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Happy Birthday to Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, who turns 60 today, September 6th!
Hopefully we’ll see him back on stage with a-ha in four months time, presuming the tour is finally able to continue as planned.
His wife Lauren has posted a birthday message to him on Instagram, and fans can post their own greetings on the official a-ha Facebook page.
A moment from the 2017 documentary a-ha Unplugged – På innsiden
Magne posted another new demo recording on Instagram last Thursday, which appears to be called “Time is on Your Side”.
This is the third new song he’s posted during the last month, following “I’m In” and “God is in the Details”.
Meanwhile, Paul has been sharing some newly drawn sketches on his Instagram, which can be seen here, here, here and here.
Paul has also been known to make paintings on canvas, some of which were part of his solo exhibition “Rammer” at Lillehammer in 1998. A selection of his paintings can be seen in this picture, posted by Augie some years ago.
As for new music, Savoy-drummer Frode Unneland was interviewed on the radio earlier this month, saying that Paul is working on lots of new songs at the moment. And according to last year’s Down To The Tracks-book, Paul already has a solo double album just waiting to be released.
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Picture by JS
Paul has been working in studios in Oslo this summer, on what seems to be a new album.
On 10 July he posted a video from his home studio featuring some new sounds.
Together with former a-ha drummer Per Hillestad he’s also done a few sessions at Studio Paradiso, one in late June and one in late July.
And on 15 August he did a string recording session at Studio Paradiso, featuring the a-ha string trio. The string score was done by Joe Mardin, and the Instagram post was tagged with #waaktaar and #newalbum.
Meanwhile, Augie did a couple of radio interviews last week, to promote his True August debut EP and the current radio single I “Can See You Clearly”. He appeared on NRK P2’s Kulturstripa on 28 August and NRK P13’s Selskapssjuk on 30 August.
Picture by Stian Andersen
On the True August EP, which has been getting great reviews, Paul plays the drums and bass (except for the programmed bass), while all guitar and synth parts were done by Augie. In the P13 interview he was asked what it’s like to work together with his father:
“It’s really cool. He’s a gear freak and really into strange drum machines, weird effects and stuff like that. He knows everything about music gear. So it’s great to get his input.
We listen to totally different music. So taking that gear and using it in a different way, that’s been really fun. There are some music genres that he usually stays away from. He’s not that keen on electronica, rap and stuff like that. So it’s cool to incorporate those influences in the music.
He’s very melodic, but in an indie-music style. Sometimes you want to abandon that and just create a certain atmosphere. That’s something he’s not that used to, so it’s cool to introduce that element.
But I have always assisted with his music as well. In the studio I would sometimes play on a song or come up with some ideas. It’s been a natural thing.”
Augie was also asked to pick one of his favorite tracks written by his father and he chose “Early Morning”.
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Cover photo by Stian Andersen
Augie Waaktaar-Savoy released his self-titled debut EP last Friday, 26 April, using his birth name True August. Links to stream and purchase the EP can be found here.
According to a press release quoted by Gaffa, the five songs on the EP have been written during the last year and a half, after he started university in California.
“While working on these songs I have been inspired by bands like Justice, Blonde Redhead, DIIV, Aphex Twin and Slowdive. I was drawn to these bands because I wanted to create a specific mood, which was the ambition with this album, based on how they build their soundscapes and write their songs”, Augie says.
John O’Mahony (“Cast in Steel”, “Summer Solstice”) has mixed the EP, and Paul has naturally also been involved in the process.
“My father has been of great help, with both the recording and the production”, Augie says.
The EP was recorded in the Waaktaar-Savoys’ studios in Brooklyn and Oslo, as well as Augie’s student room in LA. Last summer, Paul posted several updates on Instagram of him and Augie working together.
Tracklist: 1. Mount Joy / 2. I Can See You Clearly / 3. Krones / 4. Rubber / 5. Leipzig
Paul and Lauren have been spending quite some time in California since Augie started university there, and on 21 March Los Angeles Times reported that they have bought a new $5.125 million home in Venice.
Back in November last year they sold their old loft apartment in SoHo for $9 million, which they had continued to rent out in the years since they moved to their current Brooklyn home in 2012. Now it seems they will divide their time between Venice, Brooklyn and Oslo.
From the latest issues of Musikkpraksis and Norway Rock Magazine
Paul is the main guest in the latest episode of Norwegian guitar podcast “Kan du skru ned litt” [“Can you please turn it down a little?”], hosted by El Cuero guitarist Øyvind Blomstrøm. During the hour-long conversation, which was recorded in Oslo in early January, they talk in detail about Paul’s studio and live setups from the early days until today.
The podcast episode is available at acast.com, or in your preferred podcast app.
The magazine Musikkpraksis has an 8-page interview with Paul and Lauren in its latest issue (#1/2018), where the two of them talk about each track on the new Savoy album. There is also a 2-page interview with Paul in the current issue (#1/2018) of Norway Rock Magazine.
Both magazines are available in selected Narvesen stores across Norway.
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Savoy’s new and well-received album
See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown has entered the Norwegian album chart at #7 in its first week, making it Savoy’s sixth top ten album in Norway. See the whole chart at vglista.no.
Here are the band’s previous first-week positions on the Norwegian album chart:
Mary Is Coming (1996): #1
Lackluster Me (1997): #12
Mountains Of Time (1999): #1
Reasons To Stay Indoors (2001): #8
Savoy (2004): #7
Savoy Songbook Vol. 1 (2007): #7
In other news, Paul and Lauren were guests on another radio show on 14 January, Søndagsåpent on NRK P1. The whole interview is in English, and available here.
Additional Norwegian album reviews have been posted by musikknyheter.no and arildronsen.no, while the first German review has appeared on bleistiftrocker.de.
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Paul and Frode at Parkteatret, 11 January
(Picture by Carlos Maciá)
The good reviews for See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown have kept coming since the album release last Friday. Here are a few more from the Norwegian press:
Dagsavisen (5/6): “Paul Waaktaar-Savoy’s songs are more vital than in a long time and oozing of confidence.”
Aftenposten (5/6): “An album that demands some time, but offers a lot of good and timeless pop music.”
Klassekampen (5/6): “After more than 20 years Savoy are reaching new creative heights, while maintaining a down-to-earth playfulness.”
Morgenbladet: “The frustration and (passive-)agressiveness that was a part of the previous albums has been replaced with a likeable musical optimism.”
Hamar Arbeiderblad (4/6): “The band make a departure from their previously guitar-driven sound in favour of a shameless flirt with 80s electro-pop. And as long as the result is this good, there’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
Åsane Tidende (4/6): “Low-key pop with a soul.”
Bergens Tidende (3/6): “The album includes both the alternative pop-rock they’re known for, and a more surprising element: synthpop.”
Lauren at Parkteatret, 11 January
(Picture by Carlos Maciá)
There have also been some album reviews on blogs and fansites:
Campaign For More a-ha Remastered Deluxes: “This album contains a truly great collection of songs. At this stage in his career, nobody needed any further proof that Pål Waaktaar-Savoy is a genius but we can all be thankful that he has once again supplied us with some.”
Popklikk: “See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown features so many melodious and utterly fine songs that I’ve almost become addicted.”
The Wilhelmsens (6/6): “Paul deserves credit for his lyrics. He has an excellent way of combining music and lyrics, which always puts the song at the center.”
Dave’s Place Music: “See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown is an album that shines from various lights, sometimes glowing like a nocturnal sun, sometimes glimmering like a candle in plain daylight, as it is surely intended to do with such an album-title.”
The Savoy concert at Parkteatret last Thursday has also been getting good reviews:
Musikknyheter (8/10): “A strong release concert, featuring many old songs. (…) Waaktaar sings better than ever, and with great authority and confidence. In particular on “End of the Line” and “Rain”. As a guitarist he was also impressive throughout the concert. (…) Savoy appeared as a skilled live band.”
Norway Rock Magazine (4,5/6): “Despite low expectations, this turned out to be a very enjoyable evening with Savoy in front of a crowd of 3-400 people.”
There are some great photo galleries from the concert on Flickr, taken by Johannes Andersen and Carlos Maciá. And a selection of video clips have been posted on YouTube.
Lauren and Paul signing albums at Big Dipper, 13 January
(Picture by Carlos Maciá)
No additional Savoy concerts are scheduled at the moment, but hopefully there will be more:
“We’ll probably do a few more concerts eventually, and we’re hoping to do some festivals. Unfortunately we had to turn down an offer from Bergenfest, due to other commitments, but of course we’re hoping to do a concert in my hometown”, Frode Unneland said in an interview with Åsane Tidende yesterday.
“We have actually talked about doing a club tour, just the three of us. We recently rehearsed as a trio in New York. It’s tempting. Savoy is a project without any stress. There’s no outside pressure to sell a lot of tickets. So there’s a great atmosphere when we’re working together”, Frode told Bergens Tidende in another interview last Friday (paywall).
Even though Savoy has only recorded one of Frode’s songs (which remains unreleased), he still feels that he’s actively contributing to the creative process:
“Savoy is basically our joint rock project. We all sing as well. The vocal work is very important to the band – and I think many struggle to hear the difference between Paul and myself.”
Frode also mentions that he’s been working on a new solo project, with 15 songs ready.
On Saturday Paul and Lauren signed copies of the new album at Big Dipper record store in Oslo. A lot of fans showed up, and the album was sold out within minutes after the signing started.
The album will be released in Germany tomorrow, 19 January, and the CD and vinyl can be ordered from amazon.de. In the UK the album will be out on 9 February and amazon.co.uk has the CD and vinyl available for pre-order.
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Savoy and Zoe Gnecco performing “Velvet”
(Picture by Jakob)
Savoy played their first concert in nearly ten years at Parkteatret in Oslo tonight, to celebrate tomorrow’s release of See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown.
Paul
The 18-song setlist featured songs from all of their albums, including four songs from the new album.
Paul, Lauren and Frode were joined by Linn Frøkedal on keyboards and Chris Holm on bass.
Lauren
Special guest Zoe Gnecco had flown in from New York for the show, and joined them on stage for a few songs from the World of Trouble album, plus a Waaktaar & Zoe version of “Under The Makeup” with slightly different lyrics. She also did the female vocals on “Velvet”.
Frode
Here’s the full setlist:
1. Tears From a Stone
2. I Still Cry
3. Manmade Lake
4. January Thaw
5. Girl One
6. End of the Line
7. Whalebone
8. Night Watch
9. Rain
10. Fearlist
11. Sycamore Leaves
12. Beautiful Burnout (w/ Zoe Gnecco)
13. World of Trouble (w/ Zoe Gnecco)
14. Under The Makeup (w/ Zoe Gnecco)
15. Daylight’s Wasting
16. Star
17. Velvet (w/ Zoe Gnecco)
18. Falls Park
The fansite a-ha France has posted a 45-minute video clip from the concert on Facebook, which can be seen here.
Some selected live pictures from Instagram:
Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 Picture 5 Picture 6
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Picture by Spillerom on Instagram
Paul and Lauren visited NRK’s radio studios in Oslo yesterday, to promote the new Savoy album.
First up was Nitimen on NRK P1. The full interview, which is mostly in English, can be heard here.
They were also guests on Spillerom on NRK P2, which included the radio premiere of the song “Bump”. Hear the interview here.
More pictures from the interviews have been posted by Drabant Music on Instagram.
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Single cover
“January Thaw”, the second single from Savoy’s new album See The Beauty In Your Drab Hometown, was released by Drabant Music on Friday 5 January. Listen to the song here.
VG has published a new interview with Paul and Lauren, along with the premiere of the “January Thaw” music video, directed by Jason Brandenberg.
They have also been interviewed by Dagsavisen (paywall), which mentions that Paul and Lauren will be promoting the Savoy album in different countries while on the road with a-ha.
The first reviews of the new album, which is released on 12 January, have already started to appear:
Dagbladet (5/6): “In many ways the album seems to build a bridge between a-ha’s synth-dominated universe and Paul’s roots in 60s and 70s classic pop.”
VG (4/6): “Paul Waaktaar’s best vocal performance ever, and definitely one of the most consistent set of songs the married couple has delivered since [Mary is Coming].”
The Electricity Club: “Overall this is a confident – and surprisingly seamless – collection; playful, adventurous, and boasting a production that benefits from retaining its rough edges.”
On Thursday Savoy will be playing their first concert in nearly ten years at Parkteatret in Oslo. Tickets are still available from ticketmaster.no. According to Electricity Club, they will be joined by two musicians who haven’t played with Savoy before; Linn Frøkedal on keyboards and Chris Holm on bass. Zoe Gnecco will also be there as a special guest.
It’s been a very long time since Paul last visited the Parkteatret venue, which previously used to be a cinema. “I haven’t been there since I watched a Tarzan-movie as a 7-year-old”, he tells Dagsavisen.
On the contrast between playing live with a-ha and Savoy, he says:
“It’s like two different beasts. I always get something from one of them that I don’t get from the other. But everything is more vulnerable with Savoy. There’s more of a nerve to it, without a parachute. a-ha is a bigger production, with more you can lean on.”
On Saturday at 14:00, Savoy will be signing copies of the new album at the Big Dipper record store in Oslo. It might be possible to get other items signed as well; “I’ll sign any album I’ve worked on…anything but blank checks”, Paul wrote in a comment on Instagram, alongside a preview of the gatefold vinyl edition.
Fans who aren’t able to be at the signing session on Saturday can pre-order the album from Big Dipper now and receive a signed copy in the mail (only inside Norway).
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