25 June 2011:
Paul starts new project with Jimmy Gnecco
(Picture from VG)
Paul has been keeping very silent since a-ha ended on December 4th, but today a new project is revealed in an interview with VG.
Together with his friend and Ours frontman Jimmy Gnecco, Paul has started the project Weathervane, which will provide the main song for the upcoming Norwegian thriller Hodejegerne (Headhunters). The movie is based on Jo Nesbø's novel of the same name and will premiere on August 26th.
The single, also called "Weathervane", is released in Norway today and is now available for listening on WiMP and can be downloaded from iTunes and Platekompaniet.no. It's a song that keeps growing after several listens and features Gnecco on lead vocals.
"We got to know each other through a common friend right at the beginning of Savoy, around 1996, and he has contributed on songs like "The Breakers" (from the "Savoy" album in 2004) and supported a-ha on the farewell tour last fall. He impressed me greatly then as well, and even though we've occasionally been talking about doing something together, those discussions became more frequent since this was a-ha's last tour", Paul tells VG.
"Back around 2003/2004 I happened to be looking for something new, and I have always loved a-ha and Paul's songwriting in particular. For a while there I was trying to figure out some way to become a vocalist in Savoy", Gnecco laughs.
which is released by Universal
For Paul, December 4th last year actually became the starting point of the next step in his career.
"That was more of a coincidence, but there's something symbolic to that as well. We had this big farewell party at the town hall after the last concert in Oslo Spektrum. There I was approached by Morten Tyldum, the director of "Hodejegerne", who asked me if I had something that he could use in the movie. At that point I had actually just written this song", Paul smiles.
He admits that there was a very special feeling backstage after the last a-ha concert.
"It felt strange, still we didn't get time to reflect much on it at that moment. We had just completed a really long tour and deserved a party for finishing the tour as well, not just 25 years of a-ha".
Paul has been keeping in touch with Morten for the last six months, but he's not sure what exactly the former a-ha vocalist is planning to do now.
According to VG, Paul has also been doing some writing and producing for others since January, without specifying who that is. And he admits that he originally expected to just remain in the background for quite a while from now on.
"But this chance to front a new project again was just too good to let go. I like the way this has evolved. Weathervane hasn't been put together on a whim, we have known each other for a long time and Jimmy has just the right vocal range that my songs need to reach their full potential."
VG's reviewer Morten Ståle Nilsen gives the song 4 out of 6 and writes that Paul's "songwriting signature is so distinct that it almost doesn't matter who is singing his songs. (...) The beat is fierily electronic, the piano plays along resignedly, the tone is grandiosely sad - without becoming depressing. The weather is clouded, with showers developing. In other words, everything is as it should be in Waaktaar's anxious universe."
Update: A video interview with Paul and Jimmy, plus clips from the music video can now be seen at VG.no.
Update 2: VG.no has also posted the full music video now.
Interview with Frode
(Picture from Bergensavisen)
Frode was recently interviewed in Bergensavisen's paper edition, in connection with the release of the West Side Tennis Club album.
The album is only available digitally at the moment, which he admits is a bit strange:
"For me, who's been in this game for so long, it's strange to release the album exclusively online and not physically in a record store. But the world has changed and we have to use the methods that are available."
"We had a lot of response from abroad to the songs that we had posted online. And then one of the songs was used in the TV-series "Himmelblå", so we decided it was time to release the album. We got a deal with Geir Luedy and Your Favorite Music, who distributes albums via Sonet. And they release everything digitally first, apparently."
"The links to Savoy and a-ha gives us a chance to promote West Side Tennis Club through their network as well.
That has given the music a lot of attention."
- Will there be a CD release as well?
"I don't know. I hope we can release something in the fall, either on CD or vinyl. But that depends on the
response we'll get this summer."
- The album has been ready for a while?
"I guess the oldest songs are from 2004. We are both very busy, so we've never found the right time [to release it].
But now I'm really happy that it's out there."
Frode and Bjørn Ivar Tysse play and sing everything themselves on the album, with one exception;
"Lauren Waaktaar-Savoy came over to Bergen and wrote a song for us that she and I sing as a duet."
- What will happen with Savoy, now that a-ha are retiring?
"We have plans to enter the studio and record a new album. We're often talking with each other and writing new
music, but at the moment a-ha are very busy, so that means Savoy is lying a bit dormant."
West Side Tennis Club releases debut album
Frode Unneland's side-project West Side Tennis Club (WSTC) have now released their first album.
Frode and producer Bjørn Ivar Tysse, who played together in Chocolate Overdose back in the day, have been working on WSTC on and off since the late 90s. And now, in late June, their self-titled debut album was finally released.
The album, which is available digitally from Amazon.com, Play.com and 7digital (among others), includes the song "In The Waters Glow", which has been written by Lauren Savoy and also features her on vocals.
That song, as well as several others from the album, can be heard on WSTC's Urørt page.
"We're hoping to do some live gigs with WSTC. Either alone or with a band", Frode told me last year. In April 2010 they did a support gig at Kvarteret in Bergen, but further concerts have not yet been announced.
In 2007, Frode and Lauren worked on some new Savoy material in Bergen with Bjørn Ivar Tysse producing. An article about this can be found here.
Erin Hill
Erin Hill interview
a-ha.com has posted an interview with Erin Hill, who played harp with Savoy at the concerts in May. She talks about the experience and how the collaboration started.
"I met Paul and Lauren through my friend Hogen, and we became friends. Then they came to see me play with my band Erin Hill & her Psychedelic Harp with The Space Rats; and after seeing several gigs, Paul asked me to play harp on some a-ha demos. And then, when they put the Magne F/Savoy/Morten/a-ha tour together, Paul and Lauren asked me to come sing backup and play with them. And, of course, I was thrilled!"
Read the whole interview here.
Message from Lauren
Lauren has posted a new message on Savoy's MySpace page about the Royal Albert Hall concert:
"I just wanted to thank everybody that come to the show. You made us feel very welcome and it was one of the most enjoyable shows we've ever had the chance to play!
The hall itself is so beautiful and the acoustics are fantastic. Erin, the harpist, loved the sound of her harp just reverberating around the room...."
Read the whole message on Savoy's MySpace-page.
Paul at Royal Albert Hall, 24. May.
(Picture by Stefanie Kunold)
Concerts in Oslo and London
Savoy did 5 concerts in Oslo and London last week, co-headlining the "An evening with..."-shows together with Magne F and Morten Harket. The week started with a private warm-up concert at Rockefeller on Monday the 19th, followed by three more concerts at the same venue. On Saturday the 24th they performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, to an enthusiastic audience.
The most surprising part of Savoy's live show this time were the new guest musicians that Paul, Lauren and Frode had with them on stage. Paul's good friend Hågen Rørmark on guitar/backing vocals, Jørun Bøgeberg on bass, and Erin Hill from New York on harp/backing vocals. Only Preben Grieg-Halvorsen on keyboard remained from the last tour.
The extra musicians contributed to giving the band a rich and excellent live sound. One particular highlight was Erin Hill's beautiful harp intro and vocals on "Velvet", and her harp on "Tears From A Stone".
The setlist in Oslo consisted of seven songs, including their first single "Velvet" (1996) and their most recent single "Best Western Beauty" (2007) - which was performed live for the first time. The setlist at Royal Albert Hall was one song shorter, leaving out "Best Western Beauty".
Lauren at Royal Albert Hall, 24. May.
(Picture by Stefanie Kunold)
The response from the audience was very good. Both fans and newspaper reviewers called Savoy's set a highlight of the evening. Let's hope it won't be another four years until the next Savoy concert!
Setlist:
1. Tears From A Stone
2. Star (I'm Not Stupid Baby)
3. Any Other Way
4. Best Western Beauty *
5. Whalebone
6. Velvet
7. Foolish
* = not performed at the RAH.
And in connection with the UK release of Savoy Songbook Vol. 1, Savoy recorded exclusive live versions of three of their songs for the Janice Long Show on BBC Radio 2. The songs, "Girl One", "Whalebone" and "Velvet", were recorded in their studio in New York, and broadcast during the May 21st show.
Yet another Oslo-concert
From a-ha.com:
"The first two evenings in Oslo are now sold out, and a final show will be added on Thursday May 22. There will be no more "Evening with..." shows added, so this is your last chance. This evening will be filmed, so the capacity at the venue will be limited.
Tickets go on sale Saturday April 26 at Billettservice."
In other news, the UK version of "Savoy Songbook Vol. 1" can now be pre-ordered directly from Genepool Records. It's currently number two on their list of best sellers, behind Magne Furuholmen's new solo album which is at number one.
And a music blog called bandweblogs.com has an article about the upcoming UK-release of "Savoy Songbook Vol. 1".
Another Oslo-concert
From a-ha.com:
"Tickets for the concert at Rockefeller on May 20 sold out within 15 minutes of the public sale this morning. Therefore another show at Rockefeller on May 21 is now added, and tickets will go on sale Monday at 8:00 GMT at http://www.billettservice.no/. This will be another evening with Morten Harket, Savoy and Magne F."
Savoy live at Rockefeller in Oslo + UK release news
Another Savoy/Magne/Morten concert has been announced, this time in Oslo. And the UK release of Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 has been confirmed for May 5th.
Info from a-ha.com:
"We are pleased to announce that, due to overwhelming demand, there will also be an evening in Oslo with Morten Harket, Savoy and Magne F. Spend it with fellow fans at Rockefeller Music Hall on Tuesday May 20th.
(...)
Previously released in Norway on August 6, 2007, Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 will be released in the UK by Genepool Records on May 5. The track list will remain the same as the Norwegian release, and it will be available in a Digipak. This is Savoy's first release in the UK since 'Mary is Coming' in 1996."
Savoy live at the Royal Albert Hall!
This is the place to be on May 24th.
A very special announcement has been posted on
a-ha.com:
"You are cordially invited to a special evening with Morten Harket, Savoy and Magne F to take place at The Royal Albert Hall Saturday May 24, 2008, at 8:00 PM.
No, you did not misread the above: You will get three performances for the price of one, in - we dare say - quite an unusual combination.
We cannot promise that these three artists will join forces, as they have been known to do on other festive occasions around the world, but there is widespread speculation within the organization of some sort of special appearance.
What does that mean? Well that's for us to know and definitely for you to find out.
One word of caution: If you expect to see a regular show by the musical group known as a-ha, we kindly ask you to wait for the next scheduled performance convenient to your location.
Tickets in prime locations are on sale right now at a-ha.com, and go on sale through regular outlets on Friday February 1. We're offering an exclusive presale to members of a-ha's online community. To participate in the sale, make sure you sign up for a Shop account.
Greetings from the a-ha.com Team"