Forwards, Backwards, Twisted Round

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” 
― Søren Kierkegaard

"Is it life or just to play..." Taking on 1985- again.

Try as I might, I can't seem to escape 1985...even after all of these years. Is it nostalgia for a simpler time? Remembering myself as a teenager, starting to get the hang of things? All I know is that I am constantly reminded of that particular point in time and, in some cases, quite determined to collect as many memories as possible. 

This Monday, October 19, starting at 11 p.m. ET., I'm going to have some fun with the idea, hosting another MyExit show for my friends at WEXT, and going "back in time" to play some of my favorite music from that year. Coincidentally, the radio show will be broadcast on the 30th anniversary of the date that A-ha's "Take on Me" hit number one on the U.S. Billboard charts. One of the most glaring differences since then: I'm rather sick of the song...can you blame me? For the most part, that is all the band is known for here in the U.S., and mentioning that you're a fan tends to mark you as being stuck in the '80s (well, guess this post isn't helping). 

Recent A-ha "sighting" in the U.S.

But, yeah, I can't avoid including some A-ha on Monday's show. As you know from this blog, I have been a pretty devoted follower of the band since 1985, when I could not stop playing their debut, Hunting High and Low (wore out that tape a couple times). The band has just released a super-deluxe version of the album, including about five discs worth of demos, alternate takes, previously unreleased songs, and the videos that helped make them famous. I'm even more excited about the news that next week they are giving a similar treatment to their later, more rock-oriented albums from the 1990s: Memorial Beach and East of the Sun, West of the Moon; the latter came out around the time they earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for largest attendance (198,000 people) at the Rock in Rio festival in Brazil. Last month, they revisited that experience by headlining at the 30th anniversary of Rock in Rio. 

I know what you may be thinking... didn't they break up? Yes, they went on a world tour just five years ago dubbed "Ending on a High Note," citing irreconcilable differences (I made all of the handful of U.S. dates, and busted my ass to finally finish my documentary, utilizing the interviews I conducted with the band in 2005). Maybe the lure of playing Rock in Rio, making more money in celebration of their debut...etc. etc... was too hard to refuse? 

Nowadays, retiring seems a flexible concept... bands do this all the time...and last month A-ha released a brand new album of material, Cast in Steel. Surprisingly, I wanted to hate it. Putting aside the emotions lingering from their retirement five years ago, part of me just wanted to move on. Yet I couldn't shake the curiosity... bought the album, really dug it, and now I'm back to feeling a little conflicted about it. The title track is a return to form, though:

One nagging thought though (made more clear after doing more of my own music) is that singer Morten Harket needs to adjust to a more comfortable singing range. There are plenty of old clips of him really belting out and sustaining the high notes that are a hallmark of their early '80s work, but listening to their new material and watching last month's Rio concert, it sometimes seems a little forced. Come on, the man is 56 now... give him a break and transpose those notes. Musically, A-ha is still great (minus the repetitive, cheesy keyboard or two), but they would do one better to shake things up. Below is a clip from Rock in Rio 2015 where I think they're on the right track; it's an album cut from the previously mentioned East of the Sun album, called "Sycamore Leaves." This live version harkens back to their prog-rock beginnings, which I covered in my documentary, and seems miles away (in a good, progressive way) from "Take On Me." Simply put, it looks like they are having fun, giving it some soul, and enjoying being back together for the right reasons:

As you'll hear in Monday's MyExit special, I actually find myself traveling "ahead" more than I do back... my tastes may be changing. However, I am well aware of my attraction to a retro vibe (come on, have you heard the dreck they call most modern top 40 radio?!) Nowadays, I find comfort and great musicianship in classic soul and the blues. I don't think I'm alone... hell, even vinyl has made a comeback.

Objects in the rear view mirror are closer than they appear...
Photo: Yutaka Nishimura / Rhino

So,sometimes the past = present: the Mets, "Bloom County," even Classic (aka Mexican) Coke have made comebacks (thankfully, New Coke remains forever trapped in 1985). As I have wrote earlier this year, I'd love to see a DVD release of that "future superstar" 84/85 season of Saturday Night Live; I still enjoy and have become known for singing some of those classic '80s tunes; and... my favorite movie of all-time, also from 1985, is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary in a big, 1.21 jigawatts way... Great Scott!

Back To The Future should be everywhere this upcoming week, as we finally reach October 21, 2015, the date that Marty and Doc traveled into the future. For a child of the '80s and fantasy movie geek like me, it is too cool to resist. I am going so far as to put together a "Back in Time" family festival next weekend at my workplace, to celebrate the occasion. 

But I think I'm getting ahead of (or behind) myself. This deserves a blog post all it's own. So expect more reflections on time (and travel) in the days ahead...

Related Links:

Exit 97.7 WEXT (listen live)

Rock in Rio 2015

"A-ha's Hunting High and Low 30 years on: classic or classical?" Sydney Morning Herald, October 9, 2015 (might be reaching here, but I think the writer's on to something about the album's lasting appeal)