Simen Aanerud (born 28 June 1981) is a Norwegian musician from Nes in

Akershus Akershus () is a traditional region and current electoral district in Norway, with Oslo as its main city and traditional capital. It is named after the Akershus Fortress in Oslo. From the middle ages to 1919, Akershus was a fief and main county ...

. 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* Stellar (stylised stellar*) is a New Zealand pop/rock band led by vocalist Boh Runga, sister of acclaimed recording artist Bic Runga. They have had four RIANZ top 10 singles (the highest being " Every Girl" at #3) and two No. 1 albums. The band ...

and Darcy Perry.

Life and career

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 Rosita Vai (born 4 June 1981) is a New Zealand singer who rose to musical fame as the winner of the second season of ''New Zealand Idol'' in 2005. Now married, she is also known as Rosita Gibbons. Prior to her win, Rosita managed to stay out of ...

's solo album ''Golden''. In 2006, Aanerud joined the band of former Split Enz and

Crowded House Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn (vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter) and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later ban ...

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 Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, Europe and the US, before returning to Norway in 2009. In New Zealand Aanerud is also known under the artist name Simen Taylor. 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 PechaKucha (Japanese: ぺちゃくちゃ, IPA: etɕa kɯ̥tɕa ''chit-chat'') is a storytelling format in which a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds of commentary each. At a PechaKucha Night, individuals gather at a venue to share personal ...

-event in Oslo, about his creative process. Simen released his first solo album ''Medicine'' in September 2014.

Discography

MaarudKara

* ''First Blues'' (Tylden, 1999)

Darcy Perry

* ''blues4dad'' (RMA, 2002) * ''Don't Hold Back'' (RMA, 2003) * ''Heavy Rain'' (RMA, 2005) * ''Phoenix'' (RMA, 2008)

Handsome Giants

* ''Live on Bow Street'' (Live DVD, 2002)

Various Artists

* ''Harmonica Masters of New Zealand'' (RMA, 2007)

Amund Maarud

* ''Electric'' (Snaxville Recordings, 2011) * ''Dirt'' (Snaxville Recordings, 2012)

Simen Aanerud

* ''Medicine'' (Snaxville Recordings, 2014)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aanerud, Simen Living people Norwegian blues musicians Norwegian male pianists 21st-century pianists 21st-century Norwegian male musicians 1981 births