The Sugarcubes
Sykurmolarnir
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The Sugarcubes in 1988
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| Origin | Reykjavík, Iceland |
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The Sugarcubes (Icelandic: Sykurmolarnir) was 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 Benediktsson (vocals, trumpet), Þór Eldon (guitar), Bragi Ólafsson (bass), Margrét "Magga" Örnólfsdóttir (keyboards) and Sigtryggur Baldursson (drums). Previous members included Friðrik Erlingsson (guitar) and Einar Melax (keyboards).
The Sugarcubes' debut album, Life's Too Good (1988), was an unexpected international success, and produced their signature song "Birthday". 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!, was released 1989 to mixed reviews. Their third and final album, Stick Around for Joy, released in February 1992, was better received and produced the successful singles "Hit" and "Leash Called Love". Rolling Stone referred to them as "the biggest rock band to emerge from Iceland."[1] Björk would later become an internationally successful solo musician and the bestselling Icelandic musician of all time.
The members of the Sugarcubes had formerly been in a variety of Icelandic bands. Björk Guðmundsdóttir 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 band Tappi Tíkarrass, who released two albums before splitting in 1983. Drummer Sigtryggur "Siggi" Baldursson was a member of Þeyr, while Einar Örn Benediktsson, Bragi Ólafsson and Friðrik Erlingsson 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.
The Sugarcubes formed on 8 June 1986 with Björk on vocals, Einar Örn on vocals, Björk's then-husband Þór (Thor) Eldon on guitar, Friðrik Erlingsson on guitar and Bragi Ólafsson on bass. On the same day, Björk gave birth to her and Þór Eldon's son, Sindri Eldon.[2] The band first performed in July 1988 under the name『Þukl』at the N'Art Festival held at the Nordic Culture Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland. In August of that same year, the band first performed as Sykurmolarnir (Icelandic for Sugarcubes) at the Roxzý nightclub in Reykjavik, Iceland. Some have assumed that the band's name referred to LSD use,[3] but it is more likely in keeping with their intention to form a "cute" pop band, which was in stark contrast to the band members' previous music endeavours.
In late 1987, the band signed to One Little Indian in the UK and to Elektra Records in the US. They released their debut album, Life's Too Good, in 1988 to critical acclaim in both the UK and the US. They first came to notice in the UK when BBC radio DJ John Peel played "Birthday", which was later voted by his listeners as #1 in the 1987 Festive Fifty, and #23 in the All Time Chart.[4] Their music has been described as avant-pop,[5][6] and was characterized by a psychedelic post-punk sound sometimes reminiscent of the B-52's and Talking Heads, 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.[7] In September, the band played at The RitzinNew York, a concert attended by David Bowie and Iggy Pop.[7] On 15 October the band appeared on Saturday Night Live with a performance of their songs "Birthday" and "Motorcrash".[8]
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.[9][7] Not all critics agreed that it was worse than their debut album, though. Robert Christgau 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.
At the conclusion of the tour in late 1990, the band members pursued their own interests.[7][9] Stick Around for Joy, their third and final album, was released in February 1992. It featured guest guitarist John McGeoch (formerly of Magazine and Siouxsie and the Banshees) 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 in October and November 1992, playing to a total of 700,000 people.[7]
Aremix album, 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 Chart in 1992.[10]
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 (1993), Post (1995), and Homogenic (1997).
On 17 November 2006 the band had a one-off reunion concert at Laugardalshöll sport arena in Reykjavík, Iceland, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut single, "Birthday", with all profits going to the non-profit Smekkleysa SM to promote Icelandic music.[11] They were supported by fellow Icelandic groups múm and Rass. Despite this reunion, the group has expressed that it has no intention to play future shows or record new material.
Trouser Press wrote that the drumming and guitar work were influenced by Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees and also Cocteau Twins on the slow numbers. The group also incorporated "electronically mutated trumpet and sound effects".[12] 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.[12] Pitchfork characterized the band as avant-rock.[13]
| The Sugarcubes discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 3 |
| Compilation albums | 1 |
| Video albums | 4 |
| Music videos | 14 |
| Singles | 14 |
| Box sets | 4 |
| Remix albums | 1 |
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [14] |
GER [15] |
NLD [16] |
SWE [17] |
UK [18] |
US [19] | |||||||||||||
| Life's Too Good |
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64 | — | — | 48 | 14 | 54 | |||||||||||
| Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! |
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— | — | — | — | 15 | 70 | |||||||||||
| Stick Around for Joy |
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74 | 58 | 71 | 29 | 16 | 95 | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| UK [18] | ||
| It's-It |
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47 |
| The Great Crossover Potential |
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161 |
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [14][20] |
IRE [21] |
NZ [22] |
SWE [17] |
UK [18] |
UK Indie [23] |
US Alt [24] |
US Dance [25] | |||
| 1986 | "Einn Mol'á Mann" (ICE only) (as Sykurmolarnir) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album singles |
| 1987 | "Luftguitar" (ICE only) (asJohnny Triumph & Sykurmolarnir) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Birthday" | — | — | — | — | 65 | 2 | — | — | Life's Too Good | |
| 1988 | "Coldsweat" | — | — | — | — | 56 | 1 | — | — | |
| "Deus" | — | — | — | — | 51 | 2 | — | — | ||
| "Birthday" (Reissue) | — | — | 41 | — | 65 | 1 | — | — | ||
| "Motorcrash" (Continental Europe/US only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | ||
| 1989 | "Regina" | 141 | 27 | — | — | 55 | 1 | 2 | — | Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! |
| "Planet" | — | — | — | — | 97 | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Hit" | 76 | 18 | — | 28 | 17 | — | 1 | — | Stick Around for Joy |
| "Walkabout" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | ||
| "Vitamin" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Leash Called Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| "Birthday Remix" | — | — | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | It's It | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||||||
| Year | Title | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | "Luftgitar" (w/ Johnny Triumph) | The Sugarcubes | [26] |
| "Ammæli" ("Birthday" Icelandic) | Friðrik Þór Friðriksson / The Sugarcubes | [27] | |
| "Birthday" (English) | Kristín Jóhannesdóttir / Saga Films | [28] | |
| "Birthday" (English, Live) | Andy Lee / Martin Hart | [29] | |
| 1988 | "Cold Sweat" | Óskar Jónasson / The Sugarcubes | [30] |
| "Deus" | Óskar Jónasson / Myndbandagerd Reykjavikur | [31] | |
| "Motorcrash" | Óskar Jónasson / Frost Film | [32] | |
| 1989 | "Regina" | Óskar Jónasson / Þorgeir Gunnarsson | [33] |
| "Planet" | Óskar Jónasson | [34] | |
| "Eat the Menu" | Hyja Bio / Þorgeir Gunnarsson | [35] | |
| "Tidal Wave" | Hyja Bio / - | [35] | |
| 1991 | "Hit" | Óskar Jónasson | [36] |
| 1992 | "Hit" (Version 2) | Pedro Romhanyi | [37] |
| "Walkabout" | [38] | ||
| "Vitamin" | The Sugarcubes | [39] |
sugarcubes avant-pop.
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