Morten Harket talked exclusively to LAUT and didn't mince matters  concerning the difficult topic of the Iraq crisis.

Cologne - April 2003

The comeback of the three smart Norwegians Pal Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen and Morten Harket has been an impressive achievement. Since  the release of MEMS in 2000 they came out with another new album, a new promotion tour and the current title song of The Formula-1-Race-Series.
Just on time at the release of the new double-live-album singer Morten  Harket gave a full explanation to LAUT.

Hello Morten: The next interview, the next promotion tour: you already  have a new album at the start. Did you ....

Morten interrupts immediately:

But!... it is a new album and a new Promo-tour! It is never the same;  things are not going in circles. It is more like a spiral. In that there is  nothing different than way back when we began. First of all you are standing here with nothing, then you put out something you believe in and on that
your credits will be founded.

Did you want to find back into this rhythm of album, promotion and tour?

It depends on with what you want to work with and earn your money with. I would do that with a-ha, with my own name or with someone else, because  I am not yet ready. Inside of me there is still a lot of music. Music is still something I very much response to and I believe in. In life there are so many possibilities, so many projects I would like to be a part of. But I believe that it is right to spend my time with music.

Many people have confirmed this certainly.

Yes, it was a warm and sincere welcome for us back to the music  business. But I don't like to talk about things in the past. These are old  things; I am not interested in them anymore. We have to build our house from the start each time and not on the base that we once set. Which works very well with
a-ha.

Yes, it works excellent. The response was excellent.

Have you also been involved during the mastering of the new album?

Yes, from time to time.

When you think about a-ha you think of Pal and Mags as producers - not that much of you.

Right. But I have gained experience as well. When I recorded my solo album"Wild Seed" I was involved as well. Somebody has to be found who get involved to it. Either you take it into your own hands or you have to confide in someone. I know this process and it demands a lot of alertness.

I followed your gig in Zurich very carefully. When the press material came out I was very surprised that a big part of the album had been recorded there. Because, honestly, in my opinion this evening was a bit slowly.

Did you know that there were recordings during that night? Did you play slowly due to this?

No, we recorded every night. And every night was different. Because of the acoustic, the venue, the conditions. It is never the same.

Why Zurich? What was that special?

Zurich was a good gig. It felt good. But the reason why Zurich had been chosen for the album was the response of the audience to the songs. When we play, we don't really notice what it going on there beneath. But afterwards - on tape - you can hear it immediately. And this was just goodin Zurich. So it doesn't really have to do something with the gig itself.

I am asking because the tracks sounded just a bit slower.

Yes, I remember. You are right: It is possible that we were not that quickly that night. But therefore the acoustic was just good and the audience was intently. The Zurich audience is a rather smooth audience
anyway. They are just listening. They are totally different from the German audience for example. When we talked to the people of the Swiss record company after the set they told us that it was quiet lively that evening by Zurich means. (laughter) For us on stage it was anything else than lively.
But they were very intently instead. And this is a very intensive audience.You cannot party all the time. Reflectiveness has to be there as well sometimes.

How was the feeling in general during this tour? Did you get into a tour-rage? Or went everything as planned?

Well, Mags was exercising himself in medical studies. He got the whole band to do colon irrigation.

Pardon???

Yes, indeed. No joke. Well, you clean the whole gut flora. You rinse the gut thoroughly one time. And than everything runs through a transparent flexible tube and you can see what comes out there. (laughter)

So this is what you are doing when you are on tour!

It wasn't me! It was Mags! Mags did it! Two times, I guess. The best thing was: He got the whole backing band- that means the drummer, the bassist and the keyboarder to try this. Pal and me were the only ones who defy this. And everybody of them felt terribly sick from it. Our bassist had to throw up on
stage into a bag - while he was playing! (laughter) And all of them suffered from diarrhoea were dull and tired. But they survived. This was in Polen, when I remember myself properly.

Let us talk about the cover of the album. I was a bit surprised to see a little seal. Is there a story about this? Or why a seal is packed on a live-album?

No. There is no story. Everybody has to find his own story to that. But you can associate rather well to this. I can at least. That's the cover. Eat it.
(laughter) To be honest, I love this cover. It is a very strong picture/theme. And we agreed with each other that quickly. We all liked it very much. Usually it takes much more time until we agree. Also did I
likethe title "How can I sleep..." immediately, and I like the fact that this is no typical live-cover. There is much more than this. It tells you somethingabout the band. There is this little seal floating in the middle - like being hung up - almost weightless like an astronaut and is looking straight
into the photographer's lenses.

Do you know Per Maning (the photographer of the cover) in person?

Well. Probably I know him, but I am not that much into names. I meet so many people. Mags cares about these things. He is talking to the people and so on. I would do this either but I don't want to push myself way to the front. He loves it to organise such things, has always-new ideas, and is making
proposals. Pal and I are often just able to react to this, although we bring us in as well, of course.

The new single TSASOTV is the title track to the Formula-1-Race-Series in Germany. Was this the idea of the record company or the wish of the band?

Well, something like this just happens. We seized the opportunity with both hands, as you should take any opportunity in life. On Saturday, for example, I will sing at a christening of a luaus liner in Hamburg. This splendid ship will take the route from Bergen northwards. This is a unique route. The nature of this landscape is very attractive and a little bit Norwegian national pride. I have never gone this route although it has always been tempting me. Now they are asking me whether I would like to go with it. Of course I do. By the way, they are doing this christening in Hamburg
because most of the passengers are Germans.

So it wasn't because of Formula-1 primarily. But I have read that you are very much interested in cars. Is this correct?

Yes. I love cars. But it is not the speed that matters. Rather the carrying capacity. (laughter) Well, a car must just be able to fulfil what matters to me. And transport capacity is what matters to me. Most of the cars are just halfway thought-out. They maybe look cool but you they lack space. Most  of the Jeeps that I know are that stupid. They have their four-wheel-drive but cannot carry weight.

In former times I have been on the road as a hitch hiker and Jeep
drivers
never stopped.

(laughs) Yes, right. But don't get me wrong. I like design. Especially industrial design. Shape and function have to go hand in hand. Because of this I drive Mercedes. At all times. This has been going against the grain with me for a longer time already. I would like to exchange. But every time when I tried to do so one of those was standing in front of my door again. So I have a real problem. (laughter)

What actually will happen within the next months? Will you have a break or are you heading for the studio again?

Now and here is exactly the right time to bring this album out. It documents basically our comeback and the two greats tours we have made. So, for the first time, we are represented live satisfy ably. Initially this is cool tome. The album is at the same time kind of a Greatest-Hits-album in a way you won't find in the peoples record shelves. I find this inventive. And then the three of us will go underground at different places. There we will certainly work on new material and meet around the end of this year to
discuss how to go on. We will take all our time we need for ourselves. Because these were three hectically years with a-ha and things have to fall into place first before we concentrate on new things.

And what will Anneli Drecker do during that time? Many say she is the fourth member of a-ha already.

No. Anneli is Anneli and doesn't belong to a-ha. She is a strong singer and we have a common history. It is very probable that we will work together furthermore.

More duets?

Yes, of course, but she is capable of so much more. Up to now we have heart only tiny parts of what is possible together with her. She is a strong and interesting singer. Even without a-ha.

Could you imagine writing songs for Anneli?

Yes of course. But not only for Anneli. When I write songs there are again and again pieces that doesn't suit to a-ha and not to me as a solo artist.

So you still have solo plans? Will there also be a release of "Holyground"? I like this song.

"Holyground". Of course. Where do you know this?

There was a stream from a Norwegian TV show....

Oh yes, only with the guitar. Yes, I have some songs up my sleeve and I call it my little collection. This is a topic I will think about now and I can promise you: "Holyground" will be released.

Cool. Have you ever thought about a "Tribute to a-ha"? U2 cover "TSASOTV", Coldplay play "HH&L" ....

No, I have never thought about something like that. But this is a good idea. I know: We will make a double-album and for the second CD we will record songs from all of theses bands in return. (laughter)

While we are talking about other bands: You had remixes of Console and Millenia Nova on your last single. How did it come to this cooperation?  Do you know the stuff of the Bavarian Electro-Scene?

(laughs) No. That just happens. We had many mixes going round and they were stylistically totally different from each other. Absolutely different stuff. If I remember rightly they chose this song even by themselves. We didn't have to ask in particular or work together. But the result was very positive, indeed. Surprisingly good things appeared.

Is it true, actually, that you next to never or even never listen to music? So what is in your CD-player just now?

Dust. (laughter)

Enjoy the silence.

Yes, exactly.

Morten, where do you see yourself in 5 years?

(laughs) In 5 years? No clue. I don't even want to think about where I have been 5 years before.

And in 10?

In about 50 years - about this I have an idea where I could be. (Laughter) This will certainly be interesting. (laughter)

Mags recently made an interview in the Norwegian Art- and Fashion magazine "Hot Rod". Do you know this?

No. Why?

He wears women's clothes, a blonde wig and uses a lipstick. You can see  him with a bra in front of a mirror how he is painting his face. Besides he comments: "My life as a media bitch".
Do you sometimes feel like that, too?

No, not at all. I have never sold myself. I am doing this because the people want me to face up to them. They ask me and I say: Okay .. Let's go. But if you want to force me you will get nothing from me. I really just do, what I can justify to myself. Maybe with Mags it is a bit different. He is searching for the public because he often is only the passenger. Media
always has been concentrated on me. But I don't understand, what the hell he is doing there in this magazine. He could have created his time a bit more sensible. Well, in the end counts to know what you are doing. If you are - like me now - supposed to talk about yourself all this time you will go insane slowly. I don't want to ruminate again and again what I had been doing. I feel well during the creative process. This is my real me. And not anatomise constantly the done action.

But you are able to become deeply involved things. I think about your engagement at this East-Timor-conflict. Does it also fulfil you? Are you a political person?

Oh yes, I am. But I must believe in the matter. Now that you're asking: I will be going back to East-Timor in May. I wasn't engaged in it since the Nobel-Peace-Price anymore. I had taken the responsibility and fulfilled. I had a duty there that justified spending my time with it. Now I will again
meet some politicians and exchange options. I am very anxious to know
what has happened there. And I will tell the people there what I believe in and they will tell me what they believe in. It only works this way.

You once worked with the Pakistani rock band "Junoon". The song was called "Piya".

"Piya" is a good song. And Salman will go together with me to East-Timor. This is our plan at least.

You realize what I am driving at with my political questions. We are confronted with a war in Iraq. Do you like to share your opinion on this topic with us?

This is difficult because this is a very sensitive issue. It is a shame that we are not able to solve this problem within the UN-Security Council.  This is not good for this world. But unfortunately we have to face the facts. To me this issue belongs into the hands of the United Nations and not of the U.S.A.
You see, I agree with the thoughts and feelings of most people. But I think it is just as wrong to roughly simplify here and lay the blame on America. This is just as wrong. But to discuss all this much more time were needed and above all a fair, well-seated committee. Then we could discuss for hours.

Okay, and then in conclusion, let me congratulate you to the birth of your second daughter two months ago.

Thank your very much. Thank you.

Have you come to an agreement about a name or should it remain a secret?

It is not a secret that we came to an agreement about a name. (laughter) But we prefer to keep the name in private.