Vidar Vang

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Vidar Vang

Vang at a 2005 performance in Fredrikstad
Background information
Birth name Vidar Andre Vang
Born (1976-09-22)22 September 1976
Bjerkvik, Norway
Genres Rock, folk, acoustic
Occupations Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments Guitar, harmonica, vocals
Years active 1993 -

Vidar Andre Vang (born 22 September 1976) is a Norwegian songwriter and musician. He has recorded six full length albums.

Early life

Vidar Vang began his musical career by singing lead vocals in various local bands as a teenager. By the age of 17 he was writing his own songs.[1] As his songwriting abilities progressed, he left his teaching job and set out to become a full time musician, relocating to Oslo. Some of his earlier work can be heard on his very limited release, the 1999 album Blue.

The Northern Men

In 2000, Vang and several of his friends came together to form Vidar Vang & friemann. Apart from bassist Eirik Bjarghov, all band members were natives of Vangs hometown Bjerkvik. During this period, friemanns lead guitarist Gaute Fredriksen and Vang started to collaborate on music and lyrics, a collaboration which continues to this day. They embarked on a Norwegian tour in August 2001, selling their eponymously titled EP at shows.

In the summer of 2002, the band released a four-title EP in anticipation of their first full-length album Rodeo. By now, Vidar Vang & friemann had become Vidar Vang & The Northern Men, and this would be the official name and lineup during 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Solo career

In 2005, Vang split amicably from The Northern Men, hired session musicians and recorded an acoustic self-titled album. Compared to the all out rocking on his two preceding albums, Vidar Vang was toned down, had more introspective lyrics than its predecessors and was met with good, sometimes rave reviews[2] in the Norwegian musical press.

Touring

In May and June 2005, Vang opened for Madrugada on their Norwegian and European tour in support of The Deep End. He has also toured extensively on his own behalf, amongst other for the Norwegian cultural project Concerts Norway. In September 2007, he opened for The Waterboys on the three dates of the Norwegian leg of their European tour.

The Northern Men band members

  • Vidar Vang (guitar, vocals, harmonica, organ)
  • Gaute Fredriksen (guitar, backing vocals)
  • Eirik Bjarghov (bass, backing vocals)
  • Kenneth Simonsen (drums, percussion)
  • Raymond Jensen (bass, guitar, keyboards)

Other musicians

  • Michael Lindqvist (piano, keyboards)
  • Lise Sørensen (violin, backing vocals)
  • Erland Dahlen (drums, percussion)
  • Bjørn Holm (bass)
  • Ingrid Olava Brænd Eriksen (backing vocals)

Discography

Albums

  • Blue (1999)
  • Rodeo (2002) (also on limited edition vinyl plus CD with five bonus tracks)
  • Stand Up Straight (2004)
  • Vidar Vang (2006)
  • Sleepless Songs (2010)
  • Sidewalk Silhouettes (2012)

EPs

  • Vidar Vang & friemann (2001)
  • Under Six Strings (2002)

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "Vidar Vang biography". Retrieved 2008-12-25. 
  2. ↑ "Nedstrippet og delikat". Panorama.no. Retrieved 2008-10-01. 

External links

Authority control
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