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A-ha to break up after 25 years
BBC News ^ | 15 October 2009 | no byline

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 ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: aha; breakup; genx; music
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To: Buck W.
Was is the full Wakeman/Howe/Anderson/Bruford/Squire lineup?

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

41 posted on 10/17/2009 9:06:42 AM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: Grunthor; a fool in paradise
“Do you think A Flock Of Seagulls will follow suit?”

What about Kashagoogoo?

They were never the same without Limahl...

:-(

Mark

42 posted on 10/17/2009 9:09:55 AM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: a fool in paradise

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.


43 posted on 10/17/2009 9:24:57 AM PDT by ThomasSawyer (Democratic Underground: Proof that anyone can figure out how to use a computer.)
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To: ThomasSawyer

“Sowing the Seeds of Love” was a rip off of “I Am the Walrus.”


44 posted on 10/17/2009 9:29:00 AM PDT by Clemenza (Remember our Korean War Veterans)
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To: MarkL

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.


45 posted on 10/17/2009 9:38:35 AM PDT by ThomasSawyer (Democratic Underground: Proof that anyone can figure out how to use a computer.)
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To: a fool in paradise

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


46 posted on 10/17/2009 9:42:36 AM PDT by Ransomed (Son of Ransomed Says Keep the Faith!)
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To: Minn

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.


47 posted on 10/17/2009 9:46:13 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Hope....Change...Bullsh*t)
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To: ThomasSawyer
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 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

48 posted on 10/17/2009 9:46:52 AM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: MarkL

Yes appearing on the same stage with Asia—Steve Howe must have been torn!


49 posted on 10/17/2009 10:17:32 AM PDT by Buck W. (The President of the United States IS named Schickelgruber...)
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To: Buck W.
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

50 posted on 10/17/2009 10:30:13 AM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: a fool in paradise
Pop group A-ha have announced they are to call it a day...

To that I can only say, Uh-huh.
51 posted on 10/17/2009 10:40:15 AM PDT by Sweet_Sunflower29 (Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei)
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To: BookmanTheJanitor

Wow...She’s actually prettier now than 25 years ago.


52 posted on 10/17/2009 10:50:10 AM PDT by Nik Naym (I remember when the United States was a free country. I feel old.)
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To: Ransomed

Well according to the article, someone may be looking at a political/policy/advocacy career...

>>The trio added that the split would allow them to pursue “other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else”.


53 posted on 10/18/2009 8:33:35 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (The character assassination of Rush Limbaugh is worse than what the Left accused Joe McCarthy of.)
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To: MarkL

bttt


54 posted on 10/18/2009 8:37:17 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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