Magnet (musician)

For other uses, see Magnet (disambiguation).
Magnet

Magnet during the Skral Festival in Grimstad, Norway.
Background information
Birth name Even Johansen
Born June 7, 1970
Bergen, Norway
Genres Folk, Pop, Electronic
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instruments Guitar, lap steel guitar
Years active 2000–present
Labels Hermetix Recordings/Sony BMG
Filter Recordings (US)
Warner Music Norway
Associated acts Libido
Chocolate Overdose
Website www.magnetmusic.no

Magnet is the pseudonym of Norwegian singer-songwriter Even Johansen (born 7 June 1970, Bergen, Norway).[1] To date, he has released four full-length studio albums as well as several singles and EPs. Johansen draws upon many influences, including folk, pop, and electronica. His albums are composed and produced solely by him, and he usually performs live sets on his own, using preset loops or creating them as he plays.

Biography

Even Johansen was born, raised, and resides in Bergen, Norway, but he has also lived just outside the southern Scottish town of Lockerbie, where he recorded his On Your Side album.[2] Initially, Even was a founding member of the Norwegian rock bands Libido and Chocolate Overdose. During his involvement with Libido, Even conceived a series of songs he thought were inappropriate for the band.[3] His first solo album, Quiet & Still, was released in 2000 under the alias Magnet (in the United States, the album was released under his real name). The name "Magnet" originated from when Even was a child with anemia; he was prescribed a special magnetic tattoo on his left shoulder so it could attract iron.[4]

Magnet's second album On Your Side was released in June 2003 on Ultimate Dilemma to positive critical acclaim. The album features Magnet's duet with Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes on a cover of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay", which was later featured in the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Following European and North American tour dates throughout 2003 and 2004, Magnet signed to Atlantic Records for his third album The Tourniquet, which was released in May 2005 to further positive acclaim.[5] In 2006, he contributed several songs to the soundtrack of the video game Dreamfall: The Longest Journey.[6] His fourth studio album, The Simple Life, followed in March 2007 on the Hermetix Recordings label, an imprint of Sony BMG.
Magnet "Be With You" (2006)
21 second sample of "Be With You" by Magnet
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Over the years, Even has toured with Phoenix, Engineers, Zero 7, Isobel Campbell, Gemma Hayes, Ed Harcourt, Stars, and Doves.[7][8] Even also provided a remix of Doves' song "The Last Broadcast," which was featured on the bonus disc of their 2003 B-sides and rarities compilation Lost Sides.

On July 16, 2011, Even posted a new single to his Myspace page entitled "Doldrum Days", and followed it with his fifth and latest album at that date On Dec 2, 2011. The album, Ferrofluid,[9] was released in Norway through iTunes and other retailers.

Discography

Albums

Singles/EPs

References

  1. ↑ evenmagnet.net | biography
  2. ↑ evenmagnet.net | biography
  3. ↑ Magnet's Biography - Last.fm
  4. ↑ Scene article, 2003
  5. ↑ MIC Norway: Magnet to tour the UK; press reviews
  6. ↑ Funcom News: Warner Music and Funcom to release Dreamfall EP by Magnet, last retrieved on 3 September 2006
  7. ↑ According to his MySpace bio
  8. ↑ NRK Upunk: May 6, 2002 (Doves tour)
  9. ↑ http://www.evenmagnet.net/disco/ Website with albums by Magnet, musician

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magnet.