a-ha Moments: An Autobiographical Story about Fandom and Pop Music

In 1986, Larissa Bendel, aged twelve, becomes a fan of the Norwegian pop band a-ha. A few years later, she runs their official international fan club, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. She travels to see concerts and promotion gigs of her favourite band throughout Europe, meets with the musicians, makes friends with other fans and works intensively with the fan club. The book s central topic is the struggle for acknowledgement of the fan club s work by the band and their environment, as well as by Larissa Bendel s own circle of friends and peer group. The text is about the relationship between the author and the band members of a-ha; it tells about friendship and rivalries among the fans; it traces the narrator s development from an enthusiastic teenager to a grown-up expert of the band. a-ha Moments is an autobiographical and personal record; it reflects analytically, critically and thoughtfully about fandom. And it narrates with a lot of humour and full of anecdotes a story that allows deep insight into being a fan and a glimpse behind the scenes of pop business.