Martin Kvamme on the new a-ha cover designs

Martin talks with a-ha.com about inspiration and working with a-ha.

What made you chose this job? How did you start as a designer?

I started out as an art director’s assistant when I was 18 years old. At that time I had almost no education so I guess I was lucky to get a job After a couple of years I got more and more into graphic design, mainly because of music and cultural projects. I had a couple of friends that were musicians who had me do their packaging (like the Norwegian artist Magnet/Even Johansen among others), and that got the ball rolling. During the years I have been working with quite different artists like Fantômas, Tomahawk and Peeping Tom (Faith no More singer, Mike Patton’s projects), Satyricon and Darkthrone (black metal), Turbonegro, Gluecifer, a-ha, Bertine Zetlitz, Kurt Nilsen and Silje Nergaard (pop/rock) to classic and contemporary music. So I’m familiar with quite different genres

Martin Kvamme (Photo by Kimm Saatvedt for Dagens Næringsliv/D2 © 2008)

What is the artwork you’re most proud of and why?

Well, it’s a little difficult to pick just one, but the Tomahawk «Mit Gas» packaging came out quite special (at its time). But I’m really happy with both my two a-ha designs as well

You created the ‘Analogue’ era a-ha logo, as well as the new logo. What caused the change in the first place? Is the idea to have a new logo with each album release?

Why do people buy new cloths and shoes? Maybe you want to refresh yourself? If you don’t think of a-ha as a contemporary pop band, you could just quit.
(I’ve always seen a-ha as a contemporary pop band.) I think the logo-changes works well concerning A-ha. The band has such a strong/short name, and then it seems ok to change the logo now and then.
Besides, It’s not like they are Iron Maiden Then we would have had to keep up with a logo (and same expression) for 30+ years.

The ‘Analogue’ era a-ha logo

The hyphen in the a-ha logo is back! Where did it go, and is it back for good?

It was on the two previous logos as well, only a little more subtle (connected to the first “a”). But, I guess the hyphen is back to stay, now!

The ‘Foot of the Mountain’ album cover

Why no picture of the guys on the cover? Was that the band’s choice or yours?

Well, we tried out different things on the front (also with the band on it) but this is what we ended up with. There will be a picture of the band on the back of the CD (and also inside) so they are still there

Paul said in an online interview in 2007 that you include birds in all of your designs. What is the story behind this bird design element?

That is more a joke I tell but it’s somehow true. I have used birds quite a lot in my designs. I guess it’s because it gives it an “airy feeling” (I don’t know if this is the right description), and that it works well with music.

The ‘Savoy Songbook Vol. 1′ album cover

The ‘Savoy’ album cover

What do you think of the feedback from fans about the new a-ha covers? Are people for the most part ‘getting’ the message in the design?

Well, I think it is good that people have opinions about it. Good or bad. I wanted a different expression than the previous a-ha covers (and it probably is). The band, the management, the record label and I think it suits the music. But of course, there are probably a million ways to do it. But I think this will work quite well (together with the rest of the design inside the booklet). There are many things we need to consider when we design an album cover, than if this is something a fan would put up on the wall in his/her living room. Is it going be visible in the record store, on iTunes and as a small jpeg in an online article etc. etc. But if they get the message? Some get it, some don’t. Some bring up new interpretations that we had not even thought about – and some are way off I don’t think it is exciting if you explain every little detail, but If I have to come up with some keywords it could be Norwegian nature, epic, rose painting, collage, and the four natural elements.

Some fans have said that the ‘Foot of the Mountain’ album cover is “the best cover since ‘Scoundrel Days’.” What do you think of this comparison?

Then I just have to say thanks! I really like the ‘Scoundrel Days’ cover (and lots of other covers that they have made) but I think it’s important to try out new directions sometimes.

Apart from your own album covers for a-ha, which a-ha covers do you like the best?

Like I said, ‘Scoundrel Days’ is nice, I also really like the ‘Lifelines’ and ‘Hunting High and Low’ covers.

How do you create the artwork for CD covers? Do you take the inspiration from the title(s), the lyrics or do you work on a subject suggested by the artist?

In this case the title helped quite a lot. I know that this is a somehow poetic quote and that they are not necessarily talking about a mountain, but we wanted something majestic and simple. That’s also why we made it quite abstract. It’s a picture of the mountain Kyrkja (the church) in Jotunheimen/Norway. Inside we have more images of Norwegian nature (in a collage style). But in general I guess the inspiration comes from the overall idea (production and songwriting/lyrics), rather than the the album title.

The ‘Foot of the Mountain’ single cover

What is it like working with a-ha? Do they want you to have your own creative process or do they prefer to be involved very closely?

They are really nice guys. Good humor and easy to talk to. This time they put a couple of ideas on the table, and I put some of mine, and we ended up with something from both worlds. As for me, I am happy with the process and the result, hopefully they are too.

The ‘Analogue’ album cover

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