Screenshot from the article

The Washington Post has published an extensive article (paywall) about a-ha this weekend, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Take On Me” – from an American perspective.

All three a-ha members have been interviewed for the article, plus Viggo Bondi, Jeff Ayeroff, Alan Tarney, Harald Wiik and Lauren Savoy.

The online article also features an audio player, where you can listen to individual stems from “Take On Me”; bass, drums, guitar, synths and vocals. Additionally there are five sound clips, in which Magne, Paul and Morten talk about the song. The short clip of Morten where he speaks and hums along to the melody is the first time in three years fans have been able to hear his voice.

The article provides a little update on Morten’s condition, saying that over the past month “he has seen some improvement for the first time since his diagnosis” and that he can now imagine singing again. He plays some solo demos for the journalist, but doing something with a-ha doesn’t seem very likely at this point:

“I don’t have the drive for the band as a unit anymore. I’ve served my time. And I won’t be doing it unless certain things come into place. Some level of mutual respect for each other’s roles and place in the band”, Morten says.

According to the article, Morten has suggested to Magne that they do something on their own, but the idea was rejected:

“It would be an injustice to history to do it. For good or bad, the three of us are what made a-ha … our great moments, our s—ty moments, friendships, our falling-outs”, Magne tells The Washington Post.

(It should be noted that in 2012 Morten and Paul discussed continuing as a duo without Magne. But that eventually turned into the Cast In Steel album, after Magne decided to join them and reform the band).