me. Check out their song Rise Above on myspace, it's amazing.
How do you compare Cricklewood and Reykjavik?
Well I haven't been to Reykjavik yet, although Siggi and Gisli tell me lots of stories, most of which I think are lies. Are there really sea dragons that eat you if you won't drink the vodka? Are there really geysers instead of hot taps in the bathroom? I'm just excited to get over to Reykjavik and find out the answers to these questions.
Half Tiger play at Organ on Friday night at 23:15.