by Kjell Henning Thon (translation by cindy kandolf) Original ArticleMorten Harket, Paul Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen have decided. a-ha is going to be pop's next big thing, again. It is fifteen years to the day after a-ha's first big press conference. They will be playing two songs at the Nobel concert in Oslo Spektrum in a week, starting in March they will be recording a new album, and they are planning a new world tour. "For us the most important thing with the Nobel concert was that it gave us a deadline that got us to do something. In addition it is of course an honor to be invited," says Paul Waaktaar. "We have aged more then five years these past five years," explains Morten Harket, and reminds us of all the experiences the band has had since they made "Memorial Beach" together. Yesterday the band was gathered for an informal press lunch at Frognerseteren in Oslo. Morten Harket still knows how to pose like a pop star. Paul Waaktaar looks younger than he ever has before, and Magne Furuholmen is the most "normal" looking. In addition to a-ha, the band's managers Brian Lane and Erling Johannesen, the directors of several Norwegian record companies, radio, TV, and a full Norwegian press corps were present. "We have negotiated our way out of the band's contract with Warner," explains Erling Johannesen, the band's Norwegian manager. "I think the Warner contract will be in place until summer," says Paul Waaktaar. CRITICAL DISTANCE It is at any rate certain that a-ha is looking for a new record contract. The new song the band will play at Friday's Nobel concert, "Summer Move Down" [sic. - what *is* the name of That Song anyway???], is not going to be a flash in the pan. Recording will start in March, with a release date after summer. After that, a-ha is planning a world tour. But what will the "new" a-ha be like? "We have managed to look at the past from a critical distance. All the albums have wishes in them, maybe mostly a wish to make a break from the album before. 'Memorial Beach' was probably the album that contained the most of what Paul and I did before a-ha," explains Magne Furuholmen. "I don't want a-ha to be anything else but what it is. We will still be writing hits, but they should be modern, not 1980ish," says Paul Waaktaar. They give much of the credit for getting the band together again to their new manager, Brian Lane. "They're much too kind if they say that," Lane protests. He believes a-ha is a band the world has never forgotten, and that they have great potential. "They sold 25 million albums, and there's a large base of fans waiting for something new," says Lane. "We have new management, and Brian Lane has solved personal problems for bands in the past. Now we can put the past behind us, and talk about the future," explains Magne. BETTER THAN EARLIER ALBUMS "What is the goal with this new album?" "To make the best album we've ever made. I hope we can get more out of working together than we have in the past," says Magne. "You can't order up hits and have them delivered to your door, but that's the direction we want to go," explains Paul. "I'm not thinking that we're going to be gigantic again, I'm most looking forward to creating more resistance," says Morten. No one has attempted to hide the fact that part of the reason for the break in a-ha was Harket's dissatisfaction with not participating in the composing process. Since a-ha last worked together, Morten Harket has released solo albums, Paul Waaktaar has had the band Savoy, and Magne Furuholmen has had a successful debut as an artist and composer of film soundtracks. None of the band members are going to give up their other projects, but a-ha will be their top priority. "This is the beginning of a new project. This time, who does what isn't so important. That is necessary if we're not going to turn this into a sick version a democracy," Magne states.