Einar Örn Benediktsson

Einar Örn Benediktsson is a popular music singer and trumpet player from Iceland who has worked with Björk and The Sugarcubes.

Benediktsson wrote a newspaper column "Close Encounter" ("about daily life in Reykjavik'), plugged records for Bad Taste and worked as a bartender. Music went on the backburner: "I was discovering other things, like family life. I wanted to make music a hobby again."

He recorded with Hilmar Hilmarsson in 1992: "We were great friends who decided to make music for the hell of it, and it turned into a record" (Frostbite, on One Little Indian). He also worked in concert promotion (two Björk shows, The Prodigy, Fugees and Massive Attack) and co-founcled Reykjavik's first cybercafe The Siberia Cafe: 'We were too early. Those who knew what it was all about preferred to do their Internet hacking at home."

Worked for the Reykjavik Arts Festival before moving back to London in late 1997 to set up OLI's Web sites: "I saw this gap, which I could fill. It's always good to get a new perspective."

He's recording again, with Hilmarsson and Sugarcubes drummer Siggi, as Grindverk. "It's dance music for people who cannot dance. It'll probably be instrumental too. It's not because people have criticised me, I just don't think I've written anything I want to sing." Grindverk released one record for FatCatRecords http://www.fat-cat.co.uk called Gesundheit Von K.

As for a more permanent band, "I'm waiting to see if the occasion arises. The Sugarcubes wasn't scripted, remember. Of course, I'm older but I would treat the occasion with the same passion!"

In December 2003 Einar Örn released his first solo record called Ghostigital, http://www.ghostigital.com , which in turn has now become his new musical project. The record has reveived positive critical acclaim.