GusGus

GusGus
Background information
Origin	Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres	Electronic music, house
Years active	1995–present
Labels	4AD, Kompakt
Website	gusgus.com
Members	Stephan Stephensen Birgir Þórarinsson Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Urður Hákonardóttir Högni Egilsson
Past members	Sigurður Kjartansson Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson Magnús Guðmundsson Magnús Jónsson Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir Baldur Stefánsson Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir Ragnheiður Axel Heiðrún Anna Björnsdóttir
Music sample
"Purple"

GusGus is a band from Reykjavík, Iceland.^[1] They were founded in 1995. The group's discography consists of nine studio albums and one live record.

History

Initially formed as a film and acting collective, the group became mostly known for its electronic music. GusGus has had a varied lineup, including the following:

• Stephan Stephensen (a.k.a. President Bongo, Alfred More, or President Penis)
• Birgir Þórarinsson (a.k.a. Biggi Veira or Biggo)
• Sigurður Kjartansson (a.k.a. Siggi Kinski)
• Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson
• Magnús Guðmundsson (a.k.a. Maggi Lego, Herb Legowitz, Hunk of a Man, Buckmaster De La Cruz, The Fox, Fuckmaster, or Herr Legowitz)
• Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson
• Magnús Jónsson (a.k.a. Blake)
• Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir
• Baldur Stefánsson
• Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir
• Ragnheiður Axel
• Heiðrún Anna Björnsdóttir
• Urður Hákonardóttir (a.k.a. Earth)
• Högni Egilsson

Several lineup changes have occurred, and its current incarnation consists of four members (President Bongo, Biggi Veira, Urður Hákonardóttir and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson). After the group's third album, This Is Normal, the filmmaking arm of Gus Gus (Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson) split off to form the production company Celebrator, now known as Arni & Kinski,^[2] which has produced award-winning advertisements and videos. A few former members such as Hafdís Huld, Blake, and Daníel Ágúst have gone solo, most notably though Emilíana Torrini, who provided a song for the soundtrack of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Gus Gus' music is eclectic, and although primarily classified with techno, trip-hop, and house music, it has experimented with numerous other styles. The group has also remixed several famous artists, including Björk, Depeche Mode, Moloko, and Sigur Rós. Added to this, it released the song "Desire" with Ian Brown in January 2004. A remix of the track "Purple" appeared in remixed form on Paul Oakenfold's successful trance compilation called Tranceport.

The band's name refers to the 1974 German film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, where a female character is cooking couscous for her lover, pronouncing it Gus Gus. The band regards it as a sex reference.^[3]

Band members

Discography

Studio albums

• Gus Gus (1995)
• Polydistortion (1997) — UK No. 130
• This Is Normal (1999) — UK No. 94
• Gus Gus vs. T-World (2000)
• Attention (2002)
• Forever (2007)
• 24/7 (2009)
• Arabian Horse (2011)
• Mexico (2014)

Live albums

• Mixed Live at Sirkus, Reykjavik (2003)

Compilations

• 15 ára (2010)

Singles

• "Polyesterday" (1996) — UK No. 55 (as Purple EP: Polyesterday)
• "Believe" (1997) — UK No. 154
• "Standard Stuff for Drama" (1997)
• "Ladyshave" (1999) — UK No. 64
• "V.I.P." (1999) — UK No. 86
• "Starlovers" (1999) — UK No. 62
• "Dance You Down" (2002) — UK No. 141
• "Desire" (2002) — UK No. 95
• "David" (2003) — UK No. 52
• "Call of the Wild" (2003) — UK No. 75
• "Lust / Porn" (2005)
• "Need in Me" (2005) — BG No. 24
• "Forever Sampler" (2006)
• "Moss" (2007)
• "Hold You" (2007)
• "Add This Song" (2009)
• "Thin Ice" (2009)
• "Within You" (2011)
• "Over" (2011)
• "Deep Inside" (2011)
• "Crossfade" (2014)
• "Obnoxiously Sexual" (2014)
• "Mexico" (2014)
• "Airwaves" (2014)

See also

• List of bands from Iceland

References

External links

• Official website
• Gus Gus Artist Station on Slacker.com