A-HA THE NEXT DURAN DURAN
When it comes to gorgeous pop groups, it would seem that Duran Duran has cornered the market. After all, apart from the music, a major element of the Duran boys’ success has been their good looks But move over, Simon, Nick and the rest of you guys, ’cause competition is here in the form of three strikingly handsome guys fro Norway who are collectively know as A-Ha!
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A-HA THE NEXT DURAN DURAN
When it comes to gorgeous pop groups, it would seem that Duran Duran has cornered the market. After all, apart from the music, a major element of the Duran boys’ success has been their good looks But move over, Simon, Nick and the rest of you guys, ’cause competition is here in the form of three strikingly handsome guys fro Norway who are collectively know as A-Ha!
A-Ha is comprised of lead vocal Morten Harket, guitarist/keyboardil Pal Waaktaar (who also writes rJ of the trio’s songs) and keyboard E| Mags Furuholem. The name A-Ha which reminds you of someone laughing—is ironic, since Waakta: and Mags were previously in a group called Britches which prett much relied on the sounds of gloi & doom for its musical repertoire] But like Tears For Fears before them, the duo decided to move away from these depressingly I atmospheric sounds and more towards a melodic pop blend wh represents what A-Ha plays toda.
Harket met the duo when they were still playing in Britches, joined them, and the rest is—as they saymusical history.
A-Ha is probably the success ta Igtory of the year. The band seemed to come from nowhere (they are the [first band from Norway to make an 'I international splash in recent 'I! memory) to score a number one hit "fin America with the melodic "Take On Me.” Of course, the band’s a unique video for the song probably r didn’t hurt their success any. The video merges real-life footage with modern, state-of-the-art animation when both Harket and the girl he’s singing to become cartoon figures.
:a] It’s an amazing sight. "Take On Me” was also one of the first pop songs in quite some time to get a H male falsetto back on the radio. Shades of Del Shannon!
Thanks to the success of the single, A-Ha’s debut LP, Hunting High And Low managed to make it into the American Top 20. A new to single from the LP, “The Sun ^Always Shines On TV,” is already moving up the charts—and the band plans to tour the U.S. soon, which should be a special treat since the band has never played a concert date together at this point! So there you have it—a dreamylooking band, some superb pop melodies and a will to succeed. It looks like 1986 promises to be A-Ha’s big year! Duran Duran, watch out!
