Posted on 10/16/2009 2:24:28 PM PDT by a fool in paradise
Pop group A-ha have announced they are to call it a day, just months after achieving a top 10 album in the UK.
"We've literally lived the ultimate boy's adventure tale," the group, which formed 25 years ago, said.
The trio added that the split would allow them to pursue "other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else".
The Norwegian band scored international hits with The Sun Always Shines On TV and Take On Me in the 1980s.
Their most recent album, Foot Of The Mountain, marked a return to their synth-pop roots after a period in which they recorded chiming guitar ballads. It charted at number five in the UK.
However, the band never quite recaptured the spark of their heyday, when lead singer Morten Harket was a teen pin-up and the group were followed around by screaming fans.
They even broke a world record at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium in 1991, when 196,000 fans paid to see them.
But after the commercial failure of 1993's Memorial Beach, the band went on hiatus, only reforming after being invited to play the Nobel Peace Prize concert in 1998...
The group have announced they will mount a farewell tour before disbanding. Only the final date, in Oslo on 4 December 2010, has so far been confirmed.
"We are retiring as a band, not as individuals," the band reassured fans in their statement..
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Do you think A Flock Of Seagulls will follow suit?
I didn’t even realize they were still together.
My wife will be sad, this is her favorite group (way to pop for my taste).. but they have had a heck of a run.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmm.
I thought they broke up 24 1/2 years ago.
“Take off, you! [Take off, you!]
“Take off, you! [Take off, you!]
“We’ll all be gone
“In a day or twoooooooo...”
>>I thought they broke up 24 1/2 years ago.
I was going to say 24. LOL
A-ha! Oh ho!
Didn’t know they were even still a group. Good grief.
“Take on me” is the most artistic music video ever. And while slightly cheesy, it isn’t a bad song either.
Sorry to hear about the breakup. Good group.
I used to have a crush on the lead singer, man what a babe. Haven’t seen him lately, wondering if he is still as cute.
I prefer progressive to pop, but I always liked “Take On Me”.
They deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.
I didn’t know they were still around.
I also just realized they’re Norwegian. For some reason I always thought they were a Swedish band.
Absolutely, and produced without the benefit of modern day technology (todays)
My 16 year old daughter (who is stuck in the 80’s with her parents) will be crushed.
Wow, that’s pretty....
That video is one of the best of all time.
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They are the first song on my iPod. I used to love them. Now I am irritated by them. I swerve through traffic trying to move the friggin dial to something else.
I don’t think anybody else did either. “Take on Me” is their only song I’m familiar with.
Indeed. I loved that video. You can Bing it and see it again! I remember now, the Altered States ripoff at the end but it was still very, very well done. And I liked the song, too.
Speaking of "progressive" and bands that have been around for a while (in this case 40 years!), I caught Yes live on tour (I sprang for the VIP tickets, including a M&G with the band), and I've been really surprised that they've been turning up more and more in the "mainstream." For instance, in the new Chase credit card commercial, you'll hear them, and just last week they could be heard in an episode of "Fringe" when Theresa Russell was loaded up with psychedelic drugs!
Mark
Agree on both counts.
I wasn't particularly taken with A-Ha, but subsequent years have made me appreciate '80's music more than I did at the time. Today's segue is as follows: the "Family Guy" episode where Chris gets pulled into the "Take Me On" video was far better than the balance of the show.
I was definitely surprised to hear them in the Chase commercial. When did you see them? Was is the full Wakeman/Howe/Anderson/Bruford/Squire lineup?
I have been a huge fan since I was a teenager. I was lucky enough to see them in NY in 2005. I also have snagged 2 tickets to the final concert in Oslo in Dec. 2010. Call me crazy but I really love their music - they have been seriously underrated and forgotten in the States.
Yep.
The girl in the video, Bunty Bailey...then & now.
I did like their one song, and my favorite music video ever;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIvAsPlm8es
“A Swede is just a Norwegian with the brains knocked out.”
Zer0 has received the Nobel Peace Prize. Their work is done.
Mrs. Springman told me she had a big crush on Morton, back in the day.
I did not know they were still together.
They did the second-best James Bond theme in the ‘80s, “The Living Daylights.” Alas, John Barry’s last Bond film. He did report they were a pain in the ass to work with, though.
“Do you think A Flock Of Seagulls will follow suit?”
What about Kashagoogoo?
Great song. I remember the video premiering on MTV, and being upset that Z-100 (the local Top 40 station) didn’t play it.
I saw them on their current tour (which is now over - they're heading to Europe to continue the tour).
The only original member of the band on tour right now is Chris Squire... Jon Anderson wasn't able to go on the road at the start of the tour, and rather than postponing it, they found Benoit David, the lead singer from a Canadian Yes tribute band. He's really quite good, and an extremely nice person. One of my co-workers who went to the same Yes concert told me that Benoit was actually sitting next to him and his wife in the audience while Asia was doing their set, and he was very nice and personable - nobody else recognized him.
Bill Bruford announced a while back that he would no longer be going on the road... While Jon Anderson is now capable of touring, Benoit David is still on tour with Yes, and Rick Wakeman's doctor wouldn't let him go on tour... Let's face it, the guys are getting older, and touring is a very hard life. The lineup that is on this tour was Benoit David on vocals, Chris Squire on bass, Alan White on drums, Steve Howe on guitar, and Oliver Wakeman (Rick's son) on keyboards. If you want my personal review of the concert, check this out.
The reason I decided that I was going to get the VIP tickets ($400) was because this may be the last opportunity I will ever have to see Yes. With the death of Richard Wright (keyboardist for Pink Floyd) last year, and the health issues for Jon, Rick, and Chris (he had a blood clot in his leg during the tour, and they considered canceling, but after medical treatment and a short rest, he was given the OK to continue), I sort of doubt they'll be touring again. It was an amazing show, and I'm glad that I had the chance. I've never been so close to the stage at a concert: Front row, center.
Mark
What about Kashagoogoo?
They were never the same without Limahl...
:-(
Mark
I’m sorry to hear the news. I have three of their cassettes, although I haven’t really followed them. I know they get lumped in with 80’s pop, but they definitely had their own sound just as Duran Duran did and does. Coming of age in the 80s, I still enjoy the music of some of the more unique groups such as the aforementioned. My favorite group that got their start in that era was Tears for Fears. That is, until they came out with the “Sowing the Seeds of Love” album. Which was a totally different sound for them that I didn’t care for.
“Sowing the Seeds of Love” was a rip off of “I Am the Walrus.”
Speaking of Yes and specifically John Anderson: One of the associate pastors at my church played a song for me called “The Only Thing I Need” by the Christian group 4 Him (which has disbanded). When it hit the chorus, there was John Anderson’s voice. As a Christian and a Yes fan, I thought that was extremely cool. However, from what little I know, he is into more of a New Age thing and not Christianity.
I cat I know is really into these guys. I always made fun of him for it. One day he told me Morten Harket was strongly pro-life. I just looked it up, and it seems the guy is a social consevative who is a “public opponent of abortion in Norway”(according to wiki anyhow). Pretty cool!!
Freegards
I used to love Take On Me, and the video, which came out at the height of the MTV video craze, was one of the most memorable of the era.
I can't speak to this topic, however I did once hear a hilarious quote about Jon... "Jon Anderson is the only man dedicated to saving the earth who's not actually FROM the earth..."
I don't know his spiritual beliefs, but I wish him nothing but good and happiness. He's delivered so much of both through his art to so many.
Mark
Yes appearing on the same stage with Asia—Steve Howe must have been torn!
Steve played both sets! When Chris introduced Steve's solo set, he said "since the death of James Brown, Steve Howe is now the 'hardest working man in music!'"
Mark
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