Iceland Airwaves 2010 Interview #13 – My Summer As A Salvation Soldier

Þórir, for that is the real name of My Summer As A Salvation Soldier, was the very first person who made me realise just how jaw-droppingly brilliant Iceland Airwaves was. One moment he was serving me coffee whilst dispensing spot-on advice as a staff member at the great 12 tonar record store, the next minute he was on a stool in the store holding a sizable crowd in silent rapture to his heart-breakingly affecting tunes. This was seven years ago now, I've dug out the photo to give a small insight of that early Airwaves experience. I've followed Þórir, and seen him every year that he has played. Album after album, project after project, this guy produces something worthy of repeated listens. His Airwaves 2010 shows, with a new set-up behind him, promise to be excellent.

Hi Þórir, where are you right now and what are you doing?

Hey Mark, just sitting at home at the moment listening to some records and answering these questions. It´s 10 on a sunday morning and it´s very very windy outside.

This is the first time you've done a My Summer As A Salvation Soldier show at Airwaves for a couple of years – can we expect anything different?

Yeah I think this is the first My Summer… airwaves show for three years. And yeah I suppose you can. The main difference now is that it has evolved into a whole different project really. Although I´ve always had a few people playing with me when I´ve played the festival before it has now turned into a fully formed three piece rock band with a steady line up. So although it´s still basically based on the same foundation it´s gotten a quite bit louder.

What's the status of your other projects? Will there be anything new from Gavin Portland soon?

I´m always up to something with various different projects. Gavin Portland released a new album last March but at the moment there are no plans for anything new. Although I´m certain there will be at one point or another.

You released an album "Death" this year, just on bandcamp – are you just going to release digitally in the future?

No, no no no, not at all. I´d like to release music on as many different formats as possible. Cd, vinyl, cassettes, digitally. I couldn´t imagine only releasing digitally although I am quite keen on the concept and the practicality of it. So I will definitely to some more digital releases in the future but I´ll still stick to the old formats. I´m sure "Death" will get a proper physical release at some point. At this point there´s only been a hand made cd-r version released that I´ve had at shows.

There will be 5 or more other bands playing at the same time as you at Airwaves – so why should people choose your show?

Well… because it´s most likely going to be better than those other 5 shows. And I say that with the utmost respect for all the other bands playing. But that´s the only real reason right?
 
Have you seen the festival line-up? What other bands are you excited to see?

I have, and it´s really good this year. There´s some really really good music on offer  this year. Mount Kimbie, Dan Deacon, James Blake, The Antlers, Jaakko and Jay and more.. And of course a lot of great local bands.
 
And finally, how about a few local tips for the festival first-timers?

Well there´s always the classics, Apparat Organ Quartet, Kimono, Sólstafir, Mínus, Klink, Reykjavík! Those are all bands you can pretty much count on giving you a good show. And there is a bunch more. Me the Slumbering Napoleon, Quadrouplos, Swords of Chaos, S/H Draumur and Prins Póló to name a few. But most of all I´d reccommend going to Pizza King while you are visiting Reykjavík.

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I urge you to find the time in the schedule to go and see My Summer As A Salvation Soldier. The main show is on Saturday night, 1am (Sunday morning), in Risið. Browse and obtain his back catalogue right here.