Morten Harket (not dead yet)

[Rich]

Yes, the bloke from A-ha. Announced today that he has Parkinson's.

A good article on a-ha dot com here.

Edited June 5 by Rich

[Beedster]

That’s very tough on him, best wishes to him and his family 🙏

[bassbiscuits]

That’s bad news. 

[tauzero]

Despite him just getting his name as the title of a thread on BC, he's not dead yet.

[bass_dinger]

4 hours ago, tauzero said:

Despite him just getting his name as the title of a thread on BC, he's not dead yet.

You are right  - when I see just a name as a thread title, I think that the person has passed away.

[Beedster]

I remember the first time i hear Take On Me I was speechless, I pick up a lot of talk about highly skilled and versatile female singers but his voice, his range, and his creativity are up there with many of the best singers in pop, I always felt he could probably have done some opera had he chosen to. He seems to be concerned that the disease will affect his singing, which is great news in a way in that he's clearly still thinking about singing and the future. Great news and I wish him all the best 🙏❤️

[ezbass]

Heard this on the radio  .

[Hellzero]

I read @Rich linked article yesterday, and at least he is very positive, like the guy to whom I bought a digital piano last week and who was also diagnosed Parkinson a few years ago.

 

I never really liked the poppy music A-Ha were doing back then, but Morten Harket is a very talented singer for sure and what a voice.

[Misdee]

Can't believe he's 65. I remember when he had teenage girls screaming at him like it was yesterday.

[prowla]

He was on the Masked Singer, called "Viking", singing his own song, and nobody twigged it was him.

 

 

[bass_dinger]

 

I recall reading Michael J Fox's autobiography, in which he shared his own battle with Parkinson's (and his open-head, conscious, brain surgery to relieve him of the symptoms).

 

He was unable to act, but could do voiceover work - Stuart Little was him.  

 

So, perhaps the voice will be unaffected by the illness?

[chriswareham]

I remember when A-Ha broke through with the re-release of "Take On Me". Something about the quality of the song writing combined with Morten Harket's singing just elevated them above their peers, and what an iconic video. That vocal climax in "Take On Me", starting with "I'll be gone..." still raises the hairs on the back of my neck.

[BassTool]

Sad news, like others have said, Take On Me was a breath of fresh air completed by an  incredible video, great singer.

 

My eldest lad has a mate whose Dad has been trialling a new treatment up here in the NE with amazing results, he even made local news a while back. He's back on his bike and living a very improved life so far 👍🏼

 

 

 

[miles'tone]

On 07/06/2025 at 22:56, chriswareham said:

I remember when A-Ha broke through with the re-release of "Take On Me". Something about the quality of the song writing combined with Morten Harket's singing just elevated them above their peers, and what an iconic video. That vocal climax in "Take On Me", starting with "I'll be gone..." still raises the hairs on the back of my neck.

Same. I think the video still holds up today too.