Einar Örn Benediktsson - Grapewire
Einar Örn Benediktsson started his career in the music industry while still in his teens in the early 80s. After managing the (locally) legendary Utangarðsmenn with great success and co-founding the alternative record label Grammið, he struck out on his own and founded the punk band Purrkur Pilnikk, declaring that action trumped ability, explaining his discordant Dub poetry vocals and non-conformist trumpet playing.
After finishing a Bachelor’s degree in media studies at the Polytechnic in Central London, he took part in the experimental band KUKL, leading to the foundation of the Smekkleysa/Bad Taste cultural co-operative. The most successful Bad Taste project was the Sugarcubes, which he founded and fronted along with Björk, Sigtryggur, Bragi, Friðrik and Thor, enjoying critical and public acclaim worldwide.
After the Sugarcubes Einar Örn declared music a hobby, focusing on media, media studies, Internet ventures and music management.
Intermittently he worked on collaborative musical projects, such as Frostbite with composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, the score for the film 101 Reykjavík with Damon Albarn and Ghostigital with Curver. Recently Einar Örn started Grapewire, an online digital assets service provider. Einar Örn lives on the hinges of Reykjavík today with a goldfish and a boxer.
