Janove Ottesen

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Janove Ottesen

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Img_capt = Janove Ottesen performing in Bremen with his band Kaizers Orchestra. October 4, 2005.
Background = solo_singer
Alias = Janove "The Jackal" Kaizer
Born = Birth date and age|1975|8|27|mf=y
Origin = Bryne, Norway
Genre = Rock, Folk music
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Oil barrel
Associated_acts = Kaizers Orchestra

Janove Ottesen (born 1975, born Jan Ove Ottesen) is a Norwegian musician, born in Bryne, Rogaland. Norway. He specializes in vocals, guitar and barrels. Ottesen gave up his military training for the sake of his beloved pump organ. Janove is behind many of Kaizers Orchestra's songs. The energy he displays during shows has helped Kaizers Orchestra earn the reputation of being a good live band. Janove is always busy writing material for Kaizers Orchestra as well as for solo film projects and for his solo music career. He has released albums and EPs every year since the year 2000. He is married, and has two children.

History

Janove was given a guitar by his grandmother as a young boy. Bryne, being the small town that it was, young Janove had nothing to do but play guitar and football. Janove and his friend Geir Zahl began writing music in his cellar. From this cooperation strange lyrics and songs emerged, most being recorded on a cheap tape recorder. From there Blod, Snått og Juling came into existence. In 1994 they produced their first studio tape "En glad tunnel". Sadly only 50 copies were sold, but for their second album they sought to be more serious. Better studio equipment was used but still sales only reached 100 or copies.

Janove moved to Bergen in 1995 to study but still focused on his musical career. In 1996 he decided to join the army, but soon he regretted the decision and moved back to Bergen as a music teacher. When he returned Janove and Geir decided to change the band name to gnom. They released the album "Mys" in 1998. The album's first single "Hemmelig Beskjed", an ompa song, was the most audience-shifting song. From then on they played more along the lines of folk music. The next folk music song, "Bastard", was what set them in the direction that they are in now, also creating their new name for the band. In the song there is a line which is translated as: "I was taken care of by a certain Mr Kaizer. He is the proud owner of the world's heaviest Siamese." The name "Kaizers Orchestra" was derived from this obscure line of lyrics.

After 2 albums had been released by Kaizers Orchestra, Janove decided to launch a solo career while in the works of a 3rd Kaizers album ("Maestro", released in 2005). His solo album, "Francis' Lonely Nights", which was released in 2004, is entirely in English and contains 12 songs, two of which have their music videos playing in Scandinavia.

In 2007 Kaizers decided to take a break for the majority of the year, writing up demos for their fourth album and only playing 3 concerts (including opening the German art expo Documenta festival). Being a family man, Janove decided to focus his musical talents in 2007 in a family oriented direction; writing music for a family musical which opened in November 2007, "Det Tusende Hjertet". In August 2007 he revealed that his next side project will not be a solo album, and that he has assembled a band like fellow Kaizer band mate Terje Winterstø Røthing and his band Skambankt. Though Janove's new band has not released their name yet it is believed that the project will be released in 2009.

Discography

Blod, Snått & Juling

* "Ein Glad Tunnel" (released in 50 copies in 1994, only on music cassette)
* "Sympatiske Fisk" (released in 100 copies in 1995, only on music cassette)

gnom

* "Mys" (1998)

Kaizers Orchestra

* "Gul EP" (2000)
* "Ompa til du dør" (2001)
* "Død manns tango EP" (2001)
* "Mann mot mann EP" (2002)
* "Evig pint" (2003)
* "The Gypsy Finale" (2004)
* "Maestro EP" (2005)
* "Maestro" (2005)
* "Live at Vega" (2006)
* "Maskineri" (2008)
* "250 prosent" (2008)

olo

* "Francis' Lonely Nights" (2004)

Musical

* "Det Tusende Hjertet" (2007)

External links

* [http://www.janove.com Official website]
* [http://www.kaizers.no Kaizers Orchestra's official website]