ABBA STORY IN BELGIUM CHART

Just wanted to inform you that in Belgium the compilation album "The ABBA Story" enters the Radio Donna Album top 50 charts at n°17 this week. I saw today in Free Record Shop that " The ABBA Story" was displayed at "top 7". Although I'm not sure that this means it was this week's 7th best selling album in Free Record Shop.

Anyway, ABBA hits the charts again in Belgium!

Thanks to ABBA fan Paul Vissers, Belgium

DIFFERENT COVER FOR US "IN CONCERT" DVD

Borders Books website are showing this as the cover for the US DVD release of ABBA LIVE IN CONCERT.



This shot is on the cover of the booket for the DVD in the rest of the world. It is possible it may just be an interim shot used by Borders.


Borders are showing a release date of June 8.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Carolyn Bergman, Atlanta,USA

AGNETHA GERMAN INTERVIEW

http://www.weltamsonntag.de/data/2004/05/30/284947.html

She still thinks of ABBA every day

Agnetha Fältskog was a star, now she tries a comback
Conversation with with a shy one by Heike Vowinkel

The good news in advance: She does speak. When one month ago Agnetha Fältskog, the blonde A from Abba, released her first album after a 17 year break, exactly what she had feared happened: everbody wanted to know everything about her. But they said : no interview, not a single one. Now she overcame herself - or was overcome by her record company - and speaks. The bad news: she only says a little. But as a compensation she looks good, with only damed few lines in the face of a 54 years old grandmother.

The long blonde hair was changed into a short cut hair style, her body is still lean, and the eyes are still blue. A little more melancholic maybe. "Actually" she says "I didn't plan that. I just missed singing so much and working in the studio." So she started listening to old records again. Those she had liked so much as a child: Doris Day, Connie Francis, Petula Clark. Four years did it take her to make cover versions out of their songs. Now we have the album "My Colouring Book", and she is "happy", she says. It is spoiled a little by the reviews that are not always good, especially in Sweden. "I get sad when I read unfair reviews" she confesses, "but today I can handle it better." What she had been doing all those years, after the group had split up in 1983, she describes as "relax". Well, some need a lot of transquillity. Shy, she has always been we know. "I have never been very selfconfident", she once said in a TV interview. Which did not match with the image of the sexy blonde in the glitter clothes. But outer appearance can be deceiving.

There were a lot of rumours about phobias - fear of strangers, fear of unknow situations, fear of flying. "Exagerated by the media", she says "I don't hide." But she is hardly every seen. She rarely leaves the island Ekerö near Stockholm, where she lives on a large property. When the musical "Mamma Mia" celebrated its fifth birthday in London, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus aund Anni-Frid Lyngstad, the other three of Abba, where there, only Agnetha was missing. "Because I don't like to travel" she explains. And that's why there won't be a tour for her album. And there won't be much more from her in the future. The past is still present for Agnetha, she says. "Not a single day I don't think of Abba". A great time was that. In her biography she wrote about her being scared of screaming, hysterical fans, but she does not want to talk about that anymore.

Agnetha, who grew up in the southern Swedisch town Jönköping, already wanted to be a singer when she was a child. But she probably had never imaged, what a huge success she would have with her husband Björn and friends Benny und Anni-Frid. 1974 they had become superstars, when they won the ESC with "Waterloo". In the 70s Abba ruled the charts and sold 350 million records. But in 1981 Agnetha's and Björn's marriage split, two years later the band broke up. Agnetha released three albums, then she withdraw with the two children she got during the marriage with Björn. That she says so little about herself can probably be explained with the fact that in the 80s they received kidnapping threats against their children and with her experiences with a stalker in 1997, a Dutch fan.

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Robin Andersson in Stockholm, Sweden and Erik Menkens in Wangerland, Germany

BEST HITS IN JAPAN CD

I went to Oriental ABBAland and had a look at the Japanese news and found these...

------------------

On March 10th, 5 domestic labels, including Universal Music (Japan) released 10 CDs in the Best Hits in Japan 1955 - 1974 series. Volume 10 ('72 - '74) includes "She's My Kind Of Girl" (Track 7). It also includes the Blue Swede hit "Hooked on a Feeling".

Best Hits in Japan 1955 - 1974 Series Volume 10 ('72 - '74) Victor Entertainment VICP-62596 2,500 yen
http://www.300hits.com/vol10.htm

------------------

Thomas Johansson was interviewed by NHK in its series Globetrotter which aired on its Satellite BS1 station on February 7th and aired again on February 11th and March 9th. The 20-minute program was about tomorrow's Swedish stars featuring up-and-coming young
musicians. In the interview Thomas talked about ABBA and the industry at the time and how ABBA was the start of the music industry in Sweden as we now know it.

------------------

Thanks to ABBAMAILer George Bourdaniotis, Kobe, Japan

AGNETHA IN BLACK & WHITE

Australian colour nude photography magazine (not only) Black & White has published a 2 double page spread in its latest issue which was out Friday.

Kirsten Dunst is on the cover of issue 73 along with the by-line Agnetha Falstkog -
ABBA's Troubled Trouper Returns. The feature begins on page 32 and is titled Agnetha's Angst and was written by Mike Pattenden. There are 2 full page colour photos (one from 1978, looks like the Eagle single pic session, the other Ring Ring outfit from 73-74.) There are also 3 small colour photos from 96 and 76.

The text regards her reluctance to promote the new album and includes quotes from Carl Magnus Palm and Britta Ahman. It's quite long and I'm sure someone will transcribe it soon.

The mag costs $13 Australian and is well worth it.

Just a word of warning, the majority of the mag is explicit art photographs of naked women.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jeff Roberts, Sydney Australia

ABBA THE MOVIE TICKETS ON SALE NOW

ABBA THE MOVIE - comes to ABBAFEST on Sunday 13th June at the Duke of York's Picture House, Brighton. This elegant building is also the oldest cinema showing films continuously in Britain and lends itself to such an occasion.

Polar Music International AB, have given special approval to screen the film which commences at 11.00am and this will be the only time they will be sanctioning a showing before it is properly sound mixed. "Since ABBAFEST is the biggest ABBA-event this year, it's worth it" says Universal Stockholm.


For bookings please telephone the box office 44+ (0)1273 602 503 daytime or you can book online at http://www.picturehouses.co.uk click on Duke of York's and then the book online section.

Tickets cost £6.50 per person and a donation of the sales will be going to the Prince's Trust which the show Mamma Mia is also supporting.

Vaughan Davies, ABBAFEST Organiser

AGNETHA DEBUTS AT #50

The new Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Chart has been published and Agnetha's MY COLOURING BOOK has debuted at #50.

While this may seem disappointing, it is important to note that Warner Music staff in Australia have no interest or commitment to the album and there has been no promotion whatsoever.

The single IF I EVER THOUGHT YOU'D CHANGE YOUR MIND is not being released in Australia which makes generating awareness of the album even more difficult.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Smith, Western Australia

LIVE IN AUSTRALIA 1977 - BACK IN STOCK

The sensational colour picture set ABBA LIVE IN AUSTRALIA 1977 is back in stock at ABBAMAIL.

This incredible set comprises twenty one 5" x 7" (13cm x 18cm) glossy shots of ABBA during their legendary 1977 Australian Tour. The shots are stunning, the quality is stunning. The set is an absolute must for collectors.

It can be ordered now through our web shop now at:
http://www.abbamail.com/shop/prod108.htm

UK DAILY MAIL STORY

DIGGIN' THE DANCING PRINCE

The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles will be bopping to Abba's
Knowing Me, Knowing You at the Prince's Trust gala performance of Mamma
Mia!at....The Prince of Wales Theatre.

The show on June 10 marks the official re-opening of the theatre, which
Cameron Mackintosh has spent milions doing up. Mamma Mia! ends its run at
the Prince Edward tomorrow night and moves into its new home on Monday.

I hope Charles and Camilla know the words to Dancing Queen, because it's in
the singalong at the end, for which the royal party must stay.

Call 0870 850 0399 for ticket information.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Martin Thompson, Rushden, Northants, UK

ABBA LIVE IN....BANKSTOWN!

Mother here with an ABBA report from my shopping this afternoon at Bankstown!

ABBA IN CONCERT, the DVD, is now available in shops like HMV and Target. HMV are charging an outrageous price for it, Target are charging $29.99 which is a little more reasonable. Some shops lik JB-HiFi and K-Mart are yet to get stock. The IN CONCERT DVD has been pressed in Australia

The ABBA Story CD/Booklet is also released in Australia: HMV has it for $34.99 while Target has it for $24.95 (what a difference!). Other shops are a little slower to get stock in. The Australian release is, in fact, the EU pressing. It does have a glamorous sticker on the front which you couldn't miss even from a mile away ;-)

There have been various other reports of availability of these items around Australia along with wild price variations for Agnetha's MY COLOURING BOOK. Everything from $21.99 to $31.99 with $23.99 being the price at JB-HiFi. It certainly pays to shop around. The "former ABBA solo member yada yada" sticker is on some stock only and there doesn't seem to be a pattern to this.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole and ABBAMAILer Carolyn Styles amongst others.

SVT PRESS RELEASE FOR AGNETHA TV SPECIAL

ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson has uploaded SVT's press release and their press pictures from the program to his web site:

http://www.allaboutabba.com/artikel1.php?id=2

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Unique interview with Agnetha Fältskog

28 May 2004 Pressrelease from SVT:

SVT1 Friday 4th of June 8 pm: "Agnetha".

Unique interview with Agnetha Fältskog

She loves musik and dislikes publicity. She's mother, she's national icon and she is 25 per cent ABBA. One of our time's biggest artists prised with gold in her throat and now show herself for the audience after 17 years of silence.

It's about Agnetha Fältskog on SVT1 Friday 4th of June at 8 pm.

The director Magnus Skogsberg Tear and the project leader Ola Johansson got the confidence to gather together a team and do a programme about and with Agnetha Fältskog. To minimize the size of the team, Magnus chose to document the interview himself with a small super8-camera.

The programe is recorded in her home enviroment during some intensive days this spring.

In "Agnetha" Agnetha Fältskog tells about her life in and outside the limelight, about how it all started when she being young and hungry came to Sweden as a singer in the 70s, and about ABBA and the world tour and all the hysteria surrounding the band. It's long since then, but she although concludes:

- There isn't one day I'm not thinking about ABBA or that I dream about ABBA.

But "Agnetha" also provides a more private part of the singer. She tells about her melancholy, about the love to sad songs and she evalutes things like courage, fear and happiness.

Apart from the interview the program also contains parts of music videos and glimpses from Agnetha's work with the latest record. And a as a bonus the viewers get to see a number of film-sequences where Agnetha is doing the role as Lena, and the actor Magnus Krepper is being Leif, in the film we will never get to see in full, but that in the programme has a very enjoyable ending...

The interview with Agnetha is done by Lotta Bromé.

(Thanks to SVT)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

AGNETHA FOR AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS

Agnetha.se reports that Agnetha has been interviewed by Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun for a story that will appear in the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Courier Mail, Advertiser, "other regional papers in Newcastle, Canberra, etc" . (looks like all the News Corp papers).

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

QUEER EYE FOR AGGIE

FROM AGNETHA INTERVIEW WITH SWEDISH NEWSPAPER QX

==============
Agnetha Fältskog may be a mediashy individual, but you really can't say the same about the gang who has helped her with videos for the new album "My Colouring Book" and the TV-program "Agnetha".

-I am very satisfied with the result and with the team. I work well with gay people, you actually don't see a difference between homo and hetero, Agnetha Fältskog says to QX.

Agnetha's own Fab 5 consists of Lotta Bromé, interviewer, Ola Johansson, project leader and art director, Magnus Skogsberg Tear, director (you haven't missed his "Village People-commercial" for Billy's pizzabitar, have you?), Magnus Flobecker, stylist, Espen Bekkebråte, producer (together with Ulla Fluur), Tony Lundström, hair stylist, who unfortunately wasn't there when QX met the Agnetha-gang on an early morning in May in a photo studio on Hammarby fabriksväg. It's a merry and close gang, and maybe that's not very strange since all of them are "family" (=gay).

How come Agnetha chose to work with a group of homos?

Ola: It's probably mostly because of me. When I began to book people for this project I chose people I knew are good at what they're doing but at the same time work well in a team. It just happened to be all homos. But the most important thing was that they were people that Agnetha would feel comfortable with. Agnetha also said when we had begun working that she felt secure with the team, that they weren't people who didn't wish her well.

===============================

The rest of the interview is in our Agnetha news section.

ABBAMAIL'S COMMENT: NOW THAT AGNETHA HAS COME OUT AS PRO-GAY, WE WONDER IF THE EVIL FEMBOTS RUNNING THE ABBASITE.COM FORUMS WILL STOP THEIR ANTI-GAY WAYS? MOST OF THE "GOOD" MODERATORS HAVE LEFT THE SITE SICK OF THE FEMBOTS AND THEIR POWER-TRIPPING, ANTI-GAY AGENDA. MAYBE AGNETHA NEEDS TO WAVE HER MAGIC WAND OVER THE ABBASITE AND SAY "POOF" AND MAKE THE HOMOPHOBIC ADMIN TEAM DISAPPEAR.

THE ABBASITE.COM FORUM DEFINITELY NEEDS ITS OWN FAB FIVE. EVEN THE GAY MODERATORS DON'T HAVE ANY BALLS ;-)

FAB NEW HEP STARS BOOK NOW AVAILABLE

The sensational new book about Benny's 60s group THE HEP STARS is now available. It is written by ABBA legend Carl Magnus Palm and includes unbelievable photos:

CADILLAC MADNESS
– den otroliga berättelsen om The Hep Stars
(Cadillac Madness – The Incredible Story Of The Hep Stars).

On March 23, 1965, five long-haired young men caused a sensation on the Swedish television screens. Running back and forth across the stage, and jumping up and down on the speakers, they performed a song called ‘Cadillac’. After this legendary performance, lead singer Svenne Hedlund became Sweden’s biggest teen idol, and organ player Benny Andersson took the first steps in a career that would later bring him worldwide fame.

This is the first book ever written about the band that swept through the Swedish pop landscape. Authors Dan-Eric Landén och Carl Magnus Palm offer a gripping and entertaining story about the rise and fall of a pop band: the road to success, the chaotic tours, the hysterical fans, the record-breaking record sales, the African movie adventure, the financial disasters, the conflicts within the group, the inevitable end…

All the former members of The Hep Stars – Svenne Hedlund, Benny Andersson, Lelle Hegland, Chrille Pettersson and Janne Frisk – have been interviewed for the book, along with their many associates: managers, roadies, sound engineers and many more. Cadillac Madness is richly illustrated with hundreds of photographs from the group’s career, many of which are previously unpublished.

The book also comes with a discography, detailing every Hep Stars record issued in Sweden and abroad during the group’s glory years. The discography is fully illustrated in colour, and details the many variations between different pressings. There is also a price guide, which helps the reader determine which records are the most sought-after on the collector’s market.

A sensational bonus CD is included with the first edition of the book. Entitled Someday Someone, it features four previously unreleased studio recordings by The Hep Stars, all of which were made during the golden years of 1966 and 1967! The title track is a Benny Andersson/Svenne Hedlund song, which is featured in two different versions – one which contains echoes of the future ABBA sound, and one “spinet version” in the classic style of Sunny Girl. The CD also contains a version of Rag Doll, plus a psychedelic adventure entitled Massa’s Mess.

Swedish language, hardbound, 169 x 239 mm, 416 pages i color

ISBN 91-89136-04-7

You can buy the book from these sources:

Premium Publishing:
http://www.premiumpublishing.com/eng/buy.html

ABBF Record Service:
http://home-4.tiscali.nl/~t097528/

Popimport:
http://w1.370.telia.com/~u37000242/

And if you want a personally signed copy direct from CMP himself:
http://carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/cadillacmadness.html

AGNETHA WEB SITE NEWSLETTER #9

No. 9, May 28, 2004

Breaking the Silence!

Since Agnetha gave her first brief interview April 8 with Kristian Luuk on his
TV show Sen kväll med Luuk (Late Night With Luuk), the media and fans alike have
been holding their breath for more.

At last, the long wait is over!

Agnetha Speaks Out!

As the second single When You Walk In The Room is playing in dance clubs and
being readied to ship to radio and record stores in June, Agnetha tells all in
her new documentary television special!

It is called Agnetha. And, other than the release of her album My Colouring
Book, it is undoubtedly the most exciting thing to happen to Agnetha and ABBA
fans all around the world since the demise of ABBA.

Agnetha has produced the show with Director Magnus Tear and creative director
Ola Johansson. An honest and revealing interview with Lotta Bromé is in English
and Swedish. You will also see parts of the videos for songs from My Colouring
Book, rare footage of Agnetha in her 60s solo career and from her days with
ABBA.

Complete details -- including airdates in Sweden, Finland and Germany (with more
to come) -- can be found on Agnetha.se.

Print Interviews!

In a surprise move, Agnetha gave phone interviews this week to select
journalists and newspapers around the world. Look out for stories soon in the
UK, Germany, Finland and Australia. Again, read the details at Agnetha.se.

Expressen: Agnetha wanted to stop the film about herself

Here's my translation of an article on today's Expressen about Agnetha's new
documentary.

---------------------

Agnetha wanted to stop the film about herself

At first Agnetha Fältskog said no to being interviewed in front of the camera in the TV-documentary "Agnetha". But the film team slowly managed to gain her trust - and soon she was talked into it.

- We got very close to her. She almost became like a mother to us, says the director Magnus Skogsberg Tear.

In the program which is broadcast on SVT1 on June 4, Agnetha Fältskog talks very revealing about herself, her time with ABBA and the work with the comeback album "My Colouring Book".

The TV-viewers will among other things hear Agnetha Fältskog speak in a very personal interview with the SVT-profile Lotta Bromé.

But at first there were no plans for a filmed interview - instead there were plans that only her voice would be heard.

- But then one day we told her, you have to because you're so charming, says Magnus Skogsberg Tear.

Agnetha Fältskog agreed to give it a try - but was promised that the material would be thrown away if she wasn't satisfied.

- She hasn't thrown away anything, states the project leader Ola Johansson.

They want to change the image there is of Agnetha Fältskog as a reclusive and depressed person.

- She's not like that. She's an incredibly relaxed person. Warm and with lots of humour, says Ola Johansson.

The program has also been filmed in an English version and the interest for it abroad is huge.

Will you get rich on this film?

- No, we won't. All the rights are negotiated away, it's usually like that, says Magnus Skogsberg Tear.

A while ago the star herself got to see the final result of "Agnetha". Now she's looking forward to having it shown on TV.

- She thinks it's going to be lots of fun, says Ola Johansson.

By Tomas Kvarnkullen

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

JOY FM MAKES AGNETHA ALBUM OF THE WEEK

Agnetha's My Colouuring Book is JOY FM Melbourne's "album of the week". They're giving away copies all week whenever they play a track from it.

Tonight they played If I Ever Thought You'd Change Your Mind while we were driving
home from work...ironically it was the Almighty radio edit !

JOY is a community gay and lesbian station that has a very high profile in Melbourne and a lot of people listen to them. Hopefully it's a sign that Warners are trying to push it...and at least JOY have picked up on it and are running with it.

Thanks to ABBA fan Carrie Hammil, Melbourne, Australia

ANOTHER QUEEN ADMITS TO BEING AN ABBA FAN!

From Aftonbladet:

Queen Elizabeth is a "dancing queen"

"She has a large collection of ABBA-records"

LONDON. Talk about a Dancing Queen. It has now been revealed that Queen Elizabeth is a big Abba-fan.

An insider in Buckingham Palace says:

- She has a large collection of Abba-records. Once in a while she dances to their music.

It was when her son, Prince Charles, was invited to attend a special performance of the musical Mamma Mia on June 10 - at Prince Charles Theatre in London - that it was revealed that the Queen is delighted with the Swedish supergroup.

By Peter Wennman

---------------

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

EVEN JESUS LOVES AGGIE!

Well, not Jesus, but the guy who played Jesus in "The Passion of The Christ". Apparently he is a big ABBA and Agnetha-fan. Seems like that's almost the only thing he wanted to talk about with Aftonbladet's reporter at the Cannes filmfestival.

-------------

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,481920,00.html

Jesus wanted to know everything about Agnetha

The moviestar got a big interview with Aftonbladet

CANNES. Aftonbladet met Jesus. And got saddled with a fanatic Agnetha Fältskog-admirer.

It' not really an exaggeration to say that Jim Caviezel - the star from Controversial "The Passion of the Christ" - idolizes the former ABBA-star...

The star from Mel Gibson's successful movie about Jesus' last twelve hours is visiting the filmfestival to promote "Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius". A movie that's about a 1930s Tiger Woods.

Like the assembly line-principle, Caviezel talks with journalist after journalist. Ten minutes per person. But it doesn't always turn out the way you've imagined.

- From Sweden. Do you like ABBA, is his opening line.

- Well yes, even if they're not exactly my favorites.

After that Jesus gets started. He asks what the members do today, and why they haven't reunited like other classic bands and then makes a deep analysis about the brilliance of their music.

Six minutes have passed.

We talk for a minute about the golf movie. A couple of more about the role as Jesus. How fun he thinks it is that even non-religious people are so taken by the movie.

"Is she still as beautiful?"

One minute left, says the PR-woman .

- How does Agnetha live today? Is she married? How does she live? What does she do?, Jesus asks.

As good as I can, I try to describe her Greta Garbo-like lifestyle. Jesus absorbs every word.

It's been twelve minutes. The PR-woman says it's the last question.

- Is she as beautiful as on the album covers?, Jesus asks.

So I say that Agnetha probably looks like any middle-aged that has aged well. Jesus looks a bit disappointed.

Fifteen minutes. The PR-woman says we have to end the interview.

- Does she sing anything these days? Jesus asks.

So I tell him about the new CD. The number one spot on the chart. The old 1960s songs. Jesus wonders if I know when the CD will be released abroad.

Reveals secret

Nineteen minutes. Now the PR-woman has realized that I'm not the problem. She turns to Jesus and says "Please". Two journalists are waiting for their turn. I stand up.

- There was a lot about ABBA, Jesus says and laughs.

- We'll use the headline "Jesus is obsessed with ABBA", I say.

- Excellent, Jan-Olov. I'll tell you a secret. As I was up there on the cross during the filming of the Jesus-movie, as I was waiting for the techninicians to finish what they were doing, I always listened to music. And often to ABBA. Do you know why? Agnetha has the voice of an angel!

By Jan-Olov Andersson

-----------------------

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

FRIDA / POLAR MUSIC PRIZE SNIPPET

The following link takes you directly to the snippet where you can see
Frida:

http://wwwb.aftonbladet.se/vss/streaming/tv_fonster/0,5208,m0no040524king,00.html?avdelningslage=29

To see the short streaming video, first you have to choose your connection speed on the left.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Juan Carlos Laye, Montevideo, Uruguay

AGNETHA BITS

When You Walk In The Room tracklisting: I found this tracklisting on a Japanese site
(http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cbr04550/newreleasemain.html).

It seems to be saying that the UK tracklisting will be as follows. It doesn't make sense since UK chart rules don't allow that many tracks on a single (from what I recall). This is how it was listed so I can't vouch for any of it.

CD1
1. Original Version
2. Radio Remix.

CD2
1. Original Version
2. Soundfactory Radio Edit
3. Soundfactory Club Anthem
4. Soundfactory Dub Instrumental
5. Almighty Mix
6. Almighty Radio Edit
7. Almighty Dub (Video)

Adelaide (Australia) radio:

A friend of mine in Adelaide tells me that Agnetha is getting airplay on Adelaide Radio 891 (AM talkback show). They played "When You Walk In The Room" on Friday and gave it a 7 out of 10. This morning they played "What Now My Love" which had attracted several calls to the station.

Swedish charts:
The latest chart action in Sweden (week 21) sees Agnetha dropping from number 3 to number 6 on the album chart and from number 11 to number 14 on the single chart.

Lets hope "When You Walk In The Room" and the documentary give sales a boost.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

FRIDA AT POLAR MUSIC PRIZE 2004

Click on the web site link to go to a great page with pics from the Polar Music Prize 2003 and shots from Mamma Mia!'s 5th Anniversary.

And if you think she looks a little stressed: "She was running very late. Even when I left it was late and she had to get in there before the King and Queen.

Apparently she told people she would talk to them after and she did, I got something signed for my friend Amanda who I had been stayiong with, she didn't have Frida's signature so I thought it would be a nice thank you for letting me stay with her.

Julie Rickwood, London UK"

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, UK

MAKE YOUR OWN COLOURING BOOK - BUT DO IT LEGALLY!

ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham has put together a list of the versions of the songs on MY COLOURING BOOK that actually inspired Agnetha. You can pick these versions up on various 60s compilation CDs in record shops or places like Amazon.com etc. These CDs are usually priced at "nice price" levels so you can get them quite cheaply.

Some fans have already put their own "colouring book" together with these versions. But if you want to do it - do it legally! Buy the CDs, don't download the tracks from some free file sharing web site. DO THE RIGHT THING!

If you don't, not only will karma get you but Jesus will come down from heaven and fry your genitals off. Jesus HATES people who download music that can be easily and legally purchased. You have been told!

1. My Colouring Book (Dusty Springfield)
2. When You Walk In The Room (Jackie De Shannon)
3. If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind (Cilla Black)
4. Sealed With A Kiss (Brian Hyland)
5. Love Me With All Your Heart (Petula Clark)
6. Fly Me To The Moon (Doris Day)
7. Past, Present And Future (Shangri Las)
8. A Fool Am I (Cilla Black)
9. I Can't Reach Your Heart (Connie Francis)
10. Sometimes When I'm Dreaming (Art Garfunkel)
11. The End Of The World (Skeeter Davis)
12. Remember Me (Sandie Shaw)
13. What Now My Love (Petula Clark)


Graeme Read, ABBAMAIL Administration

AGNETHA CD AUSTRALIAN REVIEW: SYDNEY'S DAILY TELEGRAPH

My Colouring Book:

Agnetha Faltskog

Why didn't you just leave her alone, happy in her musical exile?

I suppose it was a bit too much to expect ABBA's very own sex goddess to vamp herself up Lulu-style for a comeback. After all, she has all those creepy stalkers to worry about and wouldn't want to encourage them with any pumping dance tracks or hot-stuff videos a'la Kylie Minogue.

Instead, Agnetha has played it safe on this release with a collection of highly orchestrated covers that sound like they've come straight out of the early '60s songbook.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with that approach - Sealed With A Kiss is gorgeous - but it just means that there's nothing particularly revelatory or stirring here.

Your mum'll love it, though.

km

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Patrick Blake, Gold Coast, Australia

NEW RELEASES EXPLAINED

from ABBAsite.com

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May 2004
ABBA In Concert DVD and The ABBA Story CD release info

The live DVD ABBA In Concert and the compilation CD The ABBA Story are among the major ABBA releases in 2004. Here is some international release information for those products.

The 30th Anniversary year of 2004 has seen plenty of new releases. Here we will try to give you a bit of release information on two of those CDs and DVDs.

ABBA IN CONCERT DVD

The ABBA In Concert DVD was released March 29, 2004. Many territories saw a later release date, and in others it hasnt been released yet. So far, it has been issued in most European countries, and also in places such as Canada, Brazil, Mexico and New Zealand. In Germany, ABBA In Concert spent three weeks at number one on the DVD chart and has been certified Gold. In the UK it reached number two on the DVD chart. So far, almost 100,000 copies have been sold of ABBA In Concert worldwide.

Here are some upcoming release dates for ABBA In Concert, based on the best information available at the moment:

Japan: May 21
Australia: May 31
US: June

THE ABBA STORY CD

The compilation CD The ABBA Story is packaged as a book, and the liner notes naturally tells the ABBA story through the songs included on the CD. The liner notes have been prepared in several different languages for different territories. The first edition to be released was the FRENCH version, which was issued in France on March 2. This version has also been released in Switzerland.

The following countries are releasing the ENGLISH version:
Australia, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, The Netherlands, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, New Zealand, The Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland.

SPANISH version:
Spain

GERMAN version:
Austria, Germany, Switzerland

DUTCH version:
Belgium
The Netherlands

Certain other territories are looking at doing versions of The ABBA Story in their own languages. We hope to get back to you with further information.

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Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

AGNETHA: I HAVE BEEN VERY SAD

From Aftonbladet

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,483574,00.html

- I've been very sad

Agnetha Fältskog in a big interview about her private life.

Agnetha Fältskog finds it easiest to interpret the hard and darker things in life. On the ABBA-star's new record almost every song is about crushed love and missing people.

- I've been very sad many times, she says in an exclusive interview.

Agnetha Fältskog is often described as a new Greta Garbo. Just like the nowadays dead actress, the ABBA-star lives since many years very isolated..

She spends almost all her time at her big house at Ekerö outside Stockholm. That Agnetha Fältskog released the comeback record "My Colouring Book" nearly a month ago did not change much.

"The lyrics important"

Fältskog has contiuned to decline all interview-offers, except for a few words with Kristian Luuk which took place via a link to the star's home.

Recently Lotta Bromé though did a longer interview with Agnetha Fältskog - the first "real" interview in 17 years. Aftonbladet has seen some sequences from the material. It's about her time as a young girl in Stockholm, about the ABBA-time,
hysterical fans and about the music.

- When you sing it's very important with the lyrics and that you "live them" to be able to tell what this song tells, says Agnetha Fältskog.

During the interview the viewer also get a glimpse during the dark periods of the star's life. Agnetha Fältskog endured a hard divorce from Björn Ulvaeus at the end of the ABBA-period.

12 years later she re-married with the doctor Tomas Sonnenfeld, a marriage that lasted only three years.

Interprets tragic songs

Many of the songs on "My Colouring Book" is about love, sorrow and missing someone. Not least "Remember me", "What now my love", and "The end of the world". Agnetha Fältskog's choice of songs gets its explanation in the SVT-interview.

- I find it very easy to interpret the tragical songs, or the unhappy love, she says.

When Bromé asks Fältskog if she has been sad, she answers:

- Yes, absolutely. I've been sad very many times. But I'm not sad always.

SVT's interview with Agnetha Fältskog is broadcast on the 4th of June.

..............................

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

AGNETHA FOR AUSSIE CHARTS?

This is from an Australian music news site. Let's hope they're right.

Avril and Agnetha To Top Next Weeks Debuts

Avril Lavigne and Agnetha Faltskog look like having the two highest debuting albums in Australia next week.

Avril could be in for a number one with her 'Under My Skin' album coming in at the top of HMV's midweek chart. Former Abba member Agnetha is looking good for a Top 20 position with her first studio album in 16 year titled 'My Colouring Book'.

Other albums set to debut next week include Speedstar's second album 'Forget The Sun Just Hold On' and Rasmus 'Dead Letters'.

By Paul Cashmere

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, East Perth

WARNER MUSIC AUSTRALIA "OUTS" AGNETHA

Yes, the news is finally out!

Agnetha was a former member of ABBA!

Warner Music Australia has added this sticker to many (but by no means all) copies of the Australian release of My Colouring Book in an attempt to help (?) sales

Perhaps they should have gone with something a little more direct like...

"SOLO ALBUM BY ANNA, YOU KNOW, THE ONE WHO USED TO BE BLONDE AND CUTE IN THAT ABBA GROUP FROM SWEDEN"

Graeme Read / Thanks to Ian Cole for the scan
ABBAMAIL Administration

EVIL DUTCH JOURNALISTS SITE UPDATED

The two evil Dutch journalists, or Kitty and Kelly, Adolf and Eva or whatever you want to call them finally managed to say something positive about Frida on their site. They're showing some wonderful pictures of Frida's housing complex on Mallorca, that she sold recently. (MMMMM, wouldn't mind spending a holiday there, what a house!)

Quote:
As you can see the estate and the wonderful view from the terras is just as
spectacular as Frida herself.

I wonder how much therapy it took to get them to say something positive about
Agnetha's backing vocal. Or maybe Graeme's bookburning threats are getting to them???

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Monique Hoevens, Tilburg, The Netherlands

NOTE FROM ABBAMAIL - THIS STORY ON ABBAMAIL'S NEWS PAGE IS A ONE-OFF: ABBAMAIL HAS A POLICY OF NOT REPORTING ANY NEWS FROM THE WEBSITE OF THE AUTHORS OF "ABBA ON SPEAKING TERMS" DUE TO THEIR PREVIOUS NOTORIOUS HISTORY OF GOSSIP REPORTING OF ABBA RELATED STORIES IN THE DUTCH PRESS. AND ALSO DUE TO THE CONTENTS OF THEIR DUTCH LANGUAGE BOOK "ABBA ON SPEAKING TERMS". OUR POSITION IS BASICALLY A MORAL POSITION/MORAL JUDGEMENT AND WE RECOGNISE THAT NOT EVERY ABBA FAN HAS THE SAME MORAL POSITION. IF YOU WISH TO FIND OUT NEWS STORIES FROM THIS SITE, WE SUGGEST YOU BOOKMARK THE URL AND VISIT IT DIRECTLY.

UK CHART COMMENTS ON :"WATERLOO" SINGLE

This is what James Masterson had to say in regards to Abba's latest charting.

Although the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest had been won by Luxembourg, the tiny country had passed on the chance to host the contest the following year so the UK stepped into the breach for the 1974 contest. Olivia Newton-John was the UK's representative that year but the song that ran away with the voting was the raucous and catchy tale of love's surrender sung by two glamorous looking couples from Sweden.

Although they were far from unknowns in their home country it was their performance of 'Waterloo' that catapulted Abba to worldwide fame. The song was an easy Number One when released here a few weeks after the contest and as history will record was the first of nine for the foursome who spent the rest of the decade carving out a lasting pop
legacy.

30 years on and the time is clearly ripe for a re-release so for the first time since it first won the contest, 'Waterloo' becomes a UK hit. It is strange to relate that despite the Abba revival that appears to have been going on for over a decade now, this is only the second ever re-release of one of their old tracks and as such is their first chart appearance since 'Dancing Queen' made Number 16 in 1992. 'Waterloo' itself has only ever been covered once before, Doctor And The Medics teaming up with Roy Wood on a version which made Number 45 in November 1986. The appearance of this single of course comes just a few short weeks after Agnetha Faltskog made her own solo chart return.

Waterloo comes in at #20, giving Abba yet another top 20 chart hit, their 20th. So, their 20th top 20 comes in at #20. Not bad at all. NB: Agnetha is off the charts, both single and album, in the UK.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

AGNETHA IN SYDNEY

For those looking for 'Colour Me Agnetha' in Sydney city:

HMV Pitt Street Mall: half a rack in front of store display (albeit the bottom half), along with copies of Eyes of a Woman and That's Me. $21.99 Also under Fältskog Agnetha, along with Eyes of a Woman, That's Me, copies of If I Thought You'd Change Your Mind UK CD 2. All copies seem to have the "Former ABBA member's solo album" sticker. Also in the ABBA section (the imported expensive copies), with That's Me, and even My Love My Life!!!

Sanity Imperial Arcade and Town Hall Arcade: don't even bother. If it's not on the shelf, then they've lost a sale. Fuck, Sanity is such a useless chain!

Borders: a few copies, under F - no card tagging an Agnetha Fältskog section.

Grace Bros... I mean Myer (still can't get used to that!): quite a few copies under Faltskog, Agnetha, plus in a display rack.

Australians, don't forget, only buy your CDs from shops listed here:
http://www.aria.com.au/ChartstoresIndex.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

*****************

A check with Sanity, HMV, Myer CD Dept and Sandlia Music in Liverpool, NSW at lunch time today was all to no avail regards Aggie's new album.

I pre-ordered it with the Australian HMV and am still waiting.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harold Hanlon, Sydney, Australia

THE INTERVIEW THE WHOLE WORLD WANTED

FROM EXPRESSEN.SE

Bromé got the interview the whole world wanted

Agnetha Fältskog wanted to decide herself who would get the first, big interview
with herself in 17 years.

She chose the SVT-profile Lotta Bromé.

- I was so happy and very proud that she wanted to talk with me, says Lotta Bromé to Expressen.

The earlier ABBA-star had decided - she didn't want to do any more intreviews. But the proposal about doing a documentary during the work with the comeback album "My Colouring Book" she chose to accept. Agnetha Fältskog though demanded full insight in the whole production - and a certain, secret contract was signed - that the material would be thrown away if she wasn't happy.

This Easter she was asked who she wanted to exclusively interview her for the
production.

Lotta Bromé's name showed up in the discussion and Agnetha Fältskog's spontaneous reaction was:
- She's cosy.

Shortly after that the singer and the TV-profile met for the first time.

"It was a great honour"

- I was so happy that she chose to talk with me, it's a big honour doing that. I also feel very proud over that we have exchanged a trust and that she felt safe with me.

Did you get so good contact that you've become friends?

- No, I actually choose not to comment upon that. It's enough to say that we've
"exchanged confidences", says Lotta.

In the documentary "Agnetha" Agnetha Fältskog tells openheartedly about the time with ABBA and the feelings after that. She also leaves an explanation why she wants to be left in peace.

- She has a very strong integrity, and I must say that is a very attractive ability whether you're famous or not. She will give her explanation, says Lotta Bromé.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

SINGAPOREAN & CHINESE REVIEWS OF MY COLOURING BOOK

Copyright 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
The Straits Times (Singapore)

May 21, 2004 Friday

SECTION: Life!

HEADLINE: Heavy mettle;
Loretta Lynn, 69, and Abba's Agnetha Faltskog, 54, show that their music can go beyond beehives, butts and Botox

BODY:
VAN LEAR ROSELoretta Lynn(Interscope)

MY COLOURING BOOK Agnetha Faltskog(Warner)
AGE, that dreaded three-letter spectre, looms over wrinkle-conscious female pop stars. However, in the case of visionaries, it can be a prized asset.

The re-ascendance of two legends, American country mama Loretta Lynn and Swedish pop queen Agnetha Faltskog, proves you don't always have to bend to pop's whims and resort to a Botoxed makeover.

Age, in this case, has shaded their singing with sagacity and passion.

Lynn, the original kitchen-sink feminist of honky-tonk, shows she still has the gumption to rattle things.

In Van Lear Rose, the 69-year-old joins hands with 28-year-old garage rock upstart Jack White from The White Stripes for an invigorating collaboration.

It is a jaw-dropper in more ways than one. As producer, arranger and sometime composer, he gets into the core of her febrile, audacious imagination.

Not unlike Emmylou Harris, the latter explores feral scenarios where cheated spouses break free of their shackles and fractious blondes get their comeuppance.

What White has done is to make the setting live and spontaneous, as if Lynn's life is unfurling right in front of you.

By injecting modern rock's sex and anarchy into an alluring country mix of pedal steel, slide guitar, fiddle and piano, he allows the singer's stories of pride and redemption to take centre stage.

Listen to how the two create beautiful music in a duet called Portland Oregon, a lustful regaling of a one-night stand where youth and social standards don't matter.

Even when she sings about a magnetic sexual predator in Have Mercy, Lynn sounds gleefully complicit in this musical foreplay.

Equally in lovely control is Faltskog, the blonde bombshell and the most enigmatic member from Abba who returns with her first solo album in 17 years.

You half-expect the 54-year-old to ride along on the tide of cheesy nostalgia with the popularity of the musical Mamma Mia!, but she has done the unthinkable.

My Colouring Book may be an album of 1960s covers but this is an intriguing, graceful recollection before the pop classics got tainted by the patina of kitsch.

In fact, the whole CD sounds like a soundtrack of English nuggets for a French new wave film, as Faltskog sings with palpable heartburn and longing.

Hear how she turns the Brian Hyland hit, Sealed With A Kiss, into a heart-stirring madrigal for a spy film, complete with sweeping harmonies and sentimental pomp.

And in her straight version of Skeeter Davis' The End Of The World - also made famous by The Carpenters - her voice strays and cuts the deepest emotional wound.

********************

Copyright 2004 South China Morning Post Ltd.
South China Morning Post

May 16, 2004

SECTION: CD Reviews

HEADLINE: Agnetha Faltskog

BYLINE: Nick Walker

BODY:
Agnetha Faltskog

My Colouring Book

(WEA)

Four years ago, the famously reclusive former Abba singer Agnetha Faltskog (the blonde one) embarked on a project to record a covers album of some of her favourite 1960s tunes. And My Colouring Book is the pleasing, and eminently easy-listening, result. It delivers 43 minutes of mellow enjoyment, featuring one of the finest voices of the poptastic 1970s - and one that remains as uplifting and crystalline as it did on Dancing Queen or Knowing Me, Knowing You.

The first single, If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind, is doing well in Britain and Europe, but is by no means the best here. When You Walk into the Room, the Jackie de Shannon classic, is the highlight: a surging, lushly orchestrated hymn to unstoppable love - or rather, the kind of crush that most thirty- and fortysomething males had on Agnetha in the days when the Stockholm fab four ruled the world.

The oft-covered What Now My Love, originally written by Gilbert Becaund, is another brilliant offering, and one that benefits from post-60s technological advances. The Edge-influenced digital-delay guitar track enriches and updates this enduring standard wonderfully. And hearing Agnetha 2004, I'd sooner listen to her than Frank Sinatra warble through Bart Howard's Fly Me to the Moon any day. Its gentle bossa nova reworking, juxtaposed against Agnetha's golden larynx, can't be faulted.

As a document of the origins of Agnetha's muse and oeuvre, My Colouring Book is outstanding value.

***************

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Patrick Blake, Gold Coast, Australia

AND NOW THE GOLD COAST REPORT...

Headed into JB Hi-Fi at Bundall (Gold Coast, Queensland) this morning. Checked everywhere for the Australian release of Agnetha's album but it wasn't there!

No worries, they just hadn't put it out yet. The bloke came out and said "Dave's already given me the whole run down and put the "highly recommended" stickers on them." Dave is the huge Agnetha/ABBA fan at the store. The CD guy said "Dave'll have it on the shop system all week."

They have 20 copies. 19 now that I've purchased one ;-) It was $23.99. It had a pink "Buy
me, I'm cheap!" sticker and the "Great CD - 5 star - Highly Recommended" sticker on it that Dave had put on it. Yay. How exciting.

I prefer the matt booklet, I just love the feel it. I prefer either the super glossy "A*Teens" style cd booklets or the matt ones, not these "in-between" Australian ones. Love the pink colour of the cover, it seems more noticeable.

Listening to the album now. Love the sax in End of the World!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Patrick Blake, Gold Coast, Australia

A SUNDAY IN BRISBANE

I went to a number of suburban shopping centres on the Northside of Brisbane to check out and see if Agnetha's album had appeared anywhere yet.

I'm pleased to say that "My Colouring Book" was available in every record store i went into!! (which ended up being about 6 stores). Each had between 6 - 15 copies of the album in the New Release Section. Some had a sticker on them saying "New Solo album by former ABBA singer".

For those in Brisbane and on the Northside of the river you can checkout Toombol Music and HMV at Chermside (as well as any of the other record stores in Chermside - they all had it). Of course i brought my second copy of the album, i had to get the Australian pressing now didn't I? Make sure you get your copy from a chart store.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Warren Ramage, Brisbane, Australia

AGNETHA RELEASE IN CANADA

Warner Music Canada have announcd that Agnetha's new album will be released in that territory on May 25.

New Releases: May 25th, 2004
05/25/04 Warner Music Canada
Agnetha Faltskog
My Colouring Book

http://www.warnermusic.ca/news/index.jsp?article=16300058

Thanks to ABBA fan Adrian, Toronto, Canada

AGNETHA BREAKS THE SILENCE

Article from Aftonbladet Saturday May 22nd. Fältskog speaks out in new TV-film Bromé got a unique meeting with the Abba-star

Agnetha Fältskog breaks the silence - and becomes an actress.

She has invited Swedish Television reporter Lotta Bromé to her home for a
unique interview that will be shown on June 4th.

- There isn't a day without me thinking about ABBA, says Fältskog in documentary.

agnetha Fältskog has since ABBA's break-up been living a quiet life in her home on Ekerö Island - far away from the limelight. Now when the singer has made a comeback, she has been very restrictive with promotion. The only interview so far was a highly directed and strongly cristicized interview in "Sen kväll med Luuk" via satellite.

"I had free hands"

But on June 4th the singer will let the viewers into her very own home in a unique 40-minute-long interview film on Swedish Television SVT. The film "Agnetha" was supposed to be a pure documentary about her work with the new album "My colouring book". But when the film was ready such a deep trust had been built up between Agnetha Fältskog and creative manager Ola Johansson that she decided to agree to do an interview with Lotta
Bromé.

- I hade free hands and was absolutely free to ask any questions that I wanted to ask, says Lotta Bromé to TT Spektra.

Fältskog's only demand was that all material that she wouldn't approve of should be discarded.

- Agnetha has now seen the result and she is very satisfied, says creative manager Ola Johansson to Aftonbladet.

- It is a unique interview where Agnetha is very open-hearted. She talks about her life both in the private and public perspective.

To the fans

The film "Agnetha" also contains sequences from her videos and some unique bonus material for the Agnetha fans.

- We produced a short film with Agnetha and actor Magnus Krepper from which we will show small sequences from, throughout the whole documentary, says Ola Johansson.

Reunion?

Fältskog herself owns the rights to the interview film through her production company Agnetha Fältskog Production. "Agnetha" is also produced in an English version for international distribution.

- The question about Abba's reunion will be asked. You want to know the answer, you'll need to watch the show, says Lotta Bromé.

Translation by Niklas Albinsson-Collander, Sweden

MOTHER HAS AUSSIE AGNETHA!

Hello there, Mother here!

I got it, I got it!!!

I have the Australian pressing of Agnetha's MY COLOURING BOOK in my hot little hands!

It is basically the same but the booklet is printed on glossy paper instead of the flat stuff used overseas. Grant says the shade of colouring seems different but I can't tell. The actual disc looks the same. You get a card in there about Warner Music Information web site - be the first to know - go to www.musicinformation.com.au yada, yada, yada.

It cost $30.99 and was not on display at Sanity, Qantas Domestic Terminal, Sydney. I asked the guy who looked on the computer and said yes we have it but couldn't find it. Had to spell FALTSKOG to him as he can't search by first name. He double checked the computer and verified that they did in fact have copies in stock.

He then went out into the store to look. Meanwhile I went behind the counter and found a row of pink. It was the Mad Woman's LP - six copies. So I called him back and showed him. He was unhappy about it being misfiled.

I told him, now that you've found it, buy a gun, track down the person who misfiled it and kill them. He said he definitely feels like that sometimes. He said Sanity's way of filing CDs leaves a lot to be desired. They have a lot of trouble with "people" (using the word loosely here) stealing R&B CDs so they normally separate the CD covers and the discs to prevent shop lifting.

Of course we both agreed that the type of "people" who would steal this kind of stuff will just steal the cover anyway so it defeats the purpose of Sanity's system.

But anyway, Mother has Ma' Kula Book - Orstrayleeahn edition!!!

Graeme Read
ABBAMAIL Administration

POLISH AGNETHA UPDATE

The rumour I heard a while ago, of Warner Music Poland giving My Colouring Book a promo push in May, has actually proved true - which I find quite amazing. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen anything ABBA-related getting actual marketing/promotion in this country.

The first thing are, of course, the T-shirts - and that was confirmed etc. Some time ago already. Last Friday, I went to Traffic-Club, that large music store in Warsaw, to see what exactly it was with those Agnetha T-shirts. They're not actually enclosing a T-shirt to every copy of My Colouring Book you buy - it's that your purchase takes part in a draw where five T-shirts are to be won. I couldn't care less about a *draw*. But the little stand with the information and an enlarged picture of the My Colouring Book cover was nice.

I asked the girl at the counter if it was possible to just buy an Agnetha T-shirt, but no, the shop manager said it wasn't. Too bad.

That same Friday evening, I heard an My Colouring Book commercial on the radio! So it was then that I realized the album was really being promoted. Quite naturally, the station was Polish Radio Three, which apart from being the only one to have promoted the single and the album before the official campaign (?) started, has also put its recommendation sticker on the album cover. A nice touch.

The ad, predictably, starts from "Can you still remember ABBA?" - well... Then came excerpts from the songs and the guy says "Out now!". Nothing special then, but still amazing to me :-)

And on Saturday a friend told me the TV spot is already here! I haven't seen it yet, but it's of course the commercial we know. The station that I know is showing the spot is TVN 24, a Polish response to CNN, available through cable and satellite networks (thus limited viewership).

Earlier on Saturday, I popped into a local Media Markt to buy a blank video tape and of course I went to see My Colouring Book on sale again - you know, it's still hard to believe. Totally disinterested I came up to the singles stall, thinking the red single just might be there. I didn't bother looking for it though as the first thing I saw was... the yellow one! :-) I got it of course, not that I needed it desperately, but it's
nice to have all official versions on CD.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's man in Poland, Gabriel Zubowski, Warsaw, Poland

SWEDISH MAMMA MIA! STARS FOR SWEDISH RADIO

This piece of news just in from Carl Magnus Palm:

On Sunday, 23 May, the future stars of the Swedish Mamma Mia! are guests on vensktoppen. One hour after the original broadcast, which runs between 10.33 and 12.00 (CET), it's possible to listen to the program online. The sound files will be there for a week.

http://sr.se/p4/svetop/

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

DUTCH CHART POSITIONS

Here are some Dutch chart positions I don't think have been posted on here yet:

Week 19:
Backcatalogue Album Top 50
In its 5th week Arrival jumps to no. 33, coming from nr. 48

DVD Music Top 30
The Definitive Collection drops from nr. 13 to nr. 22 in its 64th week in
this chart ABBA In Concert dropped out of this chart

Week 20:
Backcatalogue Album Top 50
Arrival dropped out of this chart

DVD Music Top 30
The Definitive Collection climbs 10 places to nr. 12 in its 65th week in this chart
In the Top 100 of this chart for the year 2004 (up til week 20) the dvd The Definitive Collection is at nr. 11

ABBA In Concert re-enters the chart at nr. 25 and is now in total 5 weeks in this chart.

Week 21:
Backcatalogue Album Top 50
Arrival re-enters at nr. 32 in its sixth week on this chart

DVD Music Top 30
The Definitive Collection climbs 4 places to nr. 8 in its 66th week in this chart
In the Top 100 of this chart for the year 2004 (up til week 21) the dvd The Definitive Collection is still at nr. 11

ABBA In Concert is also this week at nr. 25 and is now in total 6 weeks in this chart (charts says 2 weeks in the list but they restarted counting last week when it re-entered the charts).

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Walter Veldman, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

PRINCE CHARLES DOES THE FUNKY ABBA?

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2947928

Prince to Attend Hit Abba Musical

By Sherna Noah, Showbusiness Correspondent, PA News

The Prince of Wales is to attend a performance of the hit Abba musical Mamma Mia!.

The royal gala charity event will take place at the Prince of Wales Theatre in aid of the Prince’s Trust.

The West End theatre will be officially re-opened by Charles, who reportedly celebrated his 50th birthday by dancing with Camilla Parker Bowles to an Abba number at a Highgrove party.

The theatre has undergone a £7 million restoration project by its owner Cameron Mackintosh.

Building work has meant the transfer of Mamma Mia! from the Prince Edward Theatre was postponed by a week, to June 3 before the official opening on June 10.

The musical is celebrating its fifth anniversary and has been seen by more than 18 million people worldwide.

==========================

http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/may04/20040519_abba.html

Abba Get Funked

Abba are about to get an upgrade. One of Europe's biggest jazz names Nils Landgren is about to release 'Funky Abba', a collection of Abba tunes with a jazz and soul feel.

'Funky Abba' comes with the blessing of at least one Abba member. Benny Andersson is a close friend of Nils. 25 years ago, Nils played trombone on Abba's 'Voulez-Vous' and Nils asked Benny along to perform on the new version of "When All Is Said and Done'.

According to a statement from Nils "When I first asked Benny Andersson for his blessing to make an album titled Funky Abba' he just said: 'Is that possible?' I think yes' I replied. OK, do it!' Benny said with a smile and so ahead I went. We booked the scene of the crime for this recording. The great Polar Studio A where all the ABBA songs were recorded to get the right vibe from that old tribe. I tell you, it´s still in those walls: all that great stuff that was once produced in there".

Warner Music will release Funky Abba on July 2.

The tracklisting is:
1 Money, Money, Money
2 Knowing Me, Knowing You
3 Voulez-Vous
4 Thank You For The Music
5 Super Trouper
6 Summer Night City
7 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!
8 The Name Of The Game
9 Dancing Queen
10 Take A Chance On Me
11 SOS

Bonus track:
12 When All Is Said And Done

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dominic 'Ice' Wallis, London, UK

UK DAILY MAIL STORY

The Daily Mail's a rag, but in the interest keeping us all fully-informed ABBAMAILers, here goes:

Daily Mail, 18th May, 2004

ABBA-SOLUTELY FAB!

After 870 shows and 20,000 songs, a veteran star of the long-running Mamma Mia! provides a hilarious insight into ABBA's eternal appeal.

My relationship with ABBA seems to have gone on for ever. I was a 15 year old boy on that magical night when they burst into the national and international consciousness in the final of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest.

In fact, I was living only a few hundred yards from the Brighton Dome where it took place, and watched the event on my parents' blank and white TV.

I knew instantly that something special was unfolding. The thunderous melody, the glittering Spandex, and the most unlikely opening lyric in the history of pop music... "My my, at Waterloo Napoleon did surrender...".

Was the conductor of the supporting orchestra wearing a hat like Napoleon's that night, or was that something I once dreamt? With ABBA, reality and myth are too closely entwined to be separated.

Now, in the aftermath of the appalling 2004 Eurovision Song Contest at the weekend, news that the album ABBA GOLD is celebrating its 467th week in the chart serves only to reinforce their legendary status.

Over the past 30 years the group that launched a thousand tribute bands has seen off punk, new wave, and umpteen other fads in popular music and yet they seem more popular than ever.

In another 11 weeks their album will overhaul Fleetwood Mac's Rumours as the longest running top seller - and who'd bet against it being up there in another three decades? With ABBA, nothing is impossible.

From my humble beginnings as a teenage fan, ABBA came to have a defining influence on my career.

A quarter of a century after that Eurovision triumph, and with plans for the ABBA tribute musical Mamma Mia! in full swing, I found myself in a converted laundry in the back streets of London's Soho auditioning for the leading male role of Sam Carmichael, a lovelorn architect.

All was going well until I began to sing. Sam's big number in the show is the classic Knowing Me, Knowing You, but when I continued with what I presumed to be the obligatory "ah-haaa" at the end of the phrase, all five members of the audition panel rose from their seats as if they'd been jolted by an electric cattle prod.

"You don't sing the "Ah-haaa"," cried the musical director in shocked tones. I felt as if I'd sworn in a cathedral. Continuing with the song, I promptly forgot my words and cracked on my top note. Not surprisingly, I didn't get the job.

A year later I was back in the laundry room (this time, minus the "ah-haaa") and I was offered the part of Sam. An hour or two after my opening show, I found myself at a fashionable London nightspot discussing my performance with - wait for it - Björn and Benny themselves.

One of the bonuses of being an actor is that occasionally you get to meet your heroes, and for me, on what was a memorable night anyway, it should have been the icing on the cake.

I did try. I made every attempt to engage in sophisticated chit-chat with these two gods of my youth, but I simply couldn't throw off a vision of myself as a rotund and clumsy teenager, miming to their greatest hits in front of the bedroom mirror and with my mum's hairbrush as a microphone.

During the next 12 months, I performed in Mamma Mia! 387 times (it would have been 388 had Westminster Council not drilled through the power cables one Friday evening while conducting essential road repairs in the street, throwing the entire theatre into darkness).

By the end of my first year, my personal statistics were nearly as impressive as those of the show. With seven outfits to wear, I estimated I'd changed costume 2.688 times.

Then, last year, I rejoined for another stint, and a couple of months ago chalked up my 870th - and for the moment - final show. Performing eight times a week is not for the faint-hearted, and the most commonly-asked question from friends visiting backstage is: "Don't you ever get sick of it?"

The answer, curiously, is "No". Mamma Mia! is a cultural phenomenon.

Just like ABBA's triumph of longevity in the charts, the worldwide appeal of this musical - there are 11 productions around the globe, and in London it has played to packed houses and won standing ovations every night for five years - comes as no surprise.

Audiences just can't get enough of its unique brand of high kitsch happiness, and it is now the most successful musical in the world, grossing more than £4.5 million a week.

The show, set on a Mediterranean island, tells the story of a trio of middle-aged men trying to come to terms with the consequences of their younger romantic escapades.

It somehow manages to shoehorn 23 of ABBA's greatest hits into a frenetic two and a half hours, at a rate of a song every six and a half minutes (only "Fernando" misses out in the production, and even that makes a fleeting appearance if you're quick-witted enough to catch it).

The success of the project has spawned a wave of other similarly constructed tribute shows; some good, some bad, all derivative, but none able to match Mamma Mia! for its enduring popularity - and of course, at its heart is the music of ABBA.

Last month I attended a gala performance to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Mamma Mia! and the 30th anniversary - to the very night - of ABBA winning the Eurovision Song Contest.

Three of the four group members were present, and everywhere I looked celebrities were worshipping at the shrine of Sweden's greatest export, from Dam Kiri Te Kanawa to Nicholas Parsons. Others, including battalions of the official ABBA fan club yelled "we love you" every time one of them spoke.

And, I too cheered in ecstasy as they took their bows.

Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson still look like their younger selves, while Frida Lyngstad, the smouldering brunette, now resembles a successful businesswoman or a minor member of the Swedish royalty - which in a way, she is. I sense that if only we all closed our eyes and wished hard enough, Agnetha Fältskog, the ultimate Swedish blonde and the missing piece of the jigsaw, would magically descend from the flies and complete the timeless quartet.

But she has proved stubbornly elusive at such events as these and lives as a recluse on a tiny island near Stockholm.

So what is the secret of ABBA's enduring appeal, and the reason their greatest hits compilation has been in the charts for so long?

Undoubtedly, one of the factors is that it gives those of us aged between 30 and 50 the chance to relive our adolescence. It allows us to dream again about what might have been. And then, of course, there's the music.

Ask any DJ in a nightclub what record is most likely to persuade people away from the bar and onto the dancefloor and "Dancing Queen" will almost certainly be the preferred choice.

Noel Coward once said: "Extraordinary how potent cheap music is..." But ABBA are much more than cheap music. They had a gift of providing heart-stopping and unforgettable melodies. Love them or hate them, ABBA have infiltrated our collective consciousness.

As I left the auditorium after the Mamma Mia! party, I was accosted by a member of the audience who announced with some pride that she tried to see the show at least once a month.

"Would you ever come back into it?" she asked as she offered me a Malteser.

The notion of performing ABBA songs for what would be a third year sent an initial shudder rolling up my spine. But then I had to admit that, if asked, I probably would.

After all this time, the magic of ABBA still holds me in its thrall. Or, to put it another way: "Waterloo - couldn't escape if I wanted to..."

Michael Simkins

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sarah Marchant, Kent, England

CHECK OUT THE HEP STARS BOOK

There are some great pictures from the new Hep Stars book on the author's site. The author being Carl Magnus Palm, also author of THE COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS and BRIGHT LIGHTS, DARK SHADOWS: THE REAL STORY OF ABBA.

www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/ovrigt/cadillacmadnesslook.html#p2

Make sure you check out the spread from p.256-257!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

CONFUSION OVER AGNETHA SINGLE MIXES

There have been reports that Agnetha's new single WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM will be released in the USA during their summer. And also that a Swedish remix group called "SoundFactory" have supplied several mixes for this release.

This seems strange given that Almighty Records were to supply the remixes for world-wide releases of Agnetha's new single. I have written to Andy Almighty and asked for clarification of this.

In Sweden there is talk of 3 separate versions of the single being released so perhaps this explains the situation? But it would be very unfortunate if the Almighty mixes are not used considering the reaction and success of the mixes for "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind"

Graeme Read
ABBAMAIL Administration