The Grand (band)
Encyclopedia
The Grand is a Norwegian alternative rock
band, formed in Oslo
, Norway
in 2006. The group consists of former blues guitar wunderkind and lead singer Amund Maarud, his younger brother Henrik Maarud on drums, bassist Per Tobro and keyboardist/percussionist Eirik Tovsrud Knutsen. The Grand gave their first performance in April 2007, before releasing their debut EP (The Grand Recordings/Sonet Records
) the same month. Lead singer Amund Maarud is also starring in the forthcoming movie «Norwegian Ninja
» (Kommandør Treholt og Ninjatroppen), due August 2010.
). After a brief period where bassist Per Tobro and keyboardist Eirik Knutsen joined the Maarud-brothers as a traditional blues band, the group evolved into an alternative rock band, influenced by the early punk sounds of MC5
as well as the psychedelic sound of Cream
and 13th Floor Elevators
.
, in April 2007. The EP was recorded and mixed in Athletic Sound Studio in Halden, Norway, engineered by Sven Olsen
(Motorpsycho
, Madgrugada etc.) and Kai Andersen. The song «Traveling Bound» from the EP was picked up and played extensively by Oslo's independent radio stations.
label in October 2007. The self-titled album was produced by the group as a collective effort, and mixed and co-produced by Sven Olsen, who also engineered their debut EP. The album was met with excellent reviews by the Norwegian music press. The single «Lust to Win» was A-listed by nationwide pop music radio station NRK P3
for seven weeks, and B-listed for five weeks, and thus given extensive airplay. The Grand played several major Norwegian and European festivals during 2007, including the Øya-festival (Øyafestivalen
) in Oslo and PopKomm
in Berlin, as well as debarking on an extensive tour of the major Norwegian venues to promote the album. During 2008, The Grand also performed at Norway's Storåsfestivalen
and Trænafestivalen, Denmark's Roskilde Festival
and Holland's Eurosonic/Noorderslag
, among others. In November and December 2008, The Grand's performance at the Crossroads Festival in Bonn, Germany was broadcast by the legendary TV-show Rockpalast
on German TV-station WDR. The group was also scheduled to play the 2008 Quart Festival
, another one of Norway's major music festivals, but the festival was cancelled due to bankruptcy the same year.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band, formed in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 2006. The group consists of former blues guitar wunderkind and lead singer Amund Maarud, his younger brother Henrik Maarud on drums, bassist Per Tobro and keyboardist/percussionist Eirik Tovsrud Knutsen. The Grand gave their first performance in April 2007, before releasing their debut EP (The Grand Recordings/Sonet Records
Sonet Records
Sonet Records is a jazz record label operating as an imprint of Universal Music Sweden. It was founded in Sweden in 1956.Sonet Records was established by Sven Lindholm and Gunnar Bergström, who managed the label into the 1980s. Dag Haeggqvist, the owner of Gazell Records, became an executive of the...
) the same month. Lead singer Amund Maarud is also starring in the forthcoming movie «Norwegian Ninja
Norwegian Ninja
Norwegian Ninja is a 2010 Norwegian action comedy film, directed by Thomas Cappelen Malling. The film, based on a 2006 book, presents real-life espionage-convicted Arne Treholt as the leader of a ninja group saving Norway during the Cold War and stars Mads Ousdal as Treholt.The film is loosely...
» (Kommandør Treholt og Ninjatroppen), due August 2010.
Formation
By 2006, lead singer and guitarist Amund Maarud had already made a strong name for himself on the Norwegian blues scene, with the release of two albums («Ripped, Stripped and Southern Fried» (2003) and «Commotion» (2004)) the first of which was nominated for the 2004 Norwegian Grammy Awards (SpellemannprisenSpellemannprisen
Spellemannprisen is an award presented to Norwegian musicians for their contributions.-Operation:The award was established on the initiative of International Federation of the Phonographic Industry , an organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide...
). After a brief period where bassist Per Tobro and keyboardist Eirik Knutsen joined the Maarud-brothers as a traditional blues band, the group evolved into an alternative rock band, influenced by the early punk sounds of MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
as well as the psychedelic sound of Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
and 13th Floor Elevators
13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators were an American rock band from Austin, Texas formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland, which existed from 1965 to 1969...
.
Debut EP
The Grand recorded their four-song debut EP during the first months of 2007, which was released on the group's own independent label, The Grand Recordings/Sonet RecordsSonet Records
Sonet Records is a jazz record label operating as an imprint of Universal Music Sweden. It was founded in Sweden in 1956.Sonet Records was established by Sven Lindholm and Gunnar Bergström, who managed the label into the 1980s. Dag Haeggqvist, the owner of Gazell Records, became an executive of the...
, in April 2007. The EP was recorded and mixed in Athletic Sound Studio in Halden, Norway, engineered by Sven Olsen
Sven Olsen
Sven Olsen was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.From 1971 to January 1972, during the first cabinet Bratteli, Olsen was appointed State Secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries...
(Motorpsycho
Motorpsycho
Motorpsycho is a band from Trondheim, Norway. Their music can generally be defined as psychedelic rock, but they also mix in elements from metal, jazz, rock, pop and many other musical styles. The members of the band are Bent Sæther , Hans Magnus "Snah" Ryan and Kenneth Kapstad...
, Madgrugada etc.) and Kai Andersen. The song «Traveling Bound» from the EP was picked up and played extensively by Oslo's independent radio stations.
Self-titled album
The Grand's first full-length studio album was recorded in the Maarud-brothers own studio, Snaxville during the summer of 2007, and released on the The Grand Recordings/Sonet RecordsSonet Records
Sonet Records is a jazz record label operating as an imprint of Universal Music Sweden. It was founded in Sweden in 1956.Sonet Records was established by Sven Lindholm and Gunnar Bergström, who managed the label into the 1980s. Dag Haeggqvist, the owner of Gazell Records, became an executive of the...
label in October 2007. The self-titled album was produced by the group as a collective effort, and mixed and co-produced by Sven Olsen, who also engineered their debut EP. The album was met with excellent reviews by the Norwegian music press. The single «Lust to Win» was A-listed by nationwide pop music radio station NRK P3
NRK P3
NRK P3 is one of three nation-wide analogue radio channels operated by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established as NRK's third radio channel in 1993, and focuses on youth culture: principally music, together with humour, entertainment, and health education.Over the years NRK P3...
for seven weeks, and B-listed for five weeks, and thus given extensive airplay. The Grand played several major Norwegian and European festivals during 2007, including the Øya-festival (Øyafestivalen
Øyafestivalen
Øyafestivalen is an annual Norwegian music festival held in Middelalderparken , Oslo. It has grown quickly since its modest start in 1999 with an audience of 1000 people in one day, and has now become one of Norway's biggest festivals....
) in Oslo and PopKomm
Popkomm
Popkomm is an international trade show for the music and entertainment business, and also integrates a congress and festival. It is held in Berlin but has had entries from at least 55 other countries. Popkomm is organised by Popkomm GmbH, Berlin.- History :...
in Berlin, as well as debarking on an extensive tour of the major Norwegian venues to promote the album. During 2008, The Grand also performed at Norway's Storåsfestivalen
Storåsfestivalen
Storåsfestivalen is a three-day annual music festival.It's held at Storås, in municipality of Meldal, in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, Norway....
and Trænafestivalen, Denmark's Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
and Holland's Eurosonic/Noorderslag
Noorderslag
Noorderslag is a one-day annual pop music festival that takes place in January in the cultural center of Oosterpoort in Groningen. Noorderslag is part of The European Music Conference and Showcase Festival Eurosonic Noorderslag. The festival takes place on the Saturday after Eurosonic.Over 50 Dutch...
, among others. In November and December 2008, The Grand's performance at the Crossroads Festival in Bonn, Germany was broadcast by the legendary TV-show Rockpalast
Rockpalast
Rockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk . Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast...
on German TV-station WDR. The group was also scheduled to play the 2008 Quart Festival
Quart Festival
The Quart Festival was an annual popular music festival that took place in Kristiansand, Norway in the beginning of July. It was the most visited music festival in Norway....
, another one of Norway's major music festivals, but the festival was cancelled due to bankruptcy the same year.
Second studio album
The Grand is currently working on their second studio album, due 2010.Discography
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| April 2007 | EP | The Grand Recordings / Sonet Records Sonet Records Sonet Records is a jazz record label operating as an imprint of Universal Music Sweden. It was founded in Sweden in 1956.Sonet Records was established by Sven Lindholm and Gunnar Bergström, who managed the label into the 1980s. Dag Haeggqvist, the owner of Gazell Records, became an executive of the... |
| September 2007 | The Grand | The Grand Recordings / Sonet Records Sonet Records Sonet Records is a jazz record label operating as an imprint of Universal Music Sweden. It was founded in Sweden in 1956.Sonet Records was established by Sven Lindholm and Gunnar Bergström, who managed the label into the 1980s. Dag Haeggqvist, the owner of Gazell Records, became an executive of the... |