While my daughter was at a workshop this morning, I found myself in Rough Hands Café in Stroud, exploring Iceland's digitised newspaper archives.

I was surprised to come across several articles featuring my dad. I already have most of these tucked away in boxes in the attic, but it was still exciting to find them online.

Next on my list is tracking down archival television footage. There's one clip I'd especially love to find: my dad stepping off a tour bus with a band (I think it was Whitesnake), wearing a suit, a long leather coat and Ray-Bans.

I remember my friends saying:

"Emilie, pabbi þinn var á sjónvarpinu!"

("Emilie, your dad was on television!")

Looking back, I had no idea those everyday moments would one day become part of an archive.

#bitsandbobsarchive #splitpromotionsarchive

Welcome to Bits + Bobs

Bits + Bobs is an archive-led storytelling project that uncovers overlooked stories through photographs, VHS recordings, documents, interviews and personal memories.

What begins as a fragment, a photograph, a VHS tape, a ticket stub or a conversation, often leads to a much larger story. By bringing together family archives with newly discovered material and oral history interviews, the project seeks to preserve these stories before they are lost.

The archive will develop into a series of creative outputs, including documentary films, exhibitions, publications and digital resources.

Story One: Split Promotions

The first story explores Tony Sandy and Bobby Harrison, whose company, Split Promotions, helped bring international artists to Iceland during the 1980s. Through archive research and oral history interviews, the project documents not only the performers, but also the promoters, support bands, journalists, photographers, venue staff and audiences who shaped this remarkable period in Iceland's live music history.

Story Two: The Hairdresser

The second story looks back to Tony Sandy's earlier years in Swinging London, where he trained under Vidal Sassoon and worked with musicians and cultural icons including The Beatles, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Twiggy and many others.

Bits + Bobs is an evolving archive. As new material is uncovered, new stories emerge.