From Iceland — WINDY DAY TIDBIT! Musicians & Their Pets!

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Stay inside, get some milkbones and catnip and cuddle up with a furry-friend!

Compiled by Rebecca Louder & Bob Cluness

While being a touring musician and a pet owner can’t be easy, there’s one thing that’s for sure – your pet will never break your heart, steal your car, lie to you or nag you that your rent is due after a solid two-months on the road. Sure they may poop in your shoes and sleep with your significant other sometimes, but it’s usually really cute and forgivable. (Those were some ugly shoes anyway.) In a cold stormy place like Iceland, having a warm, waterproof pal to keep you company is key for sanity and creativity when the stormy winds pick up! (Are you folks digging this weather OR WHAT!?) Here are some of the very cool pets of some very cool people in our music scene!

Unnsteinn Manúel & Logi Pedro Stéfansson of Retro Stefson

“Our dog’s name is Luna, she’s a Havanese. We got her when she was already 2 years old, but her previous home was a dog farm. She can’t stand being alone and always goes apeshit when I put my shoes on. She loves dangerous shit. Like walking on the edge of the roof and barking at cats and people passing by. She also love Icelandic liver sausages, just like the ones they tried to poison the dog show with (crazy fuckers). She’s also a very good climber. I once caught her on our kitchen table eating leftovers. The table is like twice her size. I have no idea how she got up there. She’s kind of badass.”

Úlfur Alexander Einarsson of Útidúr & Oyama

“Tobbi is the best cat in the world. His full name is Tobias Fünke Vesturgötuson and I got him when he was 3 months old from a friend of my mom’s. His 2nd birthday is coming up on November 19th and we’re planning a surprise party for him which is going to be fun. Let’s just hope he doesn’t read this and find out, but he probably won’t since he doesn’t read that much, or anything at all really since he is a cat. Tobbi is really indifferent to loud noises and so he doesn’t really care when I play loud music. He also shows no reaction or emotions what so ever when I sing to him. He’s a pretty cold cat that way. But he is also the cuddliest cat in the world and I have all too often found myself literally spooning him while scratching is tummy oh so gently throughout whole afternoons. Well, in my defense, he is the best spooner I know (sorry ladies).”

Þórir Georg of Þórir Georg & Ofvitarnir

“In that picture you can see my two cats. This picture describes them pretty well. Ronja, the older one, is asleep and would never in a million years make an effort to pay attention to what anyone else has going on around the apartment. Skjálfti however seems constantly worried that he’s missing something and always has to be a part of what we are doing. We got Ronja from a friend of ours a few years ago. Skjálfti was born in our closet on Easter Sunday morning about two and a half years ago. When he was a little kitten he would never be happier than when I let him take it easy in my shirt pocket while I walked around the apartment and did whatever it was I was doing. I know everyone says their pets are their best friends and it’s corny as hell but they really are.”

Haukur S. Magnússon of Reykjavík! (and the Grapevine’s one and only very own Grapevine Editor-in-Chief!)

“I have three cats. Or maybe I shouldn’t say I “have” them. They are their own beings. But I usually live with three cats (right now, I have a wonderful tenant taking care of my cats, while I tend to duties on other fronts). A lot of people think living with three cats in a 75m2 apartment is “crazy”. I have been called “a crazy cat man.” I disagree with that assessment. Anyone who has lived with three cats, at least three cats that are as nice, personable and awesome as mine (not to mention all of their beautiful personalities) will attest.

The first cat who moved in with me, way back in 2003, is called Tígra. She is stripey and she used to be real lean but then after we had her neutered, she got kind of heavy. But she is still very elegant, and she can still move like the cattiest cat burglar.

And it’s no wonder she’s maybe gained a little weight over the years. She is a proud mother of sixteen cats, all of whom have gone on to have wonderful lives in different apartments and houses in Iceland. Two of those sixteen cats live in my apartment. Yup, that’s right. I host a family of cats.

Those cats are called Vaskur and Miike. Vaskur is the Icelandic word for “sink” (as in “kitchen sink”), but it also means things like “quick” and “limber” and “diligent”. It is a popular name for dogs in Iceland. And Vaskur is kind of like a dog. He is friendly and he loves homosexual men especially, but in general he likes to jump and cuddle and be wonderful.”

Vaskur’s sister is called Miike. Miike is probably the cat I like to cuddle with the most. She is very skinny and black, she would probably be member to some Raveonettes-style band if she could sing. She is also super smart. She can open doors by hanging off the handle. She can jump super high. She is also wonderful.

They are all so wonderful. Cats are excellent companions. I recommend everyone get a cat.

Also: this video features Tígra giving birth to her latest litter of kittens. Those were some lovely kittens.”