The Third Degree: "I've thrown dirty socks at the audience"

Atli Sigþórsson, otherwise known as glamorous cool cat rapper Kött Grá Pje, has just published his first book, a collection of stories titled Perurnar í íbúðinni minni (The lightbulbs in my flat). We put him through this week's Third Degree. 

Tell us about your book in one sentence?

It's ridiculous.

Who or what are your music inspirations? 

Megas, Schoolly D, Erla Þorsteinsdóttir and Debussy to name a few.

What‘s the strangest thing that‘s ever happened at a concert? 

I've thrown my dirty socks into audience members faces a few times. That's not the strange part, but that they didn't seem to mind. And once I cut my back up pretty badly when writhing on the floor of a rather nasty venue. For the most part my shows are rather meek, I'm really shy.

Your most treasured possession?

A painting by my grandfather who passed a few years back. It's abstract but I see his hands in it. He had such lovely hands.

What‘s your idea of a perfect meal?

Really good falafel and a glass of nice rioja. And some fries. I'm a simple girl.

Who would you invite to the meal, of anyone living or dead?

Prince Kropotkin, Rosa Luxemburg, Russian writer Victor Pelevin and the goddess Kālī.

What is your favourite place in Iceland?

Öxarfjörður in the northeast. It has a lot of birch, which I rather like. It smells nice.

Favourite item of clothing?

My first kimono. It opened something within me. Strange, since its just cheap cotton.

Favourite café/ restaurant in Reykjavik and why?

I like Loft Hostel because the staff there don't judge me for drinking alone during the day. Or at least they hide it very well, which also works fine for me. I like drinking alone.

What‘s your least favourite trait of Icelanders? 

Patriotism. I hate it anywhere. It's just polite nationalism for the petit bourgeoisie. I object the idea of nationality as anything more than a formality.

"I object the idea of nationality as anything more than a formality."

What‘s the best thing about living in Iceland? 

Not many wars reach us, do they? Plus, I like a lot of people who live here.

What keeps you awake at night?

My fear of death. Not fear of dying, but of the state of eternal nothingness. Of not being anymore.

If you could move anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would that be?

Granada in Andalusia. I'm nostalgic about Al-Andalus and the Iberian Caliphate.