Career
He joined the band in 1999, shortly after the recording of the studio album Ágætis byrjun, when the previous drummer, Ágúst Ævar Gunnarsson, left the band. He has four children including one stepchild. as well as a step girl named Kría. He is engaged to María Lilja Þrastardóttir a journalist and a feminist activist from Iceland.
They are currently living in Reykjavik.
His influences include John Bonham, Keith Moon, Charlie Watts, Ginger Baker, Ringo Starr and Mitch Mitchell. Jeremy Clarkson has been vocal of his drumming capabilities via Twitter, commenting "bloody hell, their drummer"s good".
Orri has recorded five studio albums with Sigur Rós: ( ) (2002), Takk. (2005), Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008), Valtari (2012) and Kveikur (2013) plus Hvarf/Heim (2007) where "Hvarf" contains studio recordings of previously unreleased songs.
Before that he almost exclusively used Premier drums.
His main snare is a 14"x6.5" Ayotte, and his backup snare is a DW 14"x8". He uses 5A sticks and jazz brushes. Live he controls some of the bands "playback" sounds via Roland spd-s drum pads, and he plays Rhodes electric piano, Roland Juno 106 synth and then some soft synths via USB controller.
Mid Kveikur tour 2013 Orri bought a new C&C Custom Drums set and has since become an endorsed C&C Custom drums player.
Live Gear
"Kveikur" 2013 tour
Drums - C&C Custom Drums
26x14 bass drum (second)
20x14 bass drum (main)
13x9 rack tom
16x16 floor tom
18x16 floor tom
6.5x14 6 ply Maple snare drum (Main)
6.5x14 C&C 3 ply M,P,M snare drum (backup)
6.5x14 Ayotte snare drum (Backup)
"Með Suð.." 2008 tour and "Valtari" 2012 - 2013 tour
Drums - Gretsch United States of America Custom
26x14 bass drum (Second)
18x18 bass drum (Main)
13x10 rack tom
16x16 floor tom
5x14 snare drum (backup)
6.5x14 Ayotte snare drum (main snare)
8x14 DW snare (backup)
"TAKK" 2005-2006 tour
Drums - Premier Series Elite
24x18 bass drum (Main)
20x16 bass drums (second)
14x12 rack tom
18x16 floor tom
6.5x14 Ayotte snare drum (main snare)
8x14 DW snare (backup)
Cymbals
18" “Virgil Donati” Signature Saturation Crash (used as top HiHat)
18" Associate of Arts El sabor Crash (used as Bottom HiHat)
18" Custom Shop "prototype" Crash
20" AAX Medium Crash
Keyboards
Roland Spd-South Sampling pads
Fender Rhodes MarkII Electric Piano
Roland Juno 106
Racked soft synths with USB controller.
