When I was fourteen, I took all the wages I got for a summer job and bought my first synthesiser, a Korg Delta. As a synth owner I was immediately invited to join a band. I had no idea what to do and made mostly strange noises on the synth. I was primarily listening to new wave and electronic music, but when I was asked to join a fusion band. I said yes, without having the slightest idea of what that was. Mezzoforte, was making a name for themselves at the time, and we often got the opportunity to support them in Iceland. We called ourselves The Icelandic Seafunk Corporation. I immediately turned my back on old heroes, like Killing Joke and Þeyr, and embraced the soothing sound of smooth sax over jazzy chords. We practiced a lot, and sounded perhaps a bit more advanced than we actually were. I remember being asked to play a jazz gig with a well known guitarist’s band around that time. I hoped the two rehearsals planned would help me through the ordeal, but eventually the rehearsals were cancelled and hearing the band leader say “We’ll just play some standards“ sent a lighting bolt of fright through my body. I guess I’m still traumatised by the experience. I played with all kind of bands, original music and cover bands, during my teenage years. By artists mostly unknown but some quite popular in Iceland like Grafík. Dressed in a gray suit I played acoustic piano in sort of a dance hall band one winter for companies throwing annual parties. The highlight at these events was always the same, when middle aged men threw a fashion show in women’s clothing. Oh! How they loved it.
