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Thor's Hammer, or Hljómar, was an Icelandic rock band primarily active in the 1960s. Outside of Iceland, they are known among music collectors for their rare releases on Parlophone, sung in English and recorded in London for export. The most famous of these is the 1966 EP Umbarumbamba, regarded as one of the rarest released records in the world^{[citation needed]} and known to fetch prices into the thousands of dollars when a copy surfaces. Their style can be described as garage rock, fuzz rock, and freakbeat, with noticeable influences from both The Who and The Beatles.

History

Formed in Keflavik in 1963 under the name Hljómar (literally "Chords"), they soon became popular in Iceland at a time when local rock music was a rarity. By the mid-1960s they were recording in London on Parlophone Records for the international market, including the EP Umbarumbamba, now a valuable collector's item. This record was recorded as a tie-in with a movie starring the band also entitled Umbarumbamba, but the film was not a success.^[1] From these sessions also came the singles "Once" and "If You Knew". The band even attempted a single entitled "Stay" in the United States on Columbia Records, which was produced by John Simon, known for his work with The Band and Big Brother and the Holding Company's album Cheap Thrills with Janis Joplin.

In 1969 a number of Thor's Hammer members went on to form the prog-flavored band Trúbrot, which recorded four albums until itself splitting in 1973.

Continual interest in the band among collectors of 1960s rock music lead to the 2001 Ace Records compilation album From Keflavik With Love, which collects all of the band's English-language output, including the tracks from Umbarumbamba, "Once", "If You Knew", and "Stay", as well as a number of their Icelandic tracks.

Rúnar Júlíusson died on 5 December 2008 at the age of 63 after going into cardiac arrest.

The group's collected work is featured on the anthology, From Keflavík, With Love, released in 2001 on Big Beat Records.

Band members

Rúnar Júlíusson (13 April 1945 – 5 December 2008) – vocals, bass
Gunnar Þórðarson – guitar, vocals
Erlingur Björnsson (1966–1969) – guitar, vocals
Engilbert Jensen – vocals, drums
Shady Owens (1968–1969) – vocals
Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson (1968) – drums
Björgvin Halldórsson (1973–1974) – vocals
Birgir Hranfsson (1973–1974) – guitar
Pétur Östlund (1966) – drums

Discography

Studio albums

1967: Hljómar
1968: Hljómar (a second self-titled album)
1974: 74

Compilation albums

Fyrsti kossinn - Hljómar í 50 ár

Singles and EPs

1965: Fyrsti Kossinn / Bláu Augun Þín
1965: Fjögur Ný Lög (EP)
1968: Hljómar (EP)

References

^ Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969. Liner notes, p.85. Rhino Records: 2001.

External links

[nuggets-1] Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969. Liner notes, p.85. Rhino Records: 2001.

[1]

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+{{Short description|Icelandic rock band}}
-'''Thor's Hammer''' is a [[garage rock]] band from the country of [[Iceland]]. It was formed in [[1966]] as a side project of [[Rúnar Júlíusson]]. Thor's Hammer is currently split up because Rúnar Júlíusson feels that he has done all that he wanted to do with Thor's Hammer.
+{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
+{{Distinguish|Thorr's Hammer}}
+{{Refimprove|date=December 2008}}
+'''Thor's Hammer''', or '''Hljómar''', was an [[Iceland]]ic [[Rock music|rock]] [[Musical ensemble|band]] primarily active in the 1960s.  Outside of Iceland, they are known among music collectors for their rare releases on [[Parlophone]], sung in English and recorded in London for export.  The most famous of these is the 1966 EP ''Umbarumbamba'', regarded as one of the rarest released records in the world{{Citation needed|reason=A bold statement that has no source|date=November 2013}} and known to fetch prices into the thousands of dollars when a copy surfaces.  Their style can be described as [[garage rock]], [[Distortion (music)|fuzz]] rock, and [[freakbeat]], with noticeable influences from both [[The Who]] and [[The Beatles]].
+==History==
-Note:There is also an [[NSBM]] band of the same name, neither of them are related.
+Formed in [[Keflavik]] in 1963 under the name Hljómar (literally "''Chords''"), they soon became popular in Iceland at a time when local rock music was a rarity.  By the mid-1960s they were recording in London on Parlophone Records for the international market, including the EP ''Umbarumbamba'', now a valuable collector's item. This record was recorded as a tie-in with a movie starring the band also entitled ''Umbarumbamba'', but the film was not a success.<ref name="nuggets">''[[Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969]]''. Liner notes, p.85. [[Rhino Records]]: 2001.</ref>  From these sessions also came the singles "Once" and "If You Knew".  The band even attempted a single entitled "Stay" in the United States on [[Columbia Records]], which was produced by [[John Simon (record producer)|John Simon]], known for his work with [[The Band]] and [[Big Brother and the Holding Company]]'s album ''[[Cheap Thrills (Big Brother and the Holding Company album)|Cheap Thrills]]'' with [[Janis Joplin]].
+In 1969 a number of Thor's Hammer members went on to form the prog-flavored band [[Trúbrot]], which recorded four albums until itself splitting in 1973.
+Continual interest in the band among collectors of 1960s rock music lead to the 2001 [[Ace Records (UK)|Ace Records]] compilation album ''From Keflavik With Love'', which collects all of the band's English-language output, including the tracks from ''Umbarumbamba'', "Once", "If You Knew", and "Stay", as well as a number of their Icelandic tracks.
+Rúnar Júlíusson died on 5 December 2008 at the age of 63 after going into [[cardiac arrest]].
+The group's collected work is featured on the anthology, ''[[From Keflavík, With Love]]'', released in 2001 on [[Big Beat Records (UK)|Big Beat Records]].
 == Band members ==
-*[[Rúnar Júlíusson]] (vocals, bass)
+*[[Rúnar Júlíusson]] (13 April 1945 – 5 December 2008) – vocals, bass
-*[[Gunnar Þórðarson]] (guitar, vocals)
+*Gunnar Þórðarson – guitar, vocals
-*[[Erlingur Björnsson]] (guitar, vocals, 1966-[[1969]], [[2002]]-present)
+*Erlingur Björnsson (1966–1969) – guitar, vocals
-*[[Engilbert Jensen]] (vocals, drums)
+*Engilbert Jensen – vocals, drums
-*[[Shady Owens]] (vocals, [[1968]]-1969)
+*Shady Owens (1968–1969) – vocals
-*[[Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson]] (drums, 1968)
+*Gunnar Jökull Hákonarson (1968) – drums
-*[[Björgvin Halldórsson]] (vocals, [[1973]]-[[1974]])
+*[[Björgvin Halldórsson]] (1973–1974) – vocals
-*[[Birgir Hranfsson]] (guitar, 1973-1974)
+*Birgir Hranfsson (1973–1974) – guitar
-*[[Pétur Östlund]] (drums, 1966)
+*Pétur Östlund (1966) – drums
-== See also ==
+==Discography==
+{{expand section|more releases|date=October 2013}}
-*[[Mjolnir|Thor's Hammer]], the mythological weapon wielded by Thor
+;Studio albums
+*1967: ''Hljómar''
+*1968: ''Hljómar'' <small>(a second self-titled album)</small>
+*1974: ''74''
+;Compilation albums
-== External links ==
+*''Fyrsti kossinn - Hljómar í 50 ár''
-*[http://www.dcc.ttu.ee/Bands/english/get.asp?ident=3315 Thor's Hammer]
-*[http://www.runarjul.is/ Rúnar Júlíusson] (Icelandic)
+;Singles and EPs
-{{Iceland-band-stub}}
+*1965: ''Fyrsti Kossinn / Bláu Augun Þín''
+*1965: ''Fjögur Ný Lög'' (EP)
+*1968: ''Hljómar'' (EP)
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
+== External links ==
+*[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p375833/biography|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic entry]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050106085737/http://www.tonlist.is/ViewArtist.aspx?AuthorID=2660 Hljomar biography and discography (in Icelandic)]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050106085035/http://www.tonlist.is/ViewArtist.aspx?AuthorID=2704 Thor's Hammer biography and discography (in Icelandic)]
+{{Authority control}}
-[[Category:Icelandic musical groups]]
+[[Category:Icelandic rock music groups]]
+[[Category:Keflavík]]

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
Artists	MusicBrainz 2