North Korean A-ha accordionists 'destined for stardom'
21 replies, posted
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[img]http://cdn.newsday.com/polopoly_fs/1.3522022.1328997273!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/display_600/image.jpg[/img]
Photo credit: AP | In this frame grab from a December 2011 video provided by Morten Traavik of the Barents Spektakel festival, North Korean accordion players perform "Take on Me," by A-ha, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Organizers of the Barents Spektakel festival said the five North Korean accordion players provided the soundtrack Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, as 250 Norwegian border guards formed a human canvas by holding up colored cards in shifting patterns — a tradition in the reclusive communist country. (AP Photo/Barents Spektakel, Morten Traavik)
A group of North Korean accordionists who took the internet by storm with their version of 80s pop tune Take On Me are destined for stardom, a Norwegian director says.
Morten Traavik, who posted a video of them playing on YouTube, told the BBC their version of the A-ha hit had attracted more than one million hits. The video went viral earlier this month.
A-ha achieved worldwide fame in 1985 with Take On Me.
The single made them Norway's most famous band.
"These musicians are among the best I have ever encountered," Mr Traavik told the BBC.
"They are talented enough to be successful anywhere in the world.
"When I was in North Korea, I lent them a CD of Take on Me on a Monday morning. By the following Wednesday morning they had mastered the song, with no annotation and no outside help. It showed incredible skill."
[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/58414000/jpg/_58414374_triopanmunjom.jpg[/img]
Mr Traavik travels regularly to North Korea to arrange cultural exchanges
The accordionists will be playing a leading role in the Barents Spektakel festival that Mr Traavik is organising over the weekend in north-east Norway near the Russian border, itself an isolated, militarised area during the Cold War.
'Brilliant' students
Mr Traavik met the musicians from Kum Song Music School while in North Korea to develop an arts project, in which he introduced them to classical and popular music.
"It was pretty obvious from the outset that they were brilliant students, with great technical skills. They were interested in all forms of music, especially music from Norway including works by the classical composer Edvard Grieg."
Mr Traavik says that he thinks the reason why their A-ha song has proved so popular is because people in the West are intrigued by the idea of musicians in a collective society - using traditional instruments - genuinely enjoying their performance of a 1980s Euro-pop classic.
"People [in Norway] are amazed by their skills and also by the fact that you can have fun in North Korea. I think that insight really rocks a lot of people's established preconceptions about the country," he said.
[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/58441000/jpg/_58441163_ship464.jpg[/img]
Kirkenes shipyard - an unusual concert venue
He said that the accordionists have already played several concerts in Norway, including for ambassadors, the culture minister and shipyard-workers.
The director - who arranges artistic and cultural exchanges across East Asia - says he also plans to hold a North Korean-style coloured card picture spectacle at this weekend's festival.
He has arranged for two directors from North Korea to teach about 250 Norwegian border guards to create a similar sight - but on a smaller scale - as the mass card rallies staged in Pyongyang.
The card carrying performance will be set against the picturesque backdrop of the Norwegian-Russian border area, with the accordion ensemble providing the soundtrack.
The display is entitled "the Promised Land".[/release]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16968947[/url]
Video in question:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBgMeunuviE[/media]
It could be a better video if Kim Jong-il busted through* the wall with a giant wrench.
Holy shit that sounded so ridiculously awesome. I could even sing along; that's how perfect this was.
One word, TUNE.
I don't know if they're that good because they're Asian or stereo-typical strict North Korean regime. A bit of both maybe..
3 days and they mastered it. brilliant.
The telephone sound in the end really finished it hahaha :v:
sounds like Sims music
"I'll be gone in a day or twoooooooooo"
Needs more Kim Jong looking at Accordians.
Is the Norwegian guy the same one that was at the last war parade they had and got interviewed by some reporters and said that there was nothing wrong at all with north korea
Not bad.
Thought title said "[I]detained[/I] for stardom"
[QUOTE=Sector 7;34696707]sounds like Sims music[/QUOTE]
If they ever made a French Sims.
so a north korean group of accordionists is now the most famous band in norway
the prophecy is almost complete
If we cannot see even after we start playing A-ha songs on an accordion that we are all men and women struggling together then we have already lost
unify the world through obscure and vaguely humorous instruments
Great news everyone! It would appear that North Korea has now discovered the 80's! I congratulate them on getting out of the 70's.
[QUOTE=Wafflemonstr;34701659]Great news everyone! It would appear that North Korea has now discovered the 80's! I congratulate them on getting out of the 70's.[/QUOTE]
the official north korean youtube channel just uploaded this a few weeks ago
feels so 80s it isn't even funny.
[video=youtube;H0xp7iRSKxA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0xp7iRSKxA[/video]
[QUOTE=Wii60;34702022]the official north korean youtube channel just uploaded this a few weeks ago
feels so 80s it isn't even funny.
[video=youtube;H0xp7iRSKxA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0xp7iRSKxA[/video][/QUOTE]
I didn't know military uniform was popular wear in the 80's.
Funny now I wonder if that the Dynasty will actually now go and reach out and try to become a better place, culturally, economically, and living wise. Yeah right.
[QUOTE=Wii60;34702022]the official north korean youtube channel just uploaded this a few weeks ago
feels so 80s it isn't even funny.
[video=youtube;H0xp7iRSKxA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0xp7iRSKxA[/video][/QUOTE]
As long as they don't bring back GLAM Metal..