1990 - a-ha go east...of the sun

January 1990      

Mags on Die 80er 28       a-ha fly from London to Frankfurt, Germany for the TV show "Die 80er". The show is hosted by Thomas Gottschalk and a-ha perform "Hunting High And Low" in front of a train covered in grafitti.
29       a-ha spend the day in Frankfurt.
30       The band fly from Frankfurt back to Heathrow, London.

February 1990      

11       On the TV show "Hitstudio", a-ha are interviewed by Paula Yates and they perform "Manhattan Skyline" and "I've Been Losing You".

April 1990      

7       A week before Easter, the Amag of Aftenposten features an article written by Morten who had interviewed bishop, Fredrik Grønningsæter, of the Norwegian district Nordland about what Easter means today.
20       Magne's first child, Thomas Vincent Furuholmen, is born.

May / June 1990      

a-ha work on their new album in a studio in London. Guest musicians on the album include Norwegians Per Hillestad and Jørun Bøgeberg. The producers are Ian Stanley (worked with Tears for Fears) and Chris Neal (Mike & The Mechanics). The working title of the album is already "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon".

August 1990      

The studio work on the new album is finished.

September 1990      
     
7       "Crying In The Rain", the cover version of an Everly Brothers song, is released in Germany.

Crying In The Rain UK   a-ha on Wetten Daß...?

14       a-ha arrive at Frankfurt Airport and go on to Saarbrücken where they do their first rehearsal for the TV show "Wetten Daß...?".
15       Aftenposten's cover story is a big interview which they did with a-ha in London. They talk about the new album and single.
At the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrücken, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" for the German TV show "Wetten Daß...?", hosted by Thomas Gottschalk.
16       a-ha go from Saarbrücken to Frankfurt and then back to London.
17       In Norway, "Crying In The Rain" is released; it goes to number 1 in the charts and stays in the Top 100 for 12 weeks.
28       "Crying In The Rain" enters the German charts at number 71.

October 1990      

Crying In The Rain video strip

a-ha are in Montana, North America to shoot the video for "Crying In The Rain" which is directed by Steve Barron. There are two slightly different cuts of the video made, one of which features more scenic shots with morten Singing.

The album "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon" is released in Norway; it goes to number 1 in the charts and stays for 17 weeks in the Top 100.
     
1       "Crying In The Rain" is released in the UK and France.
Morten is due to attend the Barry Patmore's memory run in Wickford, but he is in Montana shooting the new a-ha video.
7       "Crying In The Rain" enters the UK charts at number 27.
TV-AM 9       In London, a-ha are interviewed for "TV-AM", Pål gets to see the video for "Crying In The Rain" for the first time. a-ha also do an interview with the UK magazine "Smash Hits" to promote their new single.
12       The album "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon" is released in Germany. a-ha are in Norway for the weekend to rehearse for the Rock in Rio festival.
13       Two slightly different videos were made for "Crying In The Rain" and the UK video TV programme, "The Chart Show", shows the unreleased version.
15       In Birmingham, a-ha perform "The Blood That Moves The Body" and "Crying In The Rain" on the UK TV show "Pebble Mill". The album "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon" is released in Norway.
16       In France, a-ha are interviewed on a plane for the TV chart show "Le Hit NRJ" and they perform "Crying In The Rain" on the TV show "Sacrée Soirée" in Paris. The recording of this programme is moved in order to get a-ha on the show (broadcast 29 October??).
Top Of The Pops 17       In the morning, a-ha are at the BBC studios in White City to do a first rehearsal for "Top Of The Pops". After this, Magne and Morten meet the Norwegian Newspaper "Nordlys" for an interview at the Warner head office in Kensington Church Street (Pål goes to his apartment to change and eat and joins them later). In the afternoon, "Top Of The Pops" is recorded, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" (broadcast 18 October). On UK "Radio 1", Morten speaks to Jakki Brambles on the phone.
18       a-ha's performance of "Crying In The Rain" is broadcast on "Top Of The Pops" (a-ha at number 19 in the chart).
19       "Crying In The Rain" is at its highest position of number 6 in Germany; it stays there for 4 weeks.
20       a-ha are interviewed and perform "Crying In The Rain" on the UK Saturday morning TV show "Going Live!".
20?       a-ha fly to Amsterdam for more promotion.
21       "Crying In The Rain" reaches its highest position of number 13 in the UK. On the Dutch TV show "Paperclip", there is an interview with a-ha in Rotterdam. East Of The Sun West Of The Moon
22       The album "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon" is released in the UK; it is produced by Chris Neil and Ian Stanley, mixed by Nick Davis and features the Norwegian musicians Jørun Bøgeberg on Bass Guitar and Per Hillestad on drums. a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" and "I Call Your Name" on the TV show "Countdown" in Bussum, Holland.
23?       a-ha are interviewed for the Dutch TV show "Tros T2" ("Pop Formule"), this is also shown on UK Super Channel.
23       In the evening a-ha fly from Amsterdam to Paris for more promotion.
24       In Paris, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" for the French TV show "Tous à la une" (broadcast 15 November?), they also do an interview for the TV show "Giga" (broadcast 5 December) and do an interview for the magazine "Starclub".
25       a-ha fly to Spain and start two days of promotion in Madrid. They appear on the show "40 Principales" and are interviewed on a roof terrace for "Top Madrid".
Crying In The Rain Japanese 3" CD "Crying In The Rain" is released in Japan on 3" CD.
27       The next two days are spent doing promotion in Rome, Italy; a-ha are interviewed on the TV show "Radio Carolina" (on channel "Radio Dimensione Suono").
28       In Rome, a-ha are guests on the TV show "Ricomincio da 2", they perform "I Call Your Name" as for the rehearsal in the morning and in the afternoon they perform "Crying In The Rain" for the show. After this, a-ha fly to France.
The album "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon" enters the UK charts, it goes on to reach number 12.
29       A Video Presskit (Claude Nobbs), featuring an a-ha interview and clips of the "Crying In The Rain" video shoot in Montana, USA is produced. In Paris, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" on the TV show "Star 90" (broadcast 3 December?).
29?       On the French TV show "Zapper N'est Pas Jouer", a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain".
30       In the morning, a-ha do a radio interview for "RTL Radio", Paris.

November 1990      
     
1       The Italian TV show "Deejay Television" (Italia 1) broadcasts a short special in connection with Mags' birthday. It includes clips of the big dj TV interview from 1988.
2       In Oslo, a press conference is held at the Grand Hotel.
2?       The channel "TV Norge" shows clips from the press conference at the Grand hotel.
3       Still in Oslo, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" and "I Call Your Name" for the "Talentiaden" section of the TV show "LørDan". They receive platinum discs for the album "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon". One of the discs is put up for auction, the profit from which goes to the TV auction taking place the next day.
4       a-ha take part in this year's TV-aksjon "En himmel full av stjerner" which is raising money for the children's organisation "Redd Barna". The show takes place at the Oslo Konserthus with Arve Tellefsen as host and a-ha perform "Slender Frame" and "Crying In The Rain". The entrance to the show is via a big slide which Pål falls off!

I Call Your Name video strip


5-9?       The video for "I Call Your Name" is shot in England. The video is directed by Lauren Savoy and there are two slightly different versions, one black and white, one colour.
8       "MTV News" broadcasts a Steve Blame interview with Steve Barron about the two videos that were made for "Crying In The Rain".
9       a-ha continue with their promotion in Stockholm, Sweden. On the Swedish TV show "Bakijckan", Morten is interviewed and clips of the "Crying In The Rain" video are shown.
11       On the Swedish TV show "Söndagsöppet" - "Mening Med Musikk", a-ha are interviewed and perform "Crying In The Rain", "I Call Your Name" and a live clip of "She Loves You". They also broadcast a report on the press conference from April 1986 and an interview.
12       a-ha go to Milan, Italy. On the TV show "Bebopalula", they are interviewed about The Beatles and sing a clip of "She Loves You". a-ha are also interviewed for the channel "Videomusic" which is to be included in a special. On the TV show "Superclassifica Show", a-ha are interviewed by Maurizio. Morten is also interviewed for "Top 20" (Italia 1).
13       a-ha do some more promotion in Milan, Italy.
15       The French TV show "Tous à la une" broadcasts a-ha's performance of "Crying In The Rain"?
16       The Norwegian TV channel NRK broadcasts an interview with a-ha in a basement/studio (?) on a children's show.
18       There is a special TV programme "Med sølv i strupen" about the Norwegian boys' choir "Sølvguttene". In this show, Morten is shown singing with the choir.
Both "Crying In The Rain" and the album "East Of The Sun West Of The Moon" spend their last week in the UK Top 75, having been in the charts for 7 and 4 weeks respectively.
20?       The French TV chart show "Top 50" broadcasts separate interview with the a-ha band members inbetween clips of the "Crying In The Rain" video.
23       In Paris, a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" on the French TV show "La Classe". "I Call Your Name" is released in Germany. I Call Your Name
24       a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" on the French TV show "La une est à vous" in Paris, France.

"Take On Me" is voted the tenth best video of the 80's by "MTV".

December 1990      
     
3       "I Call Your Name" is released in the UK.
3?       a-ha's performance of "Crying In The Rain" is broadcast on the French TV show "Star 90" (TV5).
4       a-ha go to Cologne, Germany where they do a rehearsal and then perform "I Call Your Name" for the TV show "Mensch Meier" with Alfred Biolek. Mensch Meier
5       a-ha leave Germany via Düsseldorf.
An interview with a-ha is broadcast on the French TV show "Giga" (recorded 24.10.). They also show clips of "Crying In The Rain" and "Take On Me" in Dallas.
The nominations for the Spellemannspris '90 are announced. The show will take place on 2 February 1991 at Chateau Neuf, Oslo. a-ha are nominated in the "Pop" category for their album "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon". Tre små Kinesere and Sigvard Dagsland are also nominated in this category.
8       The Norwegian-Sowietic TV show takes place in Oslo. a-ha were amongst the invited artists but they can't take part as they are in France.
a-ha perform "Crying In The Rain" on "Téléthon" in France.
9       "I Call Your Name" enters the UK charts; it goes on to reach number 44.
The Chinese student revolution leader, Chai Ling, goes to Oslo and is met by Morten. She is here to follow the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on 10 December and was one of the candidates for the prize. Anatolij Kovaljov will receive the prize on behalf of Mikhail Gorbatsjow. Chai Ling is in Oslo for three days, during which time a special TV programme is recorded, featuring her, Morten and Bjørn Eidsvåg. The first evening they meet at Bjørn Eidsvåg's where Morten and Bjørn sing English and Norwegian songs for Chai Ling, amongst them "God bless the day I found you", "En liten blomst" and "Glade jul". Afterwards, they have a Norwegian dinner with salmon and reindeer tongue (broadcast as part of the German special "Stille Nacht Mit Stars" on 24 December).
10       Morten and Chai Ling take part in the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo Rådhuset.
11       a-ha are in Munich, Germany to open the "Gran Slam" tennis tournament. Morten is interviewed about tennis for SAT1 and at the Grand Slam Gala, they perform "I Call Your Name" and "Crying In The Rain" before Ivan Rebroff (Placido Domingo?) enters the stage.
12       In Norway, tickets go on sale for a-ha's two Spektrum concerts in January.
Morten speaks to Dave Saunders on the phone on "Chiltern Radio".
15       On the show "Saga du Rock" ("MTV" France), there is an a-ha special.
17       Morten is interviewed by Jakki Brambles on UK "Radio 1".
17?       a-ha's performance of "Crying In The Rain" is broadcast on the French TV show "La Classe".

Morten is interviewed on "Radio Clyde"

24       The Norwegian TV-channel "TVNorge" broadcasts the 25 minute special "a-ha-portrett" on the show "Rock Café".
25       The German TV channel "West 3" broadcasts the special programme "Stille Nacht Mit Stars" where they invite Cliff Richard, Ivan Rebroff and Morten to talk about Christmas. Morten is shown with the Chinese student revolution leader Chai Ling in Oslo. Morten and Bjørn Eidsvåg sing Norwegian Christmas songs for Chai Ling and have typical Norwegian Christmas food.
30       Morten's second child, Jonathan Henning Adler Harket, is born in Norway. Morten's Dad, Reidar, is present as a doctor at the birth.

Continue the story: 1991