TRIBUTE BAND FUNCTION - NEWCASTLE UK

On 1st April 2006 from 7pm, there will be an ABBA tribute band with disco and pie and pea supper at the Ravensdene Lodge Hotel in Newcastle, UK. The tickets are £5 were £10 only a few left. Book now - details below:

The Ravensdene Lodge Hotel
55 Consett Rd
Lobley Hill
Gateshead
NE11 0AN
tel:01914604312
fax:01914601587
info@ravensdenelodge.com

http://www.ravensdenelodgehotel.com/

NOW A VIRGIN ABBA PLANE!

Virgin Atlantic tend to have cool registrations and names for their aircraft. Such as:
G-VSEA (Plane Sailing)
G-VNAP (Sleeping Beauty)
G-VHIP (Soul Sister)

Guess what is coming soon? In the next three months, a new Airbus A340 -

G-VFIT called Dancing Queen!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trent Nickson, Dublin, Ireland

BENNY ON SWEDISH TV WEBSITE

It was announced that there would be a report on BAO in the USA in "Nyhetsmorgon" TV4 this morning (where Lasse Bengtsson who did an interview with Agnetha is a host). The segment has been uploaded to TV's website:

http://www.tv4.se/player/categories.aspx?treeId=10031&pid=46518&more=1

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Malin, Sweden and Ian Cole Sydney, Australia

A*TEENS NEWS

Marie Serneholt has confirmed in an interview with Aftonbladet that the A*Teens are
no longer "on a break." They have actually split up.

Marie has scored a number 2 single recently and her solo album is out next week.

Dhani has also said in interviews that the A*Teens have broken up. His next single "Let's Do It Again" is ready to go but doesn't have a release date yet. Dhani has left Stockholm Records and is signed to an American company. An album will be out later this year.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

BJÖRN FOR HAMBURG

Germany's StagePool are giving out scholarships for actors, singers, dancers, models, presenters, "dubbers" (those who dub English series/films) into German) and musicians. They get financial support of 500 to 1000 Euros as well as professional coaching and a photo shooting.

Björn will come to Hamburg at the end of April to present the scholarship.

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Samia Jalal, Lengerich, Germany and Paul Carter, London, UK

AFTONBLADET KRISTINA STORY

www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,796828,00.html

Broadway Next for Duvemåla

Bjorn and Benny's musical sucess enigrates to the USA

Kristina från Duvelmåla has emigrated. Soon the sucessful Swedish musical will play on Broadway in New York.

After many trips back and forth it is finally clear. Kristina will go to Broadway.

"Bjorn and Benny are enormously happy. We hope we can stage it within a year", said producer Görel Hanser

Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have for several years struggled to get their musical to the home of American popular culture.

Working Well

And after a four-week workshop in the country they are finally in the home straits.

"We noticed that the English translation and a small ensemble worked well while we were still in Sweden" said Görel Hanser.

Amerincan voices had earlier criticised the piece for being too long. Now the muscal has been shortened.

Three hours long

There are three hours and it isnt unusually long. It can't be shorter than that. Those who had a taste of the musical gave their opinions. "It is an exciting and good translation" and "it could be heavy for the popular culture environment" are some of the comments, writes the New York Post. But the originators themselves are satisifed. Now they have to wait a while before Kristina is ready to debut at the
Broadway Theatre.

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Cliff Docherty, Wembley UK and Paul Carter, London, UK

LYCKA RELEASE DATE

According to www.ginza.se there is a release date of 22 May for the Lycka album.

All of the track listings so far include one of the songs as Nånting är på väg, although I did think it was originally Någonting är på väg (the two words mean the same, and one is an abbreviation of the other right?...), but why the change? I don't have a vinyl copy, so what was the original spelling?

Also, worth pointing out that Lycka itself has been released before under its English title To Live With You, although only as an instrumental, on the Björn & Benny & Stig sanctioned The Best of ABBA by Arthur Greenslade & his orchestra in 1975, and released on Polar.

Here the song is credited to B, B & Stig which would suggest (seeing as he is not credited for the Swedish version) that Stig had some hand in the English lyrics (perhaps only the title). CMP mentioned that the 1975 B & B recording "presumably [features] lyrics by Ernie Sheldon"... do we know what there is to presume about him being the lyricist?


Haven't heard of Ernie Sheldon otherwise, but here's a bio of him : www.starbeams.com/erniesheldon.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

B & B FOR BELGIUM?

From the rumour department....

A radio station has reported that Benny and Björn will be visiting the Belgian production of Mamma Mia! in Antwerp on 30th March.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UL

ABBAMAILERs TRY TO CONVINCE CHANNEL 9

Inspired by ABBAMAILer Harold Hanlon's idea to try to convince Australia's Channel 9 to show a 30th anniversary screening of "The Best Of ABBA", I sent an email to the
Herald-Sun TV Guide a couple of weeks ago. The Herald-Sun is the biggest selling newspaper in Victoria.

I have just realised to my amazement that it was printed on the letters page last week.
They edited it down a bit but it still conveys what I wanted to say:

"Bring Back Abba" (sic)

"Thirty years ago, a Swedish pop group landed in Australia to record a TV special for Channel 9. The response was unprecedented. The Best Of ABBA was repeated an astonishing 5 times in 1976 because of public demand. How delightful it would be to see it again."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Luke Rogers, Melbourne, Australia

BENNY ON AUSTRALIAN TV SHOW

This from the current issue of TV Week:

Monday April 3 7.30-8.40 pm

The Great Outdoors
Includes an ABBA exclusive. Music legend Benny Andersson from ABBA shows us
around his latest project, his very own luxury hotel in Sweden.

There's nothing on the show's website about next week's show yet, but I
expect that will change sometime this week. http://thegreatoutdoors.com.au/

The Great Outdoors is on Australia's 7 Network (Channel 7)

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Luke Rogers, Trudy Wilkies and Ian Cole, Australia

MAMMA MIA! MAKES KATE'S FORTUNE

http://living.scotsman.com/

Mamma Mia makes Kate's fortune
LIAM RUDDEN

CATHERINE JOHNSON is first to admit that the infectious pop of 1974 Eurovision Song Contest winners Abba is not necessarily her first choice in listening - but as the writer of the smash hit Abba musical Mamma Mia!, it has made her a wealthy woman.

In fact, according to an article in the New York Post two years ago, every member of the production's creative team has now reached multi-millionaire status, Johnson, the article conjectured, earning somewhere in the region of $120,000 (around £80,000) a week.

Another tale doing the rounds in theatre-land is that Johnson's literary agent allegedly retired on his percentage of her income from the show. Urban myth or fact? The bubbly 48-year-old laughs off both stories.

"It's so cheeky when people say things like that," she says. "They don't understand. First the percentage I get isn't as much as it would have been if I'd been more experienced and second, my literary agent left to write a novel. He doesn't get anything, it all goes into the company. None of it went into his own personal coffers."

And as for the five-figure fee reputedly put into her bank every week? "Bloody hell, it's not that much," she exclaims. "I think they've put a couple of noughts in there. But I wish it was. It is nice however, it has been life-changing, but it's not as much as £80,000 a week.

"How much would that be a year then," she asks, getting out her calculator. For the record, the answer is £4,160,000.

Next week, following its hugely successful 12-week run at the Playhouse over Christmas and New Year 2004/5, Mamma Mia! returns to Edinburgh, this time for an eight-week season.

Inspired by the story-telling magic of Abba's timeless songs, Johnson's tale of family and friendship unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years previously.

It is a universal tale of love and life that has proved a global hit. Amazingly, however, before writing Mamma Mia! Johnson had never thought of working in musical theatre, her background being in theatre and television where she penned episodes of Casualty, Byker Grove and Linda Green.

"I'd never attempted to write a large-scale musical before and everybody was coming in with all the doom-mongering, warning me that these things can be a nightmare to work on and that mostly they don't work.

"But I just thought that it was a really cool idea that would be fun, and funny to do - the whole idea of a musical based around Abba songs. But then I wasn't as aware as I am now of the huge influence that Abba have had and how much they are loved by everyone."

Johnson's own musical tastes run a bit heavier. In fact, it could be argued that in her younger days she was a bit of a rock chick.

"I wouldn't want to write about bands that I particularly adore," she says, after a moments thought. "Back then it was The Clash that I liked, but I can't really see myself doing a Clash musical.

"I went through it all really, I started out liking reggae and stuff like that, then moved into a bit of biker music. And then I had a slight flirtation with Black Sabbath and things like, then moved onto glam rock. I loved Slade, they were my band, then punk happened - and then I made my name on Abba, which is kind of droll and not really what I expected."

She continues: "Although I was certainly aware of Abba, I wasn't a huge fan myself, so when I came to work on Mamma Mia! I didn't realise how all encompassing their songs were. I guess I thought it would be a sort of cult show that would get a lot of Abba fans in for the first three months and that would be it really."

Today, six years on, there are more productions of Mamma Mia! playing simultaneously around the world than of any other musical.

Four are in North America, there are two in Germany and one each in Australia, Japan, Holland, Spain and Sweden as well as one on London's West End and the tour about to arrive in Edinburgh.

Candidly Johnson, confides: "When I was writing it and I used to go to the shops for something and an Abba song would come on the Tannoy I used to think: 'Oh, bloody hell. Can I not get away from work?' because it just felt like work, but I'm beyond that now.

"And I do love some of the songs very much and get a real excitement out of hearing them. But it's difficult now because my take on them is that they are like Mamma Mia! songs and not Abba songs."

She may not have been their biggest fan but Johnson admits that initially, at least, she was still nervous of meeting the members of the Swedish super-group.

"Before I met Bjorn and Benny I was in a bit of a state about it. I just thought I was going to be completely tongue-tied and embarrassed. Now that I have been in a position of working alongside them, where I've had to say my piece, it's okay. We have quite an easy relationship, although I still am aware of who they are.

"Quite early on Frida became a part of the team and was very enthusiastic about the show. She just looks fabulous. And I finally met Agnetha at the show's opening in Stockholm last year. I ended up in a room with her and she has always been the iconic one, so I thought sod it, I just have to speak to her, and she was absolutely charming."

While musically Mamma Mia! is pure Abba, Johnson was warned early on that the story could not reflect the group's often troubled times.

"When I met with Judy Cramer [the producer] to talk about writing Mamma Mia! she was totally emphatic that it was not to be the Abba story.

"Benny and Bjorn, being co-producers, were going to clamp down very hard on anything that they saw as being a reflection of the band's story. So we wanted to look at what was the real essence of the songs.

"We felt they divided into two quite distinct categories, one about being young and falling in love for the first time and then there were the songs about breaking up, divorce and older love.

"So out of that came the idea that rather than be very linear and tell a story of a romance (ie, meeting someone at 18 and breaking up with them at 40) we'd do a mother and daughter story that encapsulated both."

It worked and recalling the moment she knew that they had a winning formula, Johnson says: "For the very first preview we did - although I was still re-writing right up until the press night two weeks later - I had my family in, including my brother-in-law who was just coming along to be supportive because he can't stick Abba.

"By the end of the show he was out of his seat having a ball and I just thought, well, if it's got to him, there is going to be a lot of people out there who aren't Abba fans who may well like this."

A prophetic thought indeed.

• Mamma Mia!, Edinburgh Playhouse, Greenside Place, Wednesday-May 20, 7.30pm (matinees 2.30pm), £12.50-£37.50, 0870-606 3424

BENNY'S TOP 5

www.startribune.com

Benny Andersson, the former pop star (today and, at far left, with ABBA in 1979) has left his past behind. "Nowadays," he said, "about all I listen to is classical music."

1. The Rossini Overtures, including "William Tell."This is the first record I got as a kid. It's a wonderful start for the untrained ear, good fun and really alive."

2. The (three) Bach Violin Concertos. "I never get tired of them. I could play them thousands of times."

3. Delilah's seduction aria from Saint-Saens' "Samson and Delilah."

4. Beethoven's piano sonatas.

5. Anything by Mozart but especially the Piano Concerto No. 24 and "The Magic Flute."

OSMO DOES ABBA

From www.startribune.com

Osmo does ABBA

As Osmo Vänskä suits up for an ABBA concert at Orchestra Hall, Benny Andersson talks of the continuing craze for his former group. Michael Anthony

Call it ABBA redux. The Swedish pop quartet that was the world's most prolific hit-singles factory for much of the 1970s called it quits in 1982, thereby seriously depressing the market for pink polyester jump suits. But now ABBA is back, or, more accurately, its music is back, and reaching more people than ever. The stage musical "Mamma Mia!," with its 22 ABBA songs, can currently be seen in 15 productions worldwide, with a combined gross of $1.5 billion to date.

Now, courtesy of Osmo Vänskä, we have the orchestral ABBA.

Vänskä, the Minnesota Orchestra's music director, put together an ABBA program three years ago for his orchestra in Finland, the Lahti Symphony, using the vocal ensemble Rajaton and orchestrating much of the material himself. The show was a hit. He repeated it the following year in Lahti, and he will do so again, this time with the Minnesota Orchestra, and Rajaton as guests, as part of the Weekender Pops series.

Classical conductors usually leave pops programs to specialists, or to former "Tonight Show" bandleaders. The last music director to lead this orchestra in a pops program was Neville Marriner back in the 1970s. Vänskä, however, likes ABBA's songs, even if he doesn't classify himself as a fan.

"No one can say these guys aren't talented," he said, referring to Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, ABBA's composer/lyricists. "They have done great things, written great melodies. If those songs are still being played and recorded after 20 years, there is no question about whether they are talented or not. I'm interested in all kinds of good music when well-done and well-performed."

Andersson was in Minneapolis last week, leading his 16-piece Benny Andersson Orkester at a benefit dinner/concert in honor of the 75th anniversary of the American Swedish Institute. The event sold out at $125 a ticket, drawing people from Europe, Japan and across the United States. The next night, Andersson played Swedish folk music on his accordion with the orchestra's five fiddlers in an informal concert at the Dakota in downtown Minneapolis.

Proud of his pop past

Interviews with Andersson over the years have suggested an indifference on his part toward ABBA and its revival, even though it has earned him considerable income. It seemed he viewed the current craze as something from his distant past that doesn't relate to his current interests -- his work in the theatre and his writing and performing with his orchestra.

"No, the truth is I'm very proud of this work," he said, tapping the covers of a stack of ABBA LPs that a middle-aged couple had asked him to autograph during a rehearsal break at the Sheraton last weekend. At 59, his hair gray and thinning, his manner soft-spoken and modest, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt, Andersson was barely recognizable as the young man in baby-blue satin pants and metallic platform boots pictured on the cover of the record. (The original ABBA costumes are now on display at a museum in Stockholm.)

"Whatever I do in the future -- if I were to write 15 wonderful musicals -- I would still be one of the four in this group, and I'm happy with that."

He actually didn't have anything to do with "Mamma Mia," although Ulvaeus served as an adviser to the show. Until Andersson saw the premiere production in London in 1999, he wasn't even convinced that the show would work. "But then the audience came in, and they went through the ceiling," he said. "It's a fun, uplifting evening. But I don't know why it works. I wish I did." (The show has been dubbed "the Lourdes of musicals," for its effect on sickly audience members who, it has been said, throw down their canes and start to dance.)

Headed to Broadway, via Hennepin?

He is heavily involved with "Kristina From Duvemala," a musical that received its American premiere here in a concert version at Orchestra Hall in 1996. Produced by Vocal-Essence (then the Plymouth Music Series), it featured the original Swedish cast, including the remarkable Helen Sjöholm, who performed with Andersson here last weekend, as the title character.

Based on the four-volume "Emigrants" novels by Vilhelm Moberg that chronicled Swedish immigration to America, the show was given an additional performance in Lindstrom, Minn., where the novels' main characters, Kristina and her husband, Karl Oskar, are portrayed as statues.

Andersson and Ulvaeus, whose compelling and dramatic score showed a considerable growth from their ABBA days, hoped to rework the show for Broadway, trimming the four-hour book and cutting some characters. They've been working on it ever since. Just before coming to Minneapolis, they held a four-week workshop in New York City, giving a performance of the show two weeks ago and enlisting the help and advice of two seasoned theatre professionals, Herbert Kretzmer, co-lyricist of "Les Misérables," and John Weidman, who wrote the books for "Pacific Overture" and "Assassins."

They hope to open a revamped English version at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis within a year or 18 months from now. Andersson visited the Orpheum during his recent visit. He likes the fact that there are a lot of Swedes here who can relate to the story, and he knows several musicals that opened here have gone on to success, including "The Lion King" and "Victor/Victoria."

He and his partner previously collaborated with Tim Rice on a musical, "Chess," and he found that he loved the theatre.

"It's wonderful when 100 people come together and create a show -- actors, singers, costumers; everybody working together for the same goal," he said. "It's a wonderful way to spend one's life. The ups and downs are shared by everybody. That's the way life should be."

Folk is his passion now

Had he not been scheduled to return to Sweden so soon after his performances here, he said he would have stayed to hear Vänskä's take on ABBA. The two have never met.

The suggestion was made that perhaps the ABBA songs are better suited to orchestral treatment than those of, say, the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, both of whom have engendered some truly grisly orchestral records. Andersson and Ulvaeus, on the other hand, have always said their chief models were Brian Wilson and Phil Spector, both of whom favoured an orchestral sound.

"It also has to do with a tradition we Swedes come from, being brought up in non-commerical radio," he said. "They played everything. We had one channel. They would start with a march, end with some classical stuff, with a lot of pop stuff in between. We grew up hearing everything."

Even so, it was clear during his impromptu performance Sunday, playing Swedish folk music to an audience of Swedish-Americans, their faces beaming in recognition at each number, that this is the music that makes his spirit dance. Formed in the early 1990s out of Andersson's love of this music, the band plays only about 10 times a year, mostly in its home country. This was its second performance outside Sweden.

Playing his accordion -- an instrument that his father and grandfather played -- with the group positioned onstage in a circle, the old folk style -- Andersson looked like he was about to burst from happiness, with ABBA no more than a distant, fading memory.

Abba From A To B

Who: Osmo Vänskä conducts the Minnesota Orchestra in songs by ABBA, with the
vocal group Rajaton as guest soloists.

When: 8 p.m. today & Sat. • Where: Orchestra Hall, 11th St. and Nicollet
Mall, Mpls. • Tickets: $20-$49. 612-371-5656.

CHARTS

Well, ABBA is still hanging in there.... JUST.
Here are the chart stats for the week of 17-24 March 2006.

AUSTRIA: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 8 to #44.

FRANCE: Forever Gold - Off. This run: #8 10 wks.
SWEDEN: Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! (Swedish) - Off. Total: 32 wks.

AND THE CHARTS FOR THE PREVIOUS WEEK of 10-17 March 2006.

SWEDEN: Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! - up 1 to #52
AUSTRIA: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 9 to #36
FRANCE: ABBA - Forever Gold - down 16 to #40

SWITZERLAND: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - off. Now charted for 111 weeks.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

KRISTINA USA UPDATE

Just got through talking to Valerie Arrowsmith who spend some time with
Benny on Sunday...

Björn & Benny have finalised plans for Kristina. Kristina is set to go on Broadway in the same theatre where the Color Purple is currently playing. It will open when The Color Purple ends which could be between six months or three years. It will play in Minnesota for three weeks before it opens on Broadway.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Wayne Buisman, Minnesota, USA

LASSEHALLSTROM INTERVIEW

Today I have found a Lasse Hallstrom interview in the main Hungarian daily paper-Nepszabadsag-weekend 'culture section'. It's a long article. I translated only the ABBA related parts.

The only surprising thing is that Mr. Hallstrom considers The Movie a fiasco-even after it's commercial and critical successes (Swedish Grammy!). I am also surprised that he could not get close to the members of ABBA-wasn't he already close to them having been their 'in house director' for years?

Interviewer: "Let me add that your carrier started out very differently (from Casanova-his latest movie)"

Lasse Hallstrom: Yes, first I worked for the Swedish TV. My main job was to make films about foreign rock bands who toured in Sweden. Then ABBA erupted into the scene so I made all of their clips. Later ABBA asked me to make a documentary about their tour in Australia but it did not really turn out the way I wanted because the group was unbeliavably busy all the time. I couldn't really make this movie authentic enough-I could hardly get close to them during that tour!

Now, hopefully, after 29 years, I will be granted amnesty from the audience for this fiasco...

I: The best way to fix this situation would be to make the Mamma Mia! movie!

L.H.:You see I would line up for that opportunity! It would be cool to get into the time machine and toy with all the old songs-all of which I directed originally! I even remember what year what month I did them!

By the way, the global success of Mamma Mia! is sweet revenge for ABBA because in the seventies their music was considered commercial waste product-they were certainly no prophets in their homeland...And now they are Gods!

I: Meanwhile they were making more money than Volvo those days...

L.H.: Exactly! I just talked to Benny Andersson recently and he told me that the rights of Mamma Mia are owned by an American company, and they already in the planning phase of the movie. Who knows what chances I have?

I: Would not you be the obvious choice for this project?

L.H.: I don't know much about the business side of Hollywood and I don't even try to understand it anymore. I leave it all to my producer. When I moved to the US I thought I will be able to learn everything about this business little by little, but it was very naive of me. I was burned many times-people would often promise everything and nothing happened. I have grown up now and I try to remain behind my camera-rather than trying to figure out parts of this business that I am not good at."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Laszlo Arvai, New York City, USA

KRISTINA ARTILCE IN NEW YORK POST

Swede Dreams

"Mamma Mia!" men shoot for second hit

When the Swedes behind the musical that's grossed $1.5 billion worldwide unveil their next project, Broadway is there.

Last Friday, a dozen or so theater owners, producers, and high-ranking industry insiders trooped down to 890 Broadway (Michael Bennet's old building) to see a workshop of "Kristina", the new musical from "Mamma Mia!" composers Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, otherwise known as the boys of ABBA.

Unlike "Mamma Mia!"-which is built around hugely popular ABBA back catalog-"Kristina" has an original score.

It is in fact, the first original score ABBA has written for the theatre since "Chess", which, despite many first-rate songs, flopped on Broadway in 1988.

Sources who attended the workshop say "Kristina" is a sweeping, operatic musical, much closer in style to "Les Miserables" than "Mamma Mia!".

Based on four novels by the Swedish writer Vilhelm Moberg, "Kristina" tells the story of a family of poor Swedish farmers who emigrate to Minnesota in 1850 to escape starvation.

The books were a basis of the 1971 movie "The Emigrants," starring Max von Sydow and Liv Ullman.

"Kristina" ran for several years in Sweden and has been reworked in English by Herbert Kretzmer, co-lyricist of "Les Miserables," and John Weidman, who wrote the books to "Pacific Overtures" and "Assassins."

Kretzmer was upbeat about the workshop.

"The mood is as optimistic as I've ever known it to be,"he said."We know what needs to be done (with the show), and we shall proceed on the knowledge we've gained."
Word from people who saw "Kristina" is mixed.

They praise the richly melodic score, which is loaded with the kinds of soaring anthems, ballads and duets that are found in "Chess." And they say the immigrant story is dramatic and stirring, and has been translated successfully into English.

But more than three hours,"Kristina" is too long.

"I think it took less time to discover the New World,"one source jokes.

"The trip to Minnesota was a long one," say another.

A big question hanging over the show is whether Broadway audiences will still embrace an epic musical spectacle the way they did "Les Miz," "Phantom and Miss Saigon" 20 years ago.

Audiences today seem to prefer lighter fare like "Hairspray," "Jersey Boys" and, well, "Mamma Mia!."

"It's very 80s in style,"one theatre person says of "Kristina."

"It might be too heavy for the pop-culture environment."

Andersson and Ulvaeus, who are producing the show, will be announcing a production schedule soon.

It is likely "Kristina" will have a pre-Broadway run this fall in Minneapolis ( where there are still some very good Swedish restaurants) and open in New York next spring.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Laszlo Arvai, New York City, USA

EXTRA BAO! SHOW IN USA

According to the ASI Benny will also perform on Sunday March 19th :

Benny Anderssons Orkester at the Dakota
Benny Anderssons Orkester

Take part in a second evening with Benny Anderssons Orkester on Sunday, March 19 at 6 p.m. at the Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis. This informal event will offer the chance to meet members of the band, who just may be inspired to push back their chairs to play a little and talk about what the music means to them.

Tickets are $25/person. For reservations or more information, please call 612-870-3356.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Liesbeth Lobato, San Diego, USA

AUSTRALIAN ABBA FANS: ABBA WEEKEND

A company that specialises in organising events and holiday weekends is very interested in putting together an ABBA WEEKEND. They want to find out how many people would be interested in attending such a weekend so they've sent us the following information for Australian ABBA Fans:

Lani's Holiday Island in Forster, NSW is looking at putting on an "ABBA WEEKEND" some The time in May or June.

The weekend package would include
* Accommodation for Saturday night
* Light dinner on Saturday night
* Saturday night show by top ABBA cover band
* Free Wine tasting by Great Lakes Wines
* Breakfast Sunday morning
* Complimentary souvenir wine glass to remember the weekendnext morning and complementary unique to Lani's wine glass to remember the weekend.

The weekend is all about having fun - there would be prizes for people dressing like ABBA etc.

Lani's has a a range of cabins and the option to camp should anyone love the outdoors!

To establish the viability of an ABBA WEEKEND, Lani's needs to find out how man people would be interested. And for that, they need you to contact them via email or phone:
Tony - Entertainment Director
Lani's Holiday Island & DiscoTech Entertainment
discotechent@iprimus.com.au
or DiscoTech Entertainment on (02) 4392-6870

The cost will be around $160.00 per person, cheaper for camping, all inclusive.

Once the level of interest has been established, a date would be set during May or June. Lani's has a basic website with information about their accommodation at www.lanis.com.au

MORE ON MAMMA MIA! AWARDS

The Swedish Gold Mask Awards are sort of the equivalent of the 'Tony' awards in Sweden.

Mamma Mia won the following awards this year:
Director: Paul Garrington
Set design: Mark Thompson
Lead Female in a Musical: Gunilla Backman
Supporting Female in a Musical/Play/Show: Charlott Strandberg
Best performance

And a special jury award was presented to Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Görel Hanser.

Another related award went to:
Lead male in a musical: Peter Jöback for Cabaret

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

MAMMA MIA! SWEDEN WINS AWARDS

Mamma Mia! was rewarded with the Swedish Theatre Prize "Guldmasken" (Gold Mask) at a recent gala award ceremony. Five prizes including Best Show, Best Director and Best Female Lead Actress (to Gunilla Backman) were awarded to Mamma Mia!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Linda Granqvist, Stockholm, Sweden

INTERESTING RELEASES

Back in 1978, popular Swedish singer Ulf Lundell released a song called "Snön faller och vi med den" which featured vocals from Agnetha.

I have seen this song described as a duet but really it isn't. Agnetha supplies backing vocals, a few oohs and that's about it. You really can't tell it's her. It could be Gladys the tea lady for all I know. But still, it's quite a nice song even though Ulf is not really my cup of tea.

Three new Ulf Lundell compilations are being released in Sweden next week. The song with Agnetha is appearing on one of them - "När jag kysser havet 1975 - 1994".

A triple CD compilation of Mike Oldfield's career aptly called "The Platinum Collection" is out in a couple of weeks. It features Mike's rather good cover version of "Arrival".

My copy of Sissel's new album "Into Paradise" arrived in my mail box today. The album contains Sissel's version of "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room" (listed as "Like An Angel Passing Through"). Sissel really has a beautiful voice and really does justice to the song. Well worth getting.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ABBA CHART NEWS

Here are the chart stats for the week of 3-10 March 2006.

SWEDEN:
Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! - up 2 to #53

AUSTRIA:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 10 to #27

SWITZERLAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 3 to #83

FRANCE:
ABBA - Forever Gold - down 5 to #24.

Switzerland.
ABBA GOLD is up one place in the all time standings and is now at #19 on the best charting albums list.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

EBAY ITEMS: ABBA SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS

Swedish super-group ABBA have exclusively for Stockholm Pride and our cause donated
several rare objects. Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida have signed fantastic posters from the 1970s. They have also signed photographs and a CD-album. These objects are very rare since ABBA doesn't exist anymore and don't have that much to do with each other. The signatures were obtained in Stockholm in December 2005.

Check out the items being auctioned here:
http://members.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=stockholmpride

Kind regards
Susanne Hedlund, Stockholm Pride
---------------------------------------
Stockholm Pride 31 July - 6 Aug 2006
http://www.stockholmpride.org
---------------------------------------
Europride 2008
http://www.europride2008.org

"BEFORE YOU WERE BORN"???

ABBA in April edition of Teen People magazine

My daughter's issue of this magazine arrived in the mail yesterday. She flipped through and then showed me that there was something about ABBA in it. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that the photo and corresponding blurb were part of a feature entitled "Bands that Were Big Before You Were Born". Is anyone else laughing?

The photo is aluminum foil one and the blurb contains almost accurate ABBA information. Other bands featured in the two page spread include the Ramones, Blondie, and Led Zeppelin.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Leah Warren Greenville, USA

ANOTHER ABBA RELEASE...SORTA...KINDA...

I stumbled across yet another upcoming ABBA release.

http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2M&title=917784&p=25&g=25&pa=s r

Titled ABBA - The Gold Singles, this appears to be one of a series of DVDs on "The World's Greatest Albums" (searching around further, I found what appear to be more in the same series). It looks like it's from the same company that brought us last year's 1973-1982 Music In Review, which most people found somewhat underwhelming.

The DVD is described as:

"The story behind Abba's Gold, one of the greatest pop albums ever made. Drawing on rare Abba performances from TV and film archives around the world, this is the first ever independent film review of Abba Gold. The film draws on the reflections of a team of leading critics, musicologists and working musicians to produce the most authoritative and comprehensive review of a landmark in popular music."

It's listed for release on 24 April. I haven't seen it listed anywhere but on Play.com yet.


Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole Sydney, Australia

BENNY ALBUM LIVE

Benny Andersson Orkester are to release a live album in early April, interestingly enough called "BAO Live".

www.ginza.se appears to be the only online store to have it listed so far. They give a release date of April 5th. Ginza, of course, only accepts orders from within Sweden - no doubt the album will be listed for sale at other online sources soon.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham Sydney, Australia

ABBA ITEMS GIVEN FOR GAY RIGHTS SUPPORT

Published at www.dn.se

ABBA signs items to support gays

For the first time in ten years ABBA has autographed original posters, records and photos together. Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson has done this to support homo-, bi- and transsexuals in East Europe and Baltikum.

The autopraphed items shall be auctioned out in a support auction at eBay between March 9th and 16th. The auction is arranged by Stockholm Pride. The auction will also include a piece of jewellery made by Efva Attling, limited prints by artists Peter Gröndahl and Ardy Strüwer. And anyone who feels like doing something special can buy themselves a whole night with Arja Saijonmaa. The the singer will visit you at your pre-party at home, and the evening continues at gay club Rino. If you are lucky you might get a rumba or waltz with the beaten "Let's dance"-prima donna.

- - - For your information: Stockholm Pride: Arranger and organizer of Stockholm Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival Efva Attling: silver smith, former singer/model, married with singer Eva Dahlgren Peter Gröndahl: Swedish artist Ardy Strüwer: Swedish-Dutch-Indonesian artist Arja Saijonmaa: Swedish-Finnish singer (has also been a contestant in Swedish version of Let's Dance)

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2198&a=527049&previousRenderType=3

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Niklas Albinsson-Collander, Göteborg, Sweden

LOCAL CHESS PRODUCTION IN U.S.

A website/blog for Madison, Wisconsin, has news about a local production of Chess.

MATC Performing Arts is presenting Chess at the Mitby Theatre March 10, 11 and 12, 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Excerpt:

"The most satisfying aspect of the production for me was the talent shown by the individual performers, who are accompanied by a live orchestra. Melissa Simonson, whom I had quite pleasant memories of in Aspects of Love, demonstrated impressive vocal and dramatic abilities in the demanding role of Florence Vassy, who falls in love with a Russian chess champion and must deal with the severe complications that occur when he defects."

Full story at:

http://www.dane101.com/arts/2006/03/06/chess_players

Dane101 is an online magazine for and about the Madison, Wisconsin metro area, covering local music, arts, politics, media, recreation, and more.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ron Miskoff, Edison, USA

LYCKA REMASTER ANNOUNCED

Björn & Bennys Lycka album back on CD

The 1970 album, which contained the first recording to feature all four ABBA members, remastered and re-released with 14 bonus tracks.

In May 2006, the only album ever released by Björn & Benny as a duo will be re-released on CD in a remastered and expanded edition. The Lycka (Happiness) album was originally released in 1970 and contains the hit single Hej gamle man!; with Agnetha and Frida on backing vocals, it is the very first recording to feature all four ABBA members.

This re-release of the album has been expanded with 14 bonus tracks to make it a complete collection of all commercially released Björn & Benny recordings. Nine of the recordings are released on CD for the very first time, and some of those were previously only released in Germany and Japan. Seven of the recordings on the CD feature backing vocals by Agnetha and Frida. This remastered version of Lycka also features a previously unreleased bonus track: "To Live With You", the English-language version of the song "Lycka", recorded by Björn and Benny as a demo in the mid-Seventies.

The booklet features an extensive Swedish-language essay about the album and the fascinating period between Björn and Benny’s years as Sixties teen idols in Sweden and the worldwide ABBA success. The booklet is illustrated with rare single sleeves from Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Japan and New Zealand.

The remastered version of Lycka has only been confirmed for release in Sweden. The CD will be released in May 2006 - exact date hasn't been set.

LYCKA - TRACKLISTING

1. Lycka
2. Nånting är på väg
3. Kära gamla sol
4. Det där med kärlek
5. Välkommen in i gänget
6. Lilla du, lilla vän
7. Hej gamle man!
8. Liselott
9. Kalles visa
10. Ge oss en chans
11. Livet går sin gång

Bonus tracks
12. She’s My Kind Of Girl
13. Inga Theme
14. Det kan ingen doktor hjälpa
15. På bröllop
16. Tänk om jorden vore ung
17. Träskofolket
18. En karusell
19. Att finnas till
20. Hey, Musikant
21. Was die Liebe sagt
22. Love Has Its Ways
23. Rock’n Roll Band
24. Merry-Go-Round
25. To Live With You

Catalogue number: 987 682-3

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Stephen McLaughlin, Darlington, United Kingdom

KRISTINA IN ENGLISH: LATEST UPDATE

Kristina Workshop - a BIG week ahead!

The Kristina workshop will soon enter its final week culminating in presentations of the musical to investors, the Schubert Organisation and members of the Broadway musical community.

icethesite has learned that Lars Rudolfsson is still in the director's seat, Herbert Kretzmer and John Wiedman are actively reworking the book to bring the original show down to a more manageable length for Broadway and Benny and Björn are there at rehearsals all day, every day.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK and Dominic "Ice" Wallis, UK

CHART ROUND-UP

Here are the charts for the week of 24 Feb to 3 March 2006

SWEDEN: Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! (Swedish) - up 3 to #55

AUSTRIA: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - up 1 to #17

SWITZERLAND: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 5 to #86

FRANCE: ABBA - Forever Gold - down 4 to #19

ITALY: ABBA - La Nostra Storia - now off The Chart. #28 14 weeks.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer, Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

FRIDA DVD UK RELEASE CANCELLED

The release of the Frida DVD in the UK has been cancelled. It will only be available on import.

Universal UK got cold feet about the Swedish language component of it amongst other things and so now it isn't happening.

People who pre-ordered it from Amazon UK have been notified that their order has been cancelled.

Thanks to ABBA fan Andrew Casey, UK

ABBA ITEMS ON EBAY

Check Ebay for some interesting ABBA items available from today for 5 days only. Go to ebay.com and search for seller "abbacurio" under the advanced search option.

ANDERS EKBORG CD

Anders Ekborg's (Karl-Oskar in Kristina) solo CD is due for release on 18 April. It's due to contain a new song written by Benny. No further details as yet...

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter London, UK

KRISTINA - ENGLISH VERSION WEBSITE

The official website for the U.S. English language production of Kristina från Duvemåla has been revealed. Go to: http://www.kristinathemusical.com/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK and www.icethesite.com