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A-ha and their fans
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a-ha and their fans The Norwegian band a-ha has during their 25 year career as a band, experienced a massive fan following around the world. Especially during the 80's and early 90's the fanbase got so big and heavy that especially Morten Harket, as the vocalist and frontman of the band felt it so difficult that he for periods of time went in to hiding. Morten very often found himself hiding at home in Norway or travelling to remote places in the world where he hoped to get some peace and quiet. It was not always sucessful and he often found himself singning autographs and posing for photos in the most remote places,including far into the Amazon jungle in Brazil. a-ha fans have been known to stalking the band, travelling long distances for concerts and signings and media events.some have used their work as travel agents and airline cabincrew very useful. Even though things have calmed down in the last 10 years and both band and their original fans have grown older and found new ways of enjoying the a-ha experience, many still travel long distances to experience the band. Due to less exposure of the band and lack of support from recordlabel in certain areas of the world, most notably in the USA, many fans find themselves traveling over several continents. Many travel from as far away as the USA and South America aswell as Japan and Australia to Europe to see the band perform in concert or other appearances. During the Vallhall concerts in Oslo, Norway in 2001, fans from 28 countries travelled from Norway to experience a-ha live. In 1991 a-ha set a Guinness Book World Record by playing for the at the time largest paying audience in the world: 198,000 people during the Rock in Rio 2 festival a-ha and their colleagues Over their 25 year career, the band has also receaved alot of acclaim from fellow artists and industry people. During the 80's and early 90's a-ha was perceaved as a boyband and officially it was'nt reallypopulare to like a-ha. However in recent years, many of their fellow artists has come out and aknowledged a-ha for their songwriting skills and musicianship. Especially many British collegues but also some American. Most notabelly Chris Martin of Coldplay. The following is a few artists and industry people comments from Norwegian, British and American media: * ~ "As a 12 year old, Hunting High and Low was always in my head, and a-ha still continues to be an important band to me." Chris Martin, Coldplay * ~ "Everyone asks us who has inspired Coldplay, who we have stolen from, who we listened to when we grew up. Such questions remind you of what has formed you and had an impact on you. The first bands I loved were a-ha and James." (James = British band that started in 82) Chris Martin, Coldplay * ~ "I was in Amsterdam the other day and I put on the album Hunting High and Low. I remembered right there and then how much I loved that album. It's just unbelievable songwriting." Chris Martin, Coldplay, 2005) * ~ "Morten Harket has a fantastic voice and a-ha has been one of our favorite bands for many years. a-ha has a sort of nordic sound." Neil Tennant, The Pet Shop Boys * ~ "They are definitely my favourites this summer. Their last CD Minor Earth Major Sky ( 2000 release ) is just fantastic, and how the vocalist sings!" Sarah Brightman * ~ " a-ha was always kind of a misunderstood band in my ears. They were perceived as a teenage group for girls, but in reality a very creative band." Adam Clayton , U2 * ~ "When we heard U2 " Beatiful Day " for the first time, the part where Bono sings "Touch Me", we thought right away that that sounds like a-ha !" Keane * ~ "I met a-ha for the first time on Barbados, and got a very positive impression of them. Different personalities that strives together and creates something creative. I stands respect of what they do, and we got a good contact. When I and David Crosby played in Oslo earlier this winter, Morten appeard backstage after the concert. There we began to talk about the possibility of contributing with a little vocal, and now it's done. a-ha is a good band, and the song I did backing on is very good." Graham Nash of The Hollies / Crosby Stills & Nash, from a 2005 interview did backing vocals on the songs " Over the treetops and Cozy prisons from the 2005 a-ha album Analogue * ~ "It was so cool that they were there! a-ha was one of the bands that were really in the spotlight on MTV in the 80's. That's why it was really fun that they participated at Live 8 Audioslave , 2005 * On German radio a some years back, Coldplay , Chris Martin affection for a-ha came to show, as he played a wonderful accoustic version of Hunting High and Low with the following introduction from Martin: ~ "When you don't have more of your own songs, you have to go to things you listned to as a child. One of the bands that I and the others in Coldplay listend to a lot when we were young, was a-ha from Norway. We're not so into being hip any longer and that's why we're not afraid to say that we liked them. This is a tribute to a-ha! * ~ "This is one of my absolute favourites of all time" Kanye West , singing Take On Me , Kristiansand , Norway 05.07.2006 * ~ "I've been a fan of a-ha since I was 9 years old" Kanye West , interviewed on TV2 Norway 05.07.2006 * ~ " Is a-ha really from Norway ? They're fuxxing amazing ! I'm diggen ' em, says Gallagher ~ " I remember Morten Harket from my youth, me and my buddies thought he was cool. I've been aware of their comeback. It's good to see them again, the vocalist continues. Liam Gallagher , Oasis 26.01.2006 * ~ Take On Me is proabably the best clean cut pop singel of all time. Tim Rice-Oxley , Keane in reviewing the all time best pop songs for Q magazine * ~ " Your music sounds simple, but when you try, it's almost impossible to play. You always have some sort of fxxxing strange chord. We have 3 chords, you guys have 30. Chris Martin in Coldplay in conversation with Magne Furuholmen * ~ " I am very pleased with the success that a-ha have achieved in the US. First of all, because it proves that the music counts more than whether you're born in England or the US. Secondly, because it will be an enormous inspiration for other Norwegian bands." in 1986 * ~ " They were a pop version of The Smiths ... Take On Me is perfection, I don't think any song has come close in 20 years. And their new record is really good. People have started to appreciate them as great songwriters."- Tim Rice-Oxley , Keane - Q magazine - June 2006 About Morten Harket : * ~ "It was the way Morten Harket used to have different things on his wrists. I do it myself, still. He is the most disarmed and most beautiful man you'll ever gonna meet" Chris Martin, Coldplay 2005 * ~ "That man got pipes." Carl Perkins commenting on Morten Harket 's voice * ~ "Morten looked like Elvis Presley and had the operatic voice of Roy Orbison " Jeff Ayeroff, Warner's marketing genius in 1985. Comment from 2005 * ~ " Morten Harket , ladies and gentlemen! Look at him ! He doesn't get any older! I hope I will look like that when I'm..31!" (Morten was 46 at the time ) Robbie Williams at the NMA 2004 ) In adittion: * Michael Jackson and Sophia Loren was at a-ha's first concert in the USA in 1986 in Los angeles. He later invited the band to Neverland. An invitation the band declined at the time. * Debbie Gibson , US singer attended an a-ha concert in 1986, when she was 16. She later met a-ha again in 1991. * Coldplay has on several occations during their shows in Norway played a version of the a-ha song Hunting High and Low and in 2009, Chris Martin and Magne Furuholmen performed the song together during a Coldplay concert in Oslo . * The Everly Brothers was so impressed by a-ha 's version of the song Crying in the Rain , that the a-ha band members each receaved a guitar from the The Everly Brothers (Comments taken from The Swing of Things, the official a-ha biography - on Press Forlag, available from the official site www.a-ha.com and newspaper interviews in Norway and the UK ) 
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