ICELAND’S FUFANU
They’re called Fufanu and their second album Sports could make them bigger than Björk. Interview by Marc Andrews.
DNA: Talk us through your name and titles: Fufanu and Sports. Kaktus: The name Fufanu comes from being young and stupid. We made it up. It doesn’t mean anything. It describes our music. We named the album after a track on the album. Give us a brief history of the band up to now. It all started when me and Gulli met in school late 2008 at the age of 16. We both had an interest in electronic music and started making our own. That evolved under the name Captain Fufanu. In 2013 we started to experiment with live instruments and the sound changed. We dropped the Captain and kept on developing with the new sound as Fufanu with Erling on drums and here we are today, still pushing our limits and making music. When did you realise that you wanted the band to be your day job? Right from the start. There was something about the partnership between us that felt good and still does. Who were your idols when you were young? Michael Jordan and Vala Flosadóttir [she won bronze at the 2000 Olympics in the pole vault]. Iceland’s done quite well on the spooky pop front. What’s the secret? It’s probably Lýsi, an Icelandic omega fish oil [laughs]. I can’t think of anything else. Is it true that in Iceland everyone somehow knows Bjork? I sure hope not… I would feel really sorry for her if she knew every idiot in Iceland. Your song Sports could be about a boy or a girl. Are you trying to tell us something? Maybe I’m not telling you something specific. Maybe I’m sharing my feelings with you. When writing lyrics I could spell everything out and tell the story but it’s healthier to take time and dig into the lyrics so that people can take their own experiences out of it. Most people know the feeling of desiring something, everything from a chocolate brownie to a person. That is what
Sports is about: desire. How is Iceland on gay rights, gay marriage and adoption? It’s all allowed, no problems, except from a few narrow-minded dinosaurs. My gay friends say that they don’t lack anything in society. Do you have gay fans? Yeah! We got a good amount of gay fans after our tour with John Grant who are very loyal. What should they throw at you on stage that you would appreciate? Some good food. Food on the road can be a bit boring. Or maybe a fancy pink cocktail. Who are your gay role models? Stephen Fry, Ellen DeGeneres and Aaron-Carl Raglad and Frankie Knuckles [dance music luminaries]. Do you think it’s still important to have gay clubs and venues? Gay clubs were important and still are. Maybe they’re not serving the same role as they did in the beginning of the fight for gay rights, but more in playing the role of helping people coming out to find themself in a gay environment; at least that is the case here in Iceland. What’s the gay scene like in Iceland? It’s really open and welcoming for everyone but small so maybe it’s a bit monochrome. Just one gay club, for example. The scene is like a family, and in a country of 320,000 people it’s hard to be picky. What are the three things we have to do or see if we come to Iceland? The thing that you will do is hear the wind, the ocean… and more wind. What’s your message for the readers of DNA? Don’t fight to please others. You’ll please someone else by being you. MORE: Sports is released through One Little Indian. Go to www.fufanu.rocks or find them on Facebook/Instgram @fufanumusic