GISKE is a Norwegian trio formed by three members of The Margarets — one of the most acclaimed Norwegian guitar-pop bands from the 2000s, known for their melodic songwriting and dreamy indie sensibility. Drawing inspiration from The Smiths, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention and The Beatles, GISKE blends classic pop with modern, intimate storytelling.
With “The Sound of Birdsong” out now, we took some time to hear from GISKE. Read below to learn more about GISKE, the story behind “The Sound of Birdsong,” and what’s to come.
Hi! Let’s start with how did the group’s name come about?
Alex: Back when we had just started out, we did an interview with a local paper. At the time, we didn’t have a name — but with the article going to print in a couple of days, we needed to come up with one.
I suggested The Windy Willows, inspired by Kenneth Grahame’s classic, but Rune and Ronnie weren’t convinced. Ronnie suggested we simply call ourselves GISKE, after the island we were from. Rune liked it right away.
I wasn’t so sure, so I came up with The Lighthouse Keepers, inspired by an Incredible String Band song. But that didn’t land either, and with two votes for GISKE, the decision was made.
Where are you all based now?
Rune: Alex still lives on Giske, Ronnie and I in the southeast — Ronnie at Tofte and myself in Oslo.
When and how did this trio form?
Rune: It all started one morning in the summer of 1991. I was 15, and Alex was 21. He took me on a bike ride around the island of Giske. I was sitting on the back, holding on for dear life, when he turned around — no hands on the handlebars — and asked if I wanted to start a band. I’ve never been one for speed or danger, and I was convinced we were about to crash, so I shouted “Yes!”
But, it wasn’t just my survival instinct kicking in — I had recently discovered The Beatles and The Dukes of Stratosphear (on one of my dad’s mixtapes) and had quietly started dreaming about making music myself. Alex had played drums in various bands, could sing, wore colorful shirts, and had one of the largest record collections on the island.
That same day, we wrote our first two songs — “Epitaph” and “F*ck Forever.” They weren’t masterpieces — far from it — but something clicked. A rhythm between us. And from that moment on, we never really stopped.
Over the years, we’ve been in all kinds of bands — some that lasted a few hours, others that led to gold records and long tours. The best known of these bands is The Margarets, who received a gold record and scored four Top 10 hits in Norway. When the band broke up in the late 2010s, the three of us formed GISKE.
How would you all describe your group’s sound to readers who may not be familiar with you all?
Rune: We’ve been described as folk-pop with a nocturnal, atmospheric feel, and compared to artists like The Smiths, Nick Drake and Fairport Convention. Lyrically, we gravitate toward atmosphere and impressionistic snapshots rather than traditional narrative writing, aiming to create something that feels intimate, a little wistful, and hopefully memorable.
Who are some of your group’s main musical influences?
Rune: For me personally, it all started with Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, from one of my dad’s mixtapes. I’m still a big fan of the spontaneity on those old ’60s recordings. The Smiths were always a big one for us, as were The Stone Roses, The La’s, Slowdive and Cocteau Twins, to mention a few. Local bands The Tables, Matchstick Sun and Pogo Pops were also hugely important. And those were just the bands that got us started. We’re all music fans, and with so much great music out there, the list would be endless. But to skip right to the end, here are some current favourites of mine: Bonny Light Horseman, Bedouine, Snowgoose, King Creosote, and Date of Birth.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your group’s music career so far?
Rune: It’s hard to pick a single moment, but for me there’s always a sense of pride whenever we finish a new song. I’m always a bit nervous that we won’t be able to write anything again — or at least anything good — so every song ends up feeling like it might be the last one. “The Sound of Birdsong” was a special one in that sense because it was the first song we wrote for the upcoming album. It had been a few years since Alex and I had written together, so finishing it felt like a mix of shock, relief and — I suppose — a bit of pride.
What would you all say are the greatest lessons that you’ve all learned so far?
Rune: Not sure it counts as a great life lesson, but things rarely turn out the way you expect. There are just too many moving parts. So there’s no use sitting around thinking about it too much — if there’s something you want to do, just do it. Play gigs, get out there, even if it doesn’t sound great at first — maybe it never will. But then again, maybe it will.
Now onto “The Sound of Birdsong.” What inspired this song?
Alex: It was the very first song we wrote for the new album, during Easter a few years back. The melody came first, and then I started playing with the lyrics. The whole mood drifts somewhere between dream and wakefulness — a bit like in Pale Saints’ “Kinky Love”: “Somewhere in limbo land / Half-awake, half asleep.” That’s the feeling we were trying to capture.
What is “The Sound of Birdsong” about?
Alex: I’m not much of a topical writer, and I’m not sure any of my lyrics have a specific meaning. Usually, I’m just trying to create a certain “feel” — paint a picture, if you like. The words usually come to me while Rune is in the room, playing his acoustic guitar, and it all just sort of happens — words and music — right then and there. I have to admit, it sometimes feels like magic.
What was the inspiration behind the cover artwork for “The Sound of Birdsong?”
Rune: It all started with the photo. The girl in the picture is a friend of Alex’, and we thought the atmosphere was perfect for the song. We sent it to Magnus Rakeng, who design all our covers, and he did the rest. A perfect match, I’d say.
What message or messages do you all hope fans take away from “The Sound of Birdsong” and your group’s music in general?
Rune: I’m not sure we have a particular message to what we do — that’s not how we usually think about it. But if you add it all up, maybe it still amounts to something anyway. For “The Sound of Birdsong” in particular, it could be a reminder that quiet emotions and small moments are worth noticing. Something like that. Sounds a bit lofty, I know.
What’s next for you all? Are you all working on any upcoming projects, or do you all have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
Alex: Next is the album, in March, and then hopefully some touring. And of course — more songwriting.
Where can we follow you all on social media?
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/giske_band_official/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/GiskeBandOfficial
YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@GISKEband
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Jkel6aUosRdaGzchVFiAA
Thank you all for the great interview; wish you all much continued success!
