Mugison

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Örn.
Mugison
Mugison at Moers Festival 2006, Germany
Background information
Born
Örn Elías Guðmundsson
InstrumentGuitar
Years active2003–present
Websitewww.mugison.com

Örn Elías Guðmundsson, known professionally as Mugison, is an Icelandic musician.

Early life

Growing up in Africa, Guðmundsson had a pet monkey as a chilld, in 1977.[1]

Career

Aldrei fór ég suður festival

The Aldrei fór ég suður ('I Never Went South') is a music festival Mugison first held in 2004.[2] It is the idea of Mugison and his father, Guðmundur Kristjánsson,[3] who came up with the idea after playing in a music festival in London in 2003.[4][5] It was named after the Bubbi Morthens song of the same name.[6]

2005–present

Mugison saw further success in 2005, as he played 200 gigs in one year to promote his second album Mugimama Is This Monkey Music?. Gig highlights included supporting Fantômas in London at the HMV forum and playing Roskilde festival. He also shared stages with José González and Hot Chip.

The album was released in North America by Mike Patton's label IPECAC Records and Accidental Records released the album throughout Europe.

He also created the soundtrack for the film A Little Trip To Heaven.

In 2006, Mugison established his record label Mugiboogie. He was growing tired of the computer troubadour label and wanted to play rock and roll with a band. He moved back to The Westfjords with his young family, bought a house, converted the garage into a studio and started jamming with friends, of which became the basis of his following record. He perfomed at the G-festival in the Faroe Islands and SPOT Festival for the second time. It was the first time he participated with a band.

In 2007, he released his third studio album Mugiboogie. Mugison wanted the album to sound timeless, so that one could not identify when it was recorded. The idea was for it to sound similar to a 'Best Of' compilation. The album consists of multiple rock-influenced styles including heavy and light. It is also inspired by George Harrison's music. Following the release of Mugiboogie in Europe on his own label and Ipecac Records in North America, booking agent William Morris approached him to represent his touring interests in North America. Mugiboogie sold over 10,000 records in Iceland alone, without radio support.

Gig highlights in 2008 promoting his third studio album include:

In 2009, Mugison released his album A Reminder, which contained songs which had been modified over the years. He sold it through his website and had a sold-out tour in Iceland with Björgvin Gíslasson.

Mugison was invited to an Amnesty International charity event whereby he played all 5 boroughs of New York in one day.

In 2011, he released his fourth and most successful studio album to date Haglél. The album sold in excess of 30,000 during 2011. Recorded entirely in Icelandic and using simple two-track soundcard, the album was casually recorded with friends in various houses and homemade studios. Due to the phenomenal success of the record, Mugison was able to pay off various debts. As a way to show gratitude to people that bought his album, he did three free concerts in Reykjavík at Harpa in December 2011. He performed the three concerts in a day, and they were all at maximum capacity. The middle performance was filmed live to air on RUV and transpired to be the highest rated TV show on RUV during 2011. Mugison also travelled around the country and performed free concerts in Seyðisfjörður, Vestmannaeyjar, Bolungarvik and Akureyri, where he did 2 concerts.

All Mugison's albums are handmade; creating 30,000 of it became a full-time job for some of his friends and family.

Discography

Collaborations

  • Dani Siciliano – All The Above – writer singer
  • Cheek Mountain Thief – "You Are The Demon"
  • Bubbi Morthens – Þorpið 2012
  • Björgvin Halldórsson – "Minning".
  • Wrote a song and performed with band Reykjavík a song called "Sumarást".
  • Wrote a song with Múm (unreleased) performed in Poland, song called "Stamina"
  • Wrote a song with Icelandic reggae band Hjálmar – song called "Ljósvíkingur".
  • Sang two songs on Tómas R. Einarssons album Trúnó. songs are "Stolin Stef" and "Náungar Mínir"

On all albums, Mugison worked with Pétur Ben (who co-wrote Murr Murr) who is responsible for string arrangements on many of the songs, and also played guitar. His partner Rúna was featured on every album; while his friend Biggi mixed and mastered all albums. Gudni Finnsson and Arnar Gislason respectively played bass and drums, both live and in the studio, since 2006.

Awards

  • 2004: Icelandic Music Awards – Performer of the Year
  • 2004: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Album for Mugimama Is This Monkey Music?
  • 2004: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Cover Art
  • 2004: Icelandic Music Awards – Song of the Year for "Murr Murr"
  • 2004: Icelandic Music Press – Album of the Year - Mugimama Is This Monkey Music?
  • 2006: Icelandic Music Awards – Performer of the Year
  • 2007: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Rock and Alternative Album of the Year for Mugiboogie
  • 2007: Icelandic Music Awards – Cover Art
  • 2007: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Video
  • 2007: Icelandic Music Press – Album of the Year for Mugiboogie
  • 2011: Icelandic Music Awards – Album of the Year for Haglél
  • 2011: Icelandic Music Awards – Songwriter of the Year
  • 2011: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Song of the Year
  • 2011: Icelandic Music Awards – Best Lyrics of the Year
  • 2011: Icelandic Music Awards – Most Popular Performer, voted by the general public

Personal life

Guðmundsson got the nickname "Mugison" while on holiday visiting his father, Muggi (Muggur), in Malaysia. His father is a karaoke singer, and as the crowds at the karaoke bars in the small fishing villages they were touring had problems pronouncing his name, they came to call him "Mugison". Mugison is the Icelandic naming convention for the surname of someone who is "the son of Muggi".[8]

References

  1. ^ "Paste Music - Guides to the Best Albums, Reviews and Live Music Video". Archived from the original on 2014-01-23.
  2. ^ Elín Albertsdóttir (8 April 2017). "Iðandi rokkveisla". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  3. ^ Halla Ólafsdóttir (12 March 2016). "Aldrei fór ég suður: Áhrif á allt samfélagið". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  4. ^ Sullivan, Paul (18 April 2007). "Meeting Mugison: DiS explores Iceland's outer reaches at the Aldrei fór ég sudur festival". Drowned in sound. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  5. ^ Kolbrún Bergþórsdóttir (2 October 2011). "Ég er trillukarl í þessum bransa". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Bubbi Morthens á Aldrei fór ég suður". DV (in Icelandic). 11 March 2013. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Enjoy! (2016)". mugison. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  8. ^ "Interview with Mugison". De sorte spejdere at Iceland Airwaves, 19 October 2007. Retrieved on 11 November 2007.
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