Bow To The Prins - Prinspóló In The Spotlight
February 14, 2012 at 8:35am
Behold! We have real Icelandic royalty stepping graciously into the Spotlight in the shape of Prinspóló - the alter-ego of Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson - with whom we were granted an audience just prior to his appearance at By:Larm (February 17th and 18th). After the release of the album 'Jukk' and a successful string of European tourdates, he tells us, quite understandably, that he 'feels rather good about these past months.' Read on, loyal subjects, read on...
Your Highness! What is the inspiration behind Prinspóló?
The inspiration was the complete lack of royalty in Iceland. Prinspóló is created from the ether, though some suggest it was at an afterparty with Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Gylfi Ægis in Breiðholt, but no one seems to remember.
Fair enough. You've been rather busy, we've noticed, since the release of your fine album 'Jukk'. How has it been for you?
Prinspóló feels rather good about these past months. He has been to Latvia, Poland, Denmark and Germany performing for crowds of all shapes and sizes. Everybody has welcomed him with warmth and respect and it has
been very good for him to meet other people. He also released a new song and video called "Föstudagsmessa" and that has been getting good feedback.
What is life on the road like with Prinspolo? Is it all veggie burgers and yoga on the tourbus or are there the sort of scenes that would shock Bacchus?
Our manager drank a lot of Battery in Latvia, but that is an energy drink of some sort, it was pretty wild.
So you're heading off to By:Larm - have you been before? And what are you looking forward to most?
Prinspóló has not been to Norway before and is looking very much forward to visit the kingdom of Norway. We at the herd are expecting some good times there with other royalties. Other activities on the schedule are to visit Smári Karlsson, check out the local Kebab scene (we have heard that is quite good there), do some cross country skiing and hang out with other musicians and fans.
It's quite the eclectic mix of Icelandic artists who are playing at the showcase. Will you be descending on By:Larm together like an army? Or will you all be avoiding each other determinedly?
We have nothing but love and respect for other musicians and we will spend as much time as possible with musicians, both from Iceland and other countries.
Has Kristján (drummer Kristjan Freyr, also a member of Reykjavik!), prepared any special stories to share at your appearances?
If so, what might they be, if you don't mind us asking? Kristján will most likely say some stories, we are hoping that he will not, but when he starts there is no stopping him. He might tell the story of Loji getting drunk in Krakow and turning into a Danish teenager.
Sounds like a winner to us. Speaking of which, you have a great video out for your song 'Föstudagsmessa' (Friday mass), and the song has a dark and intriguing edge to it. Tell us a bit about the track?
Föstudagsmessa is philosophical inquiry into the space that surrounds us and the focal point depending on the people and objects filling it. It is also about being drunk after midnight and having fun without having fun.
Ah. We like the way the video is shot - what are the locations and do some of them have particular significance to you? Or are they just to test us on, as you said, what the focal point is, the building or the person in the photo (or the person walking past the person in the photo...)?
It is shot in Poland, mostly in Krakow. Prinspóló visited Poland to find where they make Prince Polo chocolate. But the sale company lost the factory (they don't know were it is made) and we have to go again this year to do a better search. And every location in your lifetime has some importance to us since it is allowing us to be.
Indeed. What happens after By:Larm for you?
Prinspóló will do shows in Belgium and Switzerland after showing Norway how things are done. Thus completing the EFTA tour (except we are not going to Liechtenstein). The show in Belgium is at Café Video in Ghent. He will also do a show in St. Gallen on a Nordic music festival called Nordklang festival.
The schedule:
February 16th: Faktory Bar, Reykjavik, Iceland
February 17-18th: By:Larm Festival, Oslo, Norway
February 22nd: Café Video, Ghent, Belgium
February 25th: Nordklang Festival, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Marvellous. Much obliged!