.:: Iceland´s Graveslime was formed out of a convertsation between three friends in a Saturday-night party, ‘till you puke-party. The reasons for forming this band were two, the first was to play a cover of Vangelis’ “Chariots of Fire” and the other one was to be in a band called Graveslime. Having played together and apart in such bands as the black metal-band Svört Verða Sólskin (Óli was kicked out of the band after vomiting on the drum-kit on a drunken spree during a show), She-Male, Skorpin Tunga, Þrír Hressir and Thundergun (featured Alli on bass, Kolli on guitar, I Adapt’s Birkir on drums and Mínus’ Bjössi on the microphone).
Building on similar foundation as Thundergun, which was heavily influenced by Iron Monkey and Eye Hate God’s feedback laden sludge and Melvins’ accuracy and tight song structures Graveslime rushed to find rehearsal-space in late 2000. As soon the right space was found in early 2001 Graveslime began practicing the first song “Punch Fucking Drunk Fuck and the Fucking Goat” and then “Chariots Of Fire” and the first show was played as an opening act for longtime friends Sofandi (the other band on Grandmothers Records). More songs were written; a few popped of them like popcorn but others were seen the light of day with the same feeling when you’re “crawling from the sewer”. What maybe differs Graveslime from afore-mentioned sludgerockers (excluding Melvins) is their very sound-layered songs who often have more melodic approach to them, f.e. Eborg Ebobleson could be a song written by Nick Drake or Elliot Smith (Kolli wrote it after hearing it in a dream one night and picked it up when he woke up).
Graveslime played shows with mostly friends’ and familiar bands in and around Reykjavík throughout 2001 and ‘till summer 2002. It was not uncommon that they mocked other Icelandic bands during their shows; they often introduced themselves as other bands or had their friends to pretend they were in known Icelandic bands. It was when Graveslime warmed up for Fucking Champs and Trans Am in Reykjavík in the fall of 2001 that they decided they had to make a record and that Tim Green (Fucking Champs, Nation of Ulysses, Young Ginns etc.) was the man for the job. After many convertsations, e-mails and phonecalls the guys decided to contact Tim and ask him if he would like to come over to Iceland and record them. The recording session wasn’t something they look back on in bliss. To begin with they had to borrow or rent almost all the equipment (a broken tape-machine, a mixing board, guitar amps, a drum kit, microphones etc.) carry it to the second floor where the studio is located. Then they had to fix what had to be fixed… yeah, we don’t wan’t to hear about the bad stuff. The good thing is that they managed to put all the hardwork on tape. The band unfortunately didn’t survive to follow this awesome record, it surely is awesome, and they played their final and loudest three shows in late August 2002. Like Big Black once wrote: “Hey, breaking up is an idea that has occurred to far too few groups. Sometimes to the wrong ones.”
ROUGHNESS AND TOUGHNESS was committed to two-inch analogue tape by Tim Green at Studio Veðurstofan, Reykjavík. Tim at his Louder Studios in San Francisco mixed it and John Golden mastered it. J.J. Golden did some additional mastering and editing. Guðlaugur Kristinn Óttarsson (a.k.a. Godkrist, The Third Ear and GKÓ), formerly of one of Iceland’s best post-punk bands Theyr and Kukl added guitars on “American Sleeper”.
What people had to say about them:
“…and they were always drunk and naked” (Tim Green – about the recording session)
“I thought they were called Graveslide.” (Nathan Means of Trans Am)
“See how muscular they are.” (Two fourteen-year-old girls at a show in Álftarmýrisskóli (a Primary School in Reykjavík)
“I need my Graveslime!” (Mark Shippy of U.S. Maple)
Graveslime were:
Alli – bass, vocals
Kolli – vocals, guitars
Óli – drums, percussion
***This album is one of those albums you'd never find in stores at least you live in iceland or you contact the band directly, as i did. I met Óli (drums, percussion) thanx to the internet and we still keep in touch. By the way, i uploaded this album in a blog called musikdesire as a contribution but it was cancelled or something some time ago...***
download: graveslime - roughness and toughnesspass: indie-ground.blogspot.com
