Well before all the Beatles fans go nuts, calm down and think a moment. It always bugs me that alot of "Beatles Fans" didnt grow up on the Beatles, so despite me liking the Beatles i cant take ownership and understand what they were, even though i have heard all their stuff and watched them, the fact that i didnt live through their time excludes me from that ownership which is where my comparison comes in here.

a-Ha to the masses here in America are a one-hit wonder, well lets analyze that term first one-hit wonder. Technically what is a "hit", someone said anything Top 40 is a hit technically, OK well then a-Ha isnt a one-hit wonder in America, they techincally are a two hit wonder in America with their second single "Sun always shines on TV" peaking at number 25 in 1986. But to the rest of the world a-Ha actually is a band that has sold 75 million records (singles and albums combined) and they have logged 64 number one positions in different countries for various songs and albums, and logged 14 top 10 hits in the UK, with the last one coming in 2006. So where does the Beatles reference come in to play?

Well to me the Beatles were always a group that grew, though i didnt live through them anyone afar can see the change in music and look and attitude. Well to me a-Ha clearly represent this to me, and since i have lived through their career i can own that. If you take a-Ha from 1983(forming)-1988, a-Ha was this band that were poster boys, and they had alot of hits during this time (not unlike the Beatles during their early career). Then on to 1989-1992, a-Ha threw away the Keyboards, got acoustic, two members had beards during one album (sound familar) and the tone was serious, this is when fans started to drop off, once again not unlike the Beatles. Well during 1994-1998 a-Ha took a break, worked solo, side projects, artwork,poetry books,photography (sound familar) and from 1998-ongoing they have done their best work ever, not unlike the Beatles in their final days. So at this point, a-Ha "the one hit wonders" have recorded 8 studio albums (9 on the way) 2 compilations, 1 double live album, and the members have combined to record 11 solo albums, and not only this a-Ha are in the Guiness book not once but twice. One for longest note ever held on record and in concert, and once for playing to the largest PAYING crowd. So u can see why they are to me "the Beatles" because i have been a part of their journey, for the Beatles i can only sit back and watch it as a highlight, its not the same as living it.

Do you know anything about the 3CD set that is supposed to be coming out soon?

I think they are still a one hit wonder for the rest of the world as well.

novabrkr said:

no...In Brasil they are the second coming of Christ

MikeMatronik said:

Exactly, they are huge in Brazil and lots of other places, especially Germany. Trust me they arent a one-hit wonder all over the world, they have had tons of hits and toured and sold ALOT of albums.

Cloudbuster said:

No actually i hadnt heard about that? Is it a compilation of some sort, I do know they are trying to somehow been re-introduced into the USA, though i dont really think they should, Universal has them signed for 3 albums and so far Analogue in 2005 was the first so they owe 2 more, and the guys are getting up there in years though they dont look it, Morten (the lead singer) is turning 48 in a few weeks, and the others (Mags, and Paul) are about 44-45. I do know they covered #9 dream for the Lennon tribute but its only on the UK version with the bonus tracks, and they are playing some live shows in August and September in Norway and Germany.

But that "one-hit" was so god awfull bad

lastdecember said:

It's to be called Works which suggests a retrospective.
Apparently Rhino are behind it but there's no information other than being due in about three weeks.

Najee said:

The problem was that a-Ha were mainly signed to be poster boys for their label, they were supposed to be that labels Duran Duran for that time, but the problem was a-Ha was actually a band and could write and could play so they wouldnt give into that and thats why the USA just ignored them. Once again the Beatles comparison isnt a success comparison, its got nothing to do with that. Im pointing out how the band is to me in MY EYES, since i have grown up with them and have all their music not just their one hit. I love the Beatles but its different, i didnt grow up with them around me like that, sure i heard their music had all their stuff, but they werent AROUND, there was hoping for the new Beatles album, there was no hoping for them to tour, so i cant have that same feeling about them. Obviously for someone who grew up in the 60's then they OF COURSE can have that feeling.

I could never compare The Beatles to anyone....but whatever lights your candle....

Najee said:

a-Ha is pretty well respected around the globe, and they in my eyes are responsible for bands like Coldplay,Snow Patrol,Keane etc..u2 and Radiohead also site them as one of the most misunderstood and overlooked bands of the last 2 decades, BONO even called their 2000 album "Minor Earth Major Sky" the best album of that year, even better than u2's! And to be honest if you take a-Ha out of the mix, i really dont think you would have had any of the bands i mentioned (coldplay,keane,snow patrol). As far as their growth, to me its huge, usually a band doesnt grow like they have, regardless of how long bands are around, a-Ha's sound,direction and approach have changed drastically since the "Synth POP" sound of their first 3 albums, and honestly in the UK this is when they were HUGE, sure it wasnt Beatlemania, but 13 straight top 10 hits and tours and magazines and all that happening in just 3 years, is a little bit of "MANIA" and they also had to change in that enviroment and when they did, they lost alot of the "teeny bopper" fans, very similar to the "teeny bopper" fans the Beatles had early on. a-Ha has become this darker sounding band, their are no more "synths", every member writes now, they rarely speak to each other, so there is that "tension" everytime they record which in my opinion makes a good band. Theres nothing like 3 fighting egos in a band, thats what makes great bands. So i feel now as many others do, that they are making their best stuff since 2000, their last 3 albums are flawless to me and to their fans, which is alot bigger than people think. Their biggest followings are in Norway,Germany,Brazil and all of South America and the UK has come back around to loving them again and giving them their due critically.

I see what you mean - I read an article the other day about the Harry Potter books & this mother said as she sat down to read the last book with her kids she explained to them how lucky they were to be living in the Harry Potter time period as they got to experience every book as it came out. Kids reading the series later won't be able to have that unigue as it happens moment.
And thats what makes A-Ha special to you - you lived it at the same time as they were happening. Much as many people who grew up with the Beatles have that special connection.
Many people don't make a connection like that to music of any sort.
You are lucky you found music that touched you that way.
[Edited 8/5/07 20:09pm]

I remember really liking Aha. The video for Take On Me was revolutionary and still stands out as one of the best from early MTV. I loved the Sun Always Shines on TV (got the 12 inch also). I ended up buying STAY ON THESE ROADS, SCOUNDREL DAYS and EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON. As I recall, they even recorded an album at a certain PAISLEY PARK STUDIOS!(but not for the PP label). I even liked the Bond Theme song they recorded, THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS.

I just got tired of the sound. Nice to know that they grew and matured and expanded their sound. Maybe I'll look up one of their albums. Which one would you suggest?

madhouseman said:

Those song were their best in my opinion. I really dug the Sun Always Shines on TV extended version as well. You're point about their sound becomeing to mundane/ perdictable is valid. They were definitely apart of that novelty 80's sound.

madhouseman said:

I would suggest going for their 2000 album Minor Earth Major Sky or 2005's Analogue, but they are only available as imports as are all of their cds at this point. The sound change began to take shape in 1990 when they did their "East of the Sun West of the Moon" album, thats when they tossed out all the keyboards, i remember them saying recently that they knew the 80's were over and they didnt want to do albums anymore that were focusing on "singles" they wanted to do ALBUMS.

thedoorkeeper said:

Exactly, that is the point i was trying to get across and you summed it up very nicely there. Im not comparing the Beatles and a-Ha, im comparing the feeling and the inspiration that i have gotten from them to what the Beatles gave to so many who lived through it. The Beatles were already broken up when i was born so even though their music was always around, THEY werent, i didnt turn on the TV and see the ed sullivan show and watch them come to america, and i didnt live through the mania of them, and the whole "hippie" thing and all of that so i cant get the same feeling as someone who lived through it. With a-Ha i totally had all of that more, though they arent a part of America that hasnt stopped me from getting their music and with the internet and things like that i can share with other a-Ha fans. And of course i finally got a chance to see them LIVE here in NYC when they played their ONLY usa concert on their 2005 tour, it was the first time they had been on a US stage since 1986, the feeling i got that night standing in front of about 5-10 feet away from THE BAND is only a feeling you can get from actually being a part of a "time".

madhouseman said:

There is some very interesting stories about them going to Paisley Park to record that album. The album was produced by David Z and you can almost hear the band coming apart during that album, their was this push to make them a ROCKIER sounding band, in was 1992, grunge was happening and every producer wanted to turn bands into Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Not knocking David Z, but he is clearly not a person that should work with a-Ha and going to Paisly was a big mistake for them, and in fact after this album they played a few shows, and released a charity single in early 1994 and then they broke up but never really said they broke up, they just recorded solo stuff and seperated from each other till 1998 when they went back to the studio.

lastdecember said:

which album was recorded at Paisley Park, and wouldn't it have been great if Prince was involved with one of the songs!

madhouseman said:

they recorded "Memorial Beach" at Paisley Park with David Z at the helm. But its a very dis-jointed album, you can sense they were at odds with where they were going, though some great songs are on it, "Dark is the Night" is one of their best and remains in their set list to this day, despite not being a major hit worldwide. And also the near 10 minute track "Cold as Stone" clearly showed off how good they could jam as a band. a-Ha though just a 3-piece band (piano,vocal, guitars), have had the same studio drummer since 1990, but he's not "officially" a member. As far as Prince working them, there is a funny story about them going into a bathroom in paisley park and there being this sink that was only about 2-3 feet off the ground, one of the members (Magne Furuholmen "MAGS" for short) took out a black marker and in relly small print wrote "Prince was here" next to the low sink.
[Edited 8/6/07 10:41am]

I love The Living Daylights!

Who are a-Ha?

Cloudbuster said:

Im guessing it might be a re-issue of their first 3 albums. There is something called "Trilogy" that was released in Holland last year. That could be what it is since basically everything on a-Ha is basically out-of-print in the states.

ProgRocker said:

Heres a shot of them recently


[Edited 8/6/07 11:10am]

lastdecember said:

No, I know about Trilogy. It ain't that. Looks like it's been put on hold anyway.
I only found out about it as there's a Fleetwood Mac one supposedly due out, too.

Awesome.


Although, my Winamp player's got the "Take On Me" video skin.

Cloudbuster said:

Yeah im guessing its something re-issued since its on Rhino and they are owned by Warner Brothers which a-Ha were with from 1984-2004. Their last cd "Analogue" was with Universal, which signed them worldwide except for the USA , a-Ha has no label or distribution in America at this time, but the band have said they will come back and play here in the near future most likely NYC which they played in 2005. a-Ha just played this past Friday, it was their first gig this year as they have been recording their new cd due out late this year or early 2008.

I think most one hit wonders actually had more than one hit, generally just because of the popularity of the first. But The Sun Always Shines on TV isn't nearly as memorable as Take ON Me, and they've evolved into proper one hit wonders, just like Men Without Hats (who remembers Antarctica?)

That said, I know some people really like them, kind of like another one hit wonder Echo & the Bunnymen.

I jokingly refer to John Lennon (solo work, not Beatles) as the bigges OHW of all time, as people seem to only ever play Imagine.

NDRU said:

Well a-Ha is a one hit wonder in America but nowhere else in the world. They have 15 top 10 singles in the uk and equal success in many other countries, especially Germany and South America, where they are like the second coming. Believe it or not Take On Me was not their biggest hit in the UK, it wasnt a Number one there.