Kukl was an Icelandic anarcho-punk group between 1983 and 1986, most notable for being one of Björk's first bands. The band was formed in August 1983 when Ásmundur Jónsson from Gramm Records wanted to create an avant-garde supergroup to perform on the final episode of a radio show called Áfangar. He assembled Björk Guðmundsdóttir, vocalist of Tappi Tíkarrass; Einar Örn Benediktsson, a trumpeter and vocalist in Purrkur Pillnikk; keyboardist Einar Arnaldur Melax, from the surrealistic group Medúsa; Birgir Mogensen, the bassist from Spilafífl; and finally drummer Sigtryggur Baldursson and guitar player Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson (a.k.a. Godkrist), both from the band Þeyr. KUKL's first live show was on Reykjavík on the September 20, 1983 opening for Crass. They soon after put out their first release, a single for the song Söngull b/w "Pökn (fyrir Byrjendur)". "Söngull" is the Icelandic version of "Dismembered", a song which would later appear in English on a later album....(read more on wikipedia)
Links To Peel[]
Peel was aware of the band and after the success of the Sugarcubes "Birthday" song reaching number 1 on the 1987 Festive Fifty he played Kukl's "France" track and mentioned:
"And with the success of the Sugarcubes everyone's been dusting off their Kukl LPs pretending that they've always liked them."
Peel rarely played any of Kukl's material in the 90's and beyond.
Shows Played[]
K.U.K.L. (KUKL) - France (A Mutual Thrill) (Complete video AND perfect audio! VERY RARE!)
- 1984
- 14 January 1984 (BFBS): Söngull (7") Gramm GRAMM 17
- 1986
- 29 January 1986: Gibraltar (Copy Thy Neighbour) (LP - Holidays In Europe (The Naughty Nought)) Crass
- 1988
- 05 January 1988: Seagull (LP - The Eye) Crass
- 27 January 1988: Gibraltar (Copy Thy Neighbour) (LP - Holidays In Europe (The Naughty Nought) Crass
- 23 February 1988: France (A Mutual Thrill) (album - Holidays In Europe (The Naughty Nought)) Crass Cat. No. 4
- 09 April 1988 (Radio Bremen): Seagull (album - The Eye) Crass