Paul and Magne on the new a-ha album:
Norwegian article
Translation by Sabine."I hope we can continue the story", Magne Furuholmen tells VG. "We got part of the material lying ready. Paul and I are very much looking forward to work together again. We haven't talked to Morten already, but it is logical that he will contribute. Even if we haven't set any dates yet, it could very well happen in winter 1997." Paul Waaktaar Savoy, who's working on his new Savoy album at home in New York, confirms the plans for a new a-ha record to VG. "The idea of releasing one more a-ha album has always existed. Two-three years ago, we recorded a demo for an entire album, but since then we haven't come any further. But it are good songs and it would be a shame if they wouldn't be released." "Those 8-9 demo songs are the main reason to record a new a-ha album." PArted as enemies Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar Savoy parted almost like bitter enemies after being the biggest pop success in Norway's history. Paul and Magne were on one side, Morten alone on the other. "It is no PR stunt that Morten and i aren't on friendly terms", Paul Waaktaar told VG in March. After the Savoy concert in Rockefeller in Oslo, the relation between the two a-ha colleagues was icy. In the Swedish paper/magazine Expressen, Morten took a negative stand towards his a-ha history. Savoy most important "Will it be possible to work together after the breach, after you have developed into different musical directions ?" "Break up, break up... It was more that we naturally moved away from one another. The songwriting for the band has never been done together really. We have always been writing individually", Waaktaar says. "And if it will work - well, if you like doing something, it works ! At this moment, the new Savoy album is the most important for me, we are about to mix it now, and we hope to release it this fall." Paul expects that December to be the earliest time to move on with the a-ha songs. The three a-ha members have done their own things the past few years. Magne has developed himself as a visual artist and has made the movie scores for "Ti kniver i hjertet". Paul has made the Savoy album "Mary is coming", while Morten sold almost 200000 copies (in Norway) from his "wild Seed" solo album. LAter this autumn, Harket will release a Norwegian album, internationally, he is in stasis. "It is exciting that we've all been doing different things. In the band, we always had to make agreements. It was time for us to do something new. As long as that was going on, plans for us (a-ha) were put on hold", Furuholmen explains. Harket in the studio VG didn't manage to get in touch with Morten Harket yesterday evening. He has fled into his studio - Kristiansand's community house in Dvergsoeya. Four tons of technical equipment plus three generators. have been dragged to the island before Kristainsand. The CD, with Norwegian lyrics, will be released in November.
Morten on the new a-ha album:
Norwegian article
Translation by Terje Trovik.It's correct, like Paul and Magne already have said, that all three of us feels that we should gather at one point, to do something more". Through this Mortens confirms Pauls and Mags' statements last week saying that a-ha is not dead. There will be a new album - sooner or later. "We all know that there is material waiting, and I have a strong feeling that there is quite a lot left to do for us - together. Maybe we haven't achieved a thing - compared to our possibilities", says Morten. He hasn't been speaking to Paul or Mags lately: "But there is nothing dramatic in that. There haven't been time. All three of us have been very busy with our own projects. They say that there is a deep conflict between us. That's rubbish - I guess that's the way the medias wants to present it. But to me it looks silly. Always!" "The truth is, that this has been healthy for absolutely all - us, the record company and the fans - the fact that we haven't been working together for such a long time. Hereby it's not said that we we're ready to go in studio to do another album. But in a longer perspective I think there is more - a lot more - in a-ha. It just have to come when the time is right", Morten ends.