Amund Maarud (born 7 April 1981 in

Nes, Akershus Nes is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årnes. ...

, Norway) is a Norwegian

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

/rock musician (guitar, vocals) and composer, known as a solo artist and as frontman of rock bands

The Grand The Grand may refer to: Buildings Official names * The Grand (Calgary), a theatre in Alberta, Canada *The Grand (Ellsworth, Maine), an arts center in Maine, U.S. * The Grand Doubletree, condominium and hotel skyscraper in Miami, U.S. * The Grand C ...

(2005–2010) and the duo «Morudes» (2010 -) with his brother, the drummer Henrik Maarud. Amund maarud band1

Career

Maarud is known to many as one of the best blues guitarists in Norway. He has toured domestically and internationally with various bands, to the delight of their audiences and the press. The concerts are invariably described as potent live show which combines various elements from blues to psychedelic rock. Together with his brother Henrik Maarud (drums), he started the band «MaarudKara» at the age of six. The band came second in the ''Talentiaden'' (1997) on

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, and released the album ''First Blues'' the year after. In 2000 he started his solo career backed by his band A. M. Band, still with his brother drummer and with blues in their repertoire. The band released two albums ''Ripped, Stripped & Southern Fried'' (2003) and ''Commotion'' (2004), and was nominated for the

Spellemannprisen The Spellemannprisen (also referred to as the Norwegian Grammy Awards) is a Norwegian music award ceremony presented by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry#Local associations, IFPI Norge and :no:FONO, FONO. It was first awarded i ...

2003 in the class Blues/country for the debut album ''Ripped, Stripped & Southern Fried''. In 2006 he initiated the bandet

, with the same lineup as A. M. Band, but had a more rocky and psychedelic expression. The band released the album ''The Grand'' (2007). The band is currently on rest for an indefinite period of time. Together with his drummer brother, he started the duo «Morudes» in 2010, and started around the turn of 2010/2011 a new solo project under his own name. Solo project has a musical idiom that is closer to traditional guitar blues. With him on stage are his drummer brother, Simen Aanerud (piano), and

Bendik Brænne Bendik Brænne (born 17 August 1987) is a Norwegian producer, artist, and songwriter. Growing up, Brænne started writing songs in the basement of his childhood home with older brother Mattis Brænne Wigestrand. Both of them, who at the time pl ...

(baryton saxophone). He thus figures in two bands with many similarities in origin, but who will part in their musical expression. For the solo album ''Electric'' he was awarded

2011 in the class Blues. Maarud debuted as an actor in the film ''Kommandør Treholt og Ninjatroppen'' that premiered in August 2010. He is co-owner of Snaxville Studio.

Discography

Solo albums

*2011: ''Electric'' (Snaxville Recordings/Musikkoperatørene) *2012: ''Dirt'' (Snaxville Recordings/Musikkoperatørene) *2015: ''Volt'' (Snaxville Recordings/Musikkoperatørene)

Collaborative works

;Within «MaarudKara» *1999: ''First Blues'' (Tylden) ;With «Amund Maarud Band» *2003: ''Ripped, Stripped & Southernfried'' (Blue Mood/BMG) *2004: ''Commotion'' (BMG) ;Within

*2007: ''The Grand'' (The Grand Recordings/Sonet)

Lineups in bands or backing bands

Members of «Amund Maarud Band» (2000–2005)

* Amund Maarud – guitar & vocals * Henrik Maarud – drums * Jan Eirik Hallingskog – bass (2000–2002) * Arne F. Rasmussen – harmonica (2000–2002) * Bill Troiani – bass guitar (−2003) * Håkon Høye – guitar (2003–2004) * Per Tobro – bass (2004–) * Eirik Tovsrud Knutsen – keyboards (2004–)

Members of «The Grand» (2005–2010)

* Amund Maarud – guitar & vocals * Henrik Maarud – drums * Per Tobro – bass * Eirik Tovsrud Knudsen – Hammond B3 organ

Members of «Morudes» (2010–)

* Amund Maarud – guitar & vocals * Henrik Maarud – drums & vocals

Backingband Amund Maarud (2010–)

* Amund Maarud – guitar & vocals * Henrik Maarud – drums & vocals * Egil Stemkens – bass * Simen Aanerud – piano *

– baryton saxophone

References

External links

*
Biography on NRK Artists
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maarud, Amund 1981 births Living people Norwegian rock singers Norwegian male guitarists Norwegian rock guitarists Norwegian composers Norwegian male composers Norwegian blues singers Norwegian blues guitarists Spellemannprisen winners Musicians from Nes, Akershus 21st-century Norwegian singers 21st-century Norwegian guitarists 21st-century Norwegian male singers