FRIDA IN RED

Frida went to an event on 22 April being the Amaranter Order's ball, where she was elected "Stormästarinna of the year".

She wore a striking red dress, pictured one of the Swedish magazines.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

FRIDA NOT HAPPY WITH KATE MOSS!

ABBA star-turned-anti-drug campaigner ANNI-FRID LYNGSTAD has attacked supermodel KATE MOSS for glamorising drugs and encouraging kids to try them. The singer was appalled by the publicity Moss 2005 drug scandal attracted - and urges the catwalk queen to join her in preaching against drugs. Lyngstad - who campaigns for drug prevention charity Mentor - says, "When people like Kate start using drugs it has a bad effect. It would be good if she joined a charity like this."

From:
http://contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/
abba%20star%20slams%20moss_25_05_2006

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ron Miskoff, Edison USA (and thanks to ABBAMAIL website visitors who alerted us to this story - much appreciated)

BBC ABBA TRIBUTE

Last weekend at the Hackney Empire in London, the recording took place of the BBC Concert Orchestra's Eurovision & ABBA tribute. The program was presented by Ken Bruce, who has commentated on the contest since 1988, for BBC Radio 2. The orchestra was conducted by David Arnold, while there were four guest vocalists on stage during the evening, Samantha Shaw, Joanne Farrell, Steven Houghton and Chris Manoe.

Details at:
http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/6228

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ron Miskoff, Edison USA

KALLE AWARDED

Kalle Moraeus, known from among other things Benny Andersson Orkester, has been awarded the Karamelodiktstipendiumet award. It's a prize for entertainers founded in 1983 by the multi-talented Swedish artist Povel Ramel. Among earlier recipients of the
award are Ainbusk Singers and Lena Philipsson.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Linda Granqvist, Stockholm, Sweden

BJÖRN PAYS TAX DEBT

This was in Expressen:

ABBA-Björn pays his tax debt.

ABBA-star Björn Ulvaeus chooses to pay his tax debt of 87 million kronor.

- Even if I think the tax authority is wrong, I will pay the money just to prove I'm not trying to run away from anything, Björn Ulvaeus says to the magazine "Vi".

After Christmas 2005, the former ABBA-star and musical-composer was notified that the Tax Authority claimed he had to pay 86.9 million kronor.

The tax authorities stated that Björn Ulvaeus has, in secret, transferred money through a complicated chain of companies and trusts in the tax paradise Antilles.

The authorities estimate that 90% of the 94.6 million kronor that went to these companies during 1998-2003 had been transferred back to Björn Ulvaeus without being declared and thus not taxed in Sweden.

Björn Ulvaeus however, claims that everything has been done correctly and has appealed. He and his legal adviser, Sven Rygaard, are now waiting for a decision from the authorities.

- Together with that decision there will be an income-tax demand note, and Björn will pay the sum that's on there. After that we can continue the discussion, Sven Rygaard says to newspaper Expressen.

- Then, when they've got the money, we can tak our time to find out who's right and who's wrong. And what will be will be, says Björn Ulvaeus to the magazine "Vi". I think my paying is a symbolic gesture that will prove to people that at least I am not one of those who tries to get away.

By Erik Pettersson.

http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?d=10&a=593142

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Micke Hjernestam, Sweden

ABBA DVD TO BE RELEASED IN OZ

The new DVD ABBA 16 Hits is being released in Australia on June 26, 2006.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ONTHE CHARTS

And here are the chart stats for the week of 19-26 May 2006.

FRANCE: ABBA - (Forever) GOLD - down 4 to #27
SPAIN: ABBA - Todo ABBA - down 26 to #95, week 48 & Gold.
SWEDEN: Benny Andersson's Orkester - Pa Turne - Down 3 to #9
SWEDEN: Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! - up 15 to #42.

SWITZERLAND - ABBA GOLD - Off.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

NEWS SNIPPETS

The Swedish Mamma Mia! cast appeared on the SVT program "Go'kväll" this evening (23 May)

Anders Ekborg's album has been announced as being titled "Äkta vara" and should be released later this year, with a new Andersson/Ulvaeus song

Benny did quite a few interviews in the Swedish press with the live album release. He says that BAO will hopefully have a 2007 summer tour and that they are planning to record a new album this autumn

Anne Sofie von Otter is touring to promote her new album between September and November with concerts in several places, including London and stockholm

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

MAMMA MIA! MOVIE - OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

MAMMA MIA! MOVIE PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCED

Judy Craymer, producer of MAMMA MIA!, has confirmed that the musical's producing company, Littlestar, and Playtone will partner to make the film of MAMMA MIA! Judy Craymer and Playtone's Gary Goetzman will produce the film.

No timeframe has been announced for the production. Judy Craymer is delighted to be taking MAMMA MIA! from stage to screen: "The film has always been a twinkle in our eye but I’ve been so busy concentrating on the stage productions around the world that I’ve not had time to think about it, until now. The time felt right and the partnership with Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks helped everything fall into place".

Details at:
http://www.mamma-mia.com/london/news.asp

Also, there's a story that the London production has been extended until September 2007.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ron Miskoff, Edison USA

BJÖRN AT DUTCH MUSICAL AWARDS

Björn with other winners at the prize ceremony wher he received a Dutch Musical Lifetime Achievement Award.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, The Netherlands

FRIDA AT THE POLAR MUSIC PRIZE

Thanks to ABBAMAILer grant Whittingham and ABBAMAIL website regular Anders for these shots of Frida at the Polar Music Prize ceremony.

MADONNA OR AGNETHA?

(Click on picture to see larger version)

GOOD LORD - IS IT MADONNA OR AGNETHA!

We knew Madonna loved ABBA but this is ridiculous!

Madonna's latest concert tour sees her dressed in an almost identical outfit to ABBA's 1979 tour costumes. And from the pictures above, you might be mistaken you were looking at shots from one of ABBA's concerts!

Madonna's show includes a spot of erotic pole dancing, dancers in fetish gear, roller-skate girls, an ABBA tribute and a giant silver mirrored cross which she ties herself to whilst a video of Africa's AIDS epidemic rolls on a giant screen behind.

All amazing stuff. She certainly seems to be "Hung Up" on ABBA!

NEW DVD COVER FOR 16 HITS

This is the cover for the new 16 Hits DVD compilation

BJÖRN & BENNY RECEIVE DUTCH AWARD

Yesterday Björn and Benny received the Dutch Musical Lifetime Achievement award. Björn picked up the award in Rotterdam in a two hour live tv show on national television.

In the small interview Kristina was mentioned. Björn talked about Kristina in New York and said that he didn't know if the musical would come to Europe as well.

The lifetime achievement award comes with quite a lot of money and Björn donated the money to leukemia research. He said that someone close to him has this disease, but didn't mention exactly who it was. I assume he meant Lena.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robert Verbeek, Duiven, The Netherlands

RARE B&B SONG LYRICS

I picked up the "Lycka" expanded album at a local CD shop today. The CD is a bargain at the price of only 9,99 Euro for 25 songs!

The booklet has no lyrics and the liner notes are in Swedish, so I can't read them :-(

The sound quality is fantastic. It's a joy for me to finally hear the ABBA single "Det Kan Ingen Doktor Hjälpa - På Bröllop", B & B's "Traskofolket" and "Inga Theme" in crisp clear CD sound. The vinyl transfers of the German B & B singles have good quality too. Most fans will buy this album because it contains an English demo of
"Lycka". Lyrics for "To Live With You" (1975):

To Live With You

Every night when things calm down
The children all asleep at last
We stay up for a while
Sit together have some coffee
And talk about the day we've had
I take your hand and smile
How much I love you
And how long since I've told you
How good just to be near you
To hold your hand and sit beside you
How good it is to live with you

Now it's time to go to bed
Turn out the lights and listen
To the lonely sounds of night
Lying with you in the darkness
To reach out and to touch your face
Makes everything alright
How much I love you
How good to lie here with you
To feel your passion growing
Make joyful love to be together
How good it is to live with you

How much I love you
How good to lie here with you
To feel your passion growing
Make love and sleep in peace together
How good it is to live with you

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, The Netherlands

BJÖRN IN BELGIAN PRESS

This interview with Björn was printed in the Belgian press :

Belgium opted for Kate Ryan with "Je t'Adore", a very Swedish sounding song.

Bj.: Really :-/

Not your choice apparently ? Don't you like it if somebody sounds a bit like ABBA ?

Bj.: No, it's just silly. Why do you suppose ABBA won back then ? Because we did our best to sound different. "Waterloo" was new. Something nobody had ever heard at the ESC. So, if you wanna have an international hit, don't try to sound like ABBA. That would be absolutely ridiculous ! (Laughs)

"Je t'adore" is a very good song though. It could have been written by you.

Bj.: Well, in a certain way, I do appreciate that people wanna sound like us, even after 30 years, but I don't think it's a smart move careerwise.

The bookmakers have put the song among the big favourites.

Bj.: That's nice for Belgium, but what do you suppose will happen ? A one-hit wonder ! It is hard enough to have a hitsingle with the winning song, let alone continuiing to be succesful afterwards. Look at the winners of the last couple of years, the artists as well as the songs are forgotten as soon as the song drops out of the charts.

Would you compete in the ESC nowadays ?

Bj.: Oh dear, no way !!!!! Not even if I were young again. It doesn't make any sense anymore. It's become very superficial. No, if I were a young artist today, I would try to find my own way at my own pace.

Is it that different from 1974 ???

Bj.: Yes, it is all about credibility. People who competed back then were real artists who were respected throughout Europe, also afterwards. These days, you are absolutely not credible anymore, not the slightest bit.

So who should win next Saturday ?

Bj.: I hope someone with charisma and personality, who doesn't sing the sort of song we have heard a million times before.

Harsh words from Björn :-/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer From Jürgen Parys, Bremen, Germany

CHESS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Chess - The Musical is back...at least in the Netherlands

from www.musicalchess.nl.

The Dutch premiere is on Sunday 5 November in Gouda, but the try-outs start on 12 October in Purmerend.

The musical will tour all over the country and will be performed only one or two nights in each place - only a few places get extra performances.

Final performance, at least at the moment, will be on 23 February in Amsterdam.

It will be in Dutch - translation by a woman called Petra C. van der Eerden. I don't know which version this translation is based on, since the basic storyline hasn't really changed and that's all they're telling.

The major cast members are Joke de Kruijff as Florence, Jeroen Phaff as Anatoly, Jasper Kerkhof as Freddy, Mieke Dijkstra as Svetlana, Ben Cramer as Molokov and Perry Dossett as the Arbiter.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sandra Klaver, Leiden, the Netherlands

CHARTS

Well, I thought we were nearing the end of ABBA being on the
charts......but I guess not. They're still here..and there...and everywhere!


FRANCE:
ABBA - Forever Gold - this week up 3 to #23, last week was #26, down 10 from
the previous week's position of #16.

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - down 25 to #69, week 47 (Gold. Which is 40,000 copies)

SWITZERLAND:
ABBA - ABBA GOLD - back on at #99, week 113.

SWEDEN:
Benny Andersson's Orkester - BAO Pa Turne. New in at #6
Cast Recordinig - Mamma Mia! - back on at #57.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

LYCKA UK RELEASE NOT ACTUALLY REAL

It seems that Lycka won't be as freely available in the shops in the UK and Ireland as we have been led to believe.

The record is apparently only available through Universal's import service, which means that it's not widely available. HMV in Grafton Street (probably Ireland's largest record store) currently has none on order for the shelves. I had to ask them to order me a copy.

Anyway, if you are counting on getting a copy through retail stores, check if they have ordered it or else you could be disappointed come Monday.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ken Griffin, Dublin, Ireland

FROM THE RELIABLY UNRELIABLE SWEDISH MEDIA!

Rumours about Agnetha and her new fellow or going pretty far today!

Expressen and TV4 report that both indeed *are* a couple and there is even talk about
them getting married!!

What will they think of next?

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harry Ehler, Linz, Austria

MISTAKE IN "LYCKA" CD CREDITS

The liner notes for the new remastered, first-time-on-CD "Lycka" release has a mistake!

The songwriting credit for Love Has Its Ways is incorrect!

The music for the song was actually written by Koichi Morita who wrote the music, not the boys!

The facts can be found in "The Complete Recording Sessions", by Carl Magnus Palm himself, who also wrote the liner notes for this re-issue.

The book states that Björn & Benny had problems finding the right single to follow up "She's My Kind Of Girl". After some time, their Japanese record company "submitted a song by composer Koichi Morita...[...]...the unremarkable "Love Has It's Ways", and altough Björn and Benny contributed the lyrics, they cannot even remember the melody today."

Thanks to ABBAMAILers George Bourdaniotis, Kobe Japan and Harry Ehler, Linz, Austria

NEW DVD - 16 HITS

There's a new hits compilation available and this time it's a DVD! The compilation DVD 16 HITS is to be released in Sweden on 24 June 2006 and here is a tracklisting from ginza.se

1. The winner takes it all
2. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme (A man after midnight)
3. Name of the game
4. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do
5. SOS
6. Thank you for the music
7. Dancing Queen
8. Chiquitita
9. The Day before you came
10. On and On and On
11. Voulez-vous
12. Does your mother know
13. Happy new year
14. Waterloo
15. Knowing me, knowing you
16. When all is said and done

The DVD is in NTSC which tells us two things: one, the quality won't be as good as if it was in PAL - there will be 100 lines less colour. And secondly NTSC, it means it will be released internationally.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Stephen McLaughlin, United Kingdom

FRENCH ABBA ARTICLE

There were articles about ABBA in four French TV magazines recently. They wrote extensively about the group's career with the most serious article was to be found in Tele 7 jours. However, Tele Grandes Chaines featured an interview with Mireille
Mathieu which I found interesting,:

They are as timeless as the Beatles !

"I met ABBA at the end of the 70's thanks to producer Alain Boublil who was taking care of their career in France. I loved their look, their freshness, their wondeful melodies that you could remember easily. When The Winner Takes It All was released in 1979 (sic), I immediately covered it in French under the title Bravo, Tu as Gagne (Well done, you've won).

When I was recording in the ABBA studio in Stockholm, Benny, Bjorn, Frida and Agnetha (sic) were friendly and came to sing the backing vocals on my version. In French. I have an excellent memory of it. They were so lovely, so professional and so human. To me, they are as timeless as the Beatles.

I've stayed in contact with them especially with Frida, a generous lady. We took part in the same tv show last year in Germany. I also was moved when I recently got to learn that before being an ABBA member, Agnetha covered La Premiere Etoile (ie En sang och en saga) that I sang back in 1969. What an extraodinary coincidence. When I perform my next concert in Stockholm, I will think about her when I sing it.".

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Pascale Ranson, Lille, France

NO ABBA ON MIDNIGHT SPECIAL DVDs

A series of DVDs is being released with footage from the 70s TV program "Midnight Special". Fans had been hoping for the ABBA appearances to be included. But apparently not. ABBAMAILer Fred King tells us the story...


"I called the 800 number that was listed on the website & got a very friendly, young (26) lass that happened to be an ABBA fan. She said her Dad had all their records & she had become a fan through him.

That's the good news.

Now the bad news.

No ABBA.

She said that after the first introductory DVD there would be approximately 8 more mailings of 2 DVD's every other month. I told her ABBA had appeared on the show more than once. She looked through the artists listed for every DVD in the series & there was no mention at all of ABBA. She said she knew of no plans to bring out another series at this time.

Sorry if I burst anyone's bubble. There *is* a myriad of great talent listed on these DVDs...just no ABBA.

FRIDA IN SQUEEZE

This article has been found in a Dutch glossy Gay magazine named 'Squeeze'

by Harald Roelofs;

ABBA's Frida is a very wise and spiritual woman.
But she's no dumb blonde, like many other famous female singers.

She's a woman with a very decent radar for knowing how things will turn out in the end. But her intuition failed her when making "Frida the DVD', ofcourse she knew this dvd would be a major succes, but she never realised how this would intrude her private life.

After being so famous and being at the top she should have known better.

Frida has many houses, like in Stockholm and Spain, but she has another one in the Swisch Zermatt, she's got this one for at least ten years now, and she moved recently to stay there permanently.

On this new DVD she tells about her walks on the Matterhorn and she tells it with many details.

With so much love she speaks about the restaurand 'Ches Heini" she visits on a weekly basis. Frida keeps on happily chatting about the way she moves around in Zermatt, and no-one bothers her with who she is.

Now with this new released DVD her quiet and silend private life must come to an end.
This DVD must be the best thing for Zermatt's tourist information desk, this free commercial must be more worth than a pan-European million commercial.

From this day on Zermatt must be a number one ski- resort for hard core ABBA fans to visit..

Over the last winter period the tourist numbers have increased by 15% and they all give Frida the credit for it.

Zermatt's hero is less pleased.

The silent walks on the Matterhorn are over, because the mountain is filled with Frida hunters and they all want her autograph.

Frida says it's important to stay who you are, and to give those fans what they want when they meet, because this meeting will stay with the fans for ever and ever.

Last winter Frida returned to Sweden to find some peace and quiet and she stayed with her best friend queen Silvia from Sweden. She visited her former collegue Agnetha for an afternoon, (prior to this she had not seen Agnetha for a year.)

Agnetha has had problems of her own.

Her former boyfriend and stalker Gert v/d Graaf keeps stalking her, despite the police and law.

Agnetha's house has become a prison with cameras and a fan-eating dog named Hampus (a Leonberger). Frida understands Agnetha's panic, but does not want the same security.
All she wants is to go back to Zermatt walking her mountain for hours and hours, and in the mean time she keeps on giving autograps to her fans and does it with a gracious smile.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jeroen Schol, Schagen, The Netherlands

ABBA SPECIAL ON UK CABLE CHANNEL

According to the Biography Channel web-site, ABBA will be featured at 9pm on Wednesday 21st June:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/1709:2123/ABBA_.htm


I'm assuming it's the program that was made for the US last year. Have a look at the 'pictures', 'quotes' and 'curious' sections - quite interesting and respectful.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer, Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

ALL ABOUT HAPPY HAWAII

An explanation of the "Happy Hawaii" we can expect on the bonuas DVD with the 30th Anniversary Edition of "ARRIVAL" to be released this year. It's a cartoon.

'The ABBA cartoon was shown on Australian TV in a mish-mash special called "ABBA in America" in 1977, which was a compilation of ABBA's performances on Don Kirschner's Rock Concert from 1975 & 1976 . It traced ABBA's career in the US ending with their number 1 triumph Dancing Queen This special will always be fondly remembered by us oldies for showing the fabulous (and only taped performance of) Hey Hey Helen and for showing Australian fans Agnetha psychadelic green cape in action (until then only seen in photos).

The cartoon was also shown during the BBC "Money" programme in 1983 story about ABBA,

I got the impression it was a US creation, not Australian. As we all know, it was a test for a possible ABBA cartoon show (a la Osmonds & Jacksons cartoon shows from the 70's) that was never picked up."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Philip Muytjens, Sydney, Australia

RING RING RING...TONES

In Heat magazine (with super skinny and non-celeb Nicole Richie on the cover), there's a half-page ad on page 111 for the ABBA Realtones.

Tones available:
Waterloo, Dancing Queen, Does Your Mother Know; Fernando; Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight); Knowing Me, Knowing You; Mamma Mia; Money, Money, Money; SOS; Super Trouper; Take A Chance On Me; Thank You For The Music; Voulez Vous; Ring Ring and Honey Honey.

Three websites listed:
www.abbasite.com
www.polydor.co.uk
wap.abbamobile.co.uk

The tones are £3.00 each including VAT.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

WE MOVE AS ONE - BY THE WRITERS!

At the official Asia website, you will find a live version of "We Move As One" performed by the authors, Geoff Downes and John Wetton.

According to the website, the track will be included on the upcoming "ICON Live" album. It is a downloable mp3 file and contains a rather flattering comment about Agnetha.

Go to http://www.theasiawebsite.com/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Gabriel Zubowski, Otwock, Poland

BENNY CONFIRMS NO BAO TOUR THIS YEAR

In a recent Swedish interview Benny confirmed that preparations for Kristina in the USA mean that there will be no tour of Benny Andersson Orkester in 2006.

Benny also stated that the key roles of Kristina and Karl-Oscar had yet to be cast and that there would be no staging of the musical in the USA prior to 2007.

http://www.bohuslaningen.se/spektra_mall.php?id=250474&avdelning_1=101&avdelning_2=133

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dominic "Ice" Wallis, UK

FLIPPER'S GREATEST HITS!

Filippa Giordano released of "best of" compilation in Japan last year called "Best Selections". It includes the duet she recorded with Frida. This is stated in the tracklisting as a "duet with Frida from ABBA".

I ordered the item right away from HMV Japan. The CD costs 2,400 Yen (which is approx 12 UK Pounds). Postage is quite high however at around £6 to the UK.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Frater, Edinburgh, UK

SOUND SAMPLES OF LYCKA RE-RELEASE

You can listen to to samples of Björn & Benny's rerelease of their Lycka album, including the ultra-rare "To Live With You" at:
http://www.radio538.nl/538/muziek/download/bundle.jsp?id=39495

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, Netherlands

CHARTS

Well, here are the chart stats for the week of 5-12 May 2006

FRANCE:
ABBA - Forever Gold - last week was back on at #39, this week is up 23 to
#16.

ABBA - The Definitive Collection - Back on at #39.

Both of these are on the Compilation chart.

SPAIN:
ABBA - Todo ABBA - Last week was at #28, this week is down to #44.

According to the website, this album has now charted for 46 weeks, peaking
at #14, and has gone Gold.

AUSTRIA: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - Off. Total weeks on chart: 64 weeks.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

And from Germany...

ABBA GOLD dropped from 85 to 89 in it`s 165th week

Thanks to ABBA fan Stefan Bürger, Germany

MAMMA MIA! HOW CAN I RESIST YOU?

This is the new ABBA book which will be released by Orion in the UK in November and through Allen & Unwin in Australia in November as well.

The ISBN will be 0297844210 and Retail for $59.95 in Australia. I've seen the book and it's pretty impressive. Illustrated throughout 300 colour photographs and 264 pages. I was at the Orion sales conference last week and they were really talking this one up.

The blurb reads: The Official inside story of ABBA and Mamma Mia! This is the incredible story of a double phenomenon:the group who turned the pop world on it's head in the 70's and the record breaking musical based on their songs,seen by over 20 million people in 85 cities.

Through the anecdotes, recollections and reflections of the band members, together with commentary and insights from the cast of Mamma Mia! and photographs from their offical archives,we get an exclusive insight into ABBA, and the story of the record breaking musical.This is the complete, fasinating story of the ABBA phenomenon.

ABBA remain the world's second best selling band of all time; ABBA GOLD, released in 1992,has sold 26 million copies worldwide. Judy Craymer is the executive producer of Mamma Mia! and who was the person who first saw the potential of a musical based on ABBA songs.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Mark Hannam, Sydney, Australia

ABBA'S ALL TIME GREATEST HITS ON CANADIAN TV

They are showing the new show ABBA's All Time Greatest Hits Sunday at 6PM pacific time here on Much More Music Channel 14 for us..and then repeated at 9.30PM and then again over the next couple of days.

So check your listings those of you who have satelite for Canada's much more music.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Brian Johnson, Kelowna BC, Canada

BENNY ON TV HUSET

Benny and his "orkester", including Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg, appeared on the Swedish TV show TV-Huset yesterday.

The appearence is quite long, more than half an hour, including them doing "Det Är Vi Ändå". A little promotion to increase interest in the soon to be released (on Wednesday) live album.

Should you wanna watch it, follow this link, click on "se senaste
programmet" (top right) and foward to appr. 38min:
http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=24625&lid=TV-huset

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harry Ehler, Linz, Austria

GREATEST HITS FOR USA

I was just on the Universal Music website in the USA and saw that ABBA Greatest Hits 30th Anniversary CD is being released in the USA May 16th 2006. This is great news to me and alot of US ABBA fans as well. I can't wait to buy my copy. Just wanted to let you know about the news.

Thanks to ABBA fan Scott Oshkosh, USA

ROXETTE'S PER FOR POLAR PRIZE

STOCKHOLM - Per Gessle will be interviewed by Swedish TV4 during this year's Polar Music Prize gala on May 22. Russian conductor Valery Gergiev and British rock group Led Zeppelin are this year's honorees.

The event starts with the gala ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall, where the prize winners will accept their award from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. This will be followed by a celebratory banquet at the Grand Hôtel, where TV4 – which broadcasts the event – will have its studio and where host Rickard Olsson will meet Per and members of The Soundtrack of Our Lives for a talk.

The Polar Music Prize, which awards artists or institutions in recognition of their musical achievements, was founded in 1989 by the late Stig Anderson, known primarily as ABBA's manager, who played a great role in their success. Anderson donated a large sum of money to The Royal Swedish Academy of Music with the aim of creating a musical Nobel prize, what was to become known as the Polar Music Prize.

The name of the award stems from Anderson's legendary record label, Polar Records.

Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, are among the artists who have been awarded with the prize. Roxette's Marie performaed at the 1996 edition when Joni Mitchell received her award.

http://dailyroxette.com/article.php/2031

30TH ANNIVERSARY ARRIVAL

The Swedish company MPEG Productions that worked on the ABBA - The Movie DVD is packaging and producing the bonus DVD to be included with the Arrival 30th Anniversary release. The company confirms on its website that 'Happy Hawaii' will be included on the DVD as well as ABBA interviews from the BBC and various documentaries. More they cannot reveal today.

They have also been involved with a '16 Hits' DVD to be released for the Asian and USA markets with more details to come.

"MPEG gör ABBA -Arrival åt Polar music.
Det kommer bli en DVD full av intervjuer från BBC och Diverse TV dokumentärer. Den kommer innehålla "Happy Hawaii" som inte har släppts förut. Mer får vi inte säga i dag."

And from the site's Välkommen page:
"2006-03-12
MPEG production gör en ny ABBA-DVD 16 hits för Asien och USA mer info snart.."

http://www.mpeg.se/Abbaarrival.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dominic "Ice" Wallis, United Kingdom

THE FABULOUS FRIDA'S NEW LOOK

Her dress is from Italian fashion-designer Emilio Pucci.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema, Hoogezand, The Netherlands

CHART NEWS

...and back to just the one this week. 28 April to 5 May 2006...

Austria: ABBA - ABBA GOLD - down 3 to #62.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

From last week:

In Spain, the Spanish Compilation "todo ABBA" is at number 19, ABBA's highest position since 2004. You can check it out in www.los40.com

Thanks to ABBA fan Cesar Francia, Spain

BAO LAUNCH ALBUM AT RIVAL

BAO, Tommy Körberg & Helen Sjöholm and Florence in concert on Mon May 15, 2006, at 7PM to launch their new albums. This concert will be at RIVAL, Stockholm & tickets cost 370Skr. Tickets were released on May 4 from http://www1.ticnet.se

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Dominc "Ice" Wallis, UK and Gareth Thomas, Wales, UK

NEW DIGIPAK VERSION

Just wanted to let you know that 'Abba - 18 hits' has now been released in a digipak version - retailing at £6.00 in the ASDA supermarket chain in the UK.

Presumably this is a Universal Music UK initaitve, aimed at the speculative supermarket customer - I have not seen this on sale elsewhere.

The product was shrink-wrapped, so I was not able to get a detailed look - but it looks attractive enough and will no doubt find a few buyers at that price.....

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Gary Collins, Chelmsford, UK

BLAME CANADA!

The TV "special" ABBA's All Time Greatest Hits (shown in Australia and the UK last year, and listed to come out on DVD sometime, maybe) will be shown on the Much More Music channel in Canada on May 7th, repeated on the 8th.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

BENNY'S LATEST PROJECT TO BE RELEASED

The debut album by Florence, "Feel", which is produced by Benny, should be released on 10 May and is due to be in digipak format.

The track listing goes like this :
Give Me The Part
Noel v/s art
Verklig
Vintertid
For Iris
Feel
Sakta
Stjänor och himlar
Kvar
Misfit
Mauritius

Sounds like a mixture of Swedish & English songs then...

The first single "Stjänor och himlar" has really grown on me. The first singer on the track (think it's Sara Jangfeldt) sounds very much like Josefin Nilsson to my ears....

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

BENNY ANDERSSON ORKESTER ON TV

www.svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=24625

BAO are appearing on the Swedish TV program TV-Huset on Sunday 7 May in order to promote the new live album.

It's broadcast on SVT 1 between 1815 and 1930.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, UK

FRIDA - NEW LOOK & STUNNING IN STOCKHOLM!

Here´s the newest picture of Frida taken on the 29th of April, when she's on her way to celebrate the Swedish King and his 60th birthday

All the best
Anders

(thanks Anders from everyone at ABBAMAIL HQ!)