List of a-ha band members

A-ha performing in Frankfurt in 2005. From left: Magne Furuholmen (keys, guitar), Morten Harket (vocals), Sven Lindvall (bass), Per Lindvall (drums), Pal Waaktaar-Savoy (guitar) and Christer Karlsson (keys).

The following is a list of musicians who have toured and or recorded with the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, which was founded in Oslo in 1982 by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars and vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards, guitars and vocals), and Morten Harket (lead vocals). Current touring musicians include drummer Karl-Oluf Wennerberg & programmer/keyboardist Erik Ljunggren (both of whom first joined in 2009) and bassist Even Ormestad (since 2015). Former members have included Leif Karsten Johansen, Mike Sturgis, Randy Hope-Taylor, Matthew Letley, Per Hillestad, Per Lindvall and Sven Lindvall.[1]

Members[edit]

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
2016-6_Morten_Harket.jpg
 Morten Harket
  • 1982–1994
  • 1998–2010
  • 2011
  • 2015–present
  • lead vocals
  • occasional guitar
 all releases
MagneF Fredrikstad2007.JPG
 Magne Furuholmen
  • keyboards
  • guitars
  • bass
  • backing and occasional lead vocals
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2018 (220430).jpg
 Pål Waaktaar-Savoy
  • guitars
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
  • keyboards
  • bass

Touring musicians[edit]

Current[edit]

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
A-ha at the MEN Arena, Manchester, 20 November 2010 - 5195755754.jpg
 Karl-Oluf Wennerberg[2]
  • drums
  • percussion
A-ha at the MEN Arena, Manchester, 20 November 2010.jpg
 Erik Ljunggren
  • 2009–2010[3]
  • 2011[4]
  • 2015–2016[5]
  • 2019–present
  • programming
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
  • bass
  • Foot of the Mountain (2009)
  • Ending on a High Note: The Final Concert (2011)
  • Cast in Steel (2015)
  • True North (2022)
Even_Ormestad_Jaga_Jazzist_(203905).jpg
 Even Ormestad 2015–present[6][7]
  • bass
  • keyboards
  • Cast in Steel (2015)
  • MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice (2017)
  • True North (2022)
Kjetil Bjerkestrand on occasion
  • keyboards
  • orchestration

Former touring/session musicians[edit]

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Lindsay Elliott 1985[8] drums "Take on Me" music video, Top of the Pops, "The Sun Always Shines on TV" music video
The_Go-Gos_-_Gina_Schock.jpg
 Gina Schock 1986 US TV appearances on American Bandstand, Soul Train and Solid Gold.[9]
MikeSturgisLive1995.jpg
 Mike Sturgis[10] 1986–1987[11] Scoundrel Days (1986)
Leif Karsten Johansen
  • bass
  • backing vocals
Dag Kolsrud [no] keyboards none
Ian Wherry[12] 1988–1989[13]
Randy Hope-Taylor[14] bass Stay on These Roads (1988)
Leonard Cohen and Rafael Gayol - panoramio.jpg
 Rafael Gayol (aka Danny Gayol)[15] percussion none
Matt-letley-2007-07-18 (cropped).jpg
 Matthew Letley[16] drums
Per_Hillestad_med_Lava_2021.jpg
 Per Hillestad[17] 1990–1994[18][19][20]
Jørun Bøgeberg[21]
  • bass
  • backing vocals
  • Stay on These Roads (1988)
  • East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990)
  • Memorial Beach (1993)
  • Minor Earth Major Sky (2000)
  • Lifelines (2002)
  • Analogue (2005)
Sigurd_Koohn1.jpg
 Sigurd Køhn 1991–1994[19][20] saxophone none
Øivind Madsen Buckleys Oslo Jazzfestival (214746).jpg
 Øivind Madsen 1994 (Africa leg of tour)[22] bass
Sven Lindvall 2000–2007[23][24][25]
  • bass
  • backing vocals
Per Lindvall drums
  • Minor Earth Major Sky (2000)
  • Lifelines (2002)
  • Analogue (2005)
  • Cast in Steel (2015)
  • Live at Vallhall: Homecoming (2001)
  • How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head (2003)
A-ha cologne1.jpg
 Christer Karlsson
  • keyboards
  • backing vocals
  • Live at Vallhall: Homecoming (2001)
  • How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head (2003)
AnneliDrecker_GlobalTempera.jpg
 Anneli Drecker 2000–2002 (and selected concerts in 2010, 2016, & 2022)[23][24][26][5]
  • backing vocals
  • duet partner
  • tambourine
  • keyboards
May Kristin Kaspersen 2002 (Russian leg of tour)[24]
  • backing vocals
  • duet partner
 none
Jonny Sjo Victoria teater Oslo Jazzfestival 2017 (222537).jpg
 Jonny Sjo [no] 2006 (substitute)[27] bass
Tini Flaat Mykland 2016 (selected concerts)[5] backing vocals
Lars_Horntveth_Jaga_Jazzist_Sentralen_Oslo_Jazzfestival_(202849).jpg
 Lars Horntveth 2017–2018[28]
  • guitars
  • woodwinds
  • Cast in Steel (2015)
  • MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice (2017)
Morten_Qvenild.jpg
 Morten Qvenild keyboards
  • MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice (2017)
  • True North (2022)
Madeleine Ossum Parkteatret 2016 (213245).jpg
 Madeleine Ossum
  • violin
  • backing vocals
Emilie Heldal Lidsheim
  • viola
  • backing vocals
 MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice (2017)
Tove Margrethe Erikstad
  • cello
  • backing vocals

Guests[edit]

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
Sondre_Lerche_-_Parkway_Theater_-_5_14_2022_(52562731833)_(cropped).jpg
 Sondre Lerche 2002 vocals Lerche performed with the band on "Locust" at the bands reunion concert in 2002.[29]
MikeNolan-ErinHill-Calendar.jpg
 Erin Hill 2008 harp Opening act in 2008 in Europe and London and at Royal Albert Hall.[30]
Kygo_(28481718120)_(2).jpg
 Kygo 2015
  • electronics
  • synths
 Kygo performed with the band at The 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Concert on a remixed version on "Take on Me"
Ian_McCulloch2.jpg
 Ian McCulloch
  • 2017
  • 2018
 vocals McCulloch sang on two songs, "The Killing Moon" (by his band, Echo & the Bunnymen) and "Scoundrel Days", with the band at both MTV Unplugged concerts at Øygardshallen (Giske Harbour Hall) on the island of Giske in 2017,[31][32] as well as at the O2 Arena, London in February 2018 on the same songs.[33][34]
Alison Moyet Dublin 2008.jpg
 Alison Moyet 2017 Moyet performed at the MTV Unplugged concert, on the second show, on "Summer Moved On".[31][32]
Lissie_-_Ilosaarirock_2013_-_05.jpg
 Lissie Lissie guested on “I’ve Been Losing You” at both MTV Unplugged concerts.[31][32]
HIGHASAKITE 2018 by Jørgen Nordby.jpg
 Ingrid Helene Håvik Håvik guested on “The Sun Always Shines on TV” at both MTV Unplugged concerts.[31][32]
Susanne_Sundfør.JPG
 Susanne Sundfør 2018 Sundfør performed on "I've Been Losing You" and on "The Sun Always Shines on TV" at the Oslo Spektrum in February 2018.[35][36]

Timeline[edit]

Line-ups[edit]

Period Members Releases
1982 – 1985
1985
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, bass programming, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Lindsey Elliot – drums
1986
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, bass programming, backing vocals

Additional personnel

US TV appearances on American Bandstand, Soul Train and Solid Gold.[9]
1986 – 1987
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar – guitar, drum programming, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, bass and drum programming, backing vocals

Additional personnel

1988 – 1989[13]
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar – guitar, bass and drum programming, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, bass and drum programming, backing vocals

Additional personnel

1990 – 1991
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals, bass and piano (studio)
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, backing vocals

Additional personnel

1991 – 1994
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, drum programming, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Jørun Bøgeberg – bass, backing vocals
  • Per Hillestad – drums
  • Sigurd Køhn – saxophone
Band on hiatus from 1994 – 1998
1998 – 2000
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, backing vocals

Additional personnel

2000 – 2002
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Sven Lindvall – bass
  • Per Lindvall – drums
  • Christer Karlsson – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Anneli Drecker – backing vocals
2002
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Christer Karlsson – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Sven Lindvall – bass
  • Per Lindvall – drums
  • May Kristin Kaspersen – backing vocals
2002 – 2007
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, keyboards (studio), backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, piano, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Christer Karlsson – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Sven Lindvall – bass
  • Per Lindvall – drums
2008

(An evening with Morten Harket, Savoy and Magne F)[37]

  • Magen Furuholmen – vocals, keyboards, guitar
  • Karl Oluf Wennerberg – drums
  • Dan Sunhordvik – guitar, backing vocals
  • Jonny Sjo [no] – bass, backing vocals
2009 – 2010, 2011
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Erik Ljunggren – keyboards, programming, bass, backing vocals
  • Karl-Oluf Wennerberg – drums
2015 – 2016
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Erik Ljunggren – keyboards (live), backing vocals
  • Karl-Oluf Wennerberg – drums
  • Even Ormestad – bass
2017 – 2018
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, piano, guitar, backing vocals, flute

Additional personnel

  • Karl-Oluf Wennerberg – drums, percussion
  • Even Ormestad – bass
  • Lars Horntveth – guitars, woodwind
  • Morten Qvenild – piano, keyboards
  • Madeleine Ossum – violin, backing vocals
  • Emilie Heldal Lidsheim – viola, backing vocals
  • Tove Margrethe Erikstad – cello, backing vocals
2019 – present
  • Morten Harket – vocals
  • Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – guitar, backing vocals, keyboards (studio)
  • Magne Furuholmen – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel

  • Karl-Oluf Wennerberg – drums, percussion
  • Even Ormestad – bass
  • Erik Ljunggren – keyboards (live), programming, backing vocals




Live performance / studio session with Orchestras[edit]

Image Name Years active live performance / studio session Release contributions
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra 2022 Live performance Live concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra 2022 Studio / Live session Featured on the album True North
Macedonian Radio Symphony Orchestra 2015 Studio session Featured on the album Cold As Stone
Norwegian Radio Orchestra 2011 Live performance Memorial service
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra 2010 Live performance Only one show at the Royal Albert Hall in London and one show at Oslo Konserthus in Oslo
Norwegian Radio Orchestra 1998, 2001 and 2015 Live performance Nobel Peace Price concert
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Norwegian Radio Orchestra 2001 Studio session Used on recordings on the A-ha album Minor Earth Major Sky
London Philharmonic Orchestra 1986 Studio session On the recording of the music video version of the song Hunting High and Low from the studio album of the same name

References[edit]

  1. ^ Creative, Sugar Rush (2023-08-06). "a-ha Band Members | Story". a-ha. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  2. ^ "A Gretsch Abroad — Exclusive Interview with a-ha Drummer Karl Oluf Wennerberg | Gretsch Drums". www.gretschdrums.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  3. ^ a b "Foot Of The Mountain Tour 2009 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  4. ^ a b "a-ha perform at National Memorial Ceremony | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  5. ^ a b c d "Wennerberg, Ljunggren and Ormestad join a-ha on Cast In Steel tour | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  6. ^ Jazzist, Jaga (8 May 2015). "Jaga Jazzist - 🚅 | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06. Kaoru You know that Even our bass player is touring and recording with a-ha? And that Lars has written strings for two songs on the forthcoming a-ha album?
  7. ^ Creative, Sugar Rush (2023-08-06). "The 'Hunting High and Low Live' tour is underway again!". a-ha. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  8. ^ "a-ha diary 1985 - the big breakthrough". a-hadiary.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  9. ^ a b "A-ha – Tours". Memorialbeach.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2000. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  10. ^ Creative, Sugar Rush (2023-08-06). "Scoundrel Days (1986)". a-ha. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  11. ^ "World tour 1986 – 1987 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  12. ^ Stokes, William (August 3, 2022). "Never-before-seen photo of A-ha's synth setup surfaces on Reddit: "my dad's keyboard setup while on tour with A-ha circa 1989"". MusicTech. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  13. ^ a b "Stay On These Roads Tour 1988 – 1989 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  14. ^ Thornton, Charlie (8 Jan 2019). "Randy Hope-taylor Interview | PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions". Retrieved 2023-08-07 – via PressReader.
  15. ^ "RAFAEL GAYOL – OLD IDEAS WORLD TOUR – The Official Leonard Cohen Site". www.leonardcohen.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  16. ^ "A-ha-1988". matt letley. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  17. ^ "Per Hillestad | Zildjian Drum Set Artist". Zildjian. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  18. ^ "a-ha diary 1990 - a-ha go east...of the sun". a-hadiary.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  19. ^ a b "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon Tour 1991 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  20. ^ a b "Memorial Beach Tour 1993 – 1994 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  21. ^ "Jørun Bøgeberg". www.jbbass.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  22. ^ "a-ha diary 1994 - white nights". a-hadiary.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  23. ^ a b "Minor Earth | Major Sky Tour 2000 – 2001 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  24. ^ a b c "Lifelines Tour 2002 – 2004 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  25. ^ "Analogue Tour 2005 – 2007 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  26. ^ "THE LAST HURRAH WITH A-HA - Anneli Drecker.com". 6 September 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Analogue Tour 2005 – 2007 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
  28. ^ "MTV Unplugged Tour 2017 – 2018 | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  29. ^ Valebrokk, Erik (2022-02-14). "Inspirasjoner: Valentinsaktuelle Sondre Lerche velger a-ha • ballade.no". ballade.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  30. ^ "Erin Hill … Harpist & Singer in NYC, Louisville, Chicago & Worldwide". Retrieved 2023-08-07. Erin toured with and opened for a-ha in 2008 in Europe and London, where she played solo at the Royal Albert Hall.
  31. ^ a b c d McCulloch, Ian (2021-07-09). "Ian McCulloch - A-HA performing with Ian McCulloch MTV Unplugged". Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  32. ^ a b c d Creative, Sugar Rush (2023-08-06). "'MTV Unplugged - Summer Solstice' Out Now!". a-ha. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  33. ^ "A-ha - Scoundrel Days - The O2 Arena, London England MTV Unplugged 14 February 2018". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  34. ^ "Killing Moon, a-ha and Ian McCulloch - Live at the O2, London". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  35. ^ "A-ha and Susanne Sundfør-I've been losing you Oslo Spektrum February 9 2018". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  36. ^ "a-ha - The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (feat. Susanne Sundfør) 9.02.2018 live @Spektrum in Oslo". YouTube. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  37. ^ "An evening with Morten Harket, Savoy and Magne F (2008) | a-ha live". a-ha-live.com. Retrieved 2023-08-08.

External links[edit]

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