Critic's favourites Mammut are back this year with their second album which is getting just as much praise as the first, which is a lot of praise. Skakkamanage have long been admired for their quality songwriting and they'll be back at Airwaves again for more. Both their interviews are below…
Hello Mammut, where are you and what are you doing?
Well personally I (Arnar) am at St. Josef’s Hospital in Hafnarfjörður getting my veins filled with some crap and looking at Mammút’s myspace. I’m not really sure where the other kids are. Some might be at school, others at the toilet, it’s hard to tell.
Who’s in the band?
Arnar (guitar), Andri (drums), Alexandra (guitar), Kata (vocals) and Vilborg Ása (bass)
Blog readers have a short attention span, can you describe your music in 3 words?
Energetic, fresh and Icelandic.
Probably, 5 other bands will play Airwaves at the same time as you, so why should people come and see your show?
I mean HELLO, we have 3 hot chicks in the band! That’s why! And the music’s cool to.
What other bands will you try to see at the festival?
I’d like to see Familjen, Boys in a band and and many Icelandic bands. I also want to see Yelle and dance the epic dance “Tecktonik”. Hell yeah!
Everyone has an opinion, but how and why does the Icelandic music scene that seems to produce such a large number of good bands?
It’s definitely the water we drink. That and Lýsi. It might also be the fact that every other person is in a band and that must lead to producing of a couple of good bands.
Mammut play at Hresso on Wednesday at 22:15, and on Saturday at Organ at 22:30, their new album, Karkari, is out now.
Hello Skakkamanage, where are you and what are you doing?
At the moment we are in Reykjavik, A bus somewhere in Europe, In Seydisfjordur and in Egilsstadir. And we are doing OK!
Who’s in the band?
Þormóður in Reykjavik, Örn in the bus, Svavar in Seyðisfjöður and Berglind in Egilsstaðir. Perhaps there are more of us but I don't know where they are….
Blog readers have a short attention span, can you describe your music in 3 words?
Sorry I can't
Probably, 5 other bands will play Airwaves at the same time as you, so why should people come and see your show?
We have a lot of new songs and we haven't done a show in a while.
What other bands will you try to see at the festival?
I haven’t decided yet. It depends on what venue has the best bands for each night. I will try to avoid cues.
Everyone has an opinion, but how and why does the Icelandic music scene that seems to produce such a large number of good bands?
We are bunch of spoiled brats that got fancy instruments from our parents.
Skakkamanage play on Friday in NASA at 20:45 – they have new music on their myspace site (personally I suggest you check out 'Costa Bravo' first!)