There is nothing more fickle than people and none more fickle than the cross section we call ‘fans’. Take the bulk of a-ha fans who realising their mistake bailed out to chase ‘Take That”
....Well who is having the last laugh now?!!
Ok, Ok, I admit that when I am hoovering my bedroom and want a bit of escapist music which doesn’t require me to think, ‘Take That & Party’ has graced my stereo, but I am not married to a-ha to foresake all others as the traitors once professed. The sad thing is though, I can actually understand why so many threw away their a-ha records and dropped the ‘I Love A-HA’ scarf for a ‘Mark Owen is my man’. The circus left a-ha’s town and left the streets a bit less pretty and a lot more dark and realistic and once the superficial buzz has died with the fresh faced poster boom to leave only the musicians with a sorrowful song which breeds thought provocation and heart tug - well some people can’t cope. After all, who needs reminded of the pains in life stripped bare - things don’t hurt as much disguised within an uptempo pop ditty.
But face it, a-ha didn’t alter - the music always spoke the same messages. They merely dropped the facade that “Take That” for many replaced. Some need the fun, the flirtatious excitement of a fresh faced cutsie singing about life as a wonderful thing without the sacrifices, self doubt and turmoil.
A-HA have lasted - in a manner of speaking and what were the odds of that - a Norwegian band outliving their 80’s contemporaries? It is called true conviction and a love for the expression only music gives. So “Take That” have had their musical success, the money, the adoration and the travel and now bow out gracefully leaving a Samaritans number as a farewell gift...
....see ya guys, have a nice life, but don’t worry ex-a-ha fans, Boyzone and East 17 are still going strong and I am sure another bunch of goodlookers with a synchronised dance routine will be strung together for your delight really soon.