Gunnar Lárus Hjálmarsson, aka Dr. Gunni, is a true local legend. Initially the driving force behind Icelandic cult indie collectives S.H. Draumur and Unun in the 1980s and ‘90s, he’s also a renowned tastemaker whose audience has no age limits. His children’s album Abbabbabb! (1987) marked a shift from underground trendsetter to national hero.
One of the songs in particular — “Prumpufólkið” (“The Farting People”) — was described by newspaper Morgunblaðið as “the most requested song at kindergartens in the country.”
Even now, Dr. Gunni cannot leave a stage before playing a song filled with trademark farting sounds. Playing at Lemmy on the final day of the venue’s annual festival Rokkhátíð, a group of scruffy metal fans chanted, “Prumpufólkið” — and the band obliged.
Laughter is the best medicine
In a way, Dr. Gunni’s forthcoming album Er Ekki Bara Búið Að Vera Gaman? seems to continue the trajectory of his 1997 record, at least figuratively. Here, the worlds of adults and children merge. Both kids and grown-ups play games — but the older you get, the more is at stake.
Jolly-sounding opening track “Alltaf á leiðinni” conjures up images from the RoboCop comic strips. Yet, it has a more solemn and topical connotation.
“The first song is just a simple statement about the ongoing wars,” says Gunnar. “Some young guy is going somewhere to kill. It’s not very deep but I liked the lyrics, “Ég er alltaf á leiðinni”. It’s a play on an Icelandic 70s hit, “Ég er á leiðinni” by Brunaliðið.
That song was about someone who was going home from the sea to meet his wife. It’s too awful to think about it and take it seriously — especially if you can just stay here and all the awful things happen somewhere else. So we present a comic version. There are similar themes elsewhere on the album.”
Heavy hitters
Similar to the opening track, other songs are inspired by stories of immigrants Gunnar encounters at his workplace — the National Registry of Iceland. “I see a lot of Slavic people, young men from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia and Ukraine,” he says. “It’s the same people on the battlefield as those that come here to work in the building industry.”
Built on a tune from bassist Grímur Atlason, “Faðir Abraham” is a take on immigration. The travelling protagonist experiences the same problems as some foreigners, residing in Iceland and rubbing their shoulders with one another in the queue at Útlendingastofnun.
“Father Abraham, he said to me. You’re undesirable. You’re unwelcome,” sings Dr. Gunni in Icelandic, accompanied by backing vocalists with firsthand knowledge of the subject matter — Ukrainian singer Anastasiia Yefimenko, and Serbian/Canadian artist Jelena Ciric.
Despite the topical subjects, the title and the album’s overall concept are open for interpretation. When asked if Er Ekki Bara Búið Að Vera Gaman? is a comment on the current state of the world, Gunnar doesn’t deny it. “You could say so, but this title actually means that something fun is over and now it’s time to clean the mess. The fun ends and another fun… starts later,” he laughs. Fittingly, the album cover depicts guitarist Guðmundur Birgir Halldórsson in a party photo booth with a lady sitting on his shoulders.
Dreamy inspiration
Whatever the state of the world, Dr. Gunni’s creative world is inventive and hopeful. Starting on a slightly absurdist note, the album gets more contemplative by the end, with at least one song inspired by the artist’s dreams. “Síðasti Dagur í Heiminum” is a mellow ballad that’s reminiscent of Slowdive.
“It’s a result of you putting yourself in a certain mood while you are making an album,” says Gunnar. “Writing songs, and thinking about this and that. You’re in the mood that you have to write an album — and your dreams help you.”
As a music historian, Gunnar supports this thesis with a couple of examples from the saga of British pop — The Beatles’ “Yesterday” and The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.
For Dr. Gunni, the analytical and creative sides of music composition go hand in hand. With its joyous Hakuna Matata vibe, the album’s second track “Bónobó” is a love letter to Britain’s 1960s trendsetters The Kinks.
Produced by Árni Hjörvar Árnason of The Vaccines, Er Ekki Bara Búið Að Vera Gaman? combines straightforward, punchy music and idiosyncratic songwriting. It’s the 35th release on Gunnar’s very own label Erðanúmúsik, launched in 1983 to promote local underground bands.
Whether it’s lovingly compiled 80s cassette compilations Rúllustiginn and Snarl, S.H. Draumur’s Goð or the albums of his current band, Gunnar’s good-natured work emanates generosity. “I like to make people happy,” he says. “It’s all about karma. You just have to be nice, and the world will hopefully be nice back to you.”
Dr. Gunni’s album Er Ekki Bara Búið Að Vera Gaman? is out on September 27 2024. Listen to single “Ástandið” right now.
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