Archive for the ‘Paul’ Category

Linnea Dale on working with Paul

Album cover

Album cover

“Better Without You”, the third single from Linnea Dale’s upcoming album, premiered on Norwegian radio a few days ago. This is one of the songs that she’s done together with Paul in New York.

In an interview on NRK P1’s Nitimen, Linnea talked about the experience of working with Paul:

“It was fabulous. I have enormous respect for him as a songwriter, so it was great to go over there. We started out with a pre-production session here in Oslo where we tested out some ideas, and then I flew over to New York and spent a week there a while later.”

It was Warner Music that brought Paul into the process. He has been busy moving to a new house recently:

“[The Waaktaar-Savoys] had just moved from Soho to a brownstone house in Brooklyn, so we were working in an improvised studio on the top floor. We had to stop recording every time a plane flew over head, as it wasn’t soundproof.”

Her upcoming album Good Goodbyes (April 25th) will also include two other songs written with Paul: “Sweet Life” and “With Eyes Closed”. Another song Paul mentioned in the a-ha.com Q&A, “Better Days”, must have been left out – unless the song title has changed.

“Better Without You” can be heard here (at 1:44:50).

Paul: New Savoy album in the works

Frode, Lauren and Paul in 2007.

Frode, Lauren and Paul in 2007.

The second part of the Q&A with Paul is now up on a-ha.com.

Not only is he working on the first Waaktaar album, there is also a new Savoy album to look forward to, Paul says:

“There is indeed a Savoy album in the works. We have lots of new songs recorded and we will finalize the album with our drummer, Frode, this summer. I also would like to release the whole Savoy catalogue on iTunes and Spotify as well as vinyl. So far, they’ve only been released on CD.”

He says his main focus will always be on releasing full albums:

“The album concept seems to be a bit washed out these days, but that’s what I grew up with so I’ll always have that as the main focus. However, it is fun to release a track like “Manmade Lake” and get an immediate reaction. I definitely want to do more of that.”

He also repeats what he’s said in the past, about how the idea to end a-ha felt like a business decision:

“The idea to end the band was forced. Not natural. It felt like a business decision to me. Just someone’s bright idea.
We can still play, still sing, we still have tons of songs to record.
And we still have a huge loving audience!
…crazy.”

Read all of his answers, including info about the cover image of “Manmade Lake”, what he’s been listening to lately and his thoughts on songwriting, over on a-ha.com.

For more updates from Paul, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Soundcloud.

Paul: ‘Waaktaar’ album ready after the summer

"More music is on the way", Paul says. (Picture by Jakob)

“More music is on the way”, Paul says.
(Picture by Jakob)

The first part of the Q&A with Paul was posted on a-ha.com today.

After the release of “Manmade Lake”, many fans have been wondering if we can expect a Waaktaar album at some point. And Paul can now confirm that he is indeed working on a full album:

“I’m working on an album to be released under “Waaktaar”. It should be ready shortly after the summer. Hopefully I’ll be able to upload some individual tracks long before that.”

He also provides some background info on “Manmade Lake”:

“It’s been a favorite of mine for a while. It was written around the overdriven guitar riff in the outro and I’ve been looking for a way to present it. The voice is run through a guitar amp which I thought strengthened the mood and related to the words, particularly in the second verse. Sort of like a ground-to-air type voice.”

Moreover, Paul mentions that he’s working on two additional albums, and that he’s hoping to include the song used in last year’s Scent of a Woman trailer on the next Savoy album.

Please visit a-ha.com to read the full Q&A.

Paul appears on Hågen Rørmark album

Album cover

Album cover

Paul has contributed to Hågen Rørmark’s latest album Alt Eller Ingenting, on which he plays drums on the track “Ensom Leter”.

The album was actually released in September 2012, but I didn’t find out about it until now.

Alt Eller Ingenting is Rørmark’s first album in Norwegian, following Mondo Cane (1995) and Signs & Songs (2008). The 11-track album can be purchased at hogen.bandcamp.com.

Rørmark is known to be a good friend of Paul and played guitar with Savoy in Oslo and London in 2008. He also played harmonica on the Savoy song “Is My Confidence Reeling?” in 2004 and appeared on stage with Weathervane in 2011.

In addition he co-wrote the song “Undecided” for Morten Harket in 2012, together with Tor Einar Krogtoft-Jensen and Christian Engebretsen. Krogtoft-Jensen also plays drums on Alt Eller Ingenting and has co-produced the album together with Rørmark.

Linnea’s album: 3 songs by Paul

Linnea Dale’s upcoming second solo album is now scheduled for release in May, according to Aftenposten. It will include 3 songs written by Paul.

Last night, Linnea took part in the first Eurovision semi-final with the song High Hopes (not written by Paul), which got her qualified for next week’s final in Oslo Spektrum.

Update (14/3): The album release has been moved forward to April 25th, according to a Warner Music press release. The 11-track album is called Good Goodbyes and has been produced by Kim Edward Bergseth and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy.

Waaktaar: “Manmade Lake”

Cover

Cover image

Paul’s new song is called “Manmade Lake” and premiered on a-ha.com this afternoon. The song, which was originally recorded by a-ha in a different version during the Foot Of The Mountain sessions in 2008-09, is released as Waaktaar and marks the first time Paul releases something under his own name outside of Savoy.

“Manmade Lake” features a classic Waaktaar melody and production, similar to some of the material on the Savoy album (2004), with Paul on vocals. a-ha.com doesn’t have any more info about the song, but it sounds like Frode Unneland on the drums. The lyrics continue the theme of Paul’s fascination with astronomy and spaceflight. (Update: Frode tells Japanese site Bottomless Pit that he thinks Paul plays the drums himself on “Manmade Lake”.)

Listen to the song and read the lyrics on a-ha.com and Soundcloud!

Paul also has a new official page on Facebook.

New music from Paul

Finally new music from Paul

Finally new music from Paul

a-ha.com has just announced that Paul will be sharing a new track on Saturday:

“Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is about to break the silence: he will be sharing a new track via http://www.a-ha.com on Saturday 8 February.

Join us here on Facebook and on a-ha.com on 8 February at 10:00am EST for this long-anticipated world premiere!”

Has he teamed up with Jimmy Gnecco again? Is it a new Savoy song? Something he’s produced for someone else? Or the first taste of a brand new solo project? I guess we’ll find out on Saturday…

Paul works with Linnea Dale on new album

Linnea Dale (Photo: Warner Music)

Linnea Dale
(Photo: Warner Music)

Sunnmørsposten reports that Paul is among the producers on Linnea Dale‘s second solo album, set to be released later this year.

Linnea Dale was one of the finalists on the fifth season of Norwegian Idol in 2007, where she was mentored by Morten and performed “Velvet” in one particular a-ha themed episode. In 2009 she was a guest-vocalist on the Donkeyboy album Caught in a Life, which included the hit singles “Ambitions” and “Sometimes”. Together with Donkeyboy she toured the UK and Norway with a-ha on the Foot of the Mountain tour.

Her first solo album Lemoyne Street was released in 2012, which included the single “Children of the Sun”. This was followed by “A Room in a City” in March 2013; the first single from the upcoming second album – which was going to be released last fall, but is now coming out in 2014.

“I’m aiming for a more electronic sound. At least elements of it, unlike Lemoyne Street which was a more acoustic, live-based album”, Linnea told 730.no last year.

Linnea has been in New York several times over the last couple of years, and is listed in the credits of Paul’s studio engineer Eliot Leigh.

“There’s a female singer that has recorded a lot of Paul’s songs, that may be released”, a-ha manager Harald Wiik told fans in September 2012, possibly referring to Linnea.

Before the album is released she’ll be taking part in the Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest finals in Oslo in March with the song “High Hopes”, which is why she’s in the news today.

Update (Jan. 29th): a-ha.com posted an update on this, with some info from Paul:

“Linnea and I wrote and recorded some songs together this last fall. A truly enjoyable and new experience for me. I’m really glad to hear that the album is coming out now. When it does; do check out a song called “With eyes closed”… I like it a lot!”

Paul joins Spark Management

Still busy in the studio

Still busy in New York

Paul is now represented by New York-based management company Spark Management, which was founded earlier this year to “develop the careers of exceptional artists, songwriters, producers and mix engineers”.

The company’s roster of clients also includes Mark Saunders (who co-produced a-ha’s Foot of the Mountain album) and Dan Romer (who did the music for Beasts of The Southern Wild).

Paul is described as “an active songwriter and producer for other major label artists” on the company’s website.

Spark Management founder Ollie Hammett, who previously worked for Elton John’s Rocket Music Management, said in an interview with sonicscoop.com last year:

“I think we’re in a unique position to help develop the careers of producers, in both traditional ways i.e. producing records for artists as well as new ways, too, through opportunities in digital, interactive, film, television and theater. It’s an exciting time for music producers and there are many opportunities to rewrite the rule book.”

Although Paul has reportedly been writing and producing for other artists since January 2011, nothing has been officially released so far (that we know of). These projects all seem to be shrouded in mystery for the time being.

 
Update, July 16th: A Norwegian fan met Paul in Bergen on Friday, July 12th. When asked if there would be a new Savoy album, Paul said that “various things are gonna come up soon”. More info on the WOTM Forum.

a-ha meet with King Harald

a-ha outside the Royal Palace in Oslo, June 10th

a-ha outside the Royal Palace in Oslo, June 10th

a-ha arrived at the Royal Palace in Oslo earlier today, where they had been granted an audience with King Harald. This is taking place in connection with the band members being appointed Knights First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav last year.

Picture from nrk.no

Picture from nrk.no

“It’s an honor to get recognized on an official level for the work we’ve done together. We accept it with gratitude and humility”, Magne told the press.

One reporter asked what they expected to talk about with King Harald.

“I reckon he’s a professional in that area, so he’ll lead the conversation”, Magne said with a laugh.

“We’re not coming here with lots to tell. Instead, we’ll listen to what the King has to say”, Morten added.

Another reporter asked how it is to come together as a-ha now, to receive this honour.

“It’s becoming increasingly harder to gather the three of us together, so we’re grateful to His Majesty for this opportunity”, Magne said.

Watch video clips of a-ha arriving on nrk.no and aftenposten.no. There is also a large photo on vg.no and a photo set by Stian Andersen on a-ha.com’s Facebook page.

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