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Norwegians travelling to Kiel
Pål H. Christiansen about a-ha and "Die Ordnung der Worte"
Oslo/Kiel - On the occasion of the naming of the cruise ship M/S Color Magic in Kiel harbor on September 15th, a-ha will give their only concert in Germany this year. Many fans will cheer for them again, fans from all over the world. A lot of them adore the band for more than 20 years now. Like Hobo Highbrow, main character of Pål H. Christiansen's novel "Die Ordnung der Worte".
Hobo lis living in his own world. First he loses his job and then - or os it seems - also his girlfriend and his furniture. One of the few constant things in his life (apart from his favourite pub "Four chicken") is the music of the band a-ha. They are like a sanctuary for him. Before the Kiel concert, writer Pål H. Christiansen now spoke about the band and the book.
- What is it that attracts Hobo to a-ha? And why is he especially fascinated by (and in the end even stalking) Paul Waaktaar-Savoy?
Pål: Apart from the music Hobo admires a-has stubborness and high ambitions in their first years as a band. Their success gives him great inspiration as a writer from a small country up north. Paul wrote most lyrics and melodies in the first phase, an Hobo finds him interesting of this reason, but when Hobo meets him in the street he gets a certain feeling of a special bond between them that leads to ha deeper fascination.
- You have met Paul when the book was published in Norway in 2002. What did he say about the book, about the cover of the Norwegian original that shows Paul as a saint?
Pål: He said both to me and newspapers that he liked the book. He was curious about how I knew all these things about him. The fact is that I made most of it up, but it happened to be close to the truth. He laughed when he saw the cover the first time, he thougt it was very funny.
- Could Hobo be among those fans at the concert in Kiel? And what would he do there? Try to get backstage to speak to Paul again?
Pål: He could take the ferry to Kiel. But I think he never would come further than the local pub Subrosa in Kiel Gaarden, where I happened to present "Die Ordnung der Worte" in june this year, along with the band Klezcore from Kiel. Hobo would probably fall asleep there after some beers and wake up after the concert was over...
- Will we hear from Hobo again? How about making him travel to Germany where a-ha have most of their fans outside of Norway?
Pål: I have a plan for a new novel about Hobo, yes. Sending him to Germany is a great idea!
Pål H. Christiansen
"Die Ordnung der Worte"
Rockbuch Verlag 2007
14,90 Euro