Everyone loves Sudden Weather Change. At least everyone who loves their music sprinkled with fuckloads of guitar noise, triple harmonies and a sweet ‘90s spirit and weight that far too often seems missing from today’s music (think: Cap’n Jazz playing around with Sonic Youth). Their début LP, ‘Stop! Handgrenade, in the Name Of Crib Death ‘nderstand’!’ was released last year to a great reception, and the boys have been busy writing songs, playing shows and experimenting since.
This year, they’ll be playing two official Airwaves shows. One ‘normal’ one, where you can hear them do what the do best, and a second crazier one, which sees them covering works from the oeuvre of noisemasters Ghostigital. It’s all very exciting. Get enlightened with SWC below!
Who are you? What can we expect from your Airwaves appearance, and what can we expect of you in general?
We are Sudden Weather Change, wardens of the temple of Positik, Gods of feedback and keepers of the shitty effect pedals that still make that awesome unexpected noise that makes you wanna ram an eighteen-wheeler into a freight-train full of missiles. Our appearance at Airwaves this year will be a little different than usual. On Friday at Faktorý there will be a “normal” Sudden show with our fabled intensity, mayhem and sonic-fury that usually entails a Sudden gig but of course being Airwaves you never what’ll go down. Then on Saturday at Tjarnarbío we’re gonna go off the beaten track so as to speak, and do a show with the musical-chainsaw that is Ghostigital. We’re very humbled and excited that Curver and Einar left the Ghostigital back-catalogue to our mercy, so we’ve taken on the challenge and will be playing some of their stuff in our own special way.
What are some of the acts you want to see at this festival, and why?
The Antlers and Efterklang definitely. Neon Indian, Ham will probably be pretty good too. Then again one of the awesome things about this festival is that you accidentally stumble into one venue or another and discover your new favourite band. That’s my favourite way to experience Airwaves.
Are there any acts missing from the bill that you’d like to see on there?
Luv Ben Frost, Bob.
Wow. There are, like, one million ‘international’ acts on this year’s schedule. Have you heard of any of them? Are you excited to see any of them? Do you believe this changes anything for the festival in general, and its spirit?
A lot of the acts sound familiar, heard of a handful of them and the ones we’ve checked out sound really awesome. I think the festival runs to a certain degree on the notion that you don’t necessarily know even half the bands that are playing but you can always be pretty sure that most of the acts at the festival are really interesting.
Looking back, do you have a favourite edition of Iceland Airwaves? And if so, why?
Each Airwaves seems to be more momentous than the next as it has marked a milestone in our career as a band. Honestly though last year was probably the least interesting festival as far as the foreign line-up goes but our show at Sódóma last year is still probably our best ever show. So there’s always two sides to each festival, but judging from the line up for this year, both sides are going to be incredible.
A lot of our readers are first time Airwaves-visitors. Do you have any tips for them? What to see, what to do, what to avoid, etc? Where to buy records? Or a good place to grab a bite or get away from it all for a while?
Get to know the locals; they are friendly and always willing to have a drink. Get to know the local-bands, they’ll enjoy it just as much, if not more than you will. Avoid bars full of amateur weightlifters and failed athletes. You’ll know them when you see them. Buy records at Havarí. Buy records at Havarí. Buy records at Havarí. There’s only one liquor store down town that closes at 6, most bang for buck is Saku. Buy records at Havarí. Food wise; if Deli is open then that’s awesome. It’s on Laugavegur. Prikið is (Buy records at Havarí) pretty good too. If you need some quiet chill-time, the art galleries and city hall are really nice and have nice cafeterias. Then there is Hljómskálagarðurinn, which is by the park by the pond. Best coffee is at Kaffitár.
Given that most Airwaves-visitors won’t have a lot of time in their schedule to see the Icelandic countryside, are there any nature-havens close by that you’d recommend?
You could get the no. 11 bus out to Grótta, it’s a nice black beach with a lighthouse that gets cut off by the tide. There’s a tiny natural hot water thing round there as well. It’s not very big, but it’s still a geothermal thing. Then the woods around the Pearl (Perlan) are quite nice, and the view of Reykjavík from there is pretty good. Apart from the nature stuff, the harbour and Grandi are pretty interesting areas too.
Has a lot changed in the Icelandic music scene since Airwaves 2009? How about Airwaves 2002?
Quite a few new local bands have popped up whilst other bands that were considered the new kids a couple of years ago are coming in with a vengeance, to blow your minds with new material and tighter live shows.
Who are your favourite Icelandic acts these days?
The temporary repatriation of the viciously epic Lazy Blood duo is a very welcome addition to the scene this year. Skellkur í Bringu are getting their ball rolling and will no doubt blow some minds and eardrums this year. Our good friends Rökkurró have just released a new album, which is awesome and are promising a pretty cool show this year.
A lot of international journalists like to ask: “How has kreppa affected the Icelandic music scene.” Do you think the question is valid? Do you have a preferred way of answering it?
Firstly, I’d advise not to ask because people are mostly sick of it. It’s a shitty situation, but musicians were broke before Kreppa and they’re still basically broke so nothing much has changed there.
Anything else?
If a composer could say what he had to say in words he wouldn’t bother trying to say it in music.
Watch Sudden Weather Change play the awesome ‘Kilgore Trout’ here:
Sudden Weather Change plays tonight, Friday 00:10 at Faktorý.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
