Pollapönk
Pollapönk were founded in 2006 by guitarists Haraldur Freyr Gislason and Heidar Orn Kristjansson of the Icelandic post-punk trio Botnledja. They created Pollapönk when graduating as Bachelors of Education from the Icelandic University of Education – in fact the first Pollapönk album was recorded when Haraldur and Heidar were graduating as pre-school teachers: they made an album as a part of their final work and submitted it along with a final paper. The purpose was to write and perform ambitious music that children and adults alike would enjoy and be able to sing along to. The songs are intended to relate to different age groups in an open and illuminating way.
The first Pollapönk album was a major hit in Iceland. In 2007 drummer Arnar Thor Gislason – who is Haraldur‘s brother - and bassplayer Gudni Finnsson both joined Pollapönk, who then became a quartet. Pollapönk have recorded two subsequent albums and played countless gigs for children and adults all over Iceland. In everyday life Haraldur Freyr is chairman of the Association of pre-school Teachers. Heidar Orn is a pre-school teacher and Arnar Thor and Gudni are professional musicians.
The origins of Pollapönk
Haraldur Freyr and Heidar Orn are childhood friends who have been playing and writing music since their early teens. They formed the band Botnledja and entered the local music contest Battle of the Bands’in 1995 and ended up winning it. Their first ever album Drullumall went gold; they were chosen as Best Newcomers at the Icelandic Music Awards in 1995, and as Best Rock Group in 1996 and 1998. They made five albums and two were chosen as the Album of the Year. Botnledja changed their name to Silt in 1997. They toured Europe supporting Blur and opened for Prodigy, Suede, Pulp and Sparta. Botnledja played the Reading Festival, All Tomorrow‘s Parties and In the City, as well as Eurosonic in Holland, Spot in Denmark, Emmaboda in Sweden and the Iceland Airwaves Festival. They subsequently performed some concerts with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra before finally calling it a day.
Botnledja participated in Söngvakeppnin, the Icelandic Eurovision pre-selection, in 2003. They wound up in second place with the song Eurovísa and have always maintained they would try for Eurovision again.
Pollapönk have had a few big hits, including Leyniskapurinn (Secret Closet), Thor og Jon eru hjon (Thor and John are a couple) and 113 vaelubillinn (113 Wailing Car), which has had many thousands of hits on Youtube. In 2011 the Icelandic national newspaper Frettabladid nominated Pollapönk for the Fellowship Award in the category “Fighting against prejudice”, which is a cause they have been promoting heavily both on their albums and when playing live. That same year Pollapönk received the Icelandic Ibby Award (International Board of Books for Young People) for their contribution to children's culture.
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