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I, Hans A. Pedersen, come from the village Kabelvåg on an island in the Lofoten archipelago in the Arctic Circle in Norway, where I am now based. After experimenting with making music on the Amiga computer in my childhood, I started to pursue music making as a creative outlet after I moved to London in 1998. As I progressed with my music, my collection of synths also grew, and I had a very fine selection of synths that I used in my music making, both analog and digital midi synths and vintage keyboards and pedals. I spent a lot of time in my studio, but also managed to take my music out to clubs, and performed with a violin player at the Notting Hill Arts Club and at Cargo in Shoreditch and some pubs and parties. Music for me was a spiritual pursuit, as I was on a bit of a journey when I lived in London, being caught up in a creative environment with lots of musicians and generous, loving people, that resulted in me losing focus a little bit on the basic necessities in life, or maybe I found my focus on what was more fundamental to having a meaningful life. I ended my pursuits of career success and became a Rastafari in pursuit of truth, wisdom, love and compassion. I lost my synth collection in the process and from having a nice flat with a studio, financed by a decent income working in media and design, I ended up living in a hut behind a Caribbean food joint, with no income, but with free food, as I assisted the chef in the kitchen, and helped with washing the dishes and cleaning. I fell in love with the Jamaican vibe from the people I worked with, and realised that I was following a path I felt at ease with. The Rastafarian chef was a great mentor to me, and I felt that the wisdom and friendships I obtained from the Rastafarian community in London was very close to my heart. Hanging out at the Channel One, Aba Shanti-I, Metro Glory and Good Times sound-systems at Notting Hill Carnival every August bank holiday, Jah Prophecy at Hackney Carnival, Fatman Sound at the West Indian Culture Center, University of Dub at the Scala, celebrating Ethiopian New Year with the Rasta community, going to Nyabinghi drum ceremony, drum circles in Finsbury Park, jamming at CoreArts, where I also had one of my tunes arranged for, and performed by, a classical orchestra, as well as attending the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Clapton, hanging out at music venue Passing Clouds in Hackney and at Gillette Square in Dalston, I was right where I needed to be to get to know the world of culture, music and spirituality. Finsbury Park is also where I met Earl Lindo from The Wailers, Bob Marley's keyboard player. After his pub gig, I helped him with his equipment, and we talked about keyboards, before he finished of with 'Yes, it's 007.' So thats when I officially became an agent for the Rastafarian brotherhood! London is a fantastic city full of amazing people, and I soaked it all in. During this time, I did have access to some music facilities, and continued to make music, but I did not have my own studio. I returned to Norway in 2019 and set up a studio in my parents basement, where I have been making music regularly since then. Life in the arctic is nice as well, I now have dark winters with northern lights and snow, and in the summer, the sun never goes down. A different mood then London, but it has it's perks.
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