B i o g r a p h y
In 1983 Asmundur Jonsson from Gramm records (Iceland's biggest record-company) wanted to put together an Icelandic "punk-all-stars"-band. Björk Gudmundsdóttir (who was the singer of a hardcore-feminist-punk-band named Tappi Tikarras) was involved in the project and so was Einar Örn Benediktsson (singer and trumpet-player in a band named Purrkurr Pillnikk) and Siggtryggur Baldursson (drummer in a band named Theyr) to name a few. The band appeared first time on a "We demand the future"-concert in Reykjavik in 1983, but they came together again in December the same year and released the single "Söngull" with the B-side "Pökn (fyrir byrjendur)". Björk recorded one more album with Tappi Tikarrass, "Miranda", before they split up. KUKL's frontman Einar Örn studied media at Polytechs in London. He rubbed shoulders with many underground-London-punks for example Flux of pink indians and Crass (the band who invented anarchy). KUKL released their first full-length album "The eye" on Crass' label Crass Records. The album contained an English version of "Söngull" named "Dismembered" and a song called "Anna", which a video was directed for. KUKL didn't sound a thing like any other bands on Crass Records. The music they played was a complex cross between punk, jazz and rhythmic music. The band used many different kinds of drums, bells and even trumpets when they recorded "The eye" and many people has categorized it as a cross between Siouxie and the Banshees, Killing Joke and Einstürzende Neubatzen. "The eye" was only released in London, and though many people thought the band could get a worldwide breakthrough if they switched label, they never got very popular anywhere, not even back on Iceland.
The KUKL-members had to have ordinary full-time-jobs when they didn't make music. Björk worked in a fish-factory back on Iceland and she also used to work as a background-singer on Mega's (Icelandic rock's "grand old man") albums. In 1985 the band started to tour around in Europe. They visited Holland during the Pandora's box-festival and Denmark during the Roskilde-festival. Many Icelandic bands toured around in Europe 'cause they were dreaming about a breakthrough outside their own native country. KUKL visited France in 1985 and released the live-MC "KUKL à Paris" on the French label Flux Rebel. In 1986 the band released their second album "Holidays in Europe" and they've been remembered as the only band to release more than one album on Crass Records (except from Crass themselves) since then. "Holidays in Europe" can be categorized as post-punk or alternative indie-rock. A video was directed for the album's opening track "The outflight" and another one was directed for the album's second track "A mutual thrill". The band split up the same year and Björk got married to Thor Eldon (the guitar-player of Medusa) about the same time. Their marriage resulted in their son Síndri Thorsson. Icelandic TV wanted to make a special TV-show about KUKL and Björk appeared with a naked, very pregnant stomach. Icelandic people where very shocked about this fact. When the show was broadcasted many people called in and complained about a pregnant anarcho-punk with shaved-off eyebrows, showing her stomach on TV. There was even one woman who got a heart-attack. But Björk has made sure she didn't die...
The eye - 1984-09-03 - Assassin Anna Open the window and let the spirit fly free Moonbath Dismembered Seagull The spire Handa tjolla (Instrumental)
The eye
Assassin I'm dead Lying on the floor I'm dead Listening to the floor Where does it end And me, and me And me, and me I'm dead Kicking I'm dead Hitting Where does it end And me, And me Lengthen one side Licking the sole Help Help I'm dead until I stand up I'm standing up Lengthen one side, Licking the sole And bring this to an end
Anna Scatters from a bigger hole Looking, knowing Never the less On the other side of a big river Monster hidden behind a tree Anna knew... Anna doesn't see never the less So nice hands Come to me Me touch you No no what So nice hands With me I am it Cuts through the water Shaken out of rising standing Sense, touch Not for the first time No no what Tie So nice hands Not touch that The neck Anna, I am it Move, move, move No not longer what On the other side o a big river Lies her own body Anna, sinking Anna is not here, sinking deeper
Open the window and let the spirit fly free (Opadu gluggan svo sálin geti flogi frjals) Our task is reality, Our aim is reality. From reality we draw our breath. From our wishes we get our will. We need all our wishes to become true. So they will become true. We need to eliminate those who try their best to stop our wishes becoming true. Those who try to close the window into our faces. Open the window and let our souls fly free. Let us get rid of the bomb. We ask those who are versed in alchemy, cosmic orgone, Paraphysics, tesla, pshycotronics, ultra-relativity, twistor-application, G-strain energetics, zothyran physics, fourier trance formation, Psionics, bio-synthesis, fan shih, quantum-physicks, Tanmatra-transmission, para-vidya, eluthery, laelia-aelia, Gur-preparation, enantiodromy, lein-tan, pao-pu-tsu, chin-tan, Chandrakala, urheka and mega-mathematics to assist in the most supreme transmutation : That of uranium and other radio-active metals into giving, not taking forces. Laymen and priests of all beliefs and credos and invited to lend their mind to this experiment. Scan out your brothers and sisters and link up now. Blackeye. A black eye. I didn't think I needed one. I thought I was indestructible. A black eye to wake me up. My alarm. It was an alarm or me that I needed one to realize my reality. A black eye. An ugly vision of my life. To evoke my feelings and doings. A black eye to realize the atrocities. The ugliness which we are confronted with everyday. To wake me up from my sleep. To avoid me getting the long sleep. A black eye. To liven up my numb thoughts and feelings for what is reality. To step me out of the movie and farce. A black eye to understand it wasn't just in the movies. A black eye. Made me scream with angst and scare. My scream was not from the origin of pain. Nor because I got out of bed on the wrong side and walked in to the wall. It was because it was my life, our existence, slowly been taken away by somebody else. Numb no more. To remind me. A black eye. Moonbath The moon to be my source My life, my reality Therefore I am going to take A moonbath Sun/shows/seldom/proofs/less Because Seems firstly as breathing Scratching, giving, standing Dismembered Björk : Dismembered - hugging shadows Dismembered - play me with Dismembered - no-one sees me Dismembered - joy caress Einar : Dearest I'll be back I mean, you're not - you're not dismembered at all I'll be back, but I'm in a - I'm in a terrible hurry I'll be back Björk : Dismembered... Einar : Dearest Leave me alone - leave me - leave me I'll be back You always You do Lie to me I'll be back - i'll be back Björk : Dismembered... Einar : Dearest Stop accusing I'm in a hurry - i'll, i'll, i'll be back Shut up! Leave me alone Björk : Dismembered... Dismembered... Einar : Dearest Come on and leave me alone I'll be back - I'm in a hurry I'll be back one day I'll, i'll report then I'll be back later on today I mean I had to go I'm a very busy man I know Leave me alone Björk : Dismembered... Never! I'm never stopping! Never! Einar : I'm finished What? Finished what? I'll be back - i'll be back Promise? Of course! What? - no - oh shut up! Shut up! I'll be back - I'm in a hurry You know I'm a busy man Björk : Dismembered... Einar : Dismember what, honey? Tell us what? Finish what - you're never happy You're never happy Leave me alone Leave me alone now Dismember what? You are Nonono
Seagull Walking, attacked by a seagull, attack, Continous reflection, once killed a seagull Can the animals revenge, seagull our souls, flying free Abuse another, then just abusing myself, I wonder Flying down the stairs, sucked out of the door Crawling up to the pillar onto a line I want to: glide-birds onto a line She's coming, tries to bite Open the window and let the souls fly free
The spire The house there Something real With a spire Into the air Threadless touch I know the power Raised fist Pointing up It's the power The house there Somewhere to go Straight line The house of spire To prey for all I know the power Pointing up Raised fist Exploding penis In the house there Innocent people With threadless connection Asking for forgiveness The house there Got a spire Holidays in Europe
Psalm 323 Watch How he darts and wings Away from suffering city Stretches Come, hands out Spreading out Growing, grow - I'm growing longer So fingertips touch in the glittering skies And the toes are in the mat Toes, toes are in the mat Himself In every step Every step Everyone He is gone I am gone Everyone is gone Ticks into the connection above the skies And connected down under, oh Himself In every field Every step Every farm He is gone I am gone Everyone is Everyone is gone
A mutual thrill
Einar : Out the window Björk : Legg' mig niður Taug í sínum þrá Hugsum mikið átt Með opinn augum Þá ég sakna þín Þá ég sakna þín Ég legg' mig niður O að ég tek sínum grá Hug sín mikið átt Með opinn augum Þá ég sakna þín Og þá ég sakna Einar : Out the window I once went through a window
Copy thy neighbour Einar : I need the flowers.... I need.... Bjork : I noticed a sound But it gone from my way of walking Something comes turning Moving knees And how he strokes His hand which tie us Over the eyes When you thinks - he imitates I'm watching through the corner of my eyes I'm seen having my opinions Even fight for them So I invite him Come on, you can just swim up to me I'll show you the flowers - hoho! But he follows - he imitates Einar : I need the flowers Bjork : Ha, defoliates Deflowers And offer, offer Einar : I need the flowers Bjork : And after constant following - I get bitter He's elipsing on my energy - go off him! You can just swim for yourself You can find your own flowers Einar : I need the flowers Bjork : Ha, he imitates And offer He has all All the fucking gloves Defoliates Deflowered You can see it It's so obvious You must be someone else You must be someone other than I am Must have other needs Other opinions Einar : I need the flowers Bjork : He follows - he imitates And offer, offer Einar : I need flowers Bjork : Defoliates Deflowers Just by the book Einar : The man on the cross - he stares at me He's, he's on the cross Because of, of our sins Our sins, my sins I'm told, it's my sins I've got nothing to do with it And he, he keeps, he keeps, he keeps The man on the cross - he keeps staring at me The man on the cross - he keeps staring at me What kind of eyes, what kind of eyes The man, the man on the cross He keeps - he keeps - he -- STOP! Björk : See, I'm quite happy now See, I'm quite happy And feel fulfilled I know what I want, see I got this certain direction, see I just follow I got to know this Oh, this great guy, see I, I just do as he tells me Oh, I'm scared I believe - I believe I'll do anything Just ask - I believe Einar : We are, we are on the cross Staring at our souls We are, we are on the cross Because of all those hungry, hungry Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazies that follow They greet us, put us on the cross Has put us on the cross The greed, up we hang there We hang there, we die We're just hanging floppy We dont even need no mirror to see That we are hanging, we're hanging on a cross We are on a cross, we are - we are - on a cross Björk : Oh! I'm in this relationship now See, we in turn we work together I do the dirty work for him One in one, spit your soul Quite good, you see He's still busy - he's still busy He's hanging on the cross all the time See, I believe and I'm willing to I'm willing to convince everyone I believe! Come on, follow us! It's quite good You don't have to think He'll think for you - you just follow Oh, I believe! Einar : We are on the cross We are on the cross together Our minds - and our souls We are on the cross because of them I believe! Björk : Oh, I believe! Zro French Speaker : [Définition qui bien que formulait en terme généraux nous semble viser d'abord d'une manière très particulière et donc toute prophétique l'oeuvre d'Arthur Rimbaud. La poésie est le réel absolu] Just a scene have left me behind With broken fingers To show me The z(e)ro is mine Happy girl In the beginning Building a spire All around me They fight And tired Dance as star Ohh Obvious French Speaker [ Il est retrouvé…quoi?...l'éternité ] Latent Bjork : He invites me Oh, he invites me inside, and inside his room Offers - I take the offer, offers me a seat on his sofa It's a nice sofa - a beautiful sofa I like the colour and I sit down But he shuts - he's shutting the door He locks it - he's locking it I don't sit any longer I don't sit any longer on his sofa - I lay I lay - and he - he's right on the top of me And he's forcing himself into my body It's not right - oh! Oh! I don't understand this rhythm I don't understand this rhythm I can't connect myself to it I don't understand this rhythm So, stop, jump slow ohh! Einar : The threat of castration lets us know so fear Push us over the cliff and out of the way 'Cause the threat of castration Is too much for the sick little minds The threat of castration lets them who fear Call the willies inside the trousers And they see her Christ and God aren't fucking that day Weren't caught with our trousers down Their fear leaves them sexless A glance - I did not know that The monster of the fear of castration They push us over the cliff The scare, the glance Bjork : Oh, I am enjoying it Can I fulfill your needs? Einar : The monster They've got something It disappears Bjork : Oh! Oh! Who am I sobbing? I'm digging you! Einar : The threat of castration lets us know so fear Push us over the cliff and out of the way 'Cause the threat of castration Is too much for the sick little minds The threat of castration lets them who fear Call the willies inside the trousers And they see her Christ and God aren't fucking that day Weren't caught with our trousers down Their fear leaves them sexless A glance - I did not know that The monster of the fear of castration They push us over the cliff The scare, the glance, the monster They've got something It disappears Bjork : You can sell your bloody sofa Einar : The threat of castration let's us know so fear Push us over the cliff and out of the way 'Cause you're blind, you cant drive You can't see anything, but the fear of castration The fear of castration, the fear of castration Gets no slow so fear, whatever he dressing They stop us - the fear, but i'm continuing pushing The threat of castration... Bjork : Oh you're selling - who are you selling? You can sell your bloody sofa I'm digging! I'm digging! I'm trying to break you! I'm trying! I'm trying too hard! I'm not sleeping at all I'm digging you - leave me alone Who am I selling - I'm selling What are you selling? You can sell your bloody sofa! Vials of wrath Björk You're biting.... Einar You're so right.... Björk Oh, you're biting Einar ....so precise You are so well Björk Taking care of your independence.... Einar The others are just stupid Björk ....by biting.... Einar Moron Criticising the others or watching TV.... Björk ....bite.... Einar ....for working Björk ....bite.... Einar Pushing them too far Björk You long for unhealed wounds But you could strike your voice in deep in down Einar Stop....stop Björk You're biting.... Einar So conscious.... Björk Oh, you're biting Einar So right So precise You are so well Björk Taking care of your independence.... Einar The others are just stupid Björk ....by biting.... Einar You know I don't Björk Everything I done for Einar The others are just stupid, ignorant bastards Björk You just bite You just long for unhealed wounds Einar Criticising the others for watching TV.... Björk You just long for unhealed wounds Einar ....for working Björk You could strike your voice in deep in down Einar You wrong kind, you wrong people Björk Just you nice, please You could take with you in the family what you want to like Einar You're so right Your mind is like venom Your mind is like venom Björk Just biting Everything which come too close Einar You don't want a TV, It's so synthetic What would you like to do, huh? Eating in a silly restaurant Is it the way you want? You got a choice haven't you? Björk Like all my touches I tumble And you can't continue.... Einar Your'e free Oh, you're so free Björk ....no.... Einar You're so right, so precise Björk ....just bite.... Einar You are.... Your mind is like venom And me? I'm just a good trumpet-player Björk Biting your way through Gnawing every string that you can You could actually do others Anything that could respect you Just biting....biting.... Einar All the others are just bastards You're free, aren't ya Björk ....just biting.... Einar Right....you are Bastards Right....you are You're free, aren't ya You're so bright, so precise Björk Just biting....biting.... Einar So right, so precise Björk ....biting Einar You're so right Björk Do you alone Einar I just play the trumpet Björk No independence Einar So conscious, so right Björk ....biting.... Einar So precise You are The night Speaker [ On behalf of IcelandAir Captain and crew We hope you had a nice flight, We thank you for your nice company. Goodbye. ] Björk Fish! In water Heading out Skin, purple skin Even Ton, heart, cry bluish Soothing water Sand, red sand Offers fish Golden be But water, blue water Paints truth with passive peace