A-ha singer Morten Harket has Parkinson's disease
The lead singer of A-ha has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Morten Harket, the Norwegian synth-pop band 's frontman, released a statement on Wednesday about his diagnosis of the progressive neurological disorder and its effect on his career.
The Take On Me singer, 65, admitted he was 'uncertain' about his future as a vocalist as he was 'trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline'.
Harket, a father of five, underwent several rounds of brain surgery last year to manage his physical symptoms of the condition.
A lengthy statement published on the band's website on Wednesday, written by their biographer, read: 'In recent years, Morten Harket has also been a man battling his own body.
'This isn't the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is: Morten has Parkinson's disease.'
Harket told the biographer Jan Omdahl that he had wanted to reveal his condition to fans earlier, but that his need for 'peace and quiet to work has been stopping me'.
He added that 'problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future'.
Symptoms of Parkinson's, which is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, include tremor, slowness of movement and muscle rigidity.
It is caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. About 153,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's, but cases are predicted to rise to 172,000 by 2030 as the population ages.
'Managing side effects of medication'
'It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects,' Harket explained.
'There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.'
The brand's frontman, who has been performing since the 1980s, said that at the moment, he did not 'feel like singing', explaining that 'for me, that's a sign'.
He added: 'I'm broad-minded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control.
'The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.'
Harket said he had 'taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works''.
However, the musician has been making use of advanced technology in treating the disease, including using a method called deep brain stimulation (DBS).
The neurosurgical procedure, which he had done in June and December last year, included implanting electrodes into the two sides of his brain.
A-ha's biographer wrote that these surgeries 'led to a dramatic improvement in his symptoms'.
'The procedure had the desired effect: with the right electrical impulses now reaching Morten's brain, many of his physical symptoms practically vanished,' Mr Omdahl added.
Harket's neurologist in Norway, Dr Christina Sundal, was previously a research fellow with the Parkinson's team at the Mayo Clinic.
Mr Omdahl, who observed the lead singer at his summer home in Norway, described the symptoms as a 'never-ending roller-coaster ride'.
Discussing his future as A-ha's vocalist, Harket said he 'can't answer' whether his voice is the best he could hope for following the DBS treatments.
Impact of dopamine
The vocalist, who is known for his unique singing voice and technique, explained: 'When we tune the frequencies and direction of the electrodes, it is also able to affect the region of the voice, but we're not yet able to capture and control it.
'The voice problem comes especially when I take dopamine supplements. If I don't take dopamine, my voice settles down – but then the general underlying symptoms become more pronounced.'
The band, which was formed in Oslo in 1982, comprises guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, keyboardist Magne Furuholmen and lead singer Harket.
A-ha have had nine top 10 singles in the UK chart, including the chart-topping track The Sun Always Shines on TV, and seven top 10 albums.
Furuholmen said in an Instagram post on Wednesday: 'It is a day of sad news in A-ha world. Having known about Morten's diagnosis for some time does not take the force out of the blow, nor diminish the impact it has had, and will continue to have, on us – as people and as a band.
'Our thoughts are first and foremost with Morten and his family at a difficult time adjusting to the changes that this condition has brought into their lives.
'As the news brings sadness, it is worth to remember through the hurt that there is also a lot of gratitude: for all the amazing memories, for how our combined creative efforts as a band have been so generously embraced by the world, and for how lucky we are that people continue to find meaning, hope and joy in our shared musical legacy.
'All future A-ha-related activities will, of course, be tuned to suit Morten's situation, but together we will work to try and find ways to give you the best of ourselves. Thank you, everyone, for all your support, your kind words and consideration.'
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