Hello Ãsgeir, How are you today and how is
I'm really good, thank you, The UK tour was a great experience. I had never been to the
Well, I don't know about that or if it's connected with the language at all. I think it has more to to with how few we are. No one is trying to please other people with their music so everybody is just doing their own thing. But it seems to be working.
What was the spark that led you on a musical path for a career?
Writing songs has always been my favourite thing to do, so I’ve always wanted to do something connected to that. However I was aiming for a career in sports when a friend of mine who listened to a few demos encouraged me to approach a producer and do something for real with my music.
You debut album Dýrð à dauðaþögn has already been released in
No not at all. It's basically the same album because all we did was translating the Icelandic lyrics into English so more people could understand them.
Why did you feel the need to record an English version of the record?
When we were recording the Icelandic album we always wanted to do an English version as well, so it was the plan from the beginning. The reason being that although, Icelandic is cool most people usually don't listen to anything else than music in their native language or in English.
You got a great reception at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on Wednesday - do you think your music is instantly accessible, or does it tend to need a few listens before, people really get into it?
I would think that it is accessible to most people when they hear it for the first time but if people want to really get into it I would recommend listening to it a few times.
Last year I was in
Not really, not at the moment. I just started my musical career so I have tons of music to get out of my body before I start looking for inspiration elsewhere or through collaboration.
You are due to perform at a number of festivals this summer including, the Keflavik Music Festival in
I've played there once before with a band called The Lovely Lion and I think now is only the second time it's being held. It's definitely getting bigger with several foreign acts this year so we are excited about performing there.
Before that you have a couple of
No I don't know them personally but it will be really interesting to support them, just to see how things are handled when you are as big as they are. I don't understand how this all happened so fast for them, and I think no one does, but I guess it's just a mixture of playing the right music at the right time, and of course the fact that they come from Iceland and are really talented.
Could you recommend any other new Icelandic artists to us at present that should be catching our attention?
Have a listen to a band called Ylja, they are new up and coming folk band. They are making some really good music.
What's you be you recommendation of a ‘must visit’ location for any visitor to
Ãsgeir has also just announced more
July 2
July 3 Bexhill on sea De la Warr Pavillion
July 16
Meanwhile, three exclusive songs recorded earlier this year as 'The Toe Rag Sessions' have been made available for free download from his Bandcamp site
Watch 'On That Day', the second video from 'The Toe Rag Acoustic Sessions' here