Smash hit

How impressed should we be at this point? Quite a lot, it seems. The gap-toothed frontman of A-ha may be a faded sticker in an old Smash Hits yearbook over in Britain, but in his homeland it’s quite a different story. “He’s like the Bono of Norway,” explains Johansen. “We were playing a huge show in Bergen last year and because I know (A-ha’s keyboard player) Mags, someone floated the idea.”

Even then, Johansen remembers, Harket took some cajoling. “He was concerned that it might sound a bit gay if two men sang it. I just had to reassure him that it would be fine. But I don’t think he was terribly happy about it.”

But he did it nonetheless? “He did. And then, when we finished it, I walked over to him and gave him a big, long, wet kiss on the lips. If you’re going to sound a bit gay you may as well look a lot gay. How did he react? I’m still waiting for his reaction. But I notice I didn’t make it on to the A-ha Christmas card list last year.”

• The Tourniquet is released on Warner on Aug 22

  CITIES THAT BECAME THE CAPITALS OF SOUND

  LIVERPOOL 1978-82
  Artists The Teardrop Explodes, Echo & the Bunnymen, Wah!, Big in Japan, Lori & the Chameleons
  The sound Serious young men in long, black overcoats and a recreational fancy for hallucinogens.

  MANCHESTER 1988-1990
  Artists Happy Mondays, the Stone Roses, the Charlatans, Inspiral Carpets
  The sound Guitars alloyed to the ubiquitous “funky drummer” rhythm. It was dance music for indie kids who have just discovered ecstasy.

  SEATTLE 1988-92
  Artists Nirvana, Mudhoney, Pearl Jam, the Melvins
  The sound Extreme reaction to America’s descent into sanitised hair-rock. Mark Arm of Mudhoney was the first to coin the term “grunge”, but it took Kurt Cobain to give it some decent tunes.

  PROOF THAT THERE'S MORE TO NORWAY THAN A-HA

  SONDRE LERCHE

  Prodigious young singer-songwriter whose 1992 debut album walked the tightrope between A-ha at their most glacially melancholic and mid-period Prefab Sprout. He’s only 22.
  Out now Two Way Monologue (Astralwerks)

  RÖYKSOPP

  Bergen’s vibrant nightlife, its slow summer twilight and long winter evenings lie at the centre of Royksopp’s sound. Ubiquity has done little to diminish their impact. Recommended Melody A.M. (Wall Of Sound)

  ANNIE

  Brash, big-hearted singer whose debut album Anniemal has mystifyingly failed to yield any hits so far.
  Recommended Anniemal (679 Records)

  
  KINGS OF CONVENIENCE

  Exquisite acoustic picking coupled with close harmonies have seen this duo compared to Simon and Garfunkel.
  Recommended Riot on an Empty Street (V2)

  
  ROBERT POST

  Made his way to Bergen from the remote village of Langevaag in the hope of an audience for his lovelorn paeans to the female psyche and boats.
  Out now Eponymous debut album is released at the end of the month (Mercury)

  ERLEND ØYE

  Half of Kings of Convenience, Øye indulged his love of electronic music with the help of Royksopp. The result was the excellent Unrest concept album.
  Out now Unrest (Astralwerks)
  

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