2nd part of the interview with Margrét Ran from Vök

If you would like to know what Margrét thinks about Vök, Iceland and what her favorit book is than you may read the first part of the interview. And by the way, in this part you will get the reference to the Gilmore Girls. 

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What do miss most when you are on tour?

M: I miss my coffee place. There is a coffee place in my home town Hafnarfjörður where I usually go to every day. And I miss it.

Do you know Luke's Diner from the Gilmore Girls? 

M: No. But, I miss the coffee, I miss of course my friends and family and I miss my bed. 

Isn't it expensive to live in Iceland? 

M: It is very expensive when you go out and buy some stuff. When we go to Europe we are just laughing about the prices. Because there isn't growing much in Iceland but we have a couple of vegetables.

Ping Pong champions all the way: Vök
(Source: Nettwerk's presskit)

What was the weirdest or worst thing that happened on tour yet? 

M: Let me think. The worst thing is that I got sick on tour and I slept 20 hours on that day. I couldn't keep my eyes open and I had no fuel left to go on further. So I slept for 20 hours and that was amazing. And the funniest thing was in Italy. We had a little Ping Pong championship for 3 hours in a little hotel room and it was amazing.

Do you have any rules when you are on tour? Like no beer bottles in the van or the driver is not allowed to drink at all. 

M: We like to keep things professional. It's okay for people to get one or two drinks, but it is like work. So we don't drink or do drugs.

So no rock'n'roll lifestyle in the van? 

M: We sometimes do things like the Ping Pong party. I mean, you have to have a little bit of fun. You can't function the whole time if you are on a month tour. On this tour we have four days of. We can't be drinking all the time that doesn't work, at least not for me and my other bandmates.

Is alcohol also expensive like in any other Scandinavian country? 

M: It is expensive especially in bars when you buy it on tap, it is like ten euros. But we do have some happy hours, but it is still expensive.

What do you think about the music industry today? 

M: It's hard and tough game, but you have go through it to survive or to be able to be in it. I had no idea that it was like it is. I love to show our fans what we're doing and everything and I think that social media is taking hold of everything.

 What was the idea behind putting your first two EP's Tension and Circles on Soundcloud? It is easy to stream these EP's the whole day and not being bored. 

M: I don't know. Of course we use Soundcloud and everything is there for free. We want to use Spotify right now, but back then Soundcloud was the hot thing when we first put out our EP.

So the hot thing right now is Spotify? 

M: Yes.

Really?

M: Yes.

I've talked to a band and they've told me that this platform has created a whole new genre called “Spotify-Music”. Because to catch the listener during the first thirty seconds. 

M: But I mean, that's the only way to get paid. I mean you can get paid on Bandcamp and stuff like that but the most comes from Spotify.

Does this change your style of writing and creating new music? Or do you think that you don't have to follow this formula and do your own thing? 

M: Of course you want people to listen to your stuff, but if your writing is like this you're losing what your purpose is. You want to have your own creative music style and own ways. I haven't been writing like that: 'I have to make it more interesting right now.'

And the record label is okay with that? 

M: Yes, kind of. I am really happy about them [Record Records and Nettwerk], there are a really good community and it feels like they are supporting us very good and they are good people and I can feel that. I've heard many harsh stories from people signing to a label. 

So thank you for your time and as usual, I would like to ask you some easy questions to cheer up the mood a little bit.

 Are you more a cat or a dog person? 

M: Cat. Definitely cat.

What is your favourite dish? 

M: I love salmon.

Just pure salmon? 

M: No, with boiled vegetables.

Very healthy. I guess your favourite drink is coffee? 

M: Yes love good coffee.

What is your favourite album or playlist? 

M: I guess Portishead Dummy.

What is your favourite song of all time? 

M: The first that comes into my mind is Teardrop by Massive Attack.

Thank you very much your time. 

M: Thank you.