Sleazenation magazine June2002

Article by Chris Hatherill.



But múm…

Born out of dusk-time Icelandic swimming sessions and "a wooden shack by a dirty road," múm is the future's answer to "what will we listen to when snug in our homes?" Infinitely melodic electro-acoustic happiness in sonic form, the perfectly symmetrical group includes two lads, Gunni and Örvar, and two twin sisters, Gyda and Kristín. Sleaze sat down with them over soup and beer to discuss family values.

múm, the word, what's it mean? Gunni: It doesn't really mean anything; it's more a sound. Kristín: Mooom.

Mooom. So it's not about your mum? Kristín: No. Gyda: Mooom.

múm, the band, what's the family connection? Gunni: The mafia connection?! We can't talk about that. I'm sorry. The interview's over.

The family connection. Örvar. I think my mum worked with Kristín's mum a long time ago. Gunni: And my brother has the biggest Frank Zappa collection in Iceland…

Do you feel like a little family? Gyda: In summer we often get together in places, and we have lived together. Gunni: Sometimes it's like a family.

Who's the daddy? Örvar: Gunni would probably be the kid…look at his hat. Gunni: You would be the grandpa, you with your old sweater.

Is Iceland a good place to have a family? Örvar: I think so. Gyda: It's a great place for growing up. It's a pretty safe place so you're very free.

What did you do for fun? Örvar: Sometimes we played in a place where men would be like jerking off, in this park… Gunni: Oh, this is so bad, this story. Örvar: …and we often were spying on them. Gunni: When I went there as a kid I didn't know people were jerking off. But it's famous for that now, you learn later. Örvar: Actually in the same park there are remains of secret underground rooms from the British Army when they were in Iceland. They are totally dark and we would play in them.

And you went swimming a lot, I take it? Kristín: there used to be a swimming pool behind where we practised, but it was always empty. Örvar: We did some swimming pool concerts and these girls we knew convinced the city to buy underwater speakers. We played in a room in the back, so you only hear it when you went underwater. The sound is a lot different in the water, so those swimming pool songs on the album are made for this. Gunni: Swimming is a favourite pastime.



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