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"I was surprised that despite a-ha's huge success, its members are not happy to be in the band"
It's sad to see the members of the a-ha band in the documentary about them, which will be broadcast by Bis Doku.
They do not want to work together, are unable to be in the same room with each other, and the keyboard is caused by heart disease due to stress.
However, the film makes it clear that the band members have a real artistic mind.
Interview with the director who accompanied them for four years
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A-ha
Morten Harket
Sagi Ben Nun
Friday, October 29, 2021, 00:00
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Excerpt from the docu-movie "a-ha: The Movie" directed by Thomas Robsham and Aslog Holm (courtesy of yes docu)
At the end of the first decade of the 2000s, Norwegian director Thomas Robsham approached Magna Fiorholman ("Mags"), keyboardist and guitarist of the band A-Ha, with a proposal to create a documentary that would follow the recordings of a new album by the iconic band, closely associated with the 1980s. Despite Mags' interest in the idea, he rejected it and revealed to Thomas that the band was about to break up soon. And so it was: in 2010 the three members of the band broke up, just as they had for four years in the 1990s.
Half a decade later, to the delight of many fans, a-ha reunited again in 2015 and even released a comeback album. A year later Thomas began documenting its activities intensively for four years. At the beginning of the film, Thomas asks the band if there is a chance that they will record new songs. "No," Mags replies with determination, "because it's a wasp nest. In the end, we just want to mow each other down." And so, instead of following the creation of an album, he created a film about the band, its members and the complex relationship between them.
The result is the beautiful docu-"A Ha: The Movie", a Norwegian-Norwegian co-production, which will be broadcast on Sunday at 22:00 Bite Docu and will also be available in Biss Viodi and Basting TV. The film will be broadcast in Israel less than two months after it was officially released in Norway, and has previously been screened at several festivals and received rave reviews, and rightly so.
Fate or the Norse gods wanted, and less than three weeks after the film was released, members of a-ha announced that they would release a new studio album in the fall of 2022, to be called "True North". Director Thomas, who as mentioned wanted to document the band in the first place when creating a new album, and instead created a film that deals with the question of why they do not do it, felt a certain miss from the timing of the announcement, he admits in a phone interview from Norway to Walla! culture.
"While we were filming, I had to come to terms with the fact that they did not create a new album. And so the film became more about why they did not do it, why it is so hard to work together and make new music, while they are so good at it and so successful. "He tried to give some answers about the difficulties they had. Now that the work on the film is over, they are working on a new album."
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To the full article
A-ha from the documentary "A-ha: The Movie" directed by Thomas Robsham and Aslog Holm (Photo courtesy of yes Doku)
Were you disappointed that they announced a new album only after your movie came out?
And maybe you also missed "Happy End" for your story?
"It's good that they're releasing a new album, at least we'll get good music, even if it's not documented in my film. Of course I was disappointed. And true, it could have been a happy ending to the film, of course I would like that. Of course I would also like to document the recordings of the new album. But their rehearsals lasted a short time, and then they recorded it in just two days, after all the songs had already been written by Mags and Paul (Wacker-Savoy, the band's guitarist, SB). So this is the same situation as it has been for the last twenty years - they only work a little together. What they do is perform each other's songs. This time, on the new album, luckily they are in the same room. I was very happy to be a part of this project but it did not happen. I just have to come to terms with it. "The thing is, while Morten (Hart, the band's lead singer, SB) and Mags really like to be photographed, Paul was disappointed that my film made him feel like the other two were talking too much, even though everyone who saw the film said there was a balance between the parts."
This time the sun is really shining over the TV: Before next year marks the 40th anniversary of the band's formation, the docu-"a-ha: the movie" will be released that will both touch the hearts of those who do not like them and discover new things for loyal fans (including writing these lines). This is a powerful, invested and heart-pounding docu because it features three people who find it very difficult to work together, do not want to create together and not even be in the same room with each other.
However, the docu also sharpens the true spirit of the three artists, and their main motive seems to be the love of music, not the pursuit of money or fame. He also illustrates the heavy price they paid on the way to becoming Norway's most successful export industry, which was reflected in, among other things, a heart disease from which Mags has suffered for years, against the background of the heavy pressure he has suffered as a result of his career.
After following the studs from Oslo for four years, Thomas says that "what surprised me the most about a-ha is that despite the success they have had, they are still very unhappy to be members of the band. Each of the three feels that the other two do not value them as much. "They were supposed to, and everyone's pretty much feel dissatisfied with the band. It surprised me."
The exclusive interview of the a-ha band in the transparent studio of Walla!
Before their appearance in Israel, June 2018
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Sagi Ben-Nun interviews members of the a-ha band, at the transparent studio of Walla!
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Throughout quite a few moments in the film the heart breaks from this: although the three members of the band seem to respect each other, the relationship between them is not really as clear and beautiful as Morten's voice, but rather charged, complex and quite tense. As the lead singer in the film testifies, the band is not based on friendships between them but only on musical collaboration. They do not travel together in the same car for shows and do not stay in the same behind-the-scenes rooms in front of them. There are also many arguments on the musical front and rifts have often occurred. For example, Mags says he did not get much of the credits he deserved for the early songs. "My contribution is always underestimated," he says touchingly.
"I think most bands are not based on friendships, and because of the success the band members remain 'stuck' with each other," says Thomas, "I think if a-ha had not been successful, they would not have met again often. Would not reunite again, I think they would have met maybe only once every five years to say hello and look back on the glory of the eighties.But because they reunited and because they have this 'kid', the band, a kid who never grew up in some ways, they must continue About.
"And yet, in a strange way there are some kind of friendship between them, even if they did not rely on it from the beginning. I think if something happens to one of them, the other two will be there for him immediately. They work together for so many years, they are the people they know best. Time, except for the women of Mags and Paul. And they mostly argue about the music. When they are not making music but performing with their music - they can be friendly to each other. "It's just hard for them to work together, to create together."
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Rare pictures of the a-ha band from the docu-movie "a-ha: the movie"
1/17 Courtesy of yes docu
Lauren, Paul's wife, says in the film: "All these guys need a psychiatrist. Everyone individually and as a band."
"I know one of the band members suggested they go to a psychologist together, and another friend said to him, 'Keep your personal problems to yourself!'"
Why in the movie do you interview the three band members only separately and not even interview them once together?
"Even if the three of them would like to be interviewed together, in a movie like this I would like to interview them separately. Because if they sit in the same room they may not say the same things they will say when they are interviewed separately. Plus, when you edit the film, it's weird to have the other two in the same Prime all the time. Besides, they did not want to be interviewed together. They do not like to have interviews together. It's really difficult to gather them in the same room. "
Although for four years the director who followed a-ha failed to bring the three together for a joint interview in the same room, Walla!
Culture was able to bring about this unconventional event in an exclusive interview of the writer of these lines with Morten, Mags and Paul, held in the transparent studio of Walla!
In June 2018, before their first appearance in Israel.
In the interview, they talked about, among other things, their deep connection to Israel ("As Christians we are connected to this region"), the heavy price of publicity ("The downside of being famous is being isolated from society. BDS to prevent their arrival in the country ("We do not agree with their way"), and for their reluctance to campaign Mi-Tu ("It has side effects that are not good. It can scare good men of any kind of natural, logical and sensitive relationship with women") ).
In addition, India admitted that "sometimes we get tired of singing 'Take On Me', and then we rediscover the song."
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Thomas Robsham, director of the docu-movie "A-Ha: The Movie" (Photo: Birgit Solhaug, courtesy of yes Docu)
And speaking of their biggest hit, which Ma'ariv Youth in the Eighties translated into "Try Me", then in "A-Ha: The Movie" there are two fascinating correspondences with it: one is tribute scenes in the film drawn in the animated style of the song's groundbreaking clip (which also contributed Artistically and also solved for the director a problem of lack of visuals from the childhood of the band members for example).
Shani is the fascinating description of the various incarnations of the song and the many versions that preceded it becoming a huge hit, and it turns out surprisingly that one of them included a rooster reading (watch an excerpt from this episode in the film - above).
"At first the song was done in a British style. Paul was not happy about it, he felt the song was too commercial. Then, if the story was true, Morten heard the song and recognized its potential. Paul did not like the original chorus. The song changed its name about five times. After they "The song was played to a record company. Not everyone thought it should be the band's first single. But they kept working on it, the song came out, and became a mega hit. The clip was watched by billions and the song continues to appear in movies and Spotify."
In watching the film, it is hard not to be impressed by the great determination of the a-ha members at the beginning of their journey in their desire to succeed in a big way. Already at the age of 15, Mags and Paul told a local newspaper "We will be global pop stars, Norway is too crowded". It is said of them in a film that in the beginning they had no plan in me other than to succeed. And yet, this hunger and determination of the beginning has long been uncharacteristic of them.
"It was really impressive, because in those days saying something like 'We'll be world pop stars' - sounds very silly, because no Norwegian band has done it before, so why would they do it? So they laughed at them. But they insisted for years. , And did not give up. And it was fantastic because they inspired so many others, not just musicians but people in general.
"Today Norway no longer receives the cultural treatment of a third world country.
Of course, it is a pity that this determination no longer exists in them today.
When they were young they had the same goal, and for the race they had been arguing for back then, the goal was clear to all three.
Now I'm not sure that all three are interested in having a new hit at all, for example. "
A-Ha band at Walla!
Before their appearance in Israel, June 19, 2018
1/8 (Photographer: Reuven Castro, Interviewer: Sagi Ben Nun)
Thomas says one of the problems with A-Ha over the years is the lack of a significant and good producer that everyone agrees on: "One day Paul told me, you know, we never found our George Martin. The Beatles had George. Martin, who everyone respected and he loved them and helped the band so much.If a-ha were really looking for, they would probably find the producer that everyone respects and would become a kind of fourth member and things would look different.But they have a hard time agreeing who their producer would be.They would "They can work with almost any producer they would like, even a super-producer like Max Martin, who would lead them to a new international hit. But they fail to agree on the identity of the producer. And as they say in the film, they are not at their best working with people."
Your film has won many accolades. One critique of him described it as "a real spotlight on a glorious tragedy." Do you agree with this definition?
Laughs. "It's a pretty good and nice setting. It's a great band with so much talent, but the fact that they can not bring out the best in each other and work together - is a tragedy, because the music would surely have been better if they could have worked more together. Morten understood "But it's hard for them, especially for Mags and Paul, to work together. That's why it's a tragedy."
Were there things that the band members asked you not to include in the film? Have you been censored for anything?
"No. I had a contract with each of the band members, and not with a-ha as a band. Each of them could of course say to me, 'I did not mean to say this, I do not want it to come out, because I was too angry' or 'my hair's. Did not look good that day, and I will respect that and take things out, but none of them asked to censor anything he said. If they could, they might want to take down things others said, but they could not censor the others. Paul "He was angry about what Morten and Mags said about him in the film. In addition, each of the three wanted them to see him more."
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A-Ha Band performing at the Raanana Amphitheater, June 21, 2018 (Photo: Shlomi Pinto)
In film interviews, Morten and Mags speak to you in Norwegian while Paul speaks to you in English. What is the reason for the lack of uniformity in their language?
"One reason for this is that Paul left Norway in 1982, and although he has a home in Oslo that he comes to in the summer, his wife and son are also Americans, and he feels that to some extent English has become his first language. In addition, as Paul says in the film, he does not like any So interviewing, so in English it might be easier for him to do it. Paul also said 'we were never really a Norwegian band, and I think the other two should also speak English.' So the film speaks two languages, and I think that also highlights the differences between The three. "
Morten's partner says in the film that a-ha members are no longer as hungry and determined to succeed as they used to be, and yet think they have not yet created their best album. Do you agree with her? Believe there will still be huge hits?
"I also think they can create a really great album today. I believe they have the potential to release a new hit. Both the 'Analogue' album released in 2005 and the 'Foot of the Mountain' album released in 2009 had big hits in Germany and England. If they They will really want it, and will be able to agree on a producer - it will help them - and if they agree to work hard with the producer on a lot of songs that have the potential to be a big hit - it will be possible.
"And yet, even if they produce themselves, without a super-producer like Max Martin, they can have a great album. But Paul has to agree that even though he writes fantastic songs - he's not supposed to write all ten songs. He's supposed to write, let's say. Five songs himself, two or three more with Mags, and Mags should write two or three more songs himself. And Morten should get the songs and offer good ideas, and he should be allowed to sing the song the way he wants. And again, they should work together. "They will understand that if they want to create more great music they need to work more together. Maybe it will happen, who knows."
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