SO MANY ABBA COVERS....

Check out this link...

http://www.coversproject.com/artist/ABBA

Way more ABBA cover versions list than you would ever know. In fact, more than you would ever WANT to know!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jeroen Schol, Schagen, The Netherlands

FRIENDSHIP BASED ON MUSIC ONLY

I was watching (again) a recently screened interview with Björn, recorded in Canada several years ago. There was nothing much to it really, nothing surprisingly new, except...

When the interviewer asked Björn about whether or not he and Benny would be working together on another musical to which he replied, "it would have to be the right story.... blah blah".

And then she asked, really pushing for an idea, "Well is there something you both enjoy together as people, aside from the music". After stumbling through an answer in which he said, Benny likes horses that he loses lots of money on and that he had been heavily into computers in the 80s, Björn replied, "ummmm errr ahh". He seemed genuinely surprised by the question... finally saying "no, not really".

He also said that although they were friends, they only saw each other socially "once or twice a year" and that theirs was "a friendship based on the music only".

Anyway, not earth-shattering, but a reasonably candid moment from someone who otherwise usually only has a series of stock answers.

(from TV Guide)
4.30pm The Biography Channel
Speakeasy
Björn from ABBA
After ABBA's break-up in 1982 Tim Rice contacted Björn and wanted to write the musical Chess. His musical Mamma Mia!, made of ABBA-songs, had it's premiere on the 6th of April 1999. (1998) Canada PG Music 60 mins

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney, Australia

ANOTHER MEGA-EUROVISION STORY

Abb(a) at the Extravaganza?
http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/3703

The first name for the 50th anniversary show of the Eurovision Song Contest has been revealed: Sir Cliff Richard! Nevertheless, Danish broadcaster DR has ABBA on its priority list.

Last year for the occasion of the 30th anniversary of their Eurovision Song Contest victory, ABBA was very close a reunion, when three of the ABBA members accepted the offer, only Agnetha refused. Without a doubt, Waterloo will be selected to compete in the contest to select the best Eurovision Song Contest entry ever. The question has thus arisen again whether ABBA will show up in the event, to be held on 22nd October in Copenhagen,

Danish broadcaster DR expressed already to be happy when three of the ABBA members would show up to perform Waterloo. "I still hope that this show will make them reconsider," explained Søren Therkelsen of DR to Danish newspaper BT. "They don't need to be with four, three of them is ok too."

A confirmed performer at the Extravaganza is Sir Cliff Richard. Even if he won't be selected to compete in the competitions, he will be in Copenhagen to perform his Congratulations, to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest's 50th anniversary.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney, Australia

TV4 INTERVIEW ON WEBSITE

This morning's interview with Benny and Björn due to the Stockholm premiére of Mamma Mia can be seen live on TV4's website (webTV).
http://tinyurl.com/4ldvw
It lasts 19.22 minutes and there are clips from the rehearsal.

You'll have to register to the service to be able to see the interview, which is free though, but the instructions are unfortunately all in Swedish. I think you will manage to get through the registration anyway, so give it a try.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jan Bach, Copenhagen, Denmark

(The complete translation of the interview has now been uploaded to ABBAMAIL's website)

MELODIFESTIVALEN DVDs

Two special DVDs are coming out in Sweden on 9 February to celebrate 50 years of Melodifestivalen - Melodifestivalen 50 År Vinnare and Melodifestivalen 50 År Favoriter.

The first DVD consists of the winners, in other words those that went on to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. Not every year is represented, no doubt some of the older footage doesn't exist anymore or may be in too bad condition. ABBA are naturally on there as well as many of our favourites like One More Time, Carola, Herreys, Ted Gärdestad, Björn Skifs, Tomas Ledin, Charlotte Nilsson and Lena Philipsson.

The second DVD consists of favourites. Songs from Melodifestivalen that didn't win but are still favourites with the public. I was anxious to find out what might be on here because my favourites don't always match everyone else's.

Also, Nanne with "Avundsjuk" and Nanne as part of Sound Of Music with "Alexandra". Also, Svenne & Lotta and homophobe Lena Andersson with their Björn, Benny and Stig compositions. Andreas Lundstedt (now with Alcazar), Martin (Du Är Så Yeah Yeah, Wow Wow), Cecilia Vennersten and many, many more.

Here are the song listings.
Vinnare (Winners):
1. Lilla stjärna - Alice Babs
2. Augustin - Brita Borg & Siw Malmkvist
3. Alla andra får varann - Östen Warnerbring & Siw Malmkvist
4. April april - Siw Malmkvist & Lill-Babs
5. Sol och vår - Inger Berggren
6. En gång i Stockholm - Monica Zetterlund
7. Annorstäder vals - Ingvar Wixell
8. Nygammal vals - Björn Lindroth
9. Som en dröm - Östen Warnerbring
10. Det börjar verka kärlek banne mej - Claes-Göran Hederström
11. Judy min vän - Tommy Körberg
12. Vita vidder - Family Four
13. Härliga sommardag - Family Four
14. Sommar'n som aldrig säger nej - Malta
15. Waterloo - Abba
16. Jennie Jennie - Lasse Berghagen
17. Beatles - Forbes
18. Det blir alltid värre framåt natten - Björn Skifs
19. Satellit - Ted Gärdestad
20. Just nu - Tomas Ledin
21. Fångad i en dröm - Björn Skifs
22. Dag efter dag - Chips
23. Främling - Carola
24. Diggi-loo diggi-ley - Herrey's
25. Stjärnorna - Marie Bergman & Roger Pontare
26. Se på mig - Jan Johansen
27. Den vilda - One More Time
28. Bara hon älskar mig - Blond
29. Kärleken är - Jill Johnson
30. Tusen och en natt - Charlotte Nilsson
31. När vindarna viskar mitt namn - Roger Pontare
32. Lyssna till ditt hjärta - Friends
33. Never let it go - Afro-Dite
34. Gimme your love - Fame
35. Det gör ont - Lena Philipson

Favoriter (Favourites):
1. Alexander - Mona Grain
2. När min vän - Monica Zetterlund
3. Twist till menuett - Lars Lönndahl
4. Christina dansar - Ann-Louise Hanson
5. Säg det med en sång - Lena Andersson
6. Fröken ur sång - Titti Sjöblom
7. Min kärlekssång till dig - Lars Berghagen
8. Ska vi plocka körsbär i min trädgård - Ann-Christine Bärnsten
9. Bang en boomerang - Svenne & Lotta Hedlund
10. Michelangelo - Björn Skifs
11. Minns du Hollywood - Tomas Ledin
12. Miss decibel - Lasse Holm, Kikki Danielsson & Wizex
13. Jag ger mig inte - Eva Dahlgren
14. Johnny the rocker - Magnus Uggla
15. Växeln hallå - Janne Lucas
16. Hallå hela pressen - Chattanooga
17. 1+1=2 - Bel Air
18. Piccadilly circus - Pernilla Wahlgren
19. Dover-Calais - Style
20. ABC - Anna Book
21. Alexandra - Sound Of Music
22. Högt över havet - Arja Saijonmaa
23. Dansa i neon - Lena Ph
24. Det är kärlek - Siw Malmkvist
25. 100% - Lotta Engberg & Triple&Touch
26. Okey okey - Lili & Susie
27. Upp över mina öron - Eriksson/Glenmark
28. Du - Lisa Nilsson
29. En sensation - Peter Jöback
30. Symfonin - Loa Falkman
31. Mitt i ett äventyr - Carola
32. Ett liv med dig - Towe Jaarnek
33. Som om himlen brann - Lizette & Bizazz
34. We are all the winners - Nick Borgen
35. Det vackraste - Cecilia Vennersten
36. Driver dagg faller regn - Andreas Lundstedt
37. Avundsjuk - Nanne Grönvall
38. Stjärna på himmelen - Drömhus
39. Du är så yeah yeah wow wow - Martin
40. Se mig - Barbados
41. Anropar försvunnen - Hanna
42. Hon kommer med solsken - Östen Med Resten
43. Vem e de du vill ha - Kikki, Bettan & Lotta
44. Adrenaline - Mendez
45. Kom och ta mig - Brandsta City Släckers
46. Crazy in love - Jill Johnson
47. Hela världen för mig - Sanna Nielsen
48. Genom eld och vatten - Sarek
49. Not a sinner nor a saint - Alcazar
50. Min kärlek - Shirpey Clamp
51. La dolce vita - After Dark
52. Nattens drottning - Haakon Pedersen & Elisabeth Berg
53. I annorlunda land - Glenmarks

I hope the Favoriter DVD will consist of complete songs. Swedish DVDs have been known to just have snippets which can be a real pisser.

These DVDs will also be released on VHS video.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

TODO ABBA REVIEW

I finally have the most overlooked ABBA release of 2004 - Todo ABBA.

It's a CD/DVD (PAL format) combo of 19 songs - the tracklist is repeated in both formats with a few variations. The CD contains 5 Spanish tracks , the dvd 3 (no Spanish videos for Knowing Me, Knowing You or Chiquitita). Remastered videos are used - the Waterloo clip is the original unedited version that appears in GOLD and later editions of Definitive Collection.

Nice screen menu with options of playing the videos, ABBA discography, short bio of solo members (all in Spanish) and photo gallery.. Oddly, the photo from the 7" Heat Is On is used for Agnetha's bio picture. Bios are also printed in the liner notes.

One annoying problem - with each screen an ABBA track plays. However, when you click on a new screen, say the photo gallery, the same track starts from the beginning. Everytime you click on another photo in the gallery, the tune starts again. Best to view with the sound muted.

Unlike the Absolute ABBA budget double CD on CBS, the individual members are pictured in their respective letters on the front cover (Agnetha is the first "A" followed by Bjorn's "B").

All photos are stock - nothing new. Centre of book photo is ABBA in their Super Trouper T-shirts. Also two pages of photos, each page holds 16 images.

Where The ABBA Story CD favored blue, todo favors white with all lettering in either blue or pink.

Liner noters written by J. Luqui are inaccurate. First he calls ABBA "los Beatles de Suecia" by drawing parallels with Benny's Hep Stars being labeled as the Swedish Beatles. Then he suggests that as the Beatles were together for 8 years so was ABBA - if you start counting from their triumph in Eurovision - thereby discounting the two previous years. He also incorrectly writes ABBA entered and lost Eurovision the year before with "Ring Ring". Like the Beatles, who also found failure with their first single, so did ABBA with "Ring Ring".

The liner notes also mention Mamma Mia! alongside with ABBA so it seems to me that this release was timed to coincide with Mamma Mia!'s Spanish opening - first time I've seen the Mamma Mia! insert in Spanish.

Sound and picture quality is superb. Liner notes aside, it's a welcome addition.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jon Axelrod, Miami Beach Florida USA

FRIDA/DAN CHARITY FUNDS HANDED OVER

At www.abba-intermezzo.de, you are able to see a photo of Dan Daniell in Russia, presenting a cheque for 400,000 roubles to Father Nicolay Stremsky, who runs an orphanage with 59 children. The money is the proceeds from the sales of the Frida/Dan Daniell charity single "Lieber Gott".

This total converts to approximately these amounts:
7,605 GBP
10,928 Euros
18,518 Australian dollars
14,247 USA dollars
99,040 SEK.

There was also an article in the UK Daily Telegraph (8 Jan) about various West End theatres raising money for the tsunami appeal. The cast of Mamma Mia! estimated that they had raised between £25,000 and £30,000 by that date.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

HOOTENANNY SINGERS

There have been a few stories circulating over the past year that The Hootenanny Singers would be appearing for one evening as part of the Visfestivalen in Västervik.

This year's festival, celebrating its 40th anniversary, takes place between 13 and 16 July, and according to www.abba-intermezzo.de, Björn has agreed to perform with Hansi Schwarz and Tony Rooth to mark this anniversary.

According to the festival's website, www.visfestival.se, Hansi Schwarz is the host for the last night on Saturday 16 July, which would seem to be the most likely evening for the performance, should it take place.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

BENNY & PER ON SWEDISH TV

According to the Roxette fansite 'The Daily Roxette', http://www.dailyroxette.com , Per Gessle (one half of the duo) will be on television in February, along with Benny:

- - - -

According to TT Spektra, Per Gessle will be one of the interviewees in Swedish national television's new series "Sixties." He will be one of the artists telling about the 60s influences in his music. Among the other guests will be the former ABBA member Benny Andersson. The series starts on February 13 at 20:00 CET on SVT1. It will be broadcast internationally on SVT Europa.

- - - -

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Chris Williams, UK

CHART NEWS

Here are the charts for 21-28 January 2005...

IRELAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 9 to #52

SWEDEN:
Benny Andersson's Orkester - BAO! - stable at #24

AUSTRALIA:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection DVD - down 3 to #29

GERMANY:
Cast Recording (German) - Mamma Mia! - down 8 to #46
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 19 to #58
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - down 24 to #92

NETHERLANDS:
Cast Recording (Dutch) - Mamma Mia! - down 2 to #16

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - down 8 to #44

UK:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 8 to #63
(Thanks to the UK ABBAMAILERS for this one)

OFF:
New Zealand - The Definitive Collection DVD
Australia - The Definitive Collection CD
Switzerland - ABBA GOLD
Sweden - My Colouring Book

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

ABBA INVITED TO SUPER GALA

Today Expressen writes about the upcoming gala for previous winners of the Eurovision Song Contest. Here's my translation

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

http://expressen.se/index.jsp?a=234683

ABBA invited to the super gala

The Danes want to see ABBA at the Eurovision Song Contest's 50th birthday party. On October 22 there will be a big anniversary show at Forum, Copenhagen with all the previous stars. ABBA is on top of the wish list.

Danish television, DR and the TV-union EBU are behind the super gala which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest. A gala which will be broadcast live in 28 countries throughout Europe.

The program, which will be called Extravaganza, has the ambition to line up all the schlager icons who made their breakthrough through this forum.

Sir Cliff has accepted

Several of the groups and artists who have won and placed second in the contest are invited to the show.

Cliff Richard who placed second with "Congratulations" in 1968 has already accepted.

Some songs will be performed by new, current artists such as Robbie Williams.

- It will be a show of international caliber, something we previously haven't been able to afford to produce in Denmark, says DR's entertainment director Søren Therkelsen to B.T.

There will be lots of glitter and glamour, the highlight of the evening will be to appoint the best song ever of the contest. The ten best songs will then be performed live at the gala. ABBA and "Waterloo" are probably favorites.

- The goal is to get all the big icons of the contest, including ABBA of course, but it's no secret that they have declined all previous offers.

"Three will also work"

- I hope that this show will make them reconsider, it doesn't have to be all four of them, three will also work, says Therkelsen.

According to sources within EBU, in connection with last year's international final in Turkey when ABBA celebrated their 30th anniversary, it came very close to the group appearing. But it didn't happen because of Agnetha Fältskog.

Since then Fältskog has released a new solo album and given several interviews as well as TV-appearances.

So the situation can be somewhat different now.

By Olle Berggren

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

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's 2004 Fan of the Year Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

MEGA EUROVISION BATTLE!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4213411.stm

Stars of the Eurovision Song Contest from the show's 50-year history are to
compete against each other to celebrate the contest's anniversary.

Viewers will choose 14 past songs to be performed by the original artists or others in the spirit of the originals. Past Eurovision performers include ABBA, Celine Dion, Bucks Fizz, Nana Mouskouri, Lulu and Julio Iglesias. Fans will then vote as usual to pick the all-time best Eurovision song during the show in Denmark in October.

The first contest was organised by the European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, in 1956, and has become an annual event pitting pop giants against musical minnows - with often surprising results.

While some regard it as an essential celebration of continental talent, others see it as an equally unmissable parade of the reasons some countries do not normally produce international stars.

The 50th annual contest will be held in Kiev, Ukraine, in May, after Ukrainian singer Ruslana won last year.

The 50th anniversary special will be held in Denmark later this year because the Danish Broadcasting Corporation came up with the idea for the all-time contest. A plan to hold it in London was scrapped because of problems finding a suitable venue.

Ireland has been the most successful country in the show's history with seven victories, followed by the UK, France and Luxembourg with five each.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

WARNER: NO AGNETHA SINGLE

It has now been officially confirmed that the "Sometimes Wheb I'm Dreaming" single will not be released unfortunately, no official reason given.

I got an email from Warner stating:

"We're out of the promos and the single will not be relased commercially."

That's all it said.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Niklas Albinsson-Collander, Goteborg City, Sweden

CHART NEWS 14-21 JANUARY

IRELAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - Down 3 to #61

NEW ZEALAND:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - Back in at #10

SWEDEN:
Benny Andersson's Orkester - BAO! - up 2 to #24
Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book - down 20 to #53

AUSTRALIA:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection DVD - down 1 to #26
ABBA - The Definitive Collection CD - down 13 to #45

GERMANY:
Cast Recording (German) - Mamma Mia! - up 12 to #38
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 13 to #77
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - down 5 to #68

NETHERLANDS:
Cast Recording (Dutch) - Mamma Mia! - up 46 to #14

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - stable at #36 in its tenth week.

UK:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 8 to #55 (Thanks to Andy & Dr. Mike)

SWITZERLAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - back in at #96

OFF: Australia - ABBA GOLD DVD.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, New Zealand

AGNETHA SONG ON OFFICIAL DVD

Agnetha's "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind" film clip has been officially released on a compilation CD and DVD called "Absolute Hits 2004" out in Sweden.

The DVD also contains clips by Swedish artists like A*Teens ("I Promised Myself"), Shirley Clamp, Patrik Isaksson, Lena Philipsson, Gyllene Tider, Alcazar, da Buzz, Shirley Clamp and After Dark. It also includes some of the bigger international hits from the likes of Anastacia, Dido, Kylie, Eamon, Westlife, Britney Spears and Maroon 5. Ruslana, winner of last year's Eurovision, is also on there.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

CUTE STORY FROM AUSTRALIA

Dancing queen gets to meet her idols
By TENEILLE WATSON
Wednesday, 19 January 2005

IT was only last year that Maddison Depiazzi's parents were making her sing ABBA songs at the top of voice to help her recover from a major heart operation that left her with a dangerous amount of fluid on her lungs.

But last week the gorgeous nine-year-old Eaton girl was having fun dancing around on stage at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre with ABBA tribute band Abbasolutely Fabbaulous after a song request to a local radio station led to Maddison being a special guest at the show.

Her father, Mark, had called Radio West and requested Maddison's favourite song, Waterloo.

Although they missed out on a ticket giveaway, Mark got talking to the radio host and before they knew it, the radio station was taking Maddison to the concert as a special guest.

At the concert she was invited on to the stage where she received a free t-shirt, as well as CDs and posters.

She also got to dance with 'Agnetha' and was taught to do the Swedish Line Dance.

But Maddison hasn't always been able to move so lightly on her feet.

From her earliest hours she has had a life-threatening heart problem.

Having a very small right heart ventricle has meant she has had to have four major heart operations – and almost died.

Doctors realised something was wrong when she was born and her skin was purple – caused by a lack of oxygen.

"She's what they call a blue baby," mum Kellie said.

Maddison had her first heart operation when she was just 36 hours old.

And when she was three years old she almost died when a lung collapsed.

"She wasn't even given the night to live," Kellie said.

"We had the nun called in and had Maddison baptised," Mark added.

But thankfully Maddison got through that operation – not that each one since has been easy on the family.

"I think you have to keep smiling otherwise you end up in a heap," Kellie said.

Although she will still need to have more operations and possibly a heart transplant when she is about 20 years old, things, thankfully, have been slowly getting better for the brave girl.

"Now she's able to play sport and run around whereas before she used to have to sit on the sidelines," Mark said.

And perhaps not so surprisingly, given her love of disco band ABBA, who she has liked since she was two years old, Maddison hopes to start dancing classes in the next year or so.

And mum and dad, who have nominated their daughter for a bravery award, couldn't be happier.

"We're just really lucky to have her," Kellie said.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL website regular, Graeme Dempsey, Canada

GERMAN TV DISAPPOINTS WITH AGNETHA "PLANS"

A German television station recently advertised a story about Sweden and said it would feature news on "Agnetha's new plans." Falsely as it turns out.

The complete show was about Sweden - Volvo and its car designed by women for women, Swedes's love for mooses (and their meat), living in Gothenburg and other stuff.

Also, the fact that many stars had played concerts in the Gothenburg stadium, but not ABBA, which many people in Gothenburg supposedly are still a little mad about. Then they showed some short snippets from the regular clips and The Concert and "Waterloo" from German TV, and then a longer scene from "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind" from Agnetha's new album, and they repated the same old gossip, for example that the girls didn't like each other.

That was it.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Erik Menkens, Wangerland, Germany

GIMME! #11 PARTY SONG IN GERMANY

On January 6, SAT.1 showed a new episode of the German TV show "Hit Giganten". The last shows were about the most succesful one hit wonders, party songs, summer hits, winter hits and so on and on.

ABBA's "Gimme Gimme Gimme" is number 11 of the Most Popular Party Songs. I didn't understand how they came up with the ranking in these charts, but who cares.

They spent quite some time on ABBA, more on ABBA than on most of the others songs and acts in these charts.

It started with some snippets from the video clip and some celebs talking about their memories of ABBA and who was the sexiest one. Then one of the guests of the show had to do "S.O.S." as karaoke. She is a TV host, definitely not a singer. Then the guests in the show said how much they liked ABBA, how hard it is to sing their songs, and that they did so many good songs. One of the guests even mentioned "Our Last Summer" as on of her favourites.

Finaly Erasure performed "Take A Chance On Me" (this song was not in these charts, neither were Erasure). Andy Bell sang live but Vince Clarke was not there and there was another guy on the keyboard.

It was fun though. Some more info (but unfortunately not the complete charts list) can be found here: http://www.sat1.de/musik/hitgiganten/hits/29186/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Erik Menkens, Wangerland, Germany

REMEMBERING ABBA IN JANUARY

1973 Benny, Bjorn and Stig are asked to submit a song for the Swedish heat of the Eurovision Song Contest. They produce "Ring, Ring," which the quartet records and agrees to perform.

1975 "Mamma Mia" becomes ABBA's second U.K. #1 ending the 9 week reign of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."

1977 [22nd] "Dancing Queen" is released in the US and will take almost 4 months (April) to reach #1.

1978 [28th] "The Name Of The Game" is released in the US eventually peaking outside the top 10 at #12.

1978 [2nd or 3rd] Missing the "Christmas Market" "ABBA-The Album" is released in almost every Country. It enters the U.K. chart at #1, Australia #4, Germany #2 France #13 and Switzerland #1

1978 [3rd] "Take A Chance On Me" is released in Australia #12 and Germany #3.

1979 [9th] ABBA perform "Chiquitita" in New York along with Olivia Newton-John, the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, John Denver, Rod Stewart and others. ABBA are introduced by Gilda Radner. Donating all royalties from the single to Unicef for "The Year Of The Child"

1979 [29th] "Chiquitita" is released in Germany reaching #3

1981 Bjorn marries Lena Kallessjo, in Stockholm.

1982 [3rd] Emma Ulvaeus is born.

1982 [10th] Ludvig Andersson is born, son of Benny and his new fiancee.

1982 [11th] "One Of Us' is a flop in Australia reaching #48

1982 [23rd] "The Visitors" album is released in the US it is ABBA's most critically acclaimed album in the US peaking at #29 and is the first album since 1975's "ABBA" that does not go Gold.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Stephen Morris, Virginia Beach, United States Of America

SOMETIMES IS NO TIME AT ALL :(

The middle of January has come and gone without the rumoured release of "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming" as a commercial single in Sweden.

A one-track remix by Soundfactory was released as a radio-only promo in December and it was rumoured that a single with several more releases would hit shops sometime in January. These rumours were not officially confirmed by any reliable source unfortunately.

Now the latest word seems to be from on-line stores in Sweden who have advised that Warner has "cancelled" the proposed single release.

No word on whether the other remixes that Soundfactory had completed for such a release will be made available through any other source.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia and ABBA fan Fäbiö, Buenos Aires, Argentina

US TV SUPER TROUPERS REPEATS

Just having a quick look at the Ovation channel (US) website to see if there's anymore screenings of the Super Troupers "special".

It's now on 10 more times (so far) between 16 January and 10 February. See
http://schedule.ovationtv.com/search.asp?action=Search&search=abba

There's also a bit of a preview clip available online. See
http://www.ovationtv.com/premieres/abba.html

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

CHARTS 7-14 JANUARY

Here are the charts for 7-14 January 2005.

IRELAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 6 to #58

AUSTRALIA:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - up 11 to #32
ABBA - ABBA GOLD DVD - back in at #34
ABBA - The Definitive Collection DVD - back in at #25

SWEDEN:
Benny Andersson's Orkester - BAO! - up 1 to #26
Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book - back in at #33

GERMANY:
Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! (German) - down 10 to #50
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 3 to #64
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - back in at #63
(Remember, the German album charts include DVDs)

NETHERLANDS:
Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! (Dutch) - down 21 to #60, from last weeks #39
(up 4)

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - up 5 to #36

UK:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 8 to #63 (Thank you Andy for this info)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

END OF YEAR SWEDISH CHARTS

Today Aftonbladet publishes a list from IFPI (the record companies' organization) that shows the most sold albums and singles in Sweden in 2004.

At least that's what it says in the article, but on the bottom of the list it says that the lists show how many records the record companies sold to record stores - not how many that have been sold in the stores. Benny and Agnetha appear in the top 20 list of albums. Neither one appear in the singles chart.

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,587057,00.html

1. "Finn 5 fel" - Gyllene Tider
2. "Melodifestivalen 2004" - Blandade artister
3. "How to dismantle an atomic bomb" - U2
4. "Vatten under broarna" - Lars Winnerbäck
5. "Feels like home" - Norah Jones
6. "BAO!" - Benny Anderssons Orkester
7. "Det gör ont en stund på natten..." - Lena Philipsson
8. "Daniel Lindström" - Daniel Lindström
9. "Den tatuerade generationen" - Magnus Uggla
10. "Bästa kramgoa låtarna" - Vikingarna
11. "Absolute music 46" - Blandade artister
12. "Absolute music 47" - Blandade artister
13. "My colouring book" - Agnetha Fältskog
14. "Anastacia" - Anastacia
15. "GT 25 - samtliga hits!" - Gyllene Tider
16. "Mazarin" - Per Gessle
17. "Greatest hits" - Guns N"Roses
18. "Stardust..." - Rod Stewart
19. "Idol 2004" - Blandade artister
20. "10 years of hits" - Ronan Keating

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

AGNETHA'S OFFICIAL SITE GETS MINOR UPDATE

Agnetha's site gets a 2005 update.

There are some bits and bobs on the official Agnetha site that have recently been added. I checked over Christmas and there was no mention of the box set at all or Aggie's appearance on TV4, or anything about Sometimes When I'm Dreaming but there is now...

January 6, 2005: My Colouring Book re-enters the Swedish Hitlistan at #33 in its 23rd week on the chart.

January 3, 2005: When You Walk In The Room places at #72 on the year end Swedish Dance Chart for the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004, its highest weekly position was #18.

December 27, 2004. Swedish Dance Chart: When You Walk In The Room at #65 in its twenty-eighth week.

December 20, 2004. Swedish Dance Chart: When You Walk In The Room at #65 in its twenty-seventh week.

December 18, 2004. My Colouring Book has sold 100,000 copies in Sweden and Agnetha participates on Sweden’s TV4 program Nyhetsmorgen (The Morning News) interviewed by Lasse Bengtsson.

December 17, 2004. De första åren 1967 – 1979 (The First Years 1967 – 1979) a CD box set with Agnetha’s first five solo albums and one bonus CD released in Sweden.

December 15, 2004. Radio release date of new Christmas single Sometimes When I’m Dreaming, remixed by Emil Hellman/SoundFactory.

There is then every dance chart placing of When You Walk In The Room going all the way back to when it was a new entry.

http://www.agnetha.se

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dominic "Ice" Wallis, UK

WORLD TV PICKS UP ON BENNY

The world's television stations have been carrying news stories about the Stockholm ceremony to honour the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster. Benny's role has been featured prominently in stories shown in countries like Australia and The Netherlands.

Thanks to various ABBAMAILers including Pieter Wever, the Netherlands and ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

BENNY PIC FROM TSUNAMI TRIBUTE CERMENONY

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN: Benny Andersson, former ABBA member, behind the piano as he performs with his orchestra at a somber ceremony, at the Stockholm Cit Hall 10 January 2005, in memory of the Asia tsunami victims of the December 26 tragedy that killed more than 156,000 people. With almost 2,000 Swedes still missing after the Asian tsunamis, the Swedish government hosted the somber ceremony in memory of the victims, attended by survivors, relatives of the dead and the royal family.



Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema,Hoogezand, The Netherlands

PICS FROM SWEDISH CEREMONY

ABBAMAILer Pieter Wever has created a page with some shots from the ceremony for the victims of the Asian Tsunami crisis in Stockholm.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~hansvdh/Benny/




Thanks to ABBAMAILer Pieter Wever, The Netherlands

'ASSEMBLY OF REFLECTION' REPORT

The TV program ?Assembly of Reflection? was today broadcasted to honour the victims and affected by the tsunami disaster. It was broadcast live from Stockholm City Hall?s Blue Ballroom, where the Nobel Prize banquet is held annually.

Benny Andersson?s Orkester opened up with ?Tröstevisa? (Song of Solace) after a poem written by author Barbro Lindberg. BAO also accompanied Louise Hoffsten when she was singing ?Have a little faith in me?. Among the other artists performing was Rickard Wolf, Maria Stellas and Robyn.

King Carl Gustav of Sweden held a speech were he spoke about himself loosing his father in a plane crash when he was a child. He said he wish he could be like a king from the fairy tales where he could end the story with ??and so they lived happily ever after??, but he said he couldn?t since he is just a mourning human being as everybody else. Other speeches were held and various touching poems were read.

It was a very beautiful ceremony with the whole Swedish Royal Family present, together with Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson and the Swedish Government, numerous international politicians and diplomats as well as others directly affected by the tsunami and the general public. The Blue Ballroom was very tastefully decorated in a more contemporary style with purple, grey and white flowers and decorations and orange lightning.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Niklas Albinsson-Collander, Goteborg City, Sweden

FÄLTSKOG SLAMS LYNGSTAD RIFT RUMOURS

FÄLTSKOG SLAMS LYNGSTAD RIFT RUMOURS

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/faltskog%20slams%20lyngstad%20rift%20rumours

Pop legend AGNETHA FÄLTSKOG has slammed reports of a long-running feud with her former ABBA bandmate ANNI-FRID LYNGSTAD.

The blonde singer spoke about her former collaborator in a rare interview with TV presenter LASSE BENGTSSON on a show in her native Sweden.

Fältskog says, "There is no rift. We are two people with different personalities."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney - Australia

SCHEDULE FOR SWEDISH TSUNAMI CEREMONIES

This is the program for the Asian Tsunami ceremony in Blue Hall where BAO is performing:

Nacka Musikklasser. Dirigent Johan Holgersson. Trumpetsolist Ivar Hedén Turesson. "A child". Text and music: Thad Jones.

Melinda Kinnaman. "Nu föds ett barn". Text: Barbro Lindgren.

Benny Anderssons orkester. "Tröstevisa". Music: Benny Andersson.

Speech by Kung Carl XVI Gustaf.

Ale Möller med Shipra Nandy and Maria Stellas. "Dao bidaai / Livadhia". Text and music: trad. Indien and Grekland, arr. Ale Möller.

Rikard Wolff and Niklas Sundén: dragspel. "Min Gud". Text and music: Michel Vaucaire/Charles Dumont.

Louise Hoffsten med Benny Anderssons orkester. "Have a little faith in me". Text and music: John Hiatt.

Speech by Archbishop KG Hammar.

Ale Möller with Louise Hoffsten and Maria Stellas. "Varför skola männskor strida/Xanalego". Text: V Dahlquist Music: H Danks / Trad. Grekland.

Melinda Kinnaman. "Sorg" Text: Bodil Malmsten (för DN Kultur with anledning av catastrophe in Asia).

Robyn and Björn Yttling: piano. "En dejlig rosa". Text and music: trad. Sverige.

Tal av statsminister Göran Persson.

Nacka Musikklasser. Dirigent Johan Holgersson. "Bogoroditse Devo från Vesper". Music: Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robin Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

GUSTAV'S GOSS FROM STOCKHOLM

Today I went with a friend to the movies (Phantom of the opera) and got a nice surprise during one of the trailers.

The trailer was for a Swedish movie called Vinnare och förlorare (Winners and Losers) and during the entire trailer, Frida's Du Är Så Underbart Rar was playing. Very nice to hear with the big "cinema sound"!

Also...

Earlier this week I was shopping with same friend as above and was looking for a sweater. My friend wanted to look at some ESPRIT stuff so I followed him to that department only to find they have a sweater with parts of the lyrics for On and On and On (Keep on rocking baby, til the night is gone, on and on and on) written over it. ALMOST bought it. But it looked rather dull except for the writing :)

It's nice to be reminded of ABBA by surprise sometimes :)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Gustav Sandberg, Stockholm, Sweden

CARSON & ABBA - WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

In the Daily Telegraph newspaper in NSW from Wednesday January 5 2005 on page 44 there is a little article that goes like this:

QUEER GUY FLIES HIGH

Queer Eye guy Carson Kressley has been busy since his visit to Australia for the Melbourne Cup. He's soon to appear in the video of The Winner Takes It All as part of an ABBA retrospective. He will appear as a boxing coach/fairy godmother character. "But of course I'm dressed in a pink suit", he says. He has also made a film with Hilary Duff and is thinking of bringing out his own fashion line.

=====

Does anyone know what on Earth they are talking about ? Sounds bizarre to me...

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jeff Chandler, Jilliby, New South Wales, Australia

ABBAMAIL MAKES SMH

ABBAMAIL was mentioned in the Sydney Morning Herald's "Spike" column last Tuesday!

"Money, money, money

Abba fans will stop at nothing to have the Swedish foursome reunite. The website http://www.abbamail.com has posted an online poll asking fans whether Abba should reunite to raise funds for tsunami victims. Judging by the response, we don't know how successful the quest will be. When Spike checked yesterday only 18 people had voted, two of them saying they should reunite, 13 saying they shouldn't and three saying maybe, but only if "it was done properly as a one-off event".

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

SUPER TROUPERS FOR USA TV

The ABBA documentary Super Trouper - Thirty Years of ABBA will be appearing often on OVATION: The Arts Network in 2005.

Check here for scheduling information:

http://www.ovationtv.com/premieres/abba.html
Super Troupers - Thirty Years of Abba

Next Showing:
Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 4:00:00 PM
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 - 10:30:00 PM
Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 2:30:00 AM
Saturday, January 22, 2005 - 8:00:00 PM
Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 12:00:00 AM
Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 8:00:00 PM

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

ABBAMAIL's comment: USA fans please note that to see the full production including the bonus interviews, you still need to buy the DVD release of "Super Troupers"

US SUPER TROUPERS DVD RELEASE

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050107/laf007_1.html

Press Release Source: Polydor; Polar; UMe

New ABBA DVD Documentary 'Super Troupers' Features Exclusive Interviews, Classic Performances, Footage From the World's Number One Musical 'Mamma Mia!' and Members of ABBA on Stage for the First Time in 20+ Years
Friday January 7, 7:00 am ET

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1982 the original four members of ABBA, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid and Agnetha have not appeared in public together. On April 6, 2004 during the 5th anniversary celebration of the premiere of the hugely successful musical, "Mamma Mia," and the 30th anniversary of "Waterloo" winning the Eurovision Song Contest, the question was asked, will all four members of ABBA appear together on stage again for the first time in over 20 years?

The DVD "Super Troupers" (Polydor/Polar/UMe) released January 25, 2005, captures not only the excitement of that occasion but that of the entire ABBA phenomenon then and now.

"Super Troupers" encompasses a 90-minute documentary plus 30 minutes of extras. Featured are new, exclusive and in-depth interviews with all four members (shot in Sweden and London), offering a rare insight into the quartet; digitally remastered archival footage reaching back to the pre-ABBA '60s, with highlights of ABBA on tour and on stage, and the music of 24 of the group's hit records. Also center stage on "Super Troupers" is exclusive footage from both rehearsals and performances of "Mamma Mia!," highlighted by the London 5th Anniversary Gala Special Finale, a medley that includes "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo."

The songs heard via vintage performances/video clips are "Super Trouper," "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)," "Voulez-Vous," "I'm A Marionette," "Mamma Mia," "I Have A Dream," "People Need Love," "California Here I Come," "Fernando," "Eagle," "Head Over Heels," "Take A Chance On Me," "So Long," "He Is Your Brother," "Dancing Queen," "One Man, One Woman," "Thank You For The Music," "Does Your Mother Know?," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "The Winner Takes It All," "Hole In Your Soul," "Waterloo," "Happy New Year" and "When All Is Said And Done."

Narrated by songwriter, producer, U.K. dance music king and ABBA fan Pete Waterman, "Super Troupers" presents a fascinating history of a band that has sold 350 million albums and whose music is reaching a massive new audience through "Mamma Mia!," which per its box office success is now officially the World's Number One Musical.

--------------------------------------------
Source: Polydor; Polar; UMe

Thanks to ABBAMAILer James O'Brien, Sydney - Australia

FIRST CHARTS FOR 2005

Here are the first chart stats for ABBA (And related) for 2005. (31 December 2004 - 7 January 2005)

IRELAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 1 to #52

SWEDEN:
Benny Andersson's Orkester: Last week it was up 4 to #20, this week it is down 7 to #27

AUSTRALIA:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - up 1 to #43

GERMANY:
Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! (German) - last week was up 11 to #44, this week up again to #40
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - back on at #67

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - up 1 to #41

UK:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 27 to #71 on a rather jumbled chart, big movers all over the place, both up and down.

OFF - Switzerland - ABBA Gold

Netherlands chart not updated this week.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

Benny Anderssons orkester honors victims of the tsunami

I've translated this article that was in yesterday's Expressen:

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

http://expressen.se/index.jsp?a=226417

Robyn and Benny honor the victims of the natural catastrophe

Robyn, Benny Anderssons orkester and Ale Möller are some of the artists who'll participate in the ceremony which the Government arranges in Stockholms stadshus (town hall) on Monday January 10.

The event will honor those who lost their lives in the Christmas holidays' tsunami catastrophe in Asia.

Even Nacka music classes will participate in the event which will be broadcast live on radio and TV.

The royal family, the Government plus representatives from riksdagen (the parliament) and the political parties will attend, all in all about 1,000 guests have been invited. The ceremony is intended to give some time to reflect and will, apart from music, contain several speeches.

By Expressen.se/TT

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida

BJÖRN IN QUEEN REPEAT

For UK viewers who missed this program (like me!), the program is on
again on BBC 3 this week:

Friday 7 at 23.30
Sat 8 at 19.00 and
Sun 9 at 02.10

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/tv/bohemian_rhapsody.shtml

An interview with Björn is featured.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell Sandhurst, UK

SHIRLEY & AGNETHA

SHIRLEY IS BEST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD
According to Billboard music writer

The world’s best albums 2004 are made by Swedes.

That is music writer Fred Bronson’s opinion, working for the American music magazine Billboard.

In his top ten list of last year’s best albums are not less than seven of them Swedish albums, TT Spektra writes.

The list’s No 1 is Shirley Clamp’s "Den långsamma blomman". Bronson writes that Shirley is “a star” and that her album proves that “the Swedes are making the best pop music”.

At No 2 you find Agnetha Fältskog’s "My Colouring Book" and in fourth place you find the Melodifestival compilation.

Other Swedes on the list are Nina & Kim, Fredrik Kempe, Universal Poplab and Da Buzz.

It needs to be added that Bronson is Billboard’s expert when it come to Eurovision Song Contest and a faithful guest of the Swedish heats of Melodifestivalen.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Niklas Albin-Collander, Goteborg, SWEDEN

MONEY TEST

I was amazed, but very pleased to see that Money, Money, Money has been included in the 2005 Australian Music Examinations Board syllabus for Second Grade Piano for Leisure.

I have not yet seen what the sheet music arrangement is like, but intend to
do so next time I visit specialist sheet music retailer, Allans Music in Sydney.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harold Hanlon, Sydney, Australia

SWEDISH MAMMA MIA! TAKES SHAPE

Article to be found here with a lot of pics of the actors (no ABBA)
http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,583225,00.html

Mamma Mia is taking shape:

Aftonbladet has visited the rehearsals for the ABBA-musical

Charlotte Strandberg is holding a couple of bananas upon her head and sways across the floor.

- You might be doing a monkey or a chicken, says the coreographer Nichola Treherne. The actress tries both ways while her collegues Gunilla Backman and Sussie Eriksson laughs. "Mamma Mia!" in Swedish takes another step towards the premiere. Aftonbladet attended the rhearsals.

In a studio the three women are repeating the moves to "Dancing Queen".

Charlotte Strandberg spins two bunches of grapes in front of her breasts and Sussie Eriksson is using a hair brush as a microphone. In the studio next door a young woman tries to find out whom out of three men her dad is. This is done to the tune of "Ge mig ge mig ge mig (en man efter midnatt)", [Gimme Gimme Gimme] and Nina Lundsele spinns around with Reuben Sallmander.

In the next room it's singing rehearsals for the dancers with "I Do I Do
I Do", and outside Ben Bauler is learning to play the guitar. He has a bit to go before he'll be at the stage of Cirkus and spontaneously play "Thank You For The Music". The rehearsals for Swedish "Mamma Mia!" are in full swing.

It is about a mother and her daugher on a Greek island. The daughter is getting married and she has secretly been reding her mother's diary to try to find out who her dad is. Three candidates are possible, and all of them are invited to the wedding without knowing why.

In English the mother name is Donna, and is called that in the rehearsals. But in the room next door Reuben Sallmander is talking about her as Nanna. All Swedish names are not set yet. But it's decided that Gunilla Backman does the mother and Nina Lundsele is the daugher.

Gunilla Backman is an experienced actress, she has been playing in West End for instance. (London / Linda's note). And she is impressed with the production.

- It's extremely well organized compared to theatres in London, says Gunilla Backman. More concern and understanding and not as much hardship.

- They take care of us really well, says Nina Lundsele. We have got shots against the flu and there is a nurse available.

Gunilla Backman was raised on Björn & Benny.

- I grew up with the music of ABBA, she says. An ABBA record was the first record I bought. For me it's like being back in school, like when I stood with a skipping rope to my mounth and sang "Dancing Queen" in "show and tell". She has seen "Mamma Mia!" in London a few times and the staging in German in Hamburg.

- After the first week's rehearsals the Swedish felt natural, she says. The songs are like this now. It was a great joy in the room when we had done all the songs. The music is so catchy. When I sang through "Slipping Through My Fingers" people were weeping in the audience. They were touched. In Swedish it's called "Kan man ha en solkatt i en bur". (Can you keep a sun-reflex in a cage).

Niklas Strömstedt have translated the ABBA-songs to Swedish. Peter Dalle writes the spoken parts.

- My mission was to not think staging, says Niklas Strömstedt. The songs were supposed to be songs foremost. What is being said in the original lyrics must be kept. I went and saw the musical once more. Then I made a sketch which I showed to Björn. Then we mailed different ideas between us.

All of the songs have Swedish lyrics, but some of them are keeping their English titles, like "Money Money Money" and "Super Trouper". "Name of the Game" has become "Säg OK eller nej". (Say OK or no).

When were you offered the job?

- I was asked 18 months ago, says Niklas Strömstedt. I thought about it for a minute and then I said "Yes" . It's a real fun job, and it was good to have so much time for it.

Were you flattered?
- Yes.

The lyrics are ready now. The last brush strokes were done when the ensemble was working on the music. It is important that every stress is singable.

- It sounds good. Swedish is a poppy language, says Niklas Strömstedt.

The director thinks the same. Paul Garrington has been working with "Mamma Mia!" for two years, in New York, Tyskland and Korea. He thinks it's interesting how the musical has been changed in different cultures.

To have a daughter raging against her mother and answers back was hard for the Japanese to digest. That had to be smoothed down. In Madrid on the other hand more temper could be used. There the daughter was really mean.

- The music is an important part of the success of "Mamma Mia!", Paul Garrington says. It's universal and the songs works in every language. It reminds people about when they listened to ABBA as youths. These songs live in people's bodies. The book is simple and universal, it's not made for a single culture.

Now Paul Garrington is repeating the scene where the daughter, Sophie is gonna talk to the fathers one at a time. It is done during a large dancing part, but to get the right feeling in the lines the actors are lying in a bed. Reuben Sallmander looks a bit uncomfortable when the director tells him to turn on his "bedroom eyes".

The whole musical is built upon a sexual tension, the director tells them. The ambience on the island is full of sex. Well… But she's the daughter to my old girlfriend. The three men are sceptical, but obey and try the idea of the director. One after one in the bed with Nina Lundsele. Then the bed is sent away and they are doing the part that is to be done on the dancefloor.

We fill in the lyrics with things that will give background and depth, says Paul Garrington. The story is simple, so we have to add new dimensions. I have been doing similar practices in other places. Luckily we have experienced actors in Sweden.

In one room feeling are being practiced. In the next one moves. How to move during "Dancing Queen" and where to wave their hair brushes and hair dryers. Charlotte Strandberg tries with the bananas in her ears. That "Mamma Mia!" is being staged on many places around the world does not mean that it's ready.

- They want this to be our show, says , säger Gunilla Backman. That we are supposed to make additions. They are creating the stagings for us.

Mamma Mia! premieres at the 12:th of February at Cirkus in Stockholm.

By Jens Peterson / To English By Linda Granqvist

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Linda Granqvist, Stockholm, SWEDEN

FRIDA & DAN'S CHARITY PROCEEDS

In case you are interested in where the money of the sales of the "Lieber
Gott" CD went to, this Dutch webpage http://www.astroh.nl/comments.php?id=2292_0_1_15_C4 gives you the answer. It
was posted in this forum on December 21, 2004. An English translation:

***********

An early Christmas for Russian orphans thanks to Frida (ABBA) and Dan Daniell.

Dan Daniell went to Russia and donated the sales of the CD "Lieber Gott" to Father Nicolay's orphanage. 57 children live in Father Nicolay's orphanage. He adopted 24 of them. You cannot imagine the tradegies these children went through. For the first time in their lives they experience what love and security is.

Father Nicolay: "We try to be a family for these children, and hope that one
day they can forget their pain and sorrow". And with a soft voice: "There's
nothing more vulnerable than a child's heart and only love can heal it".

Emotional was the benefit concert for "Kinder In Not" in a sell-out theatre
in St. Petersburg. Highlight of the concert was Daniell performing "I have A
Dream" with well-known Russian female singer Marina Kapura and a childrens choir.

In spite of the fact that only few people understood the lyrics the audience
was enthusiastic about Swiss Dan Daniell. Sometimes words aren't needed - the music and the language of the heart explain everything.

The special maxi-single can still be ordered through www.schlagerburo.nl The sales will be donated to 'Kinder In Not'.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, Netherlands

DAN IN A BAND WITH FRIDA? YEAH RIGHT!

While searching the internet for "dan daniell +frida" I found this Independent Travel page about Dan Daniell, his restaurant and "the band he is in with Frida from ABBA" :-)
http://travel.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=594229&host=2&dir=13

***********

"Dan Daniell," explained the lovely Karin from the tourist office, "is kind of our local celebrity." He's in a band with Frida from ABBA, who lives here too. It struck me that Frida would make a better candidate for local celeb, but around here a celebrity is merely someone who acts in a flamboyant way, courting attention and showing off, whereas Frida is just plain old Frida next door.

Dan Daniell The Restaurant is not advertised by a sign outside, but nonetheless it looks cosy and inviting from the little street. It's dedicated to serving the locally bred lamb - I had the liver followed by the rack, which was carved at the table and served with a punchy cauliflower cheese and a bundle of asparagus. When you've finished they repeat the process. It was excellent.

Claire went for a lamb's milk ice cream, which tasted better than it sounds. I had a Grand Marnier ice cream flambé, which produced a very boozy dessert that got me feeling sentimental. At 10.30pm, Dan Daniell took to the stage.

He kicked off with a French lament, in rather good taste I thought, and then something magical happened. A really bad arrangement of ABBA's "I Have a Dream" struck up and he began to sing along. From nowhere came, quite simply, the most mesmerising voice I've ever heard. It was Frida! On tape. He'd obviously recorded her singing a pass of the tune at one of their band practices.

Hearing it recorded without effects, effortlessly trotting out the well-known melody with such ease, so balanced and perfectly phrased, made me realise what an important part of the ABBA magic her voice was. It definitely had something to do with the Grand Marnier, but by the end I had tears streaming down my cheeks. It's like a musical version of the Crown Jewels, that voice, preserved in a glass case up a mountain in Zermatt. You couldn't follow it and Dan didn't try. He left the stage to join his friends and it was perfect.

His was a great restaurant all round, with attention to detail on every level - disco-style black tablecloths scattered with spangly silver stars and cinnamon sticks, candles and firelight added to the atmosphere of cosy intimacy. Photos of grinning Robbie Williams and Phil Collins adorned one wall. I felt like James Bond walking home and Claire's skin was glowing.

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

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, The Netherlands

AGNETHA REHASH IN SYDNEY DAILY TELE

For no apparent reason, today The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) has a short article about Agnetha's recent TV interview. No idea if it's in the print version, but it's online.

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

I'm not like Garbo, says ABBA star

January 3, 2005

AGNETHA Faltskog has given her first full-length television interview since the late '80s, talking about Abba, money and her reputation as a recluse.

Talking to Swedish TV station TV4, Faltskog said the media had created a false image of her: "I'm the same person that I've always been - nice, normal, down-to-earth, and easily stressed."

She complained she had been portrayed as a recluse on the island of Ekero.

Comparisons with Greta Garbo, another Swede with a reputation for withdrawing from society were unfair, Faltskog said.

"It's a picture that the media has created as a punishment for me not showing myself enough," she said, adding that she would rather be an original than a bad copy.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole, Sydney,Australia

NETHERLANDS 2004 SUMMARY

ABBA - Agnetha - Mamma Mia! in 2004 in the Netherlands

"My Colouring Book" ended up as No. 89 in the Top 100 of best sold albums in The Netherlands in 2004. The album was in the top 100 album charts for a total of 10 weeks and got to No. 7

The Dutch cast recording of "Mamma Mia" ended up at No. 31 in the Top 100 of best sold albums in The Netherlands in 2004. The album was in the top 100 album charts of 2004 for a total of 18 (now still in the charts) weeks and got to No. 1.

ABBA DVD The Definitive Collection ended up as No. 19 in the best selling music DVD Top 30 of 2004.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Walter Veldman, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

MAMMA MIA! STOCKHOLM / EXTRA AGNETHA SONG

There's an article in the Daily Telegraph today (1 January) about the Mamma Mia! premiere in Stockholm, together with a 1982 photo of Agnetha and Frida. Judy Craymer is quoted : "it has been quite a challenge for Björn to translate the songs and we have all been apprehensive about taking it back. Sweden isn't the first place you naturally go to when you are rolling out a show but I think that the country is still immensely proud of Björn and Benny. They have got to be the nearest thing to royalty and the show is selling out fast."

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

I received the latest copy of the Intermezzo fanzine, and apparently they have have learnt from Warner that Agnetha recorded one extra song for My Colouring Book that was left off the final album. It is another 1960s song, and they might consider releasing it next year.

As we know, there were also numerous demo recordings made by Agnetha between about 2000 and 2003 when she was testing out the studio again, and selecting songs that she might record. These may possibly number around 30-40 songs. The recording period of MCB referred to as being from February 2003 to January 2004 is, I think, when the songs she had chosen were recorded to full releasable standard, which would include this one extra song.

Intermezzo also reports that some time ago there was also an auction of Agnetha's car from 1969, a Spitfire. It's going to be shown in an exhibition of these cars at the Bremer Statdthalle in Germany between 4 & 6 February. There is also an International Spitfire Festival in Hepstedt near Bremen between 29 July & 1 August, attended by the Swedish Spitfire Club. Agnetha was also issued with an invitation to this event.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

ABBA SHOULD REUNITE FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS

in today's Aftonbladet there's an article about a Swedish music producer who wants ABBA to reunite to collect money for the victims of the tsunami. Here's my translation:

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http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,582632,00.html

Billy Butt: Reunite ABBA for the victims

Billy Butt requests ABBA to reunite - to collect money for the victims of the Asia-catastrophe. But the former supergroup refuses to.

- A reunion is not in the cards, say Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.

The music producer Billy Butt, 59, was horrified by the catastrophe in southeast Asia. In a column in the Internet magazine Sourze he now suggests a different way of collecting money for the victims of the tsunami.

Follow Geldof's example

"I ask Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Annifrid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog to reunite the supergroup ABBA for one evening, to follow Bob Geldof's example and put on a world concert to benefit the people affected in southeast Asia", he writes among other things.

For Aftonbladet he expounds on his reasoning:

- For a long time there's been talking about ABBA's reunion. If there ever has been an appropriate reason, this is it. All four members are still alive, and all are still active in the music business, he says.

Since ABBA broke up in 1983, many attempts have been made to get them to reunite - but they have always declined.

And so they do this time as well. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus say through their spokeswoman that a reunion "is not on the cards".

- But there are other ways to offer your support for the victims of the catastrophe, they say.

By Jan Forsling

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Claes Davidsson, Orlando, Florida, USA

SUPER TROUPERS FOR US TV

Super Troupers - 30 Years Of ABBA will be shown on the Ovation Channel in the USA,
starting from 1 January.

Did a bit of searching around to find their website. They have this page about the programme, with links to the broadcaset schedule: http://www.ovationtv.com/premieres/abba.html.

With all the ABBA on TV that's been happening lately, a few weeks ago I have created a page on my website listing all these programs -
http://www.abba-world.net/news/tvradio.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

LAST CHART WEEK OF 2004

Here is the last chart week for 2004...

IRELAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - Down 1 to #53

AUSTRALIA:
ABBA - The Definitive Collection - stable at #44

NETHERLANDS:
Cast Recording (Dutch) - Mamma Mia! - down 11 to #43

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - Down 4 to #42

UK:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 1 to #44

SWITZERLAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 4 to #88

Off: New Zealand - The Definitive Collection DVD

No chart update at the time of writing: Sweden and Germany

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand