ABBA - THE SHOW AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL

A couple of amateur fan footage clips from ABBA - The Show at the Royal Albert Hall this week:

MAMMA MIA SNEAK PEAK

There's a one page article in last week's Entertainment Weekly (Britney Spears on the cover) about some upcoming films for Summer 08, called "Sleeper Sell", about how the "star-studded smaller films could shake up summer 08". They talk about Mamma Mia and include a photo of Meryl Streep; is this the first released picture from the Mamma Mia movie?

Here's what they say about the movie:

MAMMA MIA (July 18) Hairspray proved musicals can flourish amid summer's big-budget spectacles. Now Hollywood is hoping audiences take a chance on Mamma Mia, which stars Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan as former lovers whose story is told though the music of ABBA. And yes, Meryl sings "Dancing Queen."

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Rod Reynolda, Los Angeles, USA

ABBA - THE SHOW - REVIEW

ABBA - THE SHOW at Royal Albert Hall
Wednesday, 26 September, 2007

They were really good.

No, seriously, they really were!

I was very, very pleasantly surprised.

Let's get the irritations over with first though. These really grate but I appreciate that Joe Public they wouldn't even have noticed - and after all, it's for Joe that these things are produced.

- 'Frida' singing "The Winner Takes It All", 'Agnetha' starting off "I Have A Dream"

- wrong costumes for wrong era eg. 1979 tour capes and Agnetha with long hair; "Mamma Mia" wearing green fox/red rabbit tunics. It just looks wrong (but then ABBA themselves were guilty of that sometimes wearing the blue satin suits to sing Fernando. That looked wrong as well!).

- "Fernando" - I remember long ago another frightful night like this ...

That's better, got it off my chest. Pet peeves you know.

But really these were fairly minor because the staging was great. The musical sound was full, deep and "big" (although a little distorted at the very beginning of the evening).

The girls voices were really good, much better than other cover bands I've seen (and I've seen quite a few). However, they were a bit squeaky and shrill but in tune all the time. It just shows that the music can be recreated but those two voices can't.

The show started with an introduction which implied we were going to get the story of ABBA followed by "Ring Ring" half in Swedish, half in English ... but then the story seemed go back and forth so there was no story to be followed at all.

There were several instrumental breaks (for costume changes) which were just brilliant. Intermezzo No.1 was fantastic. I've never heard that live before anywhere and the sound was wonderful. In the second half we had a musical / instrumental medly of "The Visitors", "When All Is Said and Done" and "Lay All Your Love on Me". Fantastic stuff.

Another costume change enabled "Benny", "Bjorn" and one of the musicians to give us an accoustic Suzy Hang Around - another highlight for me.

I thought the ABBA musicians would be part of the whole show (part of my reason for wanting to go), but it turned out they were just wheeled on as guest musicians at various points. This actually worked really well I thought. Ulf Andersson (Saxophone) played the memorable first line of "I Do I Do I Do" and stayed for Intermezzo No.1 and came on later as well for Does Your Mother Know. The saxophone of "I Do" was perfect ... just like the recording.

Next out was Lasse Wellander for Knowing Me Knowing You ... but his moment of glory was taken away before he could really play a familiar refrain and the song changed to Money Money Money. But he kicked off the second half with Eagle ... superb.

Roger Palm, drummer, showed up early in the second half too, but I expect he's unrecognisable to 99% of ABBA fans ... he was after all (I think) just a recording musican and didn't go on any tours.

ABBA stalwarts Rutger Gunnarsson (bass) and drummer Ola Brunkert were both nowhere to be seen unfortunately. A note in the programme said that Rutger had been replaced due to illness. What a shame, in my mind Rutger, Ola and Lasse are the three most involved of the musicians.

But Rutger's replacement was not too shabby ... only bloody Janne Schaeffer! Whoop Whoop!! His guitar playing (and that of Lasse Wellander) is very distinctive. I only wish they could have had Janne on for Eagle along with Lasse Wellander to get the sound absolutely perfect. But hey, who am I? Just a nit-picking- fussy-never-satisifed ABBA fan!!!

All five musicians came ou for the last song, So Long (I think it was), before the encores.

Oh, I'm forgetting the fifth one .. that's because he was forgettable and a waste of space. Apparently chosen for his vocal ability as well as his guitar playing for the 1979 tour, Mats Ronander was an embarrassment. He wore dark glasses and from where I was sitting, looked like Jose Morinhou (recently departed Chelsea manager) had found a new job as a musician! His singing voice was patchy, shouty and bad on Why Did It Have To Be me and On and On and On. His body language was cocky and self-important (particularly cheeky in my mind when you're sharing the bill with Lasse Wellander and Janne Schaeffer).

The first encore was Waterloo followed by Thank you For the Music ... the audience was brilliant and they were called back for one more ... a wonderful The Way Old Friends Do. Every ABBA fan in the house was singing their heart out. A tragedy that not more people know this song.

The costumes were very good copies (blue/yellow cats, green fox/red rabbit tunic, 1977 tour white satin encore , 1979 tour capes, Waterloo cossies ... )

At least the Swedish accents were authentic this time!

The performances were good, especially the girls, although a bit wooden at the start of the night. And why is the "Bjorn" never any good?

All in all, 8.5 out 10. Very enjoyable evening. Bjorn Again could learn a few things from this lot.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Sara Russell, Sandhurst, UK

ABBA ON COVER OF DUTCH MAGAZINE

There is a new magazine in the shops here in The Netherlands with ABBA on the cover:

http://www.hpdetijd.nl/

It's an article about the 70s.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Theo van Dijk, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands

DELUXE EDITION RELEASE DATES VARY

Looks like the release dates for the new ABBA - The Album Deluxe CD/DVD package might vary a bit from country to country....

Sweden appears to get this on 15th October, but my local record store here in the UK says they don't expect it before 29th October....

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Gary Collins, Chelmsford, UK

ABBA QUESTIONS ON DOOBIDOO

Doobidoo is a very popular TV-show in Sweden. A week ago on Friday there were some ABBA related questions, and they were illustrated by five short cuts from the famous SVT archive.

Sten Nilsson and Agnetha Fältskog in "Anna, du kan väl stanna" (sung by Sten) from 1969.
Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog in "Titta in i min lilla kajuta" (sung by Björn) from 1969.
Lennart Hyland asking Anni-Frid Lyngstad-Fredriksson about her profession, and she replies: "I'm married and I have two kids, that's my profession", followed by Anni-Frid starting to sing "En ledig dag" from 1967 (as in the recently posted Expressen article from Pepe).
Benny Andersson rocking in Hep Stars in the 60's, and his self comment from 1999.
Fästfolket performing "People need love" from 1972.

If you're interested you can have a look at the new SVT service "SVT Play" to see all of this.

Go to www.svt.se
In the menu at the top, choose "Play"
Choose "Kultur & Nöje"
Choose "Doobidoo"
Choose "Se programmet"
Choose "070921 Doodidoo"

You don't have to watch the entire show - you can go directly to where the fun begins at 34 minutes 50 seconds into the progamme. Then it ends at 42:30.

If you start at 33:08 you can also see a clip from 1993 where Ted Gärdestad performs "Jag vill ha en egen måne".

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Tony Becker, Helsingborg, Sweden

CHART NEWS

And here is the chart for last week 14-21 September 2007

Canada: ABBA - 20th Century Masters, The Best Of Abba (etc) - Down 7 to #39

No sign of ABBA elsewhere. (Unless you know of something I don't)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

CHARTS

Chart action for the week of 7-14 September 2007.

CANADA: ABBA - 20th Century Masters, The Best of Abba - up (an amazing) 72
places to #32 (121-137-104-32)

UK - ABBA - ABBA GOLD has slipped down to an un-canon* #79

*"Canon", in chart terms, refers to an official chart placing. Countries where you can get more than the official size chart: Canada often shows a top 200, but the top 100 is canon, UK, the official charts website shows a top 100, but the top 75 is canon.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

SWEDEN'S ARRIVAL WHAT ABOUT LIVINGSTONE/JUST A NOTION

ABBAMAIL's favourite ABBA tribute band, Sweden's ARRIVAL...

MAMMA MIA! FOR JULY 2008

"Mamma Mia!" Film Due in Theatres in July 2008

By Andrew Gans
and John Nathan


In less than a year moviegoers around the country will be humming the tunes of ABBA.

"Mamma Mia!" — the film based on the long-running Broadway musical of the same name — is scheduled to arrive in theatres July 18, 2008, according to the Universal Pictures website.

The movie musical stars Academy Award winner Meryl Streep in the role of Donna Sheridan. The cast also features Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Stellan Skarsgard and Dominic Cooper. The film is being directed by Phyllida Lloyd, who is making her feature-film debut. Lloyd helmed both the London and Broadway mountings of the international hit musical.

London's Daily Mail recently reported that three songs from the stage show have been dropped: "Thank You For the Music," "Under Attack" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You." The movie, however, introduces another ABBA song to book and screenplay writer Catherine Johnson's storyline, "When All Is Said and Done."

Based on the back catalogue of 70s pop group ABBA, Johnson's plot tells the story of bride-to-be Sophie Sheridan, who hopes to discover her father's identity on the eve of her wedding. She brings three men from her mother Donna's past back to the Greek island they last visited 20 years previously.

The show and film features music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Since the original London production opened in 1999, the musical has grossed over $2 billion worldwide.

The film, according to the Universal website, is described as such: "An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she's raised alone. For Sophie's wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends-practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)-from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own.

"On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna's past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities."

VOULEZ-VOUS PLAY IN UK

On Saturday 13 October at 8pm, the ABBA tribute band ‘Voulez Vous’ return to the Broxbourne Civic Hall, High Street Hoddesdon, with a new show.

‘Voulez Vous’ have now been performing their Abba production for fifteen years. Their new production; ‘Abba - The Story’ has been well-received by reviewers and audiences alike, with one theatre-goer commenting recently that ‘Voulez Vous create a musical and visual atmosphere only surpassed by Abba themselves’. Some of the new costumes for the up and coming season are more glamorous than ever, adding to the authenticity of the show.

‘Voulez Vous’ perform a number of Abba hits in their two hour show, which is accompanied by multi screen projection and voice over narration telling the story of Abba’s rise to stardom to their eventual split.

‘Voulez Vous’ is an all-seated event and all tickets cost £15. Tickets are available from Council one stop shops, the Broxbourne Civic Hall or by telephoning the box office on 01992 441946. Alternatively, customers can book online at www.broxbourne.gov.uk/internet/whatson.

ONE BIG MAMMA

One big Mamma

A Hollywood movie of the ABBA stage musical Mamma Mia! has helped two film studios to blockbuster profits.

Pinewood Shepperton pulled in £2.9million for the first half of 2007, up 39 per cent on last year.

The film of the hit show will star Mer yl Streep, Julie Walters, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan and is out next year.

NEW NANNE SINGLE

Nanne has a new single that has just been released from her album. It is "Pissenisse" and the single contains a radio version, a sing-back version plus two other tracks from the album. "Pissenisse" has been popular with audiences and it's quite a fun and boppy song.

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ABBA THE ALBUM PREVIEW

http://www.abbasite.com/playlist/play_video.php?file=thealbum_deluxe.wmv&bw=high

A two and a half minute video preview of the 30th Anniversary Edition of ABBA - The Album

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Harry Ehler, Linz, Austria

FRIDA'S FIRST ARTICLE

ABBAMAILer Pepe posted a copy of the complete Expressen newspaper from September 4, 1967 with an article on the back page with the 21 year old future princess. Thank you Pepe for this little piece of ABBA history.

H-Hörna (H-corner) is referring to H as in Höger (right, as in changing to driving on the right hand side), and Hörna as in Hylands Hörna, a very popular TV-show in Sweden in the 60's, hosted by Lennart Hyland.

Here's my translation:

http://abbathesingles.com/ExpressenFrida.jpg

Congratulations mother!
She was the biggest find of the H-Corner

The girl in the picture became a Hyland-find on TV yesterday. Her name is Anni-Frid Lystad-Fredriksson. She's 21 years old, mother of two children, and lives in Eskilstuna.

She performed Östen Warnerbring's "En ledig dag" in a way that got the entire population to take a break from all of the right hand worries.

Actually, Anni-Frid wasn't supposed to perform on the right show "I kväll". She arrived in Stockholm Sunday morning to participate in "Nya ansikten 67", a contest for new talents arranged by Barnens Dag and the record company EMI. She hade previously made it through the quarter finals. Yesterday there were semifinals in the morning and a final later during the day.

Anni-Frid sang for the free spot (referring to the TV performance, which was a big secret, translator's note). And she made it!

The prize ceremony was held at 7 pm at Skansen. Lasse Holmquist handed her flowers, a transistor radio and half a promise to make a record.

- And what are you doing later tonight, he asked.

- I'm going home to sleep, a tired but very happy Anni-Fird replied.

- No way, Holmquist said. At the entrance there's a car waiting to take you to the TV-house.

Try to imagine her happiness! To perform on TV has always been the greatest wish of this girl from Eskilstuna. And now the management of Barnens Dag had arranged it.

And she did it very well. Lennart Hyland said so. The Swedish people said so. As did her husband Ragnar and the two children, Hans, 5 years old, and Lise-Lott, 6 months, back home in Eskilstuna.

Otherwise Ragnar Fredriksson often criticizes his wife when they're performing in their dance orchestra, where he is playing bass guitar. The orchestra is called Anni-Frid Four, and they're well known at restaurants in Sörmland (translator's note: Södermanland, the county where Eskilstuna is situated).

Mrs Fredriksson herself, inspired by Östen Warnerbring, is also satisfied with her happy Sunday.

- It feels like in a dream, she says.

Picture: Anni-Frid Lystad-Fredriksson, 21 years old, mother of two children. She was praised by her husband Ragnar and the kids when telephoning home to Eskilstuna after the TV performance.

By Knut-Göran Källberg, Expressen


Thanks to ABBAMAILers Tony Becker, Helsingborg, Sweden and Pepe Melton, USA

BAO NEW ALBUM

According to Ginza, BAO's new album will be released on 24/10/07 and it bears the imaginative title "BAO 3". Helen and Tommy get billing on the front cover which is a representation of a poker machine.

The site says that there will be 12 newly written songs, including 5 Björn and Benny songs and one with lyrics by Kristina Lugn.

Direct link:
http://www.ginza.se/index.aspx?dp=1&artnr=32092

Thanks to ABBAMAIL's Grant Whittingham, Sydney, Australia

ABBA Show Releases Extra Tickets Due to High Demand

You’ve seen the rest, now see the best!! There is no doubt that this is the most authentic ABBA show to date, featuring original band members including Ulf Andersson and Lasse Wellander. It’s like ABBA never left.

Standing room only! Sold out Abba the Show has just released 300 standing tickets for just £15.

ABBA still sells around 2 million records a year this show packs all their greatest hits into a 2-hour musical extravaganza.

ABBA The Show showcases the music of ABBA from their Eurovision beginnings all the way to major chart success.

It is performed by Sweden’s Waterloo, a world renowned group who bring Abba to life, together with The National Symphony Orchestra of London conducted by Matthew Freeman.

ABBA The Show has had phenomenal success around the globe reaching audiences in India, Spain and the USA, climaxing with a sold-out performance at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

This new production for 2007 with even more epic lighting, sound and vision, will have its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 26th September, 2007.

The show always tours with at least one former original band member of Abba. Since the original production started the following members have guest starred:

Lasse Wellander Guitarist

·Mats Ronander Guitarist

·Finn Sjöberg Guitarist

·Rutger Gunnarsson Bass

·Ola Brunkert Drums

·Roger Palm - Drums

The show kicks off at the tail end of the 60s when Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida meet to play together for the very first time.

Throughout the course of the production, the audience is led on a magical journey through the rise and rise of ABBA.

Featuring classic songs such as Waterloo, SOS, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, Money Money Money, Knowing Me Knowing You and many more, this promises to be the must-see event of 2007.

FIRST PICS: ABBA THE ALBUM DELUX RE-RELEASE

Click on images to see larger sized versions





Thanks to ABBAMAILer Carolyn Bergman, Sacramento, USA

http://www.contactmusic.com/

ABBA'S SHOCK AT WILD REPUTATION IN U.S.

http://www.contactmusic.com/

Swedish pop stars ABBA were horrified to learn of their supposedly wild rock n' roll lifestyles when they toured the U.S. in the 1970s - because it couldn't be further from the "boring" truth. The Waterloo hitmakers were well-known in Europe for their clean-living and reputable backgrounds, so the foursome were shocked to learn that they were considered party lovers by their U.S. fans.

Band guitarist Mats Ronander recalls, "When we landed in America for our tour, the record company there thought we would be like the Rolling Stones. "They staged this huge party for everyone with loads of pretty girls and plenty of booze laid on. "Abba were horrified. It just wasn't them. They didn't know how to react. We were boring Swedes when we toured. There was no sex and drugs."

2007 ARRIVAL CHRISTMAS SHOW IN SWEDEN

At Hasses Lada in Sweden November and December 2007

For tickets www.ticknet.se

ARRIVAL IN DALLAS

Arrival from Sweden with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Concerts at The Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas September 28, 29 and 30

2007 ABBA DANCE PARTY NEW YORK

THE 2007 ABBA DANCE PARTY

This September the social groups behind many of New York's Scandinavian and European -themed parties, bring you a long-awaited sequel to our 2005 Abba Dance Party.

Who doesn't love the music of ABBA, the Swedish 70's band behind classics like Dancing Queen, Take a chance on me and Waterloo, whose music has recently made such a success on Broadway with the musical Mamma Mia.

The September 28 party is solely dedicated to the band. The music, the clothes, the moves, the hair. We want it all! AND we want to share it with ABBA enthusiasts all over New York City.

It is time to pull out all the stops. Get out those platform shoes, stuff yourself in a snug, sparkling pantsuit (man or woman... no difference) and get ready to boogie.

when Friday, September 28 9 pm - 4 am
where BLVD 199 Bowery Street (@Spring Street) New York, NY 10003
http://www.BLVDnyc.com
what ABBA Disco and 70s music ONLY all night.

All the Disco balls and decor you can handle.

Cash bar with drink specials

Surprise entertainment acts

Two dance floors, four bars and a great sound

This is a 21 and over event.

SWISS INTERVIEW

Here is a scan of the actual article translated below.

Thanks to ABBA fan Erik Langner, Zurich, Switzerland

SWISS INTERVIEW WITH BJÖRN

The touring show of Mamma Mia will be in Zürich/Switzerland next week. On 31st August there was an interview with Björn in the newspaper Blick.

http://www.blick.ch/showbiz/abba-ist-ueberall-70386

Here's my translation. Nothing earth-moving this time.

+++
ABBA is everywhere
(by Oliver Schmuki)

STOCKHOLM ­ From 11th to 23rd September, the ABBA musical «Mamma Mia!» will be staged in Zürch's Hallenstadion. BLICK talked to the ABBA composer and producer Björn Ulvaeus (62) about what legends are made of.

BICK: This September, «Mamma Mia!» will be here for the second time already. What is your personal connection to Switzerland?

Björn Ulvaeus: Frida lived in Switzerland for some time. And in 1976 we had a TV show with ABBA there. And I have been in the Alps several times for skiing.

BLICK: Will you visit us for the premiere?

BU: Probably not, as we are working on the Hollywood production of the musical.

Blick: And certainly you have seen the musical numerous times already.

BU: Oh yes, I estimate between 150 and 200 times.

Blick: Wow. Do you remember the very first performance?

BU: That was special! Nobody knew, how the show would be accepted. In the first half hour I was totally tense because of the pressure. But when I saw, that the people liked it, I could relax.

Blick: Have you ever cought yourself humming or singing your own songs?

BU (laughs): No, definitively not. But I remember a funny story: When I was seeing Mamma Mia in Washington, Foreign Minister Colin Powell was sitting right behind me. And he did sing along. That was funny.

Blick: 25 years ago ABBA had the last concert. An eternity?

BU: The opposite, it is like it was just yesterday. The reason is, I am always confronted with ABBA. Since the break-up there hasn't been a day that I was not reminded of ABBA.

Blick: Is that annoying?

BU: It's simply normal. Sometimes I hear an ABBA song on the radio when shopping, sometimes I read someting about us. We are everywhere.

Blick: Young and old, it seems every generation likes ABBA.

BU: Yes, that's fantastic, isn't it? When thinking about this, I get humble sometimes. Then I ask myself: Why me? Why did this happen to me?

Bllick: Once you said the melodies are more important than the lyrics. Do you still think so?

BU: I don't know. But one thing is clear: the lyrics get more important in the context of the musical.

Blick: Do you still write lyrics?

BU: Benny has jazz band, for their new album I wrote six lyrics. So we are still active together, but on a national level. We do not have any ambition to make it big globally. (laughs)

Blick: Maybe it will just happen.

BU: Maybe. It was the same with Mamma Mia! When you imagine, that there will be a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep - fantastic.

Blick: One line in the song Mamma Mia says "Bye bye doesn't mean forever". Will you ever say good-bye and live outside the public eye?

BU: I don't think that's possible. In this business you never give up. And Mamma Mia is a perfect vehicle in which the songs can live on. Not that they wouldn't do that otherwise! (laughs)

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Erik Menkens, Germany

ABBA MUSEUM UPDATE

Full speed ahead!

How are you getting on? everybody is asking us. Thank you for asking it’s full speed ahead. Soon we will begin the renovation of the hundred-year-old building and we’re now in the exciting phase of planning for elevators, stairs, entrances, the café and a thousand other details related to the exhibition. Joining us on this part of our journey is the Stockholm-based architecture studio Codesign and the architects Peter
Ullstad and Patrick Rehnberg.

Peter, on the right, has received awards for his permanent exhibition at the National Museum in Iceland, the Einstein exhibition at the Nobel Museum and he will soon open a spectacular climate exhibition in Norway. Patrick was educated in Stockholm, Milan and Innsbruck. His latest assignment was at the interior department at H&M.

Stig’s Brighton folder has been found!

In an attic we found the folder that Stig Anderson used in 1974 in Brighton. The content you will see in the museum. His name has been written with capital letters in ink on the back. Very, very rare!

Thank you for all mail!

We have received e-mails and greetings from all over the world wishing us the best of luck. Thank you so much! It’s wonderful to learn that so many people have been longing for an ABBA museum and want to visit Sweden when we open in spring 2009. We promise to announce the opening date as soon as possible. However, the date will not be announced until early next year. So be patient, the day will come."

ABBA THE ALBUM REISSUE PRESS RELEASE

This is the ABBA - The Album press release from Universal in New Zealand.


ABBA ­ THE ALBUM “DELUXE EDITION”
Release date: October 15th 2007
Cat.No: 060251731763
UPC: 602517317635


INFO:
In October 2006 the Deluxe Edition of ABBA’s classic Arrival album was released to great acclaim. “[This] expanded edition ­ bolstered by the glittering 1976 single Fernando and an absorbing documentary ­ captures all the glory and innocence of ABBA’s wonder years,” wrote Q Magazine.

Now, one year later, on October 15th 2007, Polar Music International/Universal Music will release an equally exciting Deluxe Edition of ABBA ­ The Album. Featuring the original album, expanded with six bonus tracks, this Deluxe Edition also comes with a bonus DVD of rare and previously unreleased performances, news reports and vintage TV commercials for ABBA ­ The Album.

ABBA ­ The Album was originally released 30 years ago, in December 1977, marking a new step in musical development for the group. Functioning partly as a companion album to the feature film ABBA ­ The Movie, 6 of the 9 songs on the album featured in the film. Three songs from the mini-musical The Girl With The Golden Hair, originally performed during ABBA’s spectacular 1977 tour of Europe and Australia, were included on the album.

ABBA ­ The Album, which contains some of ABBA’s most familiar hits, such as ‘The Name Of The Game’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’, ‘Eagle’ and ‘Thank You For The Music’, reached number one on the album charts in 8 countries and the Top Five in a further 4 countries.

The bonus tracks feature two rare in-concert recordings: an alternate mix of ‘Take A Chance On Me (Live Version)’, released on CD for the first time, and the rare single B-side, ‘I Wonder (Departure) (Live Version)’, which was originally released on the flipside of ‘The Name The Game’. Further bonus selections come in the shape of the first take of ‘Thank You For The Music’ ­ the so-called Doris Day Version ­ the single edit of ‘Eagle’, and the Spanish versions of ‘Move On’ and ‘Thank You For The Music’.

The companion DVD included with this Deluxe Edition features television performances of songs from ABBA ­ The Album ­ including a rarely seen performance of ‘The Name Of The Game’ from a 1978 Japanese television special vintage interviews and news reports from the time of the album, plus two original television commercials for the album, and an extensive gallery of album and single sleeves from around the world. All content is previously unreleased on DVD (except the UK TV commercial, which was previously available on the Limited Special Edition DVD of ABBA -­ The Movie).

Finally, ABBA ­ The Album ­ Deluxe Edition also comes with a 28-page booklet featuring a detailed 5,300-word essay by ABBA historian Carl Magnus Palm about the making of the album, photographs from the era of ABBA ­ The Album, and rare memorabilia.

FACTS:
• ABBA ­ The Album was released exactly 30 years ago, in December 1977, marking a new step in musical development for the group. Functioning partly as a companion album to the feature film ABBA - The Movie, 6 of the 9 songs on the album featured in the film. Three songs from the mini-musical The Girl With The Golden Hair, originally performed during ABBA’s spectacular 1977 tour of Europe and Australia, were included on the album.
• ABBA ­ The Album contains some of ABBA’s most familiar hits, such as ‘The Name Of The Game’, ‘Take A Chance On Me’, ‘Eagle’ and ‘Thank You For The Music’.
• ABBA ­ The Album reached number one in 8 countries and the Top Five in a further four countries.
• Expanded 2-disc edition.
• Disc 1: CD of the original album plus six bonus tracks.
• Alternate mix of ‘Take A Chance On Me (Live Version)’ for the first time on CD.
• Disc 2: DVD featuring television performances of songs from ABBA ­ The Album, vintage interviews and news reports from the time of the album, plus two original television commercials for the album, and an extensive gallery of album and single sleeves from around the world. All content is previously unreleased on DVD (except the UK TV commercial, which was previously available on the Limited Special Edition DVD of ABBA ­ The Movie).
• Rarely seen performance of ‘The Name Of The Game’ from a 1978 Japanese television special.
• Booklet featuring a detailed 5,300-word essay by ABBA historian Carl Magnus Palm about the making of the album, photographs from the era of ABBA -­ The Album, and rare memorabilia.

TRACKLIST:
DISC 01: CD
1. Eagle
2. Take A Chance On Me
3. One Man, One Woman
4. The Name Of The Game
5. Move On
6. Hole In Your Soul
“The Girl With The Golden Hair”
- 3 scenes from a mini-musical -
7. Thank You For The Music
8. I Wonder (Departure)
9. I’m A Marionette
Bonus tracks
10. Eagle (Single Edit)
11. Take A Chance On Me (Live Version; Alternate Mix)
12. Thank You For The Music (Doris Day Version)
13. Al Andar (Spanish Version of Move On)
14. I Wonder (Departure) (Live Version)
15. Gracias Por La Música (Spanish Version of Thank You For The Music)

DISC 02: DVD
1. Eagle/Thank You For The Music (Star Parade, ZDF)
2. Take A Chance On Me (Am Laufenden Band, Radio Bremen)
3. The Name Of The Game (ABBA Special, TBS)
4. Thank You For The Music (Mike Yarwood’s Christmas Show, BBC)
5. Take A Chance On Me (Star Parade, ZDF)
6. ABBA on tour in 1977 (Rapport, SVT)
7. Recording ABBA ­ The Album (Gomorron Sverige, SVT)
8. ABBA in London, February 1978 (Blue Peter, BBC)
9. ABBA in America, May 1978 (Rapport, SVT)
10. ABBA ­ The Album Television Commercial I (UK)
11. ABBA ­ The Album Television Commercial II (AUSTRALIA)
12. International Sleeve Gallery

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, New Zealand

CHART NEWS

Recent chart positions...

10-17 August:
Canada: ABBA- ABBA GOLD up 4 to #116
Canada: ABBA- 20th Century Masters down 15 to #102

17-24 August:
Canada: ABBA - ABBA GOLD down 7 to #123
Canada: ABBA - 20th Century Masters down 19 to #121

25-31 August:
UK: ABBA - ABBA GOLD #84

1-7 September (This week):
UK: ABBA - ABBA GOLD up 20 to #64, week 353 in the top 75.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Dean Scapolo, Wellington, New Zealand

RAVE FOR DAY BEFORE YOU CAME

From The Guardian UK website, themusicblog, 20 August 2007, by Richard Smith:

Abba made Joy Division sound like Jive Bunny

"Recorded 25 years ago today, the Swedish outfit's last and finest song showed the uncrowned kings of sad at their wrist-slitting best.

What a way to go. On August 20 1982, Abba went into Polar Studios and recorded their last ever song; The Day Before You Came - the most perfect pop record by the most perfect pop group. Groundhog Day without the laughs, The Day Before You Came detailed the miserable minutiae of all our lives: sleep, commute, work, eat, work, commute, telly, eat, sleep. Oh, and then I met you, and suddenly my pointless life had some meaning. Wow!

But that was ever Abba. Although idiots the world over love them as the sound of fun, fun, fun, hardcore Abbaholics have always heard something else in their music. The far fabber four were Sweden's uncrowned kings of sad. Abba's last album, The Visitors, was so unbelievably bleak it made Joy Division sound like Jive Bunny.

The Day Before You Came was Abba at their wrist-slitting best. It also sounds like a band that's already split. All you hear is Benny's synths and Agnetha not singing, just saying - Bjorn had told her to sound bored. She did - in plaintive spades. But Frida is on there too, doing that ethereal "Ahh....". Carl Magnus Palm, author of Abba: The Complete Recording Sessions, assures me he's pretty sure Bjorn is strumming away on acoustic guitar somewhere, but it's mixed down to nothing. Always great recyclers of their own material, the Ber-der-ber synth riff is on loan from Should I Laugh Or Cry. The working title for the song was Den Lidande Fageln. Which translates as Suffering Bird. Carl Magnus Palm says this doesn't sound as hilariously sexist in Swedish.

And how did Great Britain respond to Abba giving them the gift of their greatest song? It climbed to the giddy height of number 32. Never has the record buying public rewarded an act's best track so tattily since Pet Shop Boys' Being Boring wiped out at number 20.

The Day Before You Came was Abba's last ever recording. Benny and Bjorn returned to the studio to mix Under Attack - released as their last single, thus ensuring Abba's career ended with a whimper. Their last appearance as Abba was tragically, though perhaps fittingly, on Noel Edmond's Late Late Breakfast Show.

Abba never actually split up. They just took some time out, so Benny and Bjorn could work on their ever baffling - but brilliant - Cold War musical, Chess, and Agnetha and Frida could produce and promote their solo albums. (Find Frida's second album and hear Slowly - a great lost Abba track, that shows how life with someone can be every bit as painful as life without...)

I've always thought that Benny and Bjorn gave up the Abba ghost when they listened to The Day Before You Came and realised that they could not make a more beautiful record.

No one ever has. Fact!"

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Graham Piper, Hove, UK

NEW INTERVIEW WITH BJÖRN

There's an interview Björn that was in the Berliner Tagezeitung on 20th August, but it's not online anymore it seems. The musical will premiere in Berlin in late October. Here is a translation from me:

+++
You're not at the top forever
(by Mounia Meiborg)

Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA about the musical "Mamma Mia", early success
and late insights

All successful musicals come to Berlin one day, you just have to be
patient. Now "Mamma Mia", that premiered in London 8 years ago and in
Hamburg 5 years ago, will get its chance this fall. According to the
producers, 35 millions people have seen the musical, 4 millions of
those in Germany. Now the German capital will be served. Also a movie
is being shot. The two authors of ABBA, Björn Ulvaeus (lyrics) und
Benny Anderson (music), are involved in the production and have a say
in which cities the musical is being staged. A few weeks before the
premire in Berlin we talked to Björn Ulvaeus, 62, in Stockholm. In
jeans, black jackett and three-day beard he does not look like an old
gentleman.

Q: Mr. Ulvaeus, your big succes with ABBA is a quarter of a century
ago. What have you been doing since then?

BU: Benny Andersson and I wrote the musical "Chess" which was staged
in London. Other works had stronger roots in Sweden, among them
another musical, that was staged in Stockholm very successfully for
three years.

Q: But there were no more pop hits like "Dancing Queen" or "Waterloo"
from the ABBA authors.

BU: It certainly doesn't get easier to write pop songs. Maybe when
you have tried many styles already. You manage to stay part of the
international pop scene only for a short time in your life. Most of
the artists are not longer than seven or eight years on the summit of
their creativity. During that time they write really good songs, that
will be remembered for decades. With ABBA we had these years - a big
luck. This magic that evolved when we worked together for the first
time, was unique. And then it was over. We wanted to do something else.

Q: And you never had the urge to go back onto the stage?

BU: Never. Strange, isn't it? Many big entertainers only feel alive
when they stand on the stage. And there are others - like me - that
prefer sitting in a room and coming up with things that others sing.
I always felt like that, but I had to be up there all those years.
The end of ABBA also was the end of my time as an entertainer on stage.

Q: Who had the idea for "Mamma Mia"!

BU: It was the idea of musical producer Judy Cramer. I said "Okay,
when you show me a good story". First there were several awful
versions circulationg. Someday there was the script by Catherine
Johnson.

Q: The story of the musical does not have anything to do with ABBA.
Why not?

BU: Because basically the story is very boring. Maybe from the
outside it looks interesting, but when you're inside, it's not
exciting. I would never work on a play that has anything to do with
ABBA. This time lies in the past for me.

Q: "Mamma mia!" happens on a Greek island. A young girl searches for
her father and finds out about the wild life of her mother. How do
ABBA songs fit in there?

BU: The author Catherine Johnson had 100 songs to choose from, but
she was not allowed to change anything in the lyrics. That was the
requirement and the challenge, to tell the story around the songs.

Q: Do you still have contact with the other former band memembers?

BU: My former wife Agnetha Fältskog and I have two grandchildren, so
we see each other very often. I still work together with Benny
Andersson, and Frida Lyngstad still drops by in Stockholm. She also
is an investor in "Mamma Mia".

Q: So the four of you go to premieres together?

BU: No. The last time we were together was on the party of an old
friend ten years ago. We sang a birthday song for her. It was a
strange feeling.

Q: In the musical you can see the glitter oufits tyipical for ABBA.
Did you wear those voluntarily back then?

BU: Yes, for fun. It was the glamrock era, a time, when a lof of
bands dressed awfully. Later the oufits became more cultivated.

Q: Next year "Mamma Mia" will come to the movie theaters, while the
stage show also will be playing in Berlin. Don't you think that these
two will be competing?

BU: I don't think so. The movie "Chicago" reanimated the musical to a
new success. Even though Mamma Mia seems to be playing without an end
in sight, we thought it was time for a movie.

Q: Meryl Streep will be in the movie, who proved her singing
abilities in Robert Altman's "Last Radio Show". What about Pierce
Brosnan? How did you know that he can sing?

BU: He sings very good. We knew that from an Irish movie, where he
sang in a pub. Yes, and Meryl's version of The Winner Takes It All is
really incredible.

Q: To win the Oscar for the best music, it has to contain a new song.

BU: I heard that too, yes.

Q: So - will there be a new song?

BU: I don't think so. Everybody would think: oh, they want the Oscar.

Q: What do you think when you work with your lyrics that are 30 years
old now?

BU: I notice that I would have written them better. I see parts, that
I would change. I don't say which.

Thanks to ABBAMAILer Erik Menkens, Wangerland, Germany