UKA gets a-ha

CLEAR FOR A NEW ROUND:  After a well-earned break Morten Harket and the rest 
of a-ha are clear for a new round of concerts.

It is now plain that a-ha will come to play at the UKA in Trondheim.  This 
will be their only concert in Norway this year.

"We are going on a Russian tour, and from there it's only natural to 
conclude the tour in Trondheim, which lies to the far west in Russia," says 
a joking Morten Harket.

Concluding UKA-03
In October a-ha will go on a small tour to Russia, where they will play in 
six - eight cities, among others Moscow and St. Petersburg.  In this 
connection Morten Harket discloses to Dagbladet that the band will come to 
play on the last night of the year's student festival in Trondheim Monday 3 
November.

Only appearance
This will be a-ha's only appearance in Norway this year, and there is 
therefore enormous interest.  Morten Harket is not worried that other towns 
might come to feel cheated of one concert with Norway's favourite sons.

"Trondheim has long wanted to have us visit, and this time it happened that 
they were the only natural contemporary and geographic choice.  This doesn't 
mean that we want to exclude others.  I will on this strongly urge other 
students to take themselves on tour also.  Bergen students can for example 
take the Hurtigruta (steamship) to Trondheim, and have a fantastic tour," 
says Morten.

There are currently no plans for any other a-ha concerts in Norway, but the 
band won't rule out that it might happen next year.

"All of the bigger towns are interested in us playing, but we have an 
enormous amount of equipment which must be packed, and therefore it's 
important that it's suitable for the time and place.  This time we had a 
complete hit with Trondheim, and we're very glad to play there.  Trondheim 
students are famous for being a good audience, and we hope that you can 
transmit to us a little of your joy of life also," tells Morten.

Perhaps a new CD
After four intense working years with many album sales and a great deal of  
touring activity, a-ha have taken a well-earned break this past year.

"We have been in a rest-phase.  After last year's "Lifelines" tour, all 
three of us had to pull back a little, to concentrate on other projects in 
our lives.  But now we're ready again.  For the moment we are within what I 
see is the most exciting phase of music production, namely this initial 
creative phase," tells Morten.

Good audience
To what extent that becomes a new a-ha CD on the market next year, Morten 
Harket will not yet reveal.

"I can say only so much about that, whether it can happen already," he 
concludes with a sly smile.

By Melanie Mousley