Pål Waaktaar-Savoy

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
Paul Waaktaar-Savoy with a-ha in 2010. Photograph by Andrew D. Hurley
Background information
Birth name	Pål Waaktaar Gamst
Born	(1961-09-06) 6 September 1961 (age 55) Oslo, Norway
Genres	Synthpop, new wave, Alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, guitarist, songwriter, singer
Instruments	Guitar, piano, keyboard, bass guitar, drums, vocals
Years active	1976-present
Associated acts	A-ha, Savoy, Weathervane

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (born Pål Waaktaar Gamst, 6 September 1961) is a Norwegian musician and songwriter. He was named Knights First Class of the Order of St. Olav by King Harald for his services to Norwegian music and his international success. Pål Savoy is best known for his work as the main songwriter and guitarist in the Norwegian pop band A-ha. He has written or co-written most of the band's biggest hits, including "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", "Hunting High and Low", "Take On Me", the James Bond theme "The Living Daylights" and the ballad "Summer Moved On". In addition, Waaktaar-Savoy is also a painter. The band A-ha has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

Pål Waaktaar, as he was then known, was lead singer, guitarist and songwriter in the Norwegian rock band Bridges, along with keyboardist Magne Furuholmen (with whom he later formed A-ha with singer Morten Harket), drummers Erik Hagelien and Øystein Jevanord, and bassist Viggo Bondi. In 1980, Bridges released their only album, the self-financed LP Fakkeltog. Although the title is Norwegian (meaning torchlight procession), the songs are in English.

An unreleased Bridges song called "The Juicy Fruit Song" later evolved into the A-ha hit "Take On Me".

Waaktaar-Savoy is the lead guitarist and main songwriter for A-ha, one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. Once "Q Magazine" named him as one of the best unknown lyricists of his generation. A-ha performed "Summer Moved On" live at the Nobel-Peace-Prize-Concert following a hiatus. After this, they decided to record a new album and, in 2000, A-ha had the comeback of the year, followed by a sold-out tour. The A-ha album "Lifelines" was released in 2002. The following tour was documented in A-ha's second official live album, How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, which was released in March 2003.