Megas
| Megas | |
|---|---|
Megas (2011)
Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Magnús Þór Jónsson |
| Also known as | Megas |
| Born |
7 April 1945 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Occupation(s) | Singer–songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
Magnús Þór Jónsson (born April 7, 1945), also known by his mononym Megas, is a rock and roll singer, songwriter, and writer who is well known in his native country of Iceland.
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.
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, splitting them into a hostile minority and an enthusiastic majority. 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.
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