A Q&A with a-ha’s Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
a-ha, Norway’s techno-pop icons, played three nights in a row last week in NYC and are currently touring the US, for the second and last time. They’re calling it quits after this year-long tour. The band’s songwriter, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, answered some of my questions prior to the show. A review of the show can be found here tomorrow.
You’re touring the world one last time, including three nights in NYC. What has been the crowd response to your farewell tour?
We just did a month down in South America which was really quite special. We went in thinking our last show would be in December but of course, every show is the last show. A lot of people go out of there way to show what we have meant to them over they years.
During the first decade of the 2000s you recorded some brilliant albums (Lifelines, my fave) and were treated to success all over the world, but your music was hard to find for US fans. Will the American shows feature the albums that may not be as familiar to US fans?
Yes, the show will feature songs from all our 9 albums. We’ve recorded well over a hundred songs by now and it’s getting tricky to pick what to play. For some reason or another, we only toured the U.S. once. This is our second tour. I’m glad we got the chance to come back.
What surprises are in store for the US leg of the tour?
We will be wearing matching sweater vests.
Morten’s voice is a pretty remarkable instrument, one only needs to listen to “Summer Moved On” for proof. What rituals are involved in keeping it in shape?
The show is extremely taxing on his voice and he is doing everything humanely possible to keep it in shape. It comes with a whole lifestyle.
“Take On Me” has been played on American radio more than three Million times. Wow. Do you ever tire of playing it?
“Take On Me” is like the guy dressed in billboards walking outside the store trying to lure people inside so they can check out the whole collection. Or the gateway drug that leads to our heavier substances. I can go on all night.
How have the emotions of playing farewell shows surfaced in your live performances?
It’s bittersweet. It’s so nice to play in front of audiences that have stood by us for so long and I will miss them a lot.
What were your dreams and hopes back in 1985, the year “Take On Me” dominated MTV?
Growing up the dream was to be able to live and breath just writing and playing music and have an audience big and small. Big would be better.
What are they today?
In that sense, nothing has really changed. Success is a funny thing. No matter how many hit singles you have, you always want another one. The real pay off is to write and record something that you think “Hey, that’s really not that bad.”
Lastly, what’s next in store for you guys?
There are so many things we have never gotten around to all these years because a-ha has taken up all our time. I’m just trying to figure it out. Writing for other artists, starting a new band. Maybe this, that and the other.
