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GusGus
Background information
Origin	Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres	Techno, house, downtempo, ambient
Years active	1995–present
Labels	OROOM, 4AD, Kompakt
Website	gusgus.com
Members	Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson Birgir Þórarinsson

GusGus: Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson and Birgir Þórarinsson performing in Aarhus, Denmark 2016

GusGus is an electronic band from Reykjavík, Iceland.^[1] Although initially a film and acting collective, the group is mostly known for its electronic music. The group's discography consists of ten studio albums.

History

Gus Gus was initially formed in 1995 as a film and acting collective. The band's name refers to the 1974 German film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (Angst essen seele auf) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, where a female character is cooking couscous for her lover, pronouncing it Gusgus.^[2]

Membership in the band has varied, and included:

• Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson


• Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir


• Magnús Jónsson (a.k.a. Blake)


• Hafdís Huld Þrastardóttir


• Urður Hákonardóttir (a.k.a. Earth)


• Högni Egilsson


• Birgir Þórarinsson (a.k.a. Biggi Veira or Biggo)


• Magnús Guðmundsson (a.k.a. Maggi Lego, Herb Legowitz, Hunk of a Man, Buckmaster De La Cruz, The Fox, Fuckmaster, or Herr Legowitz)


• Stephan Stephensen (a.k.a. President Bongo, Alfred More, or President Penis)


• Sigurður Kjartansson (a.k.a. Siggi Kinski)


• Stefán Árni Þorgeirsson


• Baldur Stefánsson


• Ragnheiður Axel


• Páll Garðarsson

In 1997 the band performed in Toronto. They returned for a second visit as part of a tour supporting their second album, This is Normal.^[3]

Gusgus' music is eclectic, and although primarily classified as techno, trip hop, and house music, the band has experimented with other styles. It has also remixed Björk, Depeche Mode, Moloko, and Sigur Rós. In January 2004, GusGus released the song "Desire" with Ian Brown. A remix of the track "Purple" appeared on Paul Oakenfold's trance compilation Tranceport.

As of 2011 the band had sold over 700,000 copies worldwide. ^[4]

Its 2015 incarnation consists of four members (President Bongo, Biggi Veira, Urður Hákonardóttir and Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson). After the group's third album, This Is Normal (1999), the filmmaking arm of Gusgus (Kjartansson and Árni Þorgeirsson) split off to form the production company Celebrator, now known as Arni & Kinski,^[5] which has produced advertisements and videos. A few former members such as Hafdís Huld, Blake, and Daníel Ágúst have gone solo, some though Emilíana Torrini, who provided a song for the soundtrack of Peter Jackson's film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

Band members

Timeline

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)


• 
  Lies Are More Flexible (2018)

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)


• "Featherlight" (2017)


• "Don't Know How to Love" (2018)

See also

• List of bands from Iceland

References

External links

• Official website


• Gus Gus Artist Station on Slacker.com