Edward Hancox's Blog, page 24

Unchained Iceland

I admit it; most of my travels around Iceland haven’t been that strenuous. I’ve seen quite a bit of the country, but quite a bit of that was through the bottom of a bottle or with a knife and fork in hand.

I’m not ashamed of it, but I was intrigued to hear about Geoff Harper, another Brit (although he now lives in the States) who has an obsession with Iceland, albeit from a more active perspective. Geoff has come up with ‘Unchained Iceland.’ I wanted to find out more.

What is ‘Unchained Iceland’?

Unchained Iceland is a five hundred mile traverse of Iceland’s southern beaches from Höfn to Reykjavík on my Fatbike. Whilst many riders have circumnavigated Iceland via the Ring Road this trip is, as far as I know, unique. I will be camping along the route and stopping only in towns to buy food and supplies.

Can you cycle all the way from Höfn to Reykjavík on the beach, or are there areas where this won’t be possible?

Yes and no! The beaches are in a constant state of flux, ocean inlets vary with tides, glacial runoffs vary with ambient temperatures, and also rain and high winds will all affect my ability to ride the beaches at any given moment. Detailed topographical maps of Iceland are hard to find, with seven people per square mile demand is low. The maps I have all show differing characteristics of the coast so not much help there! I have contacted a search and rescue organization to see which maps they use and have also spoken with cyclists who have ridden the road by the southern beaches all of whom have suggested that it is doable, albeit ambitious.

Simply put, I will ride what is ride-able and the rest I will portage around, accordingly I expect to make up the large majority of the route on the fly.

What on earth is a ‘Fatbike’?

Fatbikes originate in Alaska where more than a decade ago they were improvised from mountain bikes for the purpose of winter racing on snow.

In recent years fatbikes have evolved, often replacing traditional mountain bikes where die hard riders use them year round to access backcountry terrain. These bikes are effectively the monster trucks of the bicycling world with 4inch-width tires supporting a relatively light bike frame, they cruise over sand and snow that would stop regular bikes in their tracks. The fatbike I am using for my adventure is designed specifically for beach riding, instead of a conventional chain it has a belt-drive made by Gates Carbon Drive which is impervious to salt, sand and rust.

Tell us a bit about yourself, and your relationship to Iceland.

Originally born in Surrey, England, I moved to the U.S. in 1999 living mostly on the West Coast. I currently live in Denver, Colorado which is where I discovered fatbiking. Colorado is hands-down my favorite state, I get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains as part of my routine.

Regarding Iceland, since the age of 13 I have been hearing stories about the northern lights, glaciers, dark winters and light summers mostly because one of my best friends is actually an Icelander from Reykjavík. I have a passion for Icelandic music both Sigur Rós and Múm have been favorites of mine for over ten years and also the Icelandic Sagas are very interesting to me, it’s powerful stuff!

What if it all goes wrong? What are your worst fears?

My worst fears pertain to mechanical failure of the bike and mechanical failure of myself, i.e. injury. I am preparing for both of these by planning and training, though in reality there will be moments along the trip where I am more vulnerable than others, these moments tend to define my adventures so I try to embrace them as such.

Where can we follow your adventures?

Gates carbon drive will be featuring me on their blog/Facebook/twitter. I will be blogging and posting photos on my own site also.

***

I’ll catch up with Geoff again after his challenge. As tempting as a fatbike sounds, I’ll still be taking thing easy. I wish Geoff the best of luck though.

Original column published at Iceland Review online.

An interview with me!

I was recently interviewed for the Beniceland blog. This is one of my favourite blogs about Iceland, and its created by a chap called Ben Goddard. Ben describes himself as ‘Sarcastic, Bearded, attunded to the country of Iceland, I like biscuits’, which kind of says it all. Anyway, here it is.

Having joined Twitter many moons ago it wasn’t long till I found people that had similar interests to me, or should I say obsessions. Within a short space of time there seemed to be a mini community of Iceland obsessives and I’ve actually met some of these in the people in the real world. Most of them seem to be alright….

Anyway, one of these people who I have got to know is Ed Hancox, a fellow obsessive with all things Icelandic, and he is just about to launch his book ‘Iceland Defrosted’. A book that was financed entirely by contributions to his crowd funding page. The book is set to launch soon with events in London and obviously Reykjavik. Ed managed to spare a few minutes while putting the finishing touches to the launches to answer a few questions.

b: So when/where did your fascination with Iceland begin?

EH: I think it in 2004/2005.  I’ve long been fascinated with cold places, so Iceland had always been on the list. Then came Sigur Rós; I was working at a record shop at the time and their music had a huge impact on me. The die was set though, when through my work, I got to know an Icelander. He has shown me things in Iceland that I’d never have seen ordinarily. Oh, and he can drink me under the table.

b: What made you decide to write a book and how long did it take to write?

EH: The same Icelander – Einar – was pleased and surprised with my obsession for Iceland and all things Icelandic. After the 4th or 5th visit (we’ve stopped counting now!) he suggested that I start putting it in a book.  It’s taken about 6 years to write. I didn’t realise it at the time, but it’s a very Icelandic thing to do – write a book.

b: You set up a Kickstarter page to finance the book. What made you choose this method?

EH: Well, traditional publishing is in disarray, and publishing houses were not wiling to chance it on an unknown author with a fairly niche subject. I saw that Kickstarter books had a fairly high success rate and decided to go for it. I couldn’t let six years of writing, and crucially, all the help from the kind-hearted Icelanders over the years just sit redundantly on my hard-drive.

b: You got a pretty overwhelming response and made your target within a couple of weeks. Were you surprised how interested people were in your book?

EH: Yes! I was bowled over. I hit my target in six days, and went on to gain funding from 122 backers and totalled 179% of my original target. I honestly thought it was going to be a huge flop, and pressing the ‘launch’ button was terrifying. I needn’t have worried; my friends in the UK & Iceland were right behind me. One Icelandic friend contacted Morgunblaðið, a daily Icelandic newspaper and got my campaign featured. Meanwhile, my online friends did everything they could to spread the word. I quickly got backers from all over the world; Australia, Brazil, Singapore, Europe and lots from the US & Canada. I am hugely grateful for the kindness and support shown.

b: Were there any problems in getting the book together?

EH: No, it was all fairly straightforward. I found an excellent editor who had worked for Rough Guides, and she proved to be a guiding light. We made some huge changes to the order of chapters, and this was definitely the right thing to do. It now flows like a story, and I’m really proud of the final product.

b: What can we expect to find in the book?

EH: Where do I start? It’s the story of my obsession with the people, places and music of Iceland. It’s not really a Rough Planet, Lonely Guide sort of book, more the sort of yarn to read over a strong black coffee whilst a storm howls outside.

It has tales of snowmobiling on Vatnajökull, the wild side of Reykjavik on a weekend, tracking down Eider, hunting sea monsters in Arnarfjörður, a woman that can see elves in Hafnarfjörður, attempting the ‘delicacy’ of rotten shark meat, chasing / be chased by reindeer, heeding advice from Iceland’s only Michelin starred chef on what Icelandic food to eat (and what not to eat), interviewing Icelandic musicians, finding isolation mixed with fog in Djúpavík, and a trip to Hull. No, really.

b: The launch in London is at the Icelandic Embassy, how did that come about?

EH: Me, being cheeky! I needed a venue for the London launch, and I couldn’t think of anywhere more suitable. I just gave them a call, and it went from there. They have been so helpfull, it’s been a pleasure to work with them. Together, I think we can make it a really special night; a little corner of Iceland in central London.

b: You also have Icelandic artists performing at the London and Reykjavik book launches. What can you tell us about the performers?

EH: Well, ÍRiS is playing at the London event. She is a brilliant singer/songwriter from Reykjavík who is flying over especially to perform. She is fairly new on the music scene, but has a background in jazz and classical music. Her music is just beguiling, and she will be performing an intimate, acoustic set. She is about to release her debut album, which was also crowd-funded so we have that in common.

Rökkurró are playing at the Reykjavik event. Rökkurró play melodic, semi-acoustic material, topped with the sweetest, quintessentially Icelandic vocals. I still don’t know how I managed to get one of my favourite Icelandic bands to play, but it’s happening. Hildur from the band was due to play solo as ‘Lily & Fox’, but contacted me to say that Rökurró would play an exclusive set. I spent several minutes squealing like a girl!

b: So now that you’re a published author, can we expect more books from you?

EH: Ha! One at a time. I am definitely tempted, but all my time is taken up by my ever increasing family, my day job and writing columns for Iceland Review and my blog (iceanddefrosted.com). I also need to concentrate on getting my debut out there for people to read and enjoy.

b: What/where has been your favourite performance by an Icelandic band?

EH: Tough question! I’ve seen Icelandic bands play all over the world, but shows on their home turf seem to be something special. The Sigur Rós tour of Iceland in 2006 was really good, although I’ve must have drunk too much as my memory of the Reykjavík concert is a little hazy. The Sigur Rós homecoming concert in 2008 was amazing, especially as some of the performance was from behind a waterfall. Sigur Rós, in Reykjavik, on a cold, frosty November night with an Icelandic beer in hand and the band behind a waterfall? Perfect.

b: What 5 tips would you give to someone visiting Iceland for the first time?

EH:

Don’t buy water. Icelandic water, even tap water, is excellent. I once got told off by Hafdis Huld for having bottled water.
Take it easy. Don’t plan everything. In Iceland, things just happen.
People say that Icelandic hotdogs (pylsur) are good but I think that Icelandic burgers are better. Try Hamborgarafabrikkan or Hamborgara Búllan if you don’t believe me.
Cheap, and ubiquitous, Hotpots are fantastic, and especially the natural ones. You can see Icelanders in their natural environment, and they can actually cure hangovers. This is not scientifically proven.
There is a really good book I can recommend….

Thanks to Ed for his time,  Iceland Defrosted will be available to buy from all good bookshops and online (Amazon etc) in paperback and ebook format from 1st July.

Rökkurró to play Iceland, Defrosted launch!

Yep, you read that correctly. Rökkurró, one of the best bands in Iceland at the moment, have kindly agreed to play at the Icelandic launch of Iceland, Defrosted at Eymundsson, Austurstræti 18, Reykjavík on 29th June.

I was thrilled that Hildur from the band had agreed to play the launch as ‘Lily & Fox’, but when she emailed to say that Rökkurró would play an exclusive set, I squealed like a girl!

I last saw Rökkurró at Iceland Airwaves 2012, and they were amazing. Their sensitive, sweet melodies are topped by sugar sprinkled vocals from Hildur. They are delicious. They feature in Iceland, Defrosted, so its appropriate that they play at the launch party. Its going to be quite a night!

The party starts at 6pm. See you there.

Please note that there are still some places left for the London launch, with ÍRiS. Just email me if you need an invite!

Radio Interview

 

I did my first live – yes, live! – radio interview today with BBC Radio Shropshire with Jim Hawkins. It was quite an experience; I haven’t felt nerves like that for a good long while. I got through it though – not to many fluffed words, mispronunciations nor swearing. I hope I did Iceland, Defrosted proud.

You can listen to here. I’m on at 02:14:30 after Spandau Ballet (I had to listen to all of their MOR bilge, you can skip right through).

Right, whats next? Radio 4?!

 

Iceland’s New Siren: ÍRiS

On the Reykjanes peninsula, a man lies on the bare rock. His face is pressed against his rifle, one eye closed as he concentrates. A lit cigarette balances on his lips. He takes aim. Below, the cold sea is churning over and over, as a female on the beach falls to her knees. Blood spatters from her head on the rock beneath her. She puts a hand up to her face, which is streaked with both blood and tears. Meanwhile, a flame-haired siren is walking on the same beach, secretly calling each party into action.

This isn’t one of Iceland’s infrequent murders about to take place, this is the latest music video from ÍRiS. Directed by Peter Szewczyk—best known for music videos from the UK’s Maccabees and Skunk Anansie—it’s a stunning introduction to the world and music of ÍRiS, a breathtaking songstress from Reykjavík. On the eve of releasing her debut album, ÍRiS produces sultry, elegant music with a sharp edge. She is the siren.

I’ve listened to your material. How would you describe your music?

It’s a bit of a blend really, but if I put it into words I think alternative pop music would be a way to describe it.

You have a classical background combined with performing as a jazz singer. How does that fit with your current style of music?

Everything has its part in my musical development.Classical music taught me important rules of music, but jazz taught me how to break those rules, experiment and find my own sound. And from this background I found that it’s ok to be different, not to be categorized in any way. And so I created what felt I had in me and tried to be honest about it.

Where have you been until now?

Here and there, Sweden, France and Iceland mostly. I have been wanting to head out again for some time now, but Iceland always seems to have some reason to hold on to me. I guess I feel very connected to this place. But my mind definitely wanders abroad.

Your new album is called Penumbra, what does that mean? It doesn’t sound like an Icelandic word.

The name is far from being Icelandic, true. But since all but one song on the album are in English, I felt that an English title would be fitting. The meaning of the name comes from the concept behind the album. Whilst recording Penumbra I explored various musical contrasts by mixing together traditional instruments such as cello and piano with more contemporary electronic sounds as well as experimenting the full range of sounds available from both instruments and items found in everyday life. From this process the title of the album was born, Penumbra, which stands for the region where complete shadow and illumination meet,  where musical contrasts connect.

How was it recording at the legendary Sundlaugin studio?

It was unreal. Mainly because I was realizing my dream project but it was definitely a dream location as well. Great surrounding, it being close to nature, and filled with all kinds of unique instruments that I would put on my wish list any day. Being able to benefit from that, I could create the sound that I wanted, and that is why I chose to record a big part of the album there.

Where in Iceland are you from?

I hail from Reykjavik… simply… although my family tree can also be traced elsewhere. 

The idea of ‘celebrity’ seems not to exist in Iceland. Everyone seems to be on an equal footing, and yet creativity is celebrated. Why do you think this is?

Well, for the celebrity part I can’t answer. But for the creativity, I have my theory. In my opinion, there is a very do it yourself kind of atmosphere here in Iceland. Most artists are independent, and new acts can in most cases find a venue. I have never felt limitations or barriers as an independent artist. It’s hard work but if you want to, there is no one stopping you. It’s a small community, so putting your work out there seem like an approachable idea. Although that same factor could also set you up for critique, since everybody knows everybody. But that’s a risk worth taking, in my opinion.

What’s next for you?

First and foremost to release Penumbra in June, but shortly after that I will certainly be looking for some interesting venues in Iceland and abroad.

Back in the video, ÍRiS walks along the sea shore, placing footsteps in the wet, black sand. Sirens don’t exist, of course. It’s not possible to lure sailors to their deaths by enchanting songs. If it was, ÍRiS would have blood on her hands.

More information:

http://facebook.com/irismusiciris

http://soundcloud.com/irismusiciris

Original article on Iceland Review online.

ÍRiS will play an exclusive acoustic set at the launch of Iceland, Defrosted on 20th June in London.

Photographs ©NannaDís

Launch Party Update

So, the full list of launch parties is as follows:

- 20th June, 6.30pm, Embassy of Iceland, London (invite only, let me know if you want one!)
Special acoustic performance from ÍRiS

- 29th June, 6pm, Eymundsson, Austurstræti 18, Reykjavík
Open invite

- 3rd July, 6pm, Wenlock Books, Much Wenlock, Shropshire
Open invite

There are Facebook event pages set up for each if you wish to be kept up to date.

Let me know if you need any further details, otherwise, I look forward to seeing you. It’s going to be quite a night!