Norwegian pianist
Simen Aanerud, Norwegian musician
Simen Aanerud
(born 28 June 1981) is a
Norwegian
musician from
Nes
in
Akershus
. He is best known as a pianist.
Aanerud is known as a blues pianist, both in
Norway
and
New Zealand
. He has played with artists such as
Tim Finn
,
Gin Wigmore
,
Amund Maarud
,
Stellar*
and
Darcy Perry
.
Life and career
[
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]
Aanerud's career as a musician started as a 12-year-old, with Amund Maarud and
Henrik Maarud
in the band
MaarudKara
. This band came second in the national TV-show
Talentiaden
on
NRK
in 1997, and released the album
First Blues
on
Tylden & Co.
In 2001 he moved to
Auckland
, New Zealand, where he furthered his career as a pianist. He joined blues guitarist
Darcy Perry
in 2002, and shortly after released the album
Blues4Dad
. In 2003 and 2005 they also released the albums
Don't Hold Back
and
Heavy Rain
. While working with several artists in New Zealand, Aanerud also created his own bands,
Handsome Giants
and
Blue Devils
. Handsome Giants released their live DVD
Live on Bow Street
in 2005. In this same time span, he also contributed on the New Zealand Idol-winner
Rosita Vai
's solo album
Golden
.
In 2006, Aanerud joined the band of former
Split Enz
and
Crowded House
front man Tim Finn. This band also consisted of Brett Adams (guitar), Matt Eccles (drums) and Mareea Patterson (bass). Together with Tim Finn he toured New Zealand,
Australia
, Europe and the US, before returning to Norway in 2009. In New Zealand Aanerud is also known under the artist name
Simen Taylor
.
[1]
Back in Norway, Aanerud rejoined Amund Maarud in his solo project, and recorded his album
Electric
in 2001. This album won
Spellemannsprisen
in the Blues category. The following year saw the release of Amund's album
Dirt
, which was nominated for Spellemannsprisen in the Blues category.
In 2012 Aanerud officially founded his own company, Aanerud Industries. This is a company which makes interiors, lamps, toys, machines and other design items. The company has a workshop in Skogbygda. In December 2013 he was asked to do a talk at a
Pecha Kucha
-event in
Oslo
, about his creative process.
[2]
[3]
Simen released his first solo album
Medicine
in September 2014.
Discography
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]
MaarudKara
[
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]
- First Blues
(Tylden, 1999)
Darcy Perry
[
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]
- blues4dad
(RMA, 2002)
- Don't Hold Back
(RMA, 2003)
- Heavy Rain
(RMA, 2005)
- Phoenix
(RMA, 2008)
Handsome Giants
[
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]
- Live on Bow Street
(Live DVD, 2002)
Various Artists
[
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]
- Harmonica Masters of New Zealand
(RMA, 2007)
Amund Maarud
[
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]
- Electric
(Snaxville Recordings, 2011)
- Dirt
(Snaxville Recordings, 2012)
Simen Aanerud
[
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]
- Medicine
(Snaxville Recordings, 2014)
References
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]