The Sugarcubes ( Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) were an Icelandic

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

band from

Reykjavík Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a pop ...

formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of

Björk Guðmundsdóttir Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...

(vocals, keyboards),

Einar Örn Benediktsson Einar Örn Benediktsson (born 29 October 1962), often billed as Einar Örn, is an Icelandic popular music singer and trumpet player. He was a member of the Sugarcubes. He served as a member of the Reykjavík City Council between 2010 and 2014. ...

(vocals, trumpet), Þór Eldon (guitar),

Bragi Ólafsson Bragi Ólafsson (born 11 August 1962 in Reykjavík, Iceland) is an Icelandic musician and a writer. Internationally he is best known for his work as a bassist in The Sugarcubes, the avant-garde pop band from Iceland that brought fame to Björk, ...

(bass), Margrét "Magga" Örnólfsdóttir (keyboards) and

Sigtryggur Baldursson Sigtryggur Baldursson (born 2 October 1962) is an Icelandic drummer and singer. Sigtryggur was born in Norway to Icelandic parents. He was a founding member of the Sugarcubes and has been a longtime fixture on the Icelandic punk and alternativ ...

(drums). The Sugarcubes' debut album, ''

Life's Too Good ''Life's Too Good'' is the debut studio album by Icelandic alternative rock group the Sugarcubes. It was released in April 1988 by One Little Indian in the UK and Europe and in May 1988 by Elektra Records in the US. The album was an unexpected suc ...

'' (1988), was an unexpected international success, and produced their signature song "

Birthday A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage. Many rel ...

". It is credited as the first Icelandic album to have a worldwide impact and influenced Icelandic popular music. Their follow-up album, ''

Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! ''Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!'' is the second studio album by Icelandic alternative rock band the Sugarcubes, released in September 1989 through Elektra Records. A version of the album sung in Icelandic titled ''Illur Arfur!'' (English: ''Bad ...

'', was released 1989 to mixed reviews. Their third and final album, ''

Stick Around for Joy ''Stick Around for Joy'' is the third and final studio album by Icelandic alternative rock band the Sugarcubes. It was released in 1992 by Elektra. The album was supported by four singles: " Hit", which reached number one on the Modern Rock Tra ...

'', released in February 1992, was better received and produced the successful singles " Hit" and " Leash Called Love". ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'' referred to them as "the biggest rock band to emerge from Iceland." Björk would later become an internationally successful solo musician and the bestselling Icelandic musician of all time.

History

1977–1986: Formation and early years

The members of the Sugarcubes had formerly been in a variety of Icelandic bands.

had the longest career out of any of the members; she had recorded an album when she was 11. In her late teens, she joined the Icelandic

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...

band

Tappi Tíkarrass Tappi Tíkarrass was an Icelandic punk band which added elements of funk, rock and jazz to their music, marking a difference from other traditional bands at that time. The band is also considered the first serious music project of now renowned si ...

, who released two albums before splitting in 1983. Drummer Sigtryggur "Siggi" Baldursson was a member of

Þeyr Þeyr () was an Icelandic new wave band from the early 1980s. Origins The origins of Þeyr date back to the late 1970s when singer Magnús Guðmundsson, bassist Hilmar Örn Agnarsson and Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (drums and synthesizer) were play ...

, while

and

formed a punk band called Purrkur Pillnikk. By 1984, Björk, Einar Örn and Siggi had formed the group Kukl with keyboardist Einar Melax, and released two albums on the independent British record label

Crass Records Crass Records was an independent record label that was set up by the anarchist Punk rock, punk band Crass. Overview and history Prior to the formation of Crass, Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher had published their creative works via their own D ...

. The Sugarcubes formed on 8 June 1986 with Björk on vocals, Björk's then-husband Þór (Thor) Eldon on guitar and Bragi Ólafsson on bass. On the same day, Björk gave birth to her and Þór Eldon's son, Sindri Eldon. The band's name was assumed by its fans to be an

LSD Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...

usage reference.

1987–1988: ''Life's Too Good''

In late 1987, the band signed to

One Little Indian One Little Independent Records (formerly One Little Indian Records) is an English independent record label. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarcho-punk bands, and managed by former Flux of Pink Indians bassist Derek Birkett. In ...

in the UK and to

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between th ...

in the US. They released their debut album, ''

'', in 1988 to critical acclaim in both the UK and the US. They first came to notice in the UK when

BBC radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...

played "

", which was later voted by his listeners as #1 in the 1987

Festive Fifty The Festive Fifty was originally an annual list of the year's 50 (though the exact figure varied above and below this number) best songs compiled at the end of the year and voted for by listeners to John Peel's BBC Radio 1 show. It was usually do ...

, and #23 in the All Time Chart. Their music has been described as

avant-pop Avant-pop is popular music that is experimental, new, and distinct from previous styles while retaining an immediate accessibility for the listener. The term implies a combination of avant-garde sensibilities with existing elements from popular ...

, and was characterized by a psychedelic

sound sometimes reminiscent of

the B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...

and

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

, whimsical yet heartfelt lyrics, and the imploring, girlish voice of Björk, accompanied by Einar Örn's erratic vocal performances. In the last quarter of 1988, The Sugarcubes toured North America to positive reception. In September, the band played at The Ritz in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, a concert attended by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

and

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the " Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band The Stooges, who w ...

. On 15 October the band appeared on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...

'' with a performance of their songs "Birthday" and "Motorcrash".

1989–1990: ''Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!''

'', the band's second album, was released in September 1989. The greater vocal contribution by Einar Örn on the record was criticized in many of the record's reviews, which were noticeably weaker than those for ''Life's Too Good''. Not all critics agreed that it was worse than their debut album, though.

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

rated it a B+, higher than the B− he gave ''Life's Too Good''. The singles "Regina" and "Planet" topped the UK indie charts but fared poorly in the mainstream charts outside of Iceland. After the release of ''Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!'', the band embarked on a lengthy international tour. At the end of the tour, they started to ponder splitting up and went on a hiatus.

1990–1992: ''Stick Around for Joy'' and breakup

At the conclusion of the tour in late 1990, the band members pursued their own interests. ''

'', their third and final album, was released in February 1992. It featured guest guitarist

John McGeoch John Alexander McGeoch (25 August 1955 – 4 March 2004) was a Scottish musician and songwriter. He is best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Magazine (1977-1980) and Siouxsie and the Banshees (1980-1982). He has been described as one o ...

(formerly of Magazine and

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. Q (maga ...

) on the opening track, "Gold". The album received noticeably better reviews than ''Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week!'', and spawned the band's first big hit single, the aptly titled " Hit". Further singles "Walkabout" and "Vitamin" failed to make any chart impact. The Sugarcubes opened for U2 during the US leg of their

Zoo TV Tour The Zoo TV Tour (also written as ZooTV, ZOO TV or ZOOTV) was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album ''Achtung Baby'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 to 1993. It was intended to mirror t ...

in October and November 1992, playing to a total of 700,000 people. A

remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 20 ...

, '' It's-It'', was released in October 1992 along with a re-release of "Birthday" which was backed by numerous remixes of the song. One single that was released from the compilation, the Tony Humphries remix of " Leash Called Love", reached number one on ''Billboard'''s

Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as ...

Chart in 1992. The Sugarcubes disbanded in late December 1992. The members remain involved in the management of record label Smekkleysa (Bad Taste Ltd). Björk embarked on a solo career, coming to prominence with albums such as ''

Debut Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to: * Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society * Debut novel, an author's first published novel Film and television * ''The De ...

'' (1993), ''

Post Post or POST commonly refers to: *Mail, the postal system, especially in Commonwealth of Nations countries **An Post, the Irish national postal service **Canada Post, Canadian postal service **Deutsche Post, German postal service **Iraqi Post, Ira ...

'' (1995), and ''

Homogenic ''Homogenic'' is the third studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk. It was released on 20 September 1997 by One Little Indian Records. Produced by Björk, Mark Bell, Guy Sigsworth, Howie B, and Markus Dravs, the album marked a styli ...

'' (1997).

2006: Reunion

On 17 November 2006 the band had a one-off reunion concert at

Laugardalshöll Laugardalshöll (; also known as Laugardalshöllin and Laugardalsholl Sport Center) is a multi-purpose sports and exhibition venue located in the Laugardalur district of Iceland's capital Reykjavík. The complex consists of two main venues, a sp ...

sport arena in

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...

, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut single, "Birthday", with all profits going to the non-profit Smekkleysa SM to promote Icelandic music. They were supported by fellow Icelandic groups

múm Múm (stylized in lowercase) () is an Icelandic indietronica band whose music is characterized by soft vocals, electronic glitch beats and effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments. History The band was formed in 1 ...

and Rass. Despite this reunion, the group has expressed that it has no intention to play future shows or record new material.

Style

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' wrote that the drumming and guitar work were influenced by

Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after att ...

and also

Cocteau Twins Cocteau Twins was a Scottish rock band active from 1979 to 1997. They were formed in Grangemouth by Robin Guthrie (guitars, drum machine) and Will Heggie (bass), adding Elizabeth Fraser (vocals) in 1981 and replacing Heggie with multi-instru ...

on the slow numbers. The group also incorporated "electronically mutated trumpet and sound effects". The other instrument is Björk's voice, containing a "range of emotions", being one moment "a little girl soprano" and then next "a crazed animal". Einar also sings on certain tracks with Björk on background vocals. ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' characterized the band as

avant-rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments with the basic elements of the genre. Artists aim to liberate and innovate, with ...

Members

;Final line-up *

– vocals, keyboards (1986–1992, 2006) * Þór Eldon Jónsson – guitar (1986–1992, 2006) *

– bass (1986–1992, 2006) *

– vocals, trumpet (1987–1992, 2006) *

– drums, percussion (1987–1992, 2006) * Margrét "Magga" Örnólfsdóttir – keyboards (1989–1992, 2006) ;Former members * Fridrik Erlingsson – guitar (1987–1988) * Einar Melax – keyboards (1987–1989)

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations and remixes

Singles

Vinyl and CD boxes

* 1989 – ''12.11'' (

One Little Indian Records One Little Independent Records (formerly One Little Indian Records) is an English independent record label. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarcho-punk bands, and managed by former Flux of Pink Indians bassist Derek Birkett. In th ...

) * 1989 – ''7.8'' (

) * 1989 – ''CD.6'' (

) * 2006 – ''The Complete Studio Albums Box'' – 3× CD repacked box with three main English language studio albums. Released to celebrate 20th Anniversary reunion concert (

)

Collaborations and featuring

* 1987 – '' Snarl II'' ( Erðanumúsík), Icelandic compilation. Featuring under the name of Sykurmolarnir. * 1987 – '' Luftgítar'' ( Smekkleysa), album by Johnny Triumph. * 1987 – ''

Skytturnar ''White Whales'' (orig: Skytturnar ()) the third film directed by Icelandic director Friðrik Þór Friðriksson in 1987. Starring Eggert Guðmundsson, Þórarinn Óskar Þórarinsson, and Eggert Þorleifsson, this film features Hilmar Örn Hi ...

'' ( Gramm), soundtrack to the movie directed by

Friðrik Þór Fríðriksson Friðrik is a masculine Icelandic given name. Notable people with the name include: * Friðrik Þór Friðriksson (born 1953), Icelandic film director *Friðrik Ólafsson (born 1935), Icelandic chess Grandmaster and former president of FIDE * Fri ...

. * 1988 – ''

One Little Indian - Greatest Hits Volume One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length ...

'' (

), greatest hits (volume 1) released by One Little Indian. * 1990 – ''

Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella ''Hættuleg hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella'' was an album released in September 1990 by Icelandic rock singer Megas. This double CD album featured The Sugarcubes, a band led by Björk and Einar Örn Benediktsson Einar Örn Benediktsson ...

'' (

Megas Magnús Þór Jónsson (born 7 April 1945), better known by the stage name Megas, is a vocalist, songwriter, and writer who is well known in his native Iceland. Interest in music Being an admirer of Elvis Presley, Megas welcomed the arrival of ...

), album by

. * 1990 – ''

World Domination or Death Volume 1 In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the wor ...

'' ( Smekkleysa/

Workers Playtime PLAY The workforce or labour force is a concept referring to the pool of human beings either in employment or in unemployment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic re ...

), compilation. * 1990 – ''

One Little Indian - Greatest Hits Volume Two 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length ...

'' (

), greatest hits (volume 2) released by One Little Indian. * 1990 – '' Rubáiyát: Elektra's 40th Anniversary'' (

), Elektra Records anniversary compilation. * 1993 – ''Welcome to the Future'' (

), compilation.

Other releases

* 1988 – ''

Sugarcubes Interview Disc The Sugarcubes ( Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) were an Icelandic alternative rock band from Reykjavík formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Ben ...

'' (

) * 1998 – '' Avengers (soundtrack)'' ( WEA/

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

)- Feat.

Annie Lennox Ann Lennox (born 25 December 1954) is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the New wave music, new wave band the Tourists, she and fellow musician D ...

's cover of The Sugarcubes' "Mama" * 1998 – '' Music Inspired by the Motion Picture: The Avengers'' (

BIG EAR The Ohio State University Radio Observatory was a Kraus-type (after its inventor John D. Kraus) radio telescope located on the grounds of the Perkins Observatory at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio from 1963 to 1998. Known as Big Ear, th ...

)

Videography

Video albums

* 1989 – '' Live Zabor'', VHS, collection of live performances from 1988/89 and interviews * 1991 – ''

The Video (Sugarcubes video album) The Sugarcubes ( Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) were an Icelandic alternative rock band from Reykjavík formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Ben ...

'', VHS/laserdisc,

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...

collection * 1992 – ''

Murder and Killing in Hell The Sugarcubes ( Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) were an Icelandic alternative rock band from Reykjavík formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. For most of their career, the band consisted of Björk Guðmundsdóttir (vocals, keyboards), Einar Örn Ben ...

'', VHS, 1992 live concert performance, Manchester Academy UK * 1992 - ''Sykurmolarnir – Á Guðs Vegum'' (''The Sugarcubes - On God's Way''), Icelandic VHS of various live performances and remixes * 2006 – ''The DVD'' (

), music video collection, re-issue of 'The Video' with additional bonus videos * 2006 – ''Live Zabor DVD'' (

), re-issue

Music videos

References

External links

Review of reissued Sugarcubes video releases at Modern Peapod
*
Interview with Einar Örn Benediktsson
in ''Chief Magazine'' discussing the band's birth, breakup, and eventual reunion
The Sugarcubes live in Copenhagen 1988
photo Peter Lind {{DEFAULTSORT:Sugarcubes, The Icelandic alternative rock groups Icelandic post-punk music groups One Little Independent Records artists Musical groups disestablished in 1992 Musical groups established in 1986 Björk 1986 establishments in Iceland Avant-pop musicians Musical groups from Reykjavík Female-fronted musical groups