Asgeir Aarøen (Aesgir & Mo)
SPB: What got you interested in the flamenco guitar?
Aarøen: I first saw flamenco guitar live at the age of 26, back in 1998 I think, when I lived in Oslo, the capitol of Norway. At this time I played mostly classical guitar and had a past as a rock/metal guitarist for many years. I didn’t know anything about flamenco at that time—[just] that it is Spanish Gypsy music.
I did become aware of the flamenco club there and liked the music. The flamenco guitar opened a new world to me, and gave me something that electric and classical guitar didn’t offer me. The sound of the flamenco guitar is so special. It’s more snappy and percussive than a classical guitar, and it’s possible to combine melody and chords in another way than electric guitar. I still love electric guitar, but nothings beat the sound of a flamenco guitar.
The flamenco music, with guitar players like Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, and Gerardo Nunez was amazing to discover.
