Megas

Magnús Þór Jónsson (born 7 April 1945),

better known by the stage name Megas, is
a vocalist, songwriter, and writer who is
well known in his native Iceland.
 Megas

Megas (2011)

Background information

Birth name Magnús Þór Jónsson

Also known as Megas

Born 7 April 1945

Reykjavík, Iceland

Occupation(s) Singer–songwriter

Instruments Vocals
Interest in music
Being an admirer of Elvis Presley, Megas
welcomed the arrival of rock & roll to
Iceland by 1956, although his interest in
music had to be postponed while he
attended grammar school in 1960.

While he was young, he studied piano and

showed skill at painting. He wrote
outrageous short stories for the school
papers and in 1968 he also published the
sheet music and lyrics to 14 songs, many
of which would be released on his first
records. As a young bohemian writer, he
was inspired by Bob Dylan and Ray Davies,
and embarked into songwriting, but his
works were not copies of the American or
British idols, but in fact, his songs were
very original.

First release and controversy

At the beginning of the seventies, his
music works were not accessible as
Megas only performed them to his friends
of the left-wing circles. However, in 1972,
Icelandic students in Oslo, Norway helped
him release his first album, in which
diabolic and satiric lyrics were
accompanied by a mild acoustic music
played by Norwegian folk musicians. This
work caused controversy and his music
was banned by the Icelandic national
radio, but Megas became a cult figure in
the growing alternative scene.

In 1973, as Megas found it difficult to

release further albums, he published his
verses and music in 3 books.

When his original lyrics were performed

with the electric rock band Judas in 1975,
Megas managed to reach a broader
audience. Several of those songs
lampooned the Icelandic cultural legacy,
including his two next albums: Millilending
(1975) and Fram og aftur blindgötuna
(1976), which were much heavier than the
first one. He focused on topics that
challenged all of Icelandic society’s taboos
with references made to classical
literature and a sarcastic revisionist
history. His work polarized the audience.
His songs' remarkable poetry and use of
Icelandic language proved a novel way to
boost Icelandic rock and roll.

In 1977, Megas released Á bleikum

náttkjólum with the accompaniment of
Spilverk þjóðanna, a popular folk-rock
band. This album was voted the best
Icelandic album ever made, and with a
variety of music styles, it features what
many critics considered the first Icelandic
punk song. By the end of the seventies,
Megas was perceived as a provocateur
and his important role in the Icelandic rock
scene turned him into a reference for
future artists.

He then released a children’s song album

and a double live album and withdrew
from the Icelandic music and started
working as a dock worker and graduated
from arts school.
Back to music
By 1983 reappeared in the Icelandic music
scene by collaborating with other bands
and playing as a guest musicians on
several albums.

Towards 1985 joined Kukl in a new project

was named MegaKukl and toured all over
Iceland recording around 20 songs which
still remain as unpublished material.
After seven years of absence, his solo
career was resumed in 1986 with the
release of Í góðri trú.
In 1990 Megas released Hættuleg
hljómsveit & glæpakvendið Stella, and
started a new project music with Kukl
members called Hættuleg hljómsveit (A
Dangerous Band), featuring singer Björk as
backing vocalist.

The present
Megas has remained one of the most
important Icelandic artists. Considered the
father of Icelandic rock and acclaimed for
his prolific and, sometimes controversial
works, his complete discography up to
1990 was reissued in 2002, remastered
and with bonus tracks.
More recently, he joined Súkkat to create a
new project called Megasukk and released
Hús Datt, their debut album in 2005.

Some of the artists that have worked with

Megas are the following: Björgvin
Gíslason, Björn Bjarnason, Bragi
Kristjónsson, Guðlaugur Kristinn
Óttarsson, Hjálmar Sveinsson, Páll Baldvin
Baldvinsson, Páll Valsson, Svavar
Gestsson, Þórður Magnússon, and Þórunn
Valdimarsdóttir, among many others.

Trivia
Megas is mentioned in the song "Iceland"
by The Fall which appeared on Hex
Enduction Hour (1982). The song was
recorded in Hljóðriti studio in Iceland in
1981. In a Melody Maker article about The
Fall's stay in Iceland called "The Decline
and Fall in Iceland" (published 26
September 1981) is this written about
Megas: "Our hosts play us tapes of a man
with a cracked voice and a Dylanish air
and describe him as “the father of
Icelandic rock’n’roll”. And they tell us the
story of Megas, who ridiculed the sacred
Sagas of the land, wrote scathing, surreal
lyrics, got heavily into booze and drugs,
was barred from radio and shunned by
society. In 1979 he released a double
album called “Plans For Suicide”
announced his retirement, and hasn’t
performed in public since he’s now a dock
worker. Mark Smith is entranced by the
story, and rivetted by the music. The
following day Megas, a pale, gaunt figure,
turns up at The Fall’s concert at the
Austurbæjarbíó and shakes him by the
hand. Mark will return to England clutching
a parcel of Megas records under his arm."

Solo career
Albums:

1972 - Megas (MGAB 720601), re-

release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
1975 - Millilending (Demant D1-002), re-
release in 2002 with bonus tracks.
1976 - Fram og aftur blindgötuna (Hrím
hf D1-005), re-release in 2002 with
bonus tracks.
1977 - Á bleikum náttkjólum (Iðunn 002),
with Spilverk Þjóðanna, re-release in
2002 with bonus tracks.
1978 - Nú er ég klæddur og kominn á ról
(Iðunn 004), re-release in 2002 with
bonus tracks.
1979 - Drög að sjálfsmorði (Iðunn 008-
09), live album recorded 1978.
1985 - Megas allur, box set with all
previous albums and two bonus LP's
with rare and unreleased tracks.
1986 - Í góðri trú (Hitt leikhúsið HITT
011), re-release in 2002 with bonus
tracks.
1987 - Loftmynd, re-release in 2002 with
bonus tracks.
1988 - Höfuðlausnir, re-release in 2002
with bonus tracks.
1990 - Hættuleg hljómsveit &
glæpakvendið Stella (Megas), re-release
in 2006 with bonus tracks.
1992 - Þrír blóðdropar, re-release in 2006
with bonus tracks.
1993 - Paradísarfuglinn, best-of
compilation.
1994 - Drög að Upprisu (Japis), live
album by Megas and Nýdönsk recorded
1993, re-release in 2006 with bonus
tracks.
1996 - Til hamingju með fallið
1997 - Fláa veröld
2000 - Svanasöngur á leiði
2001 - Far... þinn veg
2001 - Haugbrot
2002 - Englaryk í tímaglasi, re-release of
Bláir draumar (1988) with bonus tracks.
2002 - Megas 1972-2002, best-of
compilation.
2002 - (Kristilega kærleiksblómin spretta
í kringum) hitt og þetta, a bonus cd with
Megas 1972-2002 with rare and
unrelaesed tracks.
2006 - Passíusálmar í Skálholti (Tindur),
live album recorded 2001.
2006 - Greinilegur púls, live album
recorded with Hættuleg hljómsveit 1991.
2007 - Frágangur, with Senuþjófarnir.
 2007 - Hold er mold, with Senuþjófarnir.
2008 - Á morgun, with Senuþjófarnir.
2009 - Segðu ekki frá (með lífsmarki),
live album with Senuþjófarnir, recorded
in 2007.
2011 - (Hugboð um) Vandræði, with
Senuþjófarnir.
2011 - Aðför að lögum, with Strengir.
2013 - Jeppi á fjalli, with Bragi Valdimar
Skúlason.

MegaKukl (1985) …

No official releases: - Megas and Kukl

recorded about 20 songs but the original
 tapes are lost.

Hættuleg hljómsveit (1990) …

No official releases: - Megas and Kukl

recorded some tracks at Pulsinn.

Discography of Megasukk …

2005 - Hús Datt

Tribute albums …

1997 - Megasarlög by various artists.

2006 - Pældu í því sem pælandi er í by
various artists.
2006 - Magga Stína syngur Megas by
Magga Stína
Bibliography by Megas
1968 - Megas I (Megas), reprinted in
1973.
1968 - Megas II (Megas), reprinted in
1973.
1973 - Megas III (Megas).
1991 - Textar (Almenna bókafélagið).
1989 - Sól í Norðurmýri: Píslarsaga úr
Austurbæ together with Þórunn
Valdimarsdóttir, reprinted in 1993.
1994 - Björn og Sveinn eða makleg
málagjöld (Mál og menning).
 2012 - Megas: Textar 1966-2011
(Reykjavík: JPV)

Related bibliography
Rokksaga Íslands, by Gestur
Guðmundsson. Forlagið (1990).

External links
Page about Megas at Tónlist.com
Page about Megas (in Icelandic) on
Guðmundur Heiðar Gunnarsson's blog

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