From Iceland — Fjarðabyggð Elects First Punk Mayor \m/

Fjarðabyggð Elects First Punk Mayor \m/

Published July 6, 2018

Hannah Jane Cohen
Photo by

How much do you hate politicians, right? They’re so uptight and lame and totally don’t understand how to just chill out and jam on a Friday night. Well open your mind, fellow anarchists, because there’s a new breed of woke officials coming out with one united goal: to drain the swamp and turn it into a mosh pit.

Following in the paths of greats like Fenriz from Darkthrone, Danica Roem, and that bassist from Nirvana whose name everyone forgets, the frontman of Icelandic punk legends Saktmóðigur, Karl Óttar Pétursson, was just elected to be the mayor of Fjarðabyggð. We have just one thing to say: \m/

The job puts our rebel in charge of raising (virtuous) political hell on the residents of a few different towns, including Mjóafirði, Neskaupstaður, Eskifirði, Reyðarfirði, Stöðvarfirði, Fáskrúðsfirði, and Breiðdalsvík. It’s important to note—angrily—that Neskaupstaður is the locale for Iceland’s yearly metal extravaganza Eistnaflug, which Karl actually runs.

That said, we know some of you might be skeptics, so we at the Grapevine have made a helpful list of reasons why Karl is highly qualified for this position.

Here it is:

  • To fuck the system, you have to know it
  • ‘Saktmóðigur’ means to be humble. All good politicians are humble.
  • Suits often need repairing, and Karl has ample experience from his years sewing patches on denim jackets.
  • Politicians often clash with each other, but Karl has known The Clash for decades.
  • Karl may not have piercings in his face, but he knows how to piece the hearts of his constituents with good mayoral skills.
  • Political campaigns need logos. Punks are logo-pros.

Karl has assured the public that he will still continue doing music albeit from the other side of the company. He says he is excited for his new life in Fjarðabyggð but has not decided in what town he will live. Nevertheless, we can only assume his house will be a run-down squat covered with graffiti and coffee tables piled high with zines.

Please Karl, invite us over for a vegan potluck soon!

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