Following on from the Eliza interview last month, here is the
2nd of my interviews with bands from Iceland discovered
During this year�s free �In the City� festival.
In contrast to �Eliza� � Ulpa is a band, which remains me
Of an electronical version of �Radiohead� meets �Sigor Ros�
And when we saw them play live we were really impressed
By their energy and also their power
I was impressed enough to contact them regarding a interview
And as I like to say frequently, the rest is history
Ulpa I certainly like with �Eliza� are a certain suggestion
That Iceland has a brilliant crop of talented young acts
Coming through.
For more information on the group � please visit them
On their myspace.com account which can be found at
http://www.ulpa.is
Many thanks again to the group for this interview
Cheers
Andy N
Setting Sun:
How are things and what is happening at
The moment?
Ulpa:
Things are good, attempted flight by winged men
Is coming out in Germany, Switzerland and Austria
On the 20th of November, and was also released in
Denmark this summer.
Setting Sun:
Next, can you tell us a little bit about the general
History of Ulpa � How you all got started or as I like
To say sometimes � who fired the starting pistol
Be it for a better word?
Ulpa:
We met when we were all four working at the same
Place, cementing sewer pipes and we were talking
Music and planned on meeting and making
Music.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences and what are you
Listening to at the moment?
Ulpa:
Blonde redhead, sonic youth, smashing pumpkins,
Led zeppelin to name a few, now we�re listening
To a lot of electronica, like Khonnor, AFX,
And such.
Setting Sun:
I really enjoyed your set in Manchester�s
�In the City� � I certainly feel you were a
Excellent choice to finish off the night after a
Number of other excellent acts and your
Set certainly struck me you been playing
Concerts for a little while now. How does
The live arena compare to your recordings?
Is their one thing you prefer over the other?
Ulpa:
live is live, an album is an album, when we are
Playing live we�re playing live, when we�re
Making an album, we�re making an album,
Two different things.
Setting Sun:
I love quite a few of your songs on either your
Myspace.com or through your website but
I think my favourite was probably the short
And certainly beautiful �Go�, which we think
You played that night (although we were a
Little drunk by that point) - Could you tell us a
Little bit more about this song out of interest too?
Ulpa:
Go was a 4-5 minute song, which was an outcast on
AFBWM, then a friend of ours that made the
Sexy dick video for us needed a short music
Track for a piece he was making, we just kind of
Clipped a part from the song for him to use, which
Then ended on the album.
Setting Sun:
What is the inspiration behind your name also
�Ulpa� � Sometimes I find it good fun to try and
Guess the meaning behind the name of a band /
Act but I like to try and guess what is the inspiration
Behind the names of some names, but I must
Admit I have no idea over that one as you may
Have guessed my grasp of your language is
Not that good.
Ulpa:
Ulpa means warm winter jacket, keeps you
Warm and is like what the f...
Setting Sun:
Next, what plans do you have next? Do you
Have an album / single (s) planned or any
More concerts?
Ulpa:
An album is in the making, seeing it�s light, late
Next year, then there is touring Germany and
Following the release there and in Austria
And Swiss.
Setting Sun:
Anyway, a few lighter questions to finish off
With, first of all � can you tell us where you
All are from. I know you are from Iceland but
What is the music scene like over there nowadays?
Have you seen any good concerts there recently?
Ulpa:
We are all from Hafnarfjordur a suburb of
Reykjavik, and the music scene is good,
We saw The Sugarcubes last Friday, which was
Really nice, they being one of our
Favourite Icelandic bands.
Setting Sun:
Now a few, quick fire questions to finish off
With. Firstly, what would be your dream
Job if you were not a rock and roll star?
Ulpa:
A pop star
Setting Sun:
Secondly, what would you like to be
Doing when you are 60?
