Talk about heroes... today marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of my favorite music group of all time: A-ha. Yes, back in September of 1982, three young Norwegian guys decided to pool their musical talents and shoot for the big time--something that had been seen as impossible for a small country like Norway to achieve. Well, A-ha proved the impossible was possible... moving to London, and after a few years of honing and adapting their sound (synth pop was big in those days), they found themselves with sa string of top ten singles, a Guinness Book World Record for the highest attended concert (198,000 people at Rio's Maracana Stadium, 1991), and influence on such modern acts as Coldplay, Keane, Kings of Convenience, and Sondre Lerche. Here is a clip of me interviewing all three members back in 2005:
Unfortunately for me, the band is usually only known for one song here in the U.S.: 1985's "Take On Me." Over the years I have found myself having to explain to skeptics over and over why I would care about this seeming "one-hit wonder." I'm a big fan of the Beatles as well, and am aware (even understand) a bit of the general prejudice when applied to a group that seemed to make less of an attempt to continue their success in America. That doesn't make it any easier for me, when their music speaks to me in such a way...
In honor of their anniversary, I listened to the newly remastered version of their second album, Scoundrel Days, on the way to work today. This album hit during a rough time for me growing up, as I was dealing with the loss of my father. As I listened to the album again today, one of the lines from an extended version of their excellent song "Manhattan Skyline" stuck out at me, in a new way:
"don't want to see you hurt, don't let me see you hurt" pleads singer Morten Harket. I have always read the song as being about loss and separation on the narrator's part (Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy), but it dawned on me that this line also subconsciously felt like support to me... or, more specifically, the 16-year old me. The tears started to well up, I must admit... their work still has an effect on me, and that's the reason I must go on to proclaim my love:
"You know
I don't want to fall again
I don't wanna know this pain
I don't want another friend
I don't wanna try again
Don't want to see you hurt
Don't let me see you hurt
I don't wanna cry again
I'll never see your face again..."
A-ha disbanded in 2010, but I still hold my hopes that they will work together again one day. This weekend there is a big 30th anniversary party planned in their hometown of Oslo, Norway. It coincides with a concert by Morten Harket, an exhibition of their work at the Oslo Library, and the release of a beautiful new book by photographer Stian Andersen, who documented the band's comeback from 2000-2010. In November, the members are set to be knighted by the Norwegian king--not bad for a "one-hit wonder," eh?
I'm still working on my documentary and a radio tribute show... I know... it's very hard to sum it all up. It would be great to have it done before the end of the year, although it is a challenge with full-time job and family... it will get done though--that's a promise. These guys came a long way, and my life has certainly been enriched as I "joined" them for part of that adventure...
Unfortunately for me, the band is usually only known for one song here in the U.S.: 1985's "Take On Me." Over the years I have found myself having to explain to skeptics over and over why I would care about this seeming "one-hit wonder." I'm a big fan of the Beatles as well, and am aware (even understand) a bit of the general prejudice when applied to a group that seemed to make less of an attempt to continue their success in America. That doesn't make it any easier for me, when their music speaks to me in such a way...
In honor of their anniversary, I listened to the newly remastered version of their second album, Scoundrel Days, on the way to work today. This album hit during a rough time for me growing up, as I was dealing with the loss of my father. As I listened to the album again today, one of the lines from an extended version of their excellent song "Manhattan Skyline" stuck out at me, in a new way:
"don't want to see you hurt, don't let me see you hurt" pleads singer Morten Harket. I have always read the song as being about loss and separation on the narrator's part (Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy), but it dawned on me that this line also subconsciously felt like support to me... or, more specifically, the 16-year old me. The tears started to well up, I must admit... their work still has an effect on me, and that's the reason I must go on to proclaim my love:
"You know
I don't want to fall again
I don't wanna know this pain
I don't want another friend
I don't wanna try again
Don't want to see you hurt
Don't let me see you hurt
I don't wanna cry again
I'll never see your face again..."
A-ha disbanded in 2010, but I still hold my hopes that they will work together again one day. This weekend there is a big 30th anniversary party planned in their hometown of Oslo, Norway. It coincides with a concert by Morten Harket, an exhibition of their work at the Oslo Library, and the release of a beautiful new book by photographer Stian Andersen, who documented the band's comeback from 2000-2010. In November, the members are set to be knighted by the Norwegian king--not bad for a "one-hit wonder," eh?
I'm still working on my documentary and a radio tribute show... I know... it's very hard to sum it all up. It would be great to have it done before the end of the year, although it is a challenge with full-time job and family... it will get done though--that's a promise. These guys came a long way, and my life has certainly been enriched as I "joined" them for part of that adventure...
No comments:
Post a Comment