a-ha to split up

[levyguy]

My favorite band a-ha announced that their new album Foot ofThe Mountain is their last and after a worldwide farewell tour in 2010 they are disbanding. I can't believe it.
For those of you who are not really familiar with a-ha: they are a Norwegian band formed in 1981- Morten Harket vocals; Magne Furuholmen keyboards, guitars and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy guitars. In the USA their biggest hit was TAKE ON ME which was number 1 in 27 countries. But they also had 40 other hit singles worldwide and 9 hit studio albums. In 1991 they won a Guinness World Record for largest paid audience at a single concert: 196,000 people in Brazil! They have sold a total of 70 million albums, singles and Eps and reached #1 on the worlds music charts 75 times!
Morten Harket is an incredible singer, no-one has a voice and range like his!
Are there any other a-ha fans out there on this board?
You can go to The Official Community of a-ha: News, Concert Info, Tickets, Biography and Photos
for more info on this incredibly talented and creative band!
I am very saddened that they are disbanding.

[The Toyroom]

BEST-MUSIC-VIDEO-EVER!

(But I'm surprised they were still together.....)

[HardyGirl]

I loved the video for Take On Me. Excellent animation! I have the 12" single.

[BlackKnight]

Can't say I ever heard of them, till this thread.

& The Best Video ever was Warrent: Cherry Pie....

[Tothiro]

Ah man... I felt the same way when The Who made that announcement! ... I mean the first time.

That's still a seriously long run though.

[Random Axe]

I guess now we can look forward to the solo career of HA.

It's interesting to see the progression of this band from cheesy Euro-pop 80's synth-heavy fluff to serious, almost adult comtemporary artist. I always though they were British as they rode that 1983 London pop wave all the way across the Atlantic at the same time. They did last longer than 95 percent of other bands who gave it up along the way, so take some comfort in that at least.

Scott

[SUP-Ronin]

Used to freakin love this song. Now it's just nostalgic 80's.

YouTube - A ha- Take On Me

[levyguy]

BEST-MUSIC-VIDEO-EVER!

(But I'm surprised they were still together.....)

yes they have been together for almost 3 decades except for a break from 1994-1998. They have been extremly popular in Europe.
They were planning a world tour for 2010 which was to include the USA in March.
Why were you surprised they were still together?

[levyguy]

I guess now we can look forward to the solo career of HA.

It's interesting to see the progression of this band from cheesy Euro-pop 80's synth-heavy fluff to serious, almost adult comtemporary artist. I always though they were British as they rode that 1983 London pop wave all the way across the Atlantic at the same time. They did last longer than 95 percent of other bands who gave it up along the way, so take some comfort in that at least.

Scott

thanks Scott! But I was hoping there would still be a few more albums from them. hopefully Morten Harket will continue to record on his own. An absolutly amazing singer who is so under-rated. there is not another male singer who can match his range or sing like he does!

[MegoMark71]

So what one was harket? was he A- or was he Ha?

[MegoSteve]

For those unfamiliar with their later stuff, here's an example from 2000:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUB9Rq8FcEQ

Couple of things:

Morten Harket looks exactly the same age in this video as he did fifteen years earlier in Take On Me. I don't know what's in the water in Norway, but I want some.

He also holds a note for over 20 seconds.

[toys2cool]

I loved the video for Take On Me.

same here, i didn't even know they were still together

[levyguy]

So what one was harket? was he A- or was he Ha?

Unlike ABBA which is an acrynym for the 4 members first names ( Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Anni-frid) a-ha is simply the bands name.
Morten Harket is reported to have a 5-octive vocal range and won a Guinness World record for longest single note held by a male singer in a song. On
a-ha's hit single "Summer Moved On" Morten holds a single note for 20.2 seconds on the word 'ask'. In many of their songs Morten displays incredible voice control, power and range, demonstrated too at their live concerts. I think he is the best male singer ever. And a-ha are the greatest band.

[jwyblejr]

yes they have been together for almost 3 decades except for a break from 1994-1998. They have been extremly popular in Europe.
They were planning a world tour for 2010 which was to include the USA in March.
Why were you surprised they were still together?

Because I'm sure he's like most of us here and thought they were a one-hit wonder.

[Hector]

A-ha just split up?

Man...I thought they had split up way back in the 80s...