Alex Somers
Encyclopedia
Alex Somers is an American visual artist and musician
from Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently living in Reykjavík
, Iceland
with his boyfriend, Jón (Jónsi) Þór Birgisson
, the vocalist and guitar player
for the Icelandic
post-rock
band Sigur Rós
. Somers is a founding member of the now defunct band Parachutes. He has also collaborated with Jónsi Birgisson, producing visual art & music under the title Jónsi & Alex and they have released an album called Riceboy Sleeps
. He have played instruments on the album and on tour for his boyfriend's solo album, Go Live
. Icelandic Music Export reported in their newsletter that Alex is now working with local post-rock
band Rökkurró, recording and producing their second album. He also drew the design of the artwork of the Colombian group Sismo for their second album La Magia Existe And he's currently helping producing an album of the icelandic musician Sin Fang. Alex Somers is a raw food vegan.
. On November 13, 2009 the band announced on their MySpace
page that they would no longer be recording or touring together while also giving away free audio downloads of their entire discography (the albums "Parachutes", "Suzy" and their EP "Tree Roots").
album covers. His most acclaimed cover is Takk...
, which received Best Album Design at the 2006 Icelandic Music Awards. Alex Somers and Lukka Sigurðardóttir, wife of Orri Páll Dýrason
(drummer
for Sigur Rós), form the Toothfaeries, who make all of the official hand-made merchandise for Sigur Rós.
He attended Berklee College of Music
, Boston, and Listaháskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
from Baltimore, Maryland. He is currently living in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
with his boyfriend, Jón (Jónsi) Þór Birgisson
Jón Þór Birgisson
Jón “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson is the guitarist and vocalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his falsetto voice. He is also blind in his right eye and is openly gay. His boyfriend Alex Somers has done much of the graphic design for...
, the vocalist and guitar player
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for the Icelandic
Icelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
band Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
. Somers is a founding member of the now defunct band Parachutes. He has also collaborated with Jónsi Birgisson, producing visual art & music under the title Jónsi & Alex and they have released an album called Riceboy Sleeps
Riceboy Sleeps
Jónsi & Alex is an artistic collaboration between Jón Þór Birgisson and his partner Alex Somers. They create ambient music as well as visual art. The music tends to be more ethereal and experimental than that of Sigur Rós.-Visual art:Jónsi & Alex began as a Sigur Rós side project around 2003 under...
. He have played instruments on the album and on tour for his boyfriend's solo album, Go Live
Go (Jónsi album)
Go is the debut studio album by Icelandic musician Jónsi, frontman of the band Sigur Rós. The album was released on April 5, 2010, through XL Recordings, as reported by a downloadable track from the official site...
. Icelandic Music Export reported in their newsletter that Alex is now working with local post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
band Rökkurró, recording and producing their second album. He also drew the design of the artwork of the Colombian group Sismo for their second album La Magia Existe And he's currently helping producing an album of the icelandic musician Sin Fang. Alex Somers is a raw food vegan.
Parachutes
Parachutes was a band formed in 2003 as a duo consisting of Alex Somers and Scott Alario, and later expanded to eight members, Þórdís Björt Sigþórsdóttir, Tinna Jóhanna Magnusson, Björn Pálmi Pálmason, Kári Hólmar Ragnarsson, Brendan Glasson, and Aaron Borucki. The band was named after a common term for dandelion seeds. They recorded in Alex's kitchen, and commonly experimented using household objects as instruments. The band has collaborated with Jónsi Birgisson of Sigur Rós, as well as AmiinaAmiina
Amiina is an Icelandic band composed of Hildur Ársælsdóttir , Edda Rún Ólafsdóttir , Maria Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir , and Sólrún Sumarliðadóttir . They frequently perform live and in the studio along with Sigur Rós...
. On November 13, 2009 the band announced on their MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page that they would no longer be recording or touring together while also giving away free audio downloads of their entire discography (the albums "Parachutes", "Suzy" and their EP "Tree Roots").
Sigur Rós
Alex Somers has worked on the designs of many Sigur RósSigur Rós
Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...
album covers. His most acclaimed cover is Takk...
Takk...
Takk... is the fourth full-length studio album by the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. The first singles, "Glósóli" and "Sæglópur", were released on August 15, 2005 and August 16, 2005 respectively, the former worldwide and the latter only in the United States. The single "Hoppípolla" was released in the...
, which received Best Album Design at the 2006 Icelandic Music Awards. Alex Somers and Lukka Sigurðardóttir, wife of Orri Páll Dýrason
Orri Páll Dýrason
Orri Páll Dýrason is the drummer for Sigur Rós. He joined the band in 1999, shortly after the recording of the studio album Ágætis byrjun, when the previous drummer, Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson, left the band. He married Lukka Sigurðardóttir in Hawaii in 2005. They have a son together born in January...
(drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for Sigur Rós), form the Toothfaeries, who make all of the official hand-made merchandise for Sigur Rós.
He attended Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
, Boston, and Listaháskóli Íslands, Reykjavík.