Q4u

***Q4U was born the winter of 1980-1981 in Reykjavík, inspired by the British punk movement. By early 1982 they self-released a full length cassette, Skaf I Dag and appeared in the documentary Rokk I Reykjavík, which showcased the Icelandic punk scene. This version of the band ended and only two members continued on. In the summer of 1982 their drummer was replaced by a Roland TR-808 drum machine they named "Elísabet II", signaling a change in the group's sound toward synthesizer-driven post punk. In August 1983 they recorded a final set of demos and then called it quits. This compilation collects 16 songs from 1980-1983. SIde A features the original six songs from the Q1 EP, plus two songs from the Rokk í Reykjavík soundtrack. Side B collects four demos from 1982 and four demos from 1983, all presented on vinyl for the first time ever. Q4U began with a stylish, aggressive punk image before experimenting with drum machines and synthesizers, which almost nobody did in Reykjavík at the time. The later sound had gothic leanings,often compared with Siouxsie and the Banshees and Xmal Deutschland. Their body of work is united by the powerful vocals of Ell˘, who mostly sings in Icelandic about controversial, political experiences, much like Ari Up of The Slits. 
 
All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a full color jacket using the original artwork from the Q1 EP. Each LP includes a double sized fold-out poster with lyrics, photos and drawings by the band plus a Q4U sticker! 30 years after their break-up Q4U are finally getting the vinyl reissue treatment they deserve, shedding a light on this pre-Riot grrrl act, more relevant today than ever.