Gusgus
"It was a long series of mistakes... I was swindled into this..." - says President Bongo when asked about his “job” in Gusgus. "And now I work 24/7. It's a shitty deal when you really count the hours. But I kind of like it". The dj/producer from Hafnarfjordur (Iceland) has been a member of the electronic soul band Gusgus since 1995. After 6 records, short films and innumerable experimental music videos released on various labels since 1995 (latest on Kompakt) this man is unable to stick to one thing - a jack of all transitions. Bongo has done remix work for the likes of Ada (his favourite musician), Björk, Wareika and Super Mama Djambo, exhibited photographic projects and constantly produces something. In his time away from music Bongo is a mountain guide in the Icelandic highlands, something he does to recharge in the summertime, but "it wasn't until our album Attention that I really started producing the music and writing songs... or whatever they are, these tracks", says Bongo. "The first Gusgus albums I didn't really touch musically. I worked with Veiran arranging and had creative input though mostly I was concerned with the good art of photography and film. It was only when earlier members had moved to other projects that I found myself without a choice on the future of Gusgus's direction in music. And that is the real reason why we don´t have any money" - The Bongmachine says grinning. He is talking about the 3 techno focused post-millennium Gusgus albums "Attention (Underwater)", "Forever (Pineapple)" and their latest dub influenced collection "24/7 (Kompakt)". Entirely different musically from previous albums, the internationally acclaimed 24/7 is being hailed as the best and darkest Gusgus work so far.

Gluteus Maximus
"The inception for this collaboration was caused by the awareness of the name - It's impossible to be in a group that has no name, there is just no point in that. It would be like putting on your finest 3 piece, cuffs and spats... and not combing your moustache. Absurd" - says Bongo. "I mean Gluteus Maximus is the worlds slickest band name. It is carved with a golden chisel into Ancient granite, by the bleeding hands of an albino virgin. The name for a band usually comes way before the band itself. You have motorcycle leather outfit but you don't have a gimp - classic!" screams the President. With numerous remixes released, the two members, Bongo & Jack Schidt are currently working on original material due in 2010, or at least when they are ready. Rome wasn't rebuilt in a day.


President Bongo
As I ask the President about his artist name he is more than willing to tell me all about it! "In the Iceland underground it is an unwritten rule that one cannot choose his own dj name, as there is a big tradition here for giving people their nick names. There is Gummi Leather, Siggi Majones, Margeir Mcgyver, Keli Kaldi etc and mine I got after returning from Africa in 2001. My sister and her family live there and I visited during the re-elections of the late Omar Bongo. I returned to Iceland with bags of t-shirts and accessories that were distributed in the streets of Libreville. I had just begun to work on a video script with director Dagur Kári Pétursson and, well, to make a long story short Dagur saw it fit to call me "President" as I was wearing all these promotions from Omar. And thus my name was President Bongo! And now there is only me." - explains President Bongo with a single bead dripping from his upper lip, and adds: "May the original rest in peace!"