Introducing: Harrys Gym

This month, ’tis the season to be jolly as Ja Ja Ja host their Christmas party with another wonderful lineup which takes place at The Lexington, London on 17th December. Appearing are: Bloodgroup from Iceland, Sofia Talvik from Sweden, a DJ set from XFM’s Jon Kennedy and last but not least – an appearance from Norway’s interestingly named Harrys Gym.

Harrys Gym was formed in 2006 and have since toured in Norway and England, participated at In the City in Manchester, The Great Escape and by:Larm in Oslo. Harrys Gym relased the maxi single “Attic” on vinyl in March 2008. The release contains remixes by Diskjokke and Kjetil Ovesen (120 Days). The band’s eponymous debut album is out now, released on Hype City (Herman Düne, Serena Maneesh) in October 2008.

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For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
“Not to step over any step over any boundaries, but the song I’m about to show, literally gives you an orgasmic feeling all over your body.”

From the blog of Marlene, 15 years old. Which isn’t really a reason, only very charming. Besides that, I’m told we don’t really sound like anyone else. Or, that is, we tend to sound just like the listener’s favourite artist even if it is a completely different artist with a completely different sound. In other words, we will make you feel like you do when you listen to your favourite music.

Tell us a little about where you’re from.. Do your surroundings affect the music that you create?
Definitely. We tend to make stuff that is a little bit claustrophobic and dark, which describes the winter months of Oslo very well. I never understand what I’m doing living in Norway from November until March. But there is a positivity hidden in there as well. Not even very well hidden. The typical Norwegian is introvert and awkward, until you get to know him.

If you could have played on or written any song, what would it be?
Anne Lise has been trying to re-write ‘Making plans for Nigel’ (XTC) for the last ten years, so that one is a given. Daniel Johnston must be one of the best pop song writers in the world, so we wouldn’t mind having written “Walking the cow” either. Or any song similar to a Vashti Bunyan/Animal Collective collaboration.

How did the band come in to being? And where did the name come from?
We don’t know how or when we started playing together anymore, but we keep arguing about when these things happened, like an old couple who’s been married for a long time. Most of us believe Harrys Gym started out around 2006 after a long time of darkness, heavy snowfall and a lot of guitar solos and ride cymbals in our lives. We decided that even though it is hard to change the weather of winter, we could definitely do something about the rest.

The name came from a stuffy, old deserted gym just next to our rehearsal room. The first months the name was a where not a what, and at one point it just shifted into being the name of our band. Still feels like that, I guess. Harrys Gym is a place you go to. Not to work out obviously…

What is the most memorable gig you have played, and what can we expect of your live set at Ja Ja Ja?
The most memorable gig is hardly ever the best, it is the one where something goes really wrong, when the drumkit is falling off the riser or the old Korg Synth suddenly refuses to work in the middle of a set. It kind of makes you feel alive.

Ja Ja Ja will be good!

If you were asked to curate your own Ja Ja Ja night, which three acts would you choose and why?
CITY LIFE: The Megaphonic Thrift – One of the best live bands in Norway at the moment. Their Sonic Youth-influenced-experimental-rock-with-a-nordic-twist will blow everyone who’s into alternative rock away.

THE MOUNTAINS: Electronica duo Bygdin – will make everyone feel nice and chilly and a little exotic. Most of their song titles are names from the desolate Norwegian Mountains.

THE FJORDS: Årabrot – from the darkest fjord of the Norwegian West Coast comes a noise rock band that would scare half the crowd away and amaze the rest.

We’d like you to make us a Nordic themed mix-tape. Which five tracks would you choose?
Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook
Kim Hiortøy – Politiske Dikten Återvänder
Tape – Reperto
Bygdin – Finse/ Ultima
The Knife – Heartbeats

mp3:> Harrys Gym: ‘Top Of The Hill’