Jono El Grande - Early Life

Early Life

Jon Andreas Håtun was born at Bærum Hospital, Norway. At the age of ten, far in anvance of touching his first instrument, he began inventing various band concepts without the intent for performance. In 1988 he bought his first guitar, and in 1989 he formed his first actual band along with three school buddies - a teen-age punk rock combo called Mannes Fatales. They would perform stunt poetry in combination with pre-arranged electric noises. Jono El Grande served as the lead vocalist and lyricist. Mannes Fatales performed three concerts before disbanding in 1990. In the years 1990 - 1992, Jono El Grande assembled a series concept bands intended for one-night performances and recordings and/or rehearsings only: The Terror Duo, Black Satan, The Pez Dispensers, Acetaded Beat, As Drosera in addition to a handful of school bands formed to mark end-of-term celebrations and similar occasions.

From 1991 - 92 Jono El Grande worked as a radio host at the local station Radio Express. Two hours every Sunday for about a year, he played pure Frank Zappa- and art rock-related music. He also guest-hosted the progressive rock radio spot Uhørt in its very infancy. As of 2008, the show still airs on Norway's FM 99,3. After graduating from high school in 1992, Jono El Grande attended art school in Bergen. In 1994 - 95, Jono El Grande worked as assistant decorator at Norsk Film, building props for the movie Pakten (movie) (Waiting For Sunset) with Robert Mitchum. Eventually, in 1995, he quit the job to become a full-time composer.