Ske
Encyclopedia
Ske is an Iceland
ic band whose origins can be traced back to 1992, when a band called Skárren ekkert was founded by Eiríkur Þorleifsson, Frank Hall and Guðmundur Steingrímsson, and joined by Hrannar Ingimarsson in 1998.
In 1999, they wrote the music for NPK, a dance performance by the Icelandic Dance Company. The following year Eiríkur, Frank and Guðmundur, along with Guðmundur Hafsteinsson, wrote and performed music for Shakespeare's A Midsummers Night Dream at the Icelandic National Theatre's (Þjóðleikhúsið) 50th anniversary performance. Hrannar was away in New York with Icelandic rap-band Quarashi
, with whom he'd worked extensively as engineer/mixer and guitarist since 1996.
In 2002 the album Life, Death, Happiness and Stuff was ready, with additional performances from Kjartan Guðnason on drums, Una Sveinbjarnardóttir on violin and vocalists Jón Oddur Guðmundsson, Juri Hashimoto, Julie Couadou and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson. The album was a cult hit, the songs Julietta 2 and Stuff were picked up by ad-agencies for national television campaigns for The National Bank of Iceland and Icelandair
. The album was also nominated as Album of the Year and 'Julietta 2' was nominated for Song of the Year and won.
In 2003 the band, now consisting of Eiríkur Þorleifsson, Frank Hall, Guðmundur Steingrímsson, Hrannar Ingimarsson, Jón Oddur Guðmundsson, Kjartan Guðnason and Ragnheiður Gröndal
, who had started singing with the band at the end of 2002, started work on new songs as well as playing dates in Scandinavia and UK, including Roskilde Festival
2003. In the fall of 2003, Ske composed music for a dance piece written by Lonneke Van Leth, performed by the Icelandic Dance Company.
In 2004, Ske continued work on the new album, as well as playing some dates in UK. Feelings are great, Ske's second album, was released by Smekkleysa in Iceland in October 2004.
In 2005 Ske played Austin, Texas
' SXSW and Denmark
's SPOT-festival, as well as opening for former Led Zeppelin
's Robert Plant
in Reykjavik
. Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
replaced Ragnheiður Gröndal for those dates as well as for a TV appearance on the [Icelandic National Television RÚV
program Hljómsveit kvöldsins, hosted by Margrét Krístin Blöndal, and Ske's fourth Icelandic Airwaves appearance.
In August 2006 Hössi Ólafsson
, formerly the lead vocalist of Quarashi
, joined Ske as their lead singer.
In December 2008 Ske finished recording and mixing its third studio album which will be released in January/February of 2009. The album was recorded in various studios around Reykjavík and features 12 original songs written collectively by band-members in 2007/2008. English drummer Paul Maguire, formerly a member of The Stairs
, plays drums on most of the songs but Orri Páll Dýrason
from the band Sigur Rós
plays drums on at least 3 songs. Also on percussion is Kjartan Guðnason, former drummer of Ske and currently the drummer of the Icelandic band Menn ársins and a percussionist for the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.
"My Lo", the first single from the upcoming album was released in Iceland in October in 2008 and can be heard on the bands myspace-site. Supposedly the lyrics to the song make reference to Vladimir Nabokov
's novel Lolita
.
It was announced in October that another band called SKE formulated Ske standing for shanekaneethan.
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...
ic band whose origins can be traced back to 1992, when a band called Skárren ekkert was founded by Eiríkur Þorleifsson, Frank Hall and Guðmundur Steingrímsson, and joined by Hrannar Ingimarsson in 1998.
In 1999, they wrote the music for NPK, a dance performance by the Icelandic Dance Company. The following year Eiríkur, Frank and Guðmundur, along with Guðmundur Hafsteinsson, wrote and performed music for Shakespeare's A Midsummers Night Dream at the Icelandic National Theatre's (Þjóðleikhúsið) 50th anniversary performance. Hrannar was away in New York with Icelandic rap-band Quarashi
Quarashi
Quarashi was a rap and hip-hop group from Reykjavík, Iceland. It was composed of Hössi Ólafsson , who was the lead vocalist and frontman of the group, Ómar Swarez , rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney , also rapper and hype man...
, with whom he'd worked extensively as engineer/mixer and guitarist since 1996.
In 2002 the album Life, Death, Happiness and Stuff was ready, with additional performances from Kjartan Guðnason on drums, Una Sveinbjarnardóttir on violin and vocalists Jón Oddur Guðmundsson, Juri Hashimoto, Julie Couadou and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson. The album was a cult hit, the songs Julietta 2 and Stuff were picked up by ad-agencies for national television campaigns for The National Bank of Iceland and Icelandair
Icelandair
Icelandair ehf is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, based on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík. It is part of the Icelandair Group and currently operates scheduled services to 31 cities in 13 countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean out of its hub at Keflavík International Airport...
. The album was also nominated as Album of the Year and 'Julietta 2' was nominated for Song of the Year and won.
In 2003 the band, now consisting of Eiríkur Þorleifsson, Frank Hall, Guðmundur Steingrímsson, Hrannar Ingimarsson, Jón Oddur Guðmundsson, Kjartan Guðnason and Ragnheiður Gröndal
Ragnheiður Gröndal
Ragnheiður Gröndal is an Icelandic singer. She was in 2006 described as Iceland's best-selling artist, and was named Icelandic Singer of the Year the same year. She was in 2008 a finalist to represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest...
, who had started singing with the band at the end of 2002, started work on new songs as well as playing dates in Scandinavia and UK, including Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
2003. In the fall of 2003, Ske composed music for a dance piece written by Lonneke Van Leth, performed by the Icelandic Dance Company.
In 2004, Ske continued work on the new album, as well as playing some dates in UK. Feelings are great, Ske's second album, was released by Smekkleysa in Iceland in October 2004.
In 2005 Ske played Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
' SXSW and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
's SPOT-festival, as well as opening for former Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
in Reykjavik
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...
. Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir
Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is an Icelandic singer and actress.She was a member of the band Ske and in 2005 began her solo career. She is best known for her portrayal of the controversial character Silvía Night....
replaced Ragnheiður Gröndal for those dates as well as for a TV appearance on the [Icelandic National Television RÚV
RÚV
Ríkisútvarpið is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres around the country, the service broadcasts a variety of general programming to a wide audience across the whole country via radio...
program Hljómsveit kvöldsins, hosted by Margrét Krístin Blöndal, and Ske's fourth Icelandic Airwaves appearance.
In August 2006 Hössi Ólafsson
Hössi Olafsson
Hössi Ólafsson is a singer, rapper, producer, writer, and actor. He is best known as a founding member of the Icelandic rap group, Quarashi.-Professional career:...
, formerly the lead vocalist of Quarashi
Quarashi
Quarashi was a rap and hip-hop group from Reykjavík, Iceland. It was composed of Hössi Ólafsson , who was the lead vocalist and frontman of the group, Ómar Swarez , rapper and hype man, and Steini a.k.a. Stoney , also rapper and hype man...
, joined Ske as their lead singer.
In December 2008 Ske finished recording and mixing its third studio album which will be released in January/February of 2009. The album was recorded in various studios around Reykjavík and features 12 original songs written collectively by band-members in 2007/2008. English drummer Paul Maguire, formerly a member of The Stairs
The Stairs
The Stairs were an English rock band formed in Liverpool around 1990 by vocalist and bassist Edgar Summertyme, guitarist Ged Lynn and drummer Paul Maguire...
, plays drums on most of the songs but 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...
from the 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...
plays drums on at least 3 songs. Also on percussion is Kjartan Guðnason, former drummer of Ske and currently the drummer of the Icelandic band Menn ársins and a percussionist for the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra.
"My Lo", the first single from the upcoming album was released in Iceland in October in 2008 and can be heard on the bands myspace-site. Supposedly the lyrics to the song make reference to Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Nabokov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a multilingual Russian novelist and short story writer. Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Russian, then rose to international prominence as a master English prose stylist...
's novel Lolita
Lolita
Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian...
.
It was announced in October that another band called SKE formulated Ske standing for shanekaneethan.