I think anyone who has been seduced by a-ha’s music, can’t help but have a deep and very healthy respect for Pål Waaktaar. I remember so vividly the reason why he came to my attention in the first place was that the lyrics to “The Sun Always Shines On TV” struck a chord in me. I wanted to know who had those melencholy thoughts and in some ways it was a surprise to discover the member who stood in the background was actually the poet.

Back in the 80’s, in a-ha’s early days, Pål was quite overlooked - after all, Morten Harket was a capable front man, happily switching moods to talk seriously about the band and their Norwegian origins one moment and the next turning on that winning smile, with a charm that attracted so many. Magne was seemingly larger than life too and with all this, Pål just faded silently and somewhat willingly into the background. You know instinctively from his lyrics that he is a shy person, insecure and probably emotional in his desire and need for love, but there is more to him and it has revealed itself through time.

We have been lucky enough to watch him grow, see him develop both musically and personally and he is the one person,I myself, have admired consistently for all my adult life, appearing at a time when I needed him most and I have never looked back.

He is not my God on a pedestal - he has his faults and in many ways it is his lack of perfection that makes him so interesting. Pål was a silent hero, but Savoy have changed all that and in this little Pål indulgence, it is irrelevant where he was born, what his favorite colour is, or even who manufactures his plectrums. This is just Pål, the way I and many see him and the reason why I have embraced him so close.....

Musically is where this must start. For me it begins and will end with music and rightly so. As said before, it was his lyrical prowess that struck me firstly. I was not interested at all when my friends would talk about Morten Harket and the fact they were Norwegian, as if it was some weird novelty. I was at the time developing a love for bands like The Cult, The Smiths and my Dad's old Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd albums and had no time for a 'pop' band such as 'a-ha'. But “The Sun Always Shines..” changed all that because I soon realised a-ha were not just a pop band - they had more to give and something to say and all of my emotions screamed out of that one song. I suppose “Driftwood” sealed the deal and it was there that my love for Pål began simply because I identified with him. I saught out who had written the compelling lyric and the touching melody and Pål Waaktaar Gamst was noted.

Pål struck me as intellectual, calm, insecure, sensitive, romantic, loyal, lacking in an over inflated ego and I guess I fell for the warmth in his face too. There was something so mysterious about him and I was amazed that he had so much to say in music and yet passed over the chance to say it to an interviewer. I respected the fact that he believed the music should do the talking and to me he spoke volumes. Hard times when you are 15- 16, exam pressure, hormone changes - the plight to find the self - it was Pål who got me through all of that. It was a comfort to know that someone like him could acheive success, travel to England and make it. I was compelled by the fact that you could be both shy and strong at the same time - and wanted his discipline, his conviction, his devotion to his creativity and the continued creativity itself, and I wanted to have his overwhelming intellect, as lets face it, Kafka is no easy reading!!

When I first met Pål, it was a shock. There he was sauntering down the street towards the waiting fans, so cool, so contained and everyone was fascinated by his commanding build, his skin tone and the healthy filled out appearance. He had lost weight during his slumming days in London but soon bounced back and it was incredible that in his case, the camera took off the pounds, not added them.

This man towered over me - broad and so very intimidating. I remember so well that even though he was smiling, he was in no mood to talk and I was a tad upset with him. I had wanted to ask him so much, things about music and learned fast to respect the fact that his shyness was a hurdle I was possibly unable to clear. I was a bit in awe of him if truth be known, but that warmth I talked about earlier just emanated from him and his presence never fails to be noticed.

I met him a few times following that and he was always so hard to talk to and it has always frustrated me so much. I still want to know so much, too much and yet if you get him to stand still for longer than a few seconds, there never seems a good point to just talk to him about the really serious subject of song writing. I mean how do you, in a crowded club, just come out and say - "ok Pål, if the 'East Of The Sun' album is the toilet album, are we then to believe that you didn't mean any of what you wrote. Do you really feel all of what you write or is it all just a workable formula and interesting words that you thought sounded good together??" Even if you could get all that out, would he be able to answer?, Would he want to? Don't I think he gets tired of talking about music?.

I have moments of thinking how much easier it would be to just want his body, to be interested in him seriously in a sexual way. I guess then the questions I need to know everytime I read his lyrics, or the passion I feel for the songs wouldn't burn me on the inside as they do. I admit I probably take it all too seriously, more than I should and at times I swear that intensity scares the shit out of him.

When I look at Pål now, I think I have misjudged him. I don't think I gave him as much credit as I should've for being so strong minded, stubborn, hard working and a deep down together person. I have it on good authority that Pål never gets depressed and yet it astounds me that his melodies and lyric can hold such sorrow, such a deep and profound sense of pain. Or, is it merely my interpretation? Is it just that you can be really happy and yet see the pain in life and capture it so perfectly?

So Pål has good points, and the bad.. Well, Pål is a bit of a bully, I have seen it for myself how people are seemingly afraid of him I have seen how he controls the soundcheck to get the sound he wants, and Morten remarked once, with respect I add, that Pål was controlling - told him how he wanted things sang. I kind of sit back and go WOW - Pål is a guy who knows what he wants and he has the power to get it. He is one tough cookie and yes, I am terrified of him.