ARRIVAL 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION TRACKLIST

ARRIVAL Deluxe Edition – tracklist finalised

Vintage television performances and rare interviews on the DVD included with the upcoming Deluxe version of ARRIVAL.

The track listing for the upcoming release of ARRIVAL Deluxe Edition has now been finalised. The complete track list for the entire package follows - including a few details for the rare items on Disc 2, all of which are previously unreleased on DVD:

Disc 1, CD track list:
1. When I Kissed The Teacher
2. Dancing Queen
3. My Love, My Life
4. Dum Dum Diddle
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Money, Money, Money
7. That’s Me
8. Why Did It Have To Be Me
9. Tiger
10. Arrival

BONUS TRACKS
11. Fernando
12. Happy Hawaii
13. Fernando (Spanish version)
14. La Reina Del Baile (Spanish version of Dancing Queen)
15. Conociéndome, Conociéndote (Spanish version of Knowing Me, Knowing You)
16. Fernando (Frida’s Swedish solo version)


Disc 2, DVD track list:
1. ABBA-dabba-dooo!!
This legendary 1976 television special, originally screened in November 1976, was the first to take an in-depth look at the ABBA phenomenon, featuring interviews with the group and its individual members. Eight songs from the Arrival album were performed in the one-hour programme. Dancing Queen is featured in the shape of the familiar promo clip (also available on the DVDs The Definitive Collection and ABBA GOLD), but the remaining performances were made especially for this program. They are: Knowing Me, Knowing You; When I Kissed The Teacher (featuring a different, early mix); Dum Dum Diddle (live); My Love, My Life; Money, Money, Money; Tiger; Why Did It Have To Be Me (live).


2. Dancing Queen
This performance has been taken from the West German television special The Best Of ABBA / Musikladen Extra, filmed in January 1976.

3. Fernando
A performance from Top Of The Pops, April 1976, featuring a different mix of the song.

4. Happy Hawaii
This cartoon version of Happy Hawaii was originally to be featured in a projected series of ABBA cartoons, instigated in 1976. The project was ultimately shelved, but not before this unique clip was completed.

5. Dancing Queen recording session
Rare glimpses of ABBA recording their most famous song. Although extracts of this recording session have been seen in other programmes, this selection includes every bit of available footage from the session, as originally featured in the Swedish 1975 documentary, Mr Trendsetter.

6. ABBA in London, November 1976
A feature on ABBA’s visit to London, promoting the ARRIVAL album. The complete report of this visit, taken from the Young Nation section of the current affairs show Nationwide, has not been seen since originally broadcast in November 1976.

7. ABBA’s 1976 Success – News Report
This report, capturing ABBA at the height of their 1976 success, was originally featured in the Swedish news program Rapport in December 1976.

8. Arrival Television Commercial 1
9. Arrival Television Commercial 2
Two different commercials for the ARRIVAL album, originally screened in the UK in early 1977.

10. International Sleeve Gallery
A gallery of ARRIVAL-related single and album sleeves from around the world.

GERMAN CHARTS

ABBA GOLD is up to 88 in it`s 172nd week on the German charts.

ABBA is placed No. 1 in the popular Newspaper "Welt Kompakt" on the List of the" Best Loved Swedes"(issued because of the Football Game next Saturday Germany vs Sweden)

ABBA Definitive Collection is down to 20 on the Music DVD Charts but is double platinum now.

Thanks to ABBAMA fan Stefan Bürger, Hamburg, Germany

INSIDE RUSSIAN MAMMA MIA! FLYER

This is the inside of the flyer for the Russian Mamma Mia! production - click on image to see a bigger version.

Thanks to Dmitry Shipov, Russian ABBA Fan Club

MAMMA MIA! RUSSIA PROMO FLYER

This is the flyer for the Moscow Russian production of Mamma Mia! Click on image to see a bigger version.

Special thanks to Dmitry Shipov, Russian ABBA Fan Club

MAMMA MIA! IN MOSCOW

On May 31, 2006 in the Moscow's MDM theatre was held a press conference about the start of the Russian production of Mamma Mia! show.

The speakers were Alexey Kortnev - translator of the lyrics of ABBA songs, Alexander Popov - executive producer, Mamma Mia! Russia, Dmitry Bogachev - Stage Entertainment Russia (the local production company) director.

They told the press about the upcoming show and details of the casting campaign in Russia.

Natalia Bystrova, who is to play Sophie in Moscow cast, was presented to journalists, as well as a number of short promotional movies about the production company and musical itself. Besides, a live performance by international production soloists took place on stage.

Russian Mamma Mia! production is to be premiered on October 14, 2006 in Moscow.

A bit of history

In the seventies-eighties the Soviet record major "Melodia" released licensed ABBA albums of 1975, 1976, 1977 É 1979.

ABBA The Movie (1977) was shown in the Soviet theatres from the 1981 fall.

Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus came to USSR for the first time in the end of January, 1983 and spent there three days from January 28th till 30th. Benny's wife Mona Norklit came with him, as well as Tim Rice and Thomas Johansson.

The next time Benny Andersson came to Moscow was in March, 1987 for the filming the Soviet-Swedish TV show "Utrennyaya Pochta greets Jacobs stege".

The rock band Europa and Gemini duo (Karin and Anders Glenmark) also participated from the Swedish side. The program was aired on the first channel of the Soviet television on the night of April 18, 1987.

In the autumn of 1989 "Melodia" released the second Gemini's album - "Geminism" in USSR.

Björn Ulvaeus also visited Russia for the second time on August 5, 2002, together with Thomas Johansson.

Thanks to ABBA fan Dmitriy Shipov, Moscow

TV-HUSET BENNY PIC

I came across photos from the recent Swedish series of TV-Huset. Benny was guest in early May and here are some pictures of some of the other interesting guests from the series:

http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=32926&a=539756
Marie Sernholt (A*Teens) & Lill-Babs

http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=32926&a=539767
Nanne and Tomas Ledin

http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=32926&a=539778
Benny, Helen & Tommy

http://svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=32926&a=539779
Marie Fredkriksson (Roxette)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

BENNY ON TOP OF SVENSKTOPPEN

Another #1 hit for Benny!!

The newest radio single by BAO, Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg - "Det Är Vi Ändå" - has topped the Svensktoppen radio charts! After the positions 6,5,3 & 2 the song hits the #1 spot in it's 5th week today.

Meanwhile, "Du Är Min Man" is still in the Top 3, after 103 weeks (!!!) in the charts.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harry Ehler, Linz, Austria

MORE ON NEW BOOK BY B&B (AND J)

An update on the upcoming book by Björn & Benny & Judsy Craymer. Amazon.com lists it as a hardcover due out in the US in October. It shows the same picture and can be found under the title, "Mamma Mia! How Can I Resist You?"

However, the book description clearly refers to the book as Thank You For The Music. My guess is, knowing the long lag time in publishing, final titles, formats, etc. have not been decided, and these are just place holders on Amazon for advance ordering purposes. Interestingly, if you search Thank You For The Music, the book doesn't come up at all.

Book Description
In the 1970’s, the Swedish musical phenomenon known as ABBA—Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad—succeeded in reinventing the world’s perception of pop.

They produced hit after catchy hit, each one instantly recognizable, infectious, and irresistible. Nearly a quarter of a century later, these beloved songs gave birth to the blockbuster musical MAMMA MIA!, which became a legend in its own right.

It opened in 85 cities and has since been seen by more than 20 million people throughout the world. This officially sanctioned book tells the double story of the band and the play—and it’s told by those know it best: two of the group’s singer/songwriters and MAMMA MIA! producer Judy Craymer.

It’s colourful literally and figuratively, and jam-packed with illustrations from the group’s own archives. Through first-person recollections from ABBA members, intertwined with commentary from the MAMMA MIA! team, Thank You for the Music cuts through the thicket of myths and misconceptions that have grown up around ABBA to reveal what actually happened.

About the Author
From 1974 to 1982 ABBA were a phenomenon. Dancing Queen reached No1 in 13 countries around the world and with 350 million records sold the band remains the world's second best selling band of all time, surpassed only by The Beatles.

Judy Craymer is the Executive Producer of MAMMA MIA! and was the person who first saw the potential of a musical based on the songs of ABBA. Björn Ulvaeus, in partnership with Benny Andersson, is the creative force behind ABBA, one of the most successful groups of all time. Judy Craymer is the Executive Producer of MAMMA MIA! and was the person who first saw the potential of a musical based on the songs of ABBA.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Laura Hitchens, New York, USA

RECENT CHART PLACINGS

Here are the chart stats for the week of 16-23 June 2006.

SWEDEN: Benny Andersson's Orkester - Pa Turne - stable at #13
AUSTRALIA: ABBA - 18 Hits - back in the top 50 at #33.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

16 HITS / PRISCILLA MUSICAL

For Australians, ABBA 16 Hits DVD is in some shops already. It has already appeared in Sydney's largest record store, HMV for $31.99.

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

Further details of the Priscilla stage musical have been announced, and
tickets go on sale this week. It appears that there may not be any ABBA songs, but some Kylie songs have been added. Plus Macarthur Park, which apparently they wanted for the movie (remember "Bernice has left her cake out in the rain"?) but Jimmy Webb (the songwriter) refused.

See http://www.priscillathemusical.com/


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

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

BRITISH HIT SINGLES BOOK

Since the last British Hit Singles Book I bought was #17, and the latest edition is #19, there are a few new bits and pieces of ABBA related information here and there.

Since Editio 17 of the book, ABBA has had one more single in the UK chart (Waterloo), Agnetha has had 2 singles and an album in the chart, too. ABBA GOLD is updated to 352 weeks, and their bio is updated to include the Madonna hit "Hung Up".

There are two sections in which ABBA is mentioned:

1 - Top 100 songwriters. Benny and Björn are 49th equal.
2 - Top 100 albums (British Hit singles website & NME). (ARRIVAL came in at #53)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

DANCING QUEEN 3RD GAYEST!

According to "The Empty Closet", Dancing Queen comes third in the Top Ten Gayest Songs Ever.

Comment in the article:
"3. "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. The international pop song proves we're just Bjorn that way."

Full article at http://www.gayalliance.org/content/view/475/54/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robert Verbeek, Duiven, The Netherlands

LYCKA ON DUTCH ITUNES SITE

I was browsing through the Dutch iTunes store and was surprised to see Lycka is available as a download album (0,99 EUR per track or 9,99 EUR for the whole album). In this store, it's called the "edited version", but it's the same one as my CD version, all 25 tracks.

Must be one of the very few Swedish language albums (ever) available in The Netherlands...


The album's also available at bol.com, the largest Dutch online multi-media store, and there it's called "Lycka 4". Of course the tracklist is the same as the one on my copy...

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Charles Szerkowski, Groningen, The Netherlands

NEWLYWEDS AT MAMMA MIA!

http://www.musicalworld.nl/nieuws.more.php?id=1433_0_7_0_M

On 18 June, 50 couples attended the Belgian Mamma Mia! show in their original wedding clothes. This was a result of Belgian radio station Radio 2. They had a contest where people could send pictures of their weddings. 50 couples were then invited to see the musical for free, but only if they would appear in their wedding clothes.

Further it says that 145,000 people in Belgium have already seen the show. And it will definitely finish on July 2nd.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Robert Verbeek, Duiven, The Netherlands

ANDERS EKBORG ALBUM...FIINALLY

Kristina's original Karl-Oskar, Anders Ekborg, is to finally release his album in in August, "Akta vara" (Real Thing). It contains both music and film. The recordings were made "live" in unusual settings, like trains and restaurants amongst other places.

The source of this information is an original interview with Anders at http://www.st.nu

It was mentioned previously in the Swedish press, in connection with this release, that Benny and Björn have written a track for the album.

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

MAMMA MIA! JAPAN EXTENDED

Just a quick note to those interested. Mamma Mia! in Osaka has extended its run until mid-February 2007.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer George Bourdaniotis, Kobe, Japan

TACKY GOSSIP ITEM

This little snippet comes from this weeks edition of the fabulous 'Pop Bitch' mailing list.

Bjorn from ABBA spotted this week in the Opera Bar, Stockholm, "very drunk with five other chaps. Left a tip of 40 kronor - less than three quid*."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Richard Simcock, Sydney, Australia

* Readers should note that tipping is not customary in all countries and Sweden doesn't have a big tipping culture.

WATERLOO AKA ABBA - THE MUSIC IN USA

But I just found out that cover group "Waterloo" (also known as ABBA - The Music) will be in Ocean Grove, New Jersey on Saturday July 22.

Ticjets for this performance are $25 and $30.
http://oceangrove.org/saturday_night.html

http://www.livenation.com/event/getEvent/eventId/218553

They have other dates in the USA, Europe etc.
http://www.waterloo.nu/gigs.htm

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Bill Paganucci, Mahwah, New Jersey USA

REPORT FROM ABBA THE MOVIE IN LONDON SCREENING

I was at the the London cinema screening of ABBA - The Movie and yes, it was fantastic! This was the first time I'd seen it on the big screen and I must admit I did find it quite an emotional experience - there were a few points where I found myself getting a little choked up!! The cinema was far from full, but I actually liked that.

I've included the program notes for you...

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

The first home movie in 35mm, Panavision and stereophonic sound - that's ABBA The Movie. For the Swedish group didn't initially intend the film of their 1977 Australian tour to be on such a large scale. 'When ABBA first raised the idea for the film, they just wanted to make it for fun, for when they grow old,' said the film's director, Lasse Hallström. 'It was just intended to be a home movie on 16mm. But then it grew bigger and bigger, and the next plan was to shoot it in Panavision as well,' Hallström is no stranger to the music scene, having directed pop shows on Swedish television for many years. He is no stranger to ABBA, either, having directed the film clips which accompany their singles on television. So he was the natural choice to direct a full-length ABBA movie. Being a full-length film, it was decided from the beginning to add a story to the concert footage.

'I've seen lots of concert films, with long, heavy numbers on stage, and that just gets boring. I think even the most devoted ABBA fan couldn't stand a full-length film with only music performed on stage. So we added a story about a disc jockey who is doing a radio special on ABBA, and keeps trying to interview them. It's nice to involve the group if you can, but there are a lot of dangers in that. Because if you try to involve the group in the story, they need to be very good actors, and it could turn out to be corny or unconvincing. So we brought in a guy to play the disc jockey and handle the comedy part.'

The film was shot from a six-page script, and all of the dialogue was improvised. A crew of 20 followed the group around Australia, filming eleven concerts and other documentary material.

Screen International, 25 February 1978

ABBA The Movie captures the band arguably at the peak of their career, between 1976's Arrival and 1977's The Album, a number of whose tracks feature in the movie as fantasy video tracks. Tyring to pinpoint ABBA's peak however is somewhat difficult since the band broke up in 1982 without ever seeing any real decline in their musical creativity - even in the midst of their personal problems and break-up of their marriages, they were creating songs of deep emotional intensity and lyrical poignancy in tracks like The Winner Takes It All and One of Us. It is just as hard to pinpoint the peak of ABBA's popularity, which has not seemed to have diminished in the decades
subsequent to their break-up, but I think it's fair to say that the height of ABBAmania is effectively captured during their Australian tour of March 1977.

Rather than just shooting straight concert footage of the band on tour, Hallström wanted to incorporate the fictional storyline of DJ seeking an elusive interview with the band into the film. The results are mixed, Hallström never really making the plot terribly interesting or original, but through the stunning widescreen photography of the concert performances and the documentary footage of the band dealing with the adulation and hysteria of press and fans, he does effectively show the whole rare experience of ABBA as a performing and touring unit.

The plotline of the film is centred around Ashley Wallace (Robert Hughes), a DJ for the Australian Radio station Radio 2TW, who is given the task of making a two-hour special on the phenomenon of ABBA, who are about to embark upon a one-week tour of Astralia. The radio special is due to go out on the final day of the tour and the boss wants an exclusive up-close and personal interview as the cornerstone of the show.

The storyline is a little dull, but Robert Hughes and Tom Oliver put in likeable performances and even some fine moments of humour in the fantasy sequences. The journalistic approach does however give an effective documentary perspective on the attitudes towards the band from the press and public, which at this point in their career, and particularly in Australia, were at near hysteria level. The film also takes a particularly unpretentious attitude towards the band, seeming to capture them as they are; meeting the press, warming up in the dressing room, reading newspaper
headlines and reviews in hotels (although it is true that many of these sequences were filmed back in Stockholm long after the tour).

What most fans will want to see however is the rare footage of the band performing live in concert, particularly given their reluctance to undertake many tours in their time together, mainly due to Agnetha Fältskog taking her responsibilites as a mother seriously. The concert footage in the film is thrilling, capturing many aspects of the ABBA live performance and most of the songs performed during the tour. We get to see the famous costumes, mastly white and edge with glitter and gold - the guys in their capes and bellbottomed jumpsuits, the girls in the skimpiest of tunics and most
revealing of skin-tight leggings - Agnetha making the most of any moment she is not singing to demonstrate why she had just been voted as having the most attractive bottom in Europe.

Although the recordings were undoubtedly subsequently re-worked in the studio, there is a freshness and verve to the performances here that is effectively captured in the magnificently photographed Panavision footage.

In this respect, the most successful moments in the film are when the music is played in full, whether in live context (only 'Dancing Queen' is performed in full on stage and it is magnificent) or in the imaginatively shot fantasy sequence inserts for new songs 'The Name of the Game' and the majestic 'Eagle' - each through their full performance allowing the true strength of ABBA's songs to come through.

dvdtimes.co.uk

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jennie Oldham, London, UK

REMINDER ABOUT THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC BOOK

This is a reminder about the book that Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus have co-written with Judy Craymer. It is called Thank You For The Music and published in September. The 264 page tome has 300 photos and retails for £25.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Vaughan Davies, Guernsey, UK

TED TRIBUTE

Here's the translation of the ted gardestad articlementioned.
www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=608418

Göteborg
Ted Gärdestad gets a tribute from the Swedish stars. But in the autumn it will be even bigger. One of the stars of Oasis will be invited to a tribute concert in Stockholm.

Ted Gärdestad is one of the most loved musicians in Sweden. Guitar player Janne Schaffer and Shirley Clamp, Anders Glennmark, Åsa Fång and Stephen Simmonds and many others were at a tribute concert in connection with the prize ceremony of the Ted Gärdestad Foundation which were presented at Liseberg (an amusement park) in Göteborg.


Big Fan
This year the unknown singer David Wingren from Linköping got a award. The 16th of October a similar tribute night will be held at Cirkus in Stockholm. Besides some Swedish musicans Andy Bell, the bassist from the group Oasis will also be present.

He's a big fan from Ted's music, and that's why we let him perform during the show. We're trying to get one more world star , says Janne Schaffer.

Thanks to ABBAMAILers Paul Carter, London, UK and Patrick Proost, Beerse, Belgium

MAMMA MIA! IN MOSCOW PREMIERE

Mamma Mia! is planned to premiere at the MDM Theatre in Moscow on 14 October 2006. You can now see the Russian Mamma Mia! site at : www.mamma-mia.ru/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Paul Carter, London, United Kingdom

CHARTS

ABBA on the charts this week...

SWEDEN: Benny Andersson's Orkester- Pa Turne - up 1 to #13.

FRANCE: ABBA - (Forever) GOLD - Off the chart.

GERMANY: ABBA GOLD is down to 95 in week 25 / 2006.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Newlands, New Zealand and ABBA fan Stefan Bürger, Hamburg, Germany

ABBA SPECIAL ON BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL IN UK

The UK Biography Channel features a special on ABBA at 9pm on Wednesday 21st June.

http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/1709:2123/1/ABBA.htm

Thanks to ABBA fan Alan Hogg, United Kingdom

DELUX ARRIVAL TO BE RELEASED

Arrival Deluxe Edition on the way

The classic 1976 album, featuring hits such as Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You and Money, Money, Money, to be released in an expanded edition with bonus tracks and a companion DVD featuring unique television performances.

October 2006 is the preliminary release date for the upcoming Deluxe Edition of ABBA's classic Arrival album. Originally issued exactly 30 years earlier, in October 1976, Arrival is one of ABBA's most successful albums. It topped the album charts in at least 10 nations and was the biggest-selling album of 1977 in several countries.

The upcoming Deluxe Edition, which also celebrates the album's 30th Anniversary, will feature two discs. Disc 1 is the original album, expanded with relevant bonus tracks. Disc 2 will contain classic television archive material, most of which has rarely been seen since originally broadcast. All material on the DVD is previously unreleased on DVD.

The DVD track list is almost finalised, and we can reveal that the excellent 1976 television special ABBA-dabba-dooo! (aka ABBA From The Beginning) - featuring interviews with the ABBA members and performances of 8 of the 10 songs on the Arrival album - will be the main attraction on the DVD. All songs will be synchronised with the latest stereo masters, except the two live numbers Dum Dum Diddle and Why Did It Have To Be Me, and When I Kissed The Teacher, which featured a unique, early mix that differed from the album version. These three songs will appear as originally broadcast.

The final track list for the DVD of the Arrival Deluxe Edition will be revealed before the end of June.

Disc 1, CD track list:
1. When I Kissed The Teacher
2. Dancing Queen
3. My Love, My Life
4. Dum Dum Diddle
5. Knowing Me, Knowing You
6. Money, Money, Money
7. That's Me
8. Why Did It Have To Be Me
9. Tiger
10. Arrival

BONUS TRACKS
11. Fernando
12. Happy Hawaii
13. Fernando (Spanish version)
14. La Reina Del Baile (Spanish version of Dancing Queen)
15. Conociéndome, Conociéndote (Spanish version of Knowing Me, Knowing You)
16. Fernando (Frida's Swedish solo version)

Disc 2, DVD track list:
1. ABBA-Dabba-Dooo!!, one-hour television special, first broadcast in 1976

(The remaining DVD tracks will be revealed shortly)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Trijnie Dijkema,Hoogezand, Netherlands

BENNY TALKS EUROVISION IN AFTONBLADET

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,835776,00.html

Benny ridicules Melodifestivalen/Eurovision Song Contest

Benny Andersson: The songs in today’s Melodifestivalen are not good enough

Why don’t today’s Eurovision winners last?

Would it help to have more advertising and more tours?

No, the problem is something else according to Benny Andersson.

- The songs are not good enough. Too adapted. Too mainstream. Not interesting.

Benny Andersson and ABBA reached the world after they won the Eurovision Song Contest with "Waterloo".

Noone has ever been able to do the same since then.

- I read they are worried about the longevity of the Melodifestivalen songs, says Benny Andersson.

- They’re saying that the winning artist will go on tour to make the song last longer. The real explanation is that the song is no good. There hasn’t been a good song in Eurovision for a long time.

Don’t you have want to write a song yourself to increase the quality?

- Hasn’t that train left already? Tommy Körberg and myself have joked about the fact that he is a contestant every 19th year. I told him "of course I will write a song for you if you are going to compete every 19th year". I don’t know.

So you are not "closing the door" completely?

- No, nothing’s impossible. But we need to have something worth competing with.

BAO have had a couple of songs on Svensktoppen that have stayed on the chart for a very long time. "Du Är Min Man” was on the chart for an "eternity."

But Benny wont take the credit for that.

You handle the songs for a few weeks

- Its quite amazing. " Du Är Min Man" is a cool and immediate song that you might handle listening to for a few weeks, he says. The reason it lasted as long as it did, has to do with Helen’s singing and Björn’s lyrics. Its an original lyric in all its simplicity, sung from a female perspective. " Du Är Min Man" is also included on the new live album BAO på Turné which was recorded on their last tour.

BAO played three ABBA songs on the tour which aren’t on the new CD.

You never thought about including them on the CD?

- No, I didn’t.. There’s a limit. Its cool to play them when we are on tour, it’s like a surprise. But on a CD? No. I’m not going to pretend that these versions are as good as the originals.

Making a movie with Tom Hanks

Now Björn and Benny have to deal with ABBA-songs yet again. The veterans are recording the soundtrack music for the movie of "Mamma Mia!" they are making together with Tom Hanks.

- Björn and I will have the responsibility for how the music will sound. We have to start from square one. I’m going to ask our old band if they’ll join us and play the backing. Its hard to know how modern it should sound. Should it sound like the its in the 1970s or like its 2007?

The plot is set on a Greek island, and the movie will be filmed in that environment.

- I have just received the third version of the script. You have to sit down and adapt the music to the movie reality. The music has to be totally completed before they start filming the movie.

"Feels good to pay tax"

Are you interested in movies?

- Yes and no. I watch a few movies at the cinema. I am interested in the medium itself. It would be so cool if my next project was a music movie.

Mamma Mia! has now been staged in 130 locations with revenues of over ten billion Swedish kronor. Recently it was reported that the Swedish Tax authorities want Björn Ulvaeus to pay tax on money that has been channelled through several foreign companies.

- Well, I’d rather not talk about it as Björn is my friend. There’s no evidence that Björn has done anything wrong, says Benny. I myself don’t do these kinds of things. I belong to a small group of people like politician Mona Sahlin. It feels good to pay tax!

No Monaco plans

You’ve never thought about moving to Monaco?

- No, I haven’t. The thing is, if you pay a lot of tax, it just means you have a lot of money left over (after tax). I have never understood people that say they can’t live in Sweden because they can’t afford it. I am living proof that it is quite possible."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Stephen McLaughlin Darlington, United Kingdom

AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE ONLINE STORE

If you live in the USA, you may be interested to know that the American Swedish Institute has an on-line store with a number of Swedish ABBA related releases.

Their current range includes:
CHESS (SWEDISH VERSION)
BAO!
MY COLOURING BOOK
BENNY ANDERSSONS ORKESTER
MAMMA MIA! (SWEDISH VERSION)
BENNY'S BIRD SOUND EFFECTS CD

Go to their store:
http://store.americanswedishinst.org/ccp51/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi

and click on MUSIC on the left hand side of the page.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Scott Nilsson, Kentucky USA

MAMMA MIA! MEXICO

MAMMA MIA! is about to premiere in Monterrey Mexico...

PREMIERE MONTERREY, MEXICO
Tuesday 27 June 2006 20: 30 pm

Tickets available at:
http://www.ticketmaster.com.mx/

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Oscar Lozano, Monterrey, Mexico

NEW PETER J SINGLE/HITS ALBUM

Peter Jöback has a new single and a forthcoming Greatest Hits album.

The album is a collection spanning Peter's recording career from 1990 up to present. It will contain 34 songs which reflect Peter as the multi-faceted artist he is. There will be two brand new songs and presumably songs on CD for the first time and songs that have been unavailable for many years.

The album will be called "Flera sidor av samma man" (Many sides of the same man) and will be a double album. The two new songs are "Jag blundar i solens sken" (the new single, with music by Orup and Marcus Dernulf and lyrics by Peter LeMarc) and "Jag står för allt jag gjort" ("I stand for everything I've done" written by Niclas Frisk and Andreas Mattsson).

The album will be released on 12 July 2006. The single will be out on 21 June 2006.

With seven albums, numerous cast recordings and soundtracks to choose from, it should be a great collection.

www.joback.nu

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

CHART NEWS

FRANCE: ABBA - (Forever) Gold - down 13 to #40

SWEDEN: Benny Andersson's Orkester - Pa Turne - down 2 to #14.

SPAIN: ABBA - Todo Abba - Off (on for 49 weeks & certified Gold)

SWEDEN: Cast Recording - Mamma Mia! - Off the charts (on for 36 weeks & certified Gold)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

B&B ANNIVERSARY!

With all the discussion about Lycka on CD being re-released, it might be time to mention that we've just had an important ABBA anniversary.

Last Monday, June 5th, was the 40th anniversary of the Björn and Benny's first meeting. Or, as Frida likes to call them, BennyBjörn.

Feel free to celebrate the longest lasting marriage in the ABBA world as you see fit ;-)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Ian Cole, Sydney, Australia

DVDS CERTIFIED

I was just checking the USA RIAA website and as of August '05 the 'ABBA GOLD' video/DVD
has now gone Platinum and even more impressive I think is that 'ABBA In Concert' DVD has gone GOLD!!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Pepe, California, USA

NEW PETER JÖBACK

Peter Jöback is releasing a new single on 21 June 2006 called "Jag blundar i solens sken" (I close my eyes in the glare of the sun - or something like that). It is listed on the following CD stores:
www.cdon.com (if in the EU)
www.megastore.se (if outside EU)

A greatest hits package is in the planning stages. No new on a release date for this as yet.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ABBA THE MOVIE SCREENING IN UK

For anyone who's interested, the Movie is being screened on June 11th and 12th at the National Film Theatre on London's South Bank, as part of a season where they're showing various music films/documentaries. Details here:

http://www.bfi.org.uk/incinemas/nft/seasons/accessallareas/titles.php

One thing I will say is, if you want to book tickets, don't do it online. When I checked the ticket availability on the website (for the Sunday) it told me that the best ones available were 8 rows back, but when I phoned up I was told they still had front row tickets left!

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Jennie Oldham, London, UK

AGNETHA's LOVE NEST!

ABBA-Agnetha's love nest.

The formerly so shy and reclused Agnetha Fältskog has found love and can more and more frequently be seen out and about with Bertil "Bersan" Nordström, friend of his majesty, the king. And now the Swedish superstar has bought a beautiful love nest in the hot summerspot Båstad - for the sum of SEK 5,3 Mkr. (apprx 650,000 USD).

- They do those things that everyone do when being fascinated by each other, a close friend to the couple says.

Agnetha Fältskog has over the years been known as one of Sweden's absolutely most withdrawn stars. But for the last couple of months, she has been seen more and more often out in the nightlife of Stockholm. On several occasions she has been seen tenderly hugging and kissing Bertil "Bersan" Nordström, one of the kings oldest and closest friends.

- They are tuning each other in. They like each other a lot, says a close friend to the couple.

And now, Agnetha Fältskog has bought a beautifully sited summerhouse in the exlusive Båstad-area. On Strandvägen, just near the Laholm-bay, she's bought a hideout (??) where the couple can spend the summers together. In less than a minute they can walk from the front door to the beach and the sea.

The price for the 95 square metres was 5,300,000 kronor. That also included 2500 square metres land within walking distance into Båstad, a town that every summer attracts both the Swedish crème de la crème of stars as well as the world's best tennis players. (Swedish Open in Båstad, international Grand Prix tournament - Micke's remark).

There have been speculations of a wedding between Agnetha & Bertil in the near future. But both Agnetha's representative, Staffan Lindé and Bertil Nordström himself says "There are no substance in those rumours".

www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=598943

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Micke Hjernestam, Göteborg, Sweden

CHART NEWS

Here are the chart stats for the week of 26 May to 2 June 2006

FRANCE: ABBA - (Forever) Gold - stable at #27
SPAIN: ABBA - Todo ABBA - up 1 to #94
SWEDEN: Benny Andersson's Orkester - Pa Turne - down 3 to #12
SWEDEN: Cast Recordinig - Mamma Mia! - up 13 to #29

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

In Germany ABBA GOLD is up to #85 this week. The Definitive Collection is back in at #15 on the Music DVD charts.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL website regular Stefan Bürger, Hamburg, Germany