Mikory's ABBA-blog

ABBA have to behave themselves

This article comes from Swedish pop magazine "Tio I Topp" 1975 - there sure was a lot of new pop magazines around here in Sweden back then, many of them for a very short time. And most of them not very good at all to be honest. Just read this "article". They keep mentioning the same thing over and over. Ah well, at least the picture is cute.

ABBA are in the studio almost all the time - they don't have any time to tour.
You don't have many chances to see ABBA perform anymore. From now on they will live in studios almost all of their time. In recording studios for records and in TV-studios for TV-shows.
     Did you know that ABBA have to behave themselves and never cause a scandal? Because if they do, the herring company will come and take their name away from them!
     ABBA is the group who has to behave themselves. Well, we all should do that of course - but for ABBA that's extra important. If they missbehave they can be forced to change the group's name!
     The fact of the matter is that Aktiebolaget Bröderna Ameln has been producing canned herring called ABBA for a very many years. At the canning company they don't mind the name ABBA becoming world famous - as long as the group is doing well. But if they would start to misbehave and mess up - aja baja (naughty naughty!) ABBA! Then the old herring guys can claim that ABBA are damaging their reputation and that would mean a lot of problems for Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. In other word ABBA in the pop world.
     If you get the chance to see them perform live, don't miss it. It won't happen again we are told. ABBA are going to focus on recording and doing TV-appearances and won't have time to do perform live in front of an audience. Sad, but true. But we can watch them on TV - "and there we can reach so many more people than we could doing a folk park tour" say the member themselves.
     Nowadays ABBA is a worldfamous as we know. But do you remember how it all began? Yes, ABBA started with Svenstoppen and "Hej Gamle Man" and then of course "Waterloo" and Brighton, but individually?
     Agnetha Fältskog wrote her own songs when she was a young girl in Jönköping. Entered Svensktoppen with a lovesong and the she wrote, while crying, "Om Tårar Vore Guld"...
     Anni-Frid Frida, was discovered on "Hylands Hörna" of all places. Anni-Frid Lyngstad was born in Norway - you can tell that from the name, but luckily not by the way she talks or sings. She had lived in Sweden for years before she was discovered. At that time she sang with her husband in their own band called Anni-Frid Four. When she met Benny the sound of the music changed.
     What about Björn and Benny then? Both of them had been working a long time before ABBA was formed. Björn in good old Hootenanny Singers and Benny in Hep Stars. Then they started to write songs for their girls, Agnetha and Frida, who sang so beautifully together, and later Björn and Benny started singing with them. ABBA were born. A Swedish export much bigger the herring with the same name.

Victoryparty with Napoleon pastries before the battle in Brighton

"Ordinary people" in the jury gave ABBA the victory in Schlager-SM. Afterwards they went home to Stikkan Anderson's house and watched themselves on TV.

Victoryparty with Napoleon pastries before
the battle in Brighton
Brighton, here we come! That was of course the obvious reaction when it was clear that ABBA, Anni-Frid, Björn, Benny and Agnetha, with last names Lyngstad, Ulvaeus, Andersson and Fältskog had won the Swedish Melodifestival last Saturday.
     When the cheering had ended, it was also clear that we, the people, in front of our TVs thought that the right song had won. When did that last happen?
     It was also clear that the winner got a smaller amount of money than the runner up. And when did that happen last?
     Now that was of course because the winner consisted of three writers - Stikkan Anderson, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, who got to split the SEK 1.000. But Berghagen who wrote both the lyrics and the music to his song "Min Kärlekssång Till Dig" and got the whole SEK 750 for himself.
     The third prize, SEK 500, went to Håkan Elmqvist who wrote "En Enda Jord" performed by Lena Eriksson.
     The victory party was held at the lyricist Stikkan Anderson's home, where, in the middle of all other guests and journalist, the two songbirds Lena Andersson and Ted Gärdestad, could be spotted.

Since the TV-show was taped in advance, it was possible for ABBA to watch themselves win the contest. While the songs were being performed Mr. Anderson took the chance to criticise those who have critisiced him for his simple lyrics:
     - Look what happens when ordinary people get to be on the jury! The winning song is always a peculiar one when you use a jury with so called experts. This one will make it in Brighton!
     An agreeing mumble was heard in the room from the people who have come to the party, while they were doing their best to finish off a box of Napoleon pastries.
     So let's hope that the contest on 6 April in Brighton will be a new Friedland for our musical national team.
     Footnote: At the battle of Friedland in 1807 Napoleon won a shining victory which led to the surrender of all super powers on the European continent.
     Footnote 2: In 1815 Napoleon lost the famous battle at Waterloo, which lead to his deportation to the island Saint Helena, where he finally died on 5 May 1821.

Frida the wise, Björn the shy, Benny the mischievous, Agnetha the tough

This article comes from Swedish pop magazine "GO" 1975. For some reason they are referring to Agnetha as Anna, which I don't think I've seen in a Swedish magazine before, but in the headline it's Agneta (sic). And there's the "fact page", quite interesting to see how they answered some of the questions back then.

Frida the wise, Björn the shy, Benny the mischievous, Agnetha the tough
If you don't get to see ABBA this summer, it's not because they are angry with Sweden.
     Quite the opposite, they would love to play for a Swedish audience, in the Swedish folkparks. The problem is that they have become such big world stars that the price has gone up.
     By winning the Eurovision Song Contest last year, Björn Anna, Frida and Benny started a never ending tour. With only short breaks for separate holidays (Los Angeles and Crete), the four members of ABBA are flying around Europe with their music and assistants who make sure everything works out.
     - You had separate holidays, does that mean that ABBA is breaking up, that you are tired of each other?
     - No, not all, quite the opposite. We enjoy each others company very much. We just like to ration our time together a little bit, so it doesn't become too much.
     How are the people behind the name ABBA? Maybe there is some truth to what a graphologist said last year in London. After interpreting Björn and Anna's handwriting he said the following abou the couple:
     - You are both excellent at planning and organising. Björn is a bit extravagant, soft and shy. He is also impulsive and likes to follow his instincts if he is allowed.
     - Anna on the other hand is a bit colder and more practical. She is quite tough and likes to meet different kind of people. Anna is good at understanding what is going on around her. Sexually the two of them have it very good together.
     It has to be noticed that Anna thought that the graphologist had gotten her and Björn's handwriting mixed up.
     Benny is a mischievous guy. Together with Björn they make an unbeatable couple when it comes to childish pranks. Since he moved in together with Frida he has calmed down a bit though. Frida is more intellectual, she reads alot and is the one in the group who dislikes the public life the most. She prefers to relax with a good book on the couch at home.
     Whatever ABBA decide to do is a totally democratic process where each member has his vote. It applies to what clothes to wear, what songs to record and what length Agnetha's hair should be. (Don't worry, she will keep her long, beautiful hair, all according a decision made by ABBA).
     During the fall and winter Björn and Benny have been working together for a couple of hours, to discuss melodies, beats and different sounds. The result is a LP.
     - It's difficult to write good songs nu, when the expectation are so high on us. You're afraid that the audiences won't think it's good enough.
      As part of the audiences I can tell you that I have heard the album, and I guarantee you, it's better than good enough.

Kamratposten meet ABBA, 1975

Going through my boxes I found this unusual interview the four ABBA members had agreed to give to the students in Sollentuna. Kamratposten was a very left wing magazine for young kids, ages 8-14. Also keep in mind when you read this that the left wing movement weren't impressed with ABBA - at all. I think that shows. But as a document of the time I think it's great a lot of fans get access to it today. The interview is from 1975.

KP interviewing ABBA

We have been interviewing ABBA. It was just as difficult as we thought it would be, even more difficult. We Our offices are filled with letters with ABBA-wishes inside. We ourselves, haven't become quite as enthusiastic about the group as our readers. Yet. But it seems almost ALL of our readers like them, adore them even. We went out to find out why. At our help we had four reliable ABBA-fans; Elizabeth, Marie, Barbro and Annika from class 7B in Häggviksskolan just outside of Stocholm.
     We started with meeting ABBA for an interview. Both KP (KamratPosten) and the girls from 7B were are little excited and nervous. How do you adress people wearing leotarddresses, shiny silverjackets and enormously high platform shoes?
     We hardly recognized Anni-Frid and Agnetha. They had jeans on and heavy winter jackets and boots. They came straight from a dance rehearsal and they had showered and there were no hint of make-up left. Not very godlike we though, while letters from our readers kept ringing in our heads: "We who love ABBA dearly, look to us who worship ABBA. No matter where we turn in the world, our  fate will always lay in ABBA's hands."
     We talked with ABBA about their music. It was nice. The ABBA-members were not difficult in any way, or difficult that we kind of had expected them to be. Our surprise faded and we started to understand both ABBA and their music.
     The ABBA-members are just as simple and common as their music really is simple and mondaine. But when you normally see ABBA, on stage, on the cover of a record and in typical pop magazines, well then both their music and they are "dressed up". How the music gets "dressed up" you can read on the following pages. About how the simple chords Benny and Björn put together to a melody, it becomes a complicated rock song with lots of harmonies and instruments.

ABBA DRESSED UP
To dress upp music and people is nothing wrong. Music and artists can become very enjoyable if they are getting dolled up. What would the clown be without his mask, the circus princess without her plumes and sequines?
     A couple of days later after the interview we got to see ABBA's music and it's members in full custome. At Gröna Lund in Stockholm. KP got disappointed by that. The 18.999 people probably weren't.

ENORMOUS STACKS OF LOUDSPEAKERS
The nice ABBA-people KP had met had changed. Both them and the music were so dressed-up that Anni-Frid, Björn, Benny and Agnetha sort of disappeared. What was left was ABBA the music machine with soap bubbles, smoke effects and really strong lights. The enormous stacks of loudspeakers looked bigger than the huge audience. Both us in the audience and the ABBA-members looked scarily up at all this technology.
     What will be the next technical step, after soap bubbles and smoke? Even more smoke? That would cause ABBA to start coughing. Now we are treading on the toes of our readers. We intend to walk along.
     I'm standing at Gröna Lund's stage and listen to ABBA's lyrics. They are mostly about love as in any old schlager through out the times. It's probably because to the fact that these stories are so common. They never seem to be about ABBA's private love affairs.
     I get sick of listening and my mind starts drifting to the Pherris wheel and the seagulls flying. rather than thinking of lovesongs. I'm thinking about what Björn and Benny said about the lyrics during the interview. That the lyrics are created after the music is written.
     Do you write your own songs?
We are 19.000 people who are watching ABBA here at Gröna Lund. A lot of people have them as their idols. I think of Elizabeth, Marie, Barbro and Annika från Häggvik who can most of the songs by heart and love to sing along. The girls like the quick, upbeat songs, but those are harder to hear. Your own can be more critizised than the ABBA-songs. ABBA and ABBA's song follows a pattern which is nice and comfortable and it nice to cling on to once you have started playing yourself.

TO LISTEN TOGETHER WITH 18.999
In the interview with ABBA Anni-Frid told us that when she was a child, around 12-13 years old, she listenend to Siw Malmkvist, tried to sound like her. But it was a pattern that didn't reach all young girls as intensely as ABBA and other idols do today. Now there are so many more record players available, LP-records, pop magazines and melodiradio.
ABBA's performance is almost over. Anni-Frid asks from the stage: - How are you? She makes some contact and many of the 19.000 screams "Fine!" It's a very good beat in ABBA's last song and some in the audeience start to dance. But the Red Cross Man at the gate doesn't have to worry. Noone has passed out.But KP have started to realize why Elizabeth, Marie, Barbro and Annika like ABBA: It must be great to stand together with 18.999 others who also think ABBA are the best. Or have we understood nothing?

THIS IS HOW ABBA'S MUSIC
IS EMBELLISHED
In the studio Benny plays the new melodies for the musicians who are there to help make this a record. The musicians very quickly learn the harmonies and melodies. But even if the melodies are simple the end product is not. Among that a 16 channell tape recorder is being used. It can make on man sound like a whole choir and some background musicians sound like a giant orchestra.
     This is how it can be made: First Björn's voice is recorded on one channel. the the tape is rewersed and Björn sing again. But he does it in a different tone of his voice and on another channel. The band becomes a record where you cam hear Björn's voice in different pitches. Something that is impossible to do in "the real world". Subsequently all the instruements are being recorded in that same way each on it's on it's own channel.

MUSICAL COMPUTER?
Sometimes an electronic device called The Moog is used. From that machine you can get almost any sound that exixts. The Moog is like a computer with all sounds available. ABBA takes adavantage of this fact that Agnetha and Anni-Frid's voices are different. Agnetha's is the highest, then comes Frida's and then Björn and Benny, who hardly ever sing on the albums at all. When all of it has been recorded ABBA can, together with their sound technician, improve the sound on the different channels. From the tape an LP is made.

Agnetha's remasters are here!

Yes, today I received two of the three Agnetha Fältskog Polar Music albums; "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" and "Eyes Of A Woman" (no more Eyes Of a WOMEN on the spine of the CD!)
      I couldn't bring myself to buy the third one, the Christmas songs album. Ah well, maybe for Christmas. The two I got look great. They are designed in the same style as Frida's three albums earlier this year.
     The sound is good, rich, a lot more bass, very crispy and fresh. Pity they couldn't find the master tape for "It's So Nice To Be Rich", so they had to master it from a vinyl single. Not too bad though. I read in the forum on www.abbasite.com that someone thought this song was in bad taste. I guess not everyone knows that it's a song from a Swedish movie called "P&B". And I read somewhere that "The Way You Are" should be longer than the 3:45 it is. I dug out the old vinyl single and the version of the song there is 4:10. I don't know what happened there.Anyway, here are some scans from the covers. I hope you enjoy them! Click to enlarge if needed.

Very sad news for the Ulvaeus family

Lena Ulvaeus has been diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer. She and Björn talked to Expressen's reporter Anna Bäsén about it.

"I will probably not be
alive in ten years"
Björn and Lena Ulvaeus were called in for an urgent meeting with the doctor. In the consultation room they received the terrible information: Lena has incurable and deadly leukaemia. Now they exclusively tell Expressen about the struggle against time.
     - We don't plan for the future, I will probably not be alive in ten years. You try to suppress the disease, we take each day as it comes, says Lena.
Two years ago Lena Ulvaeus, 55, discovered she had four hazelnut-sized lumps on her neck.
     - It happened suddenly, but right away I realized it wasn't normal. I had been sweating a lot at night before, but I thought it was due to menopause.
The first test didn't reveal anything. But Lena convinced her doctor to get a referral to Danderyds Hospital for a bone marrow test. One day they called from the hospital and said that the doctor wanted to meet her as soon as possible.
     - Then I said to Björn that this doesn't sound good, this isn't benign, says Lena.

It's incurable
At the hospital she received the dramatic information: You have chronic lymphatic leukaemia and it's incurable.
     - We fell apart, both Björn and I. We just held each other. After we had walked out of there, it was as if we were out of it. It has been a long process to deal with the information. At first I couldn't believe it was true. Then I laid there in despair, I couldn't sleep and thought about dying.
     - In a way you get used to it. People say that you're brave, but it's not like that. I don't have a choice. I can roll around and scream at the top of my lungs, but it wouldn't help at all, says Lena.
Lena's cancer has put a lot of strain on her family.
     - It's terrible. We live with the disease, I think about it every day. And that I can't do anything about it, Björn says and and continues
     - The best moments are when we are able to forget about it.

Can't say
The doctors can't say how much time she has left. Lena can become ill and die in 6 months - or in twelve years.
     - The worst thing is to wake up at three in the morning and start thinking about how much time I have left. I'm happily married. It is so sad to know that we won't grow old together, she says. Right now Lena is feeling quite good, despite dizziness and sweating. She does the things she usually do but at a slower pace.

The family's support is the most important.
     - It goes up and down. There are days when I'm very tired and feel lousy. Sometimes I get dizzy and have to hold on to Björn while we're out walking. Since the disease is incurable, there is no treatment available until the symptoms appear. Because of that, Lena has chosen not to have the monthly routine check-ups. They just made her worried and she got to see a different doctor each time.
     - You sit there in the waiting room like a scared rabbit and wait to hear how sick you are. It feels much better not having to deal with those damn blood tests. I'll go to the hospital when I get ill.
Lena thinks that the support from her family is the most important thing. Björn is constantly by her side. The four adult children have also dealt with it well, Lena thinks.
     - The children know that it's true, but I think they suppress it. There is no other way to deal with it. You can't fret about it the time you have left. The death sentence has made Lena think more about life and its conditions.

You become more truthful
     - You become different as a person when you have a limited time left. You can't be mean towards anyone, you probable become kinder and more truthful, she says and laughs. Lena praises the doctors and nurses, but is critical towards the organisation with constant changes of doctors, the wait and consultation rooms closed for the summer.
     - It's crazy. It's the politicians' fault, the health care sector needs more resources.
Now the Ulvaeus family hope that Lena's story will help others.
     - Most people have never heard about this disease and that it's incurable. I hope that the research will continue, Lena says.

Charlie Norman dies at age 84

Swedish boogie woogie legend, the great pianist Charlie Norman died at age 84 yesterday. Frida worked a lot with Charlie and his band after her breakthrough in 1967. During 1969 and 1970 she worked constantly with him. Some of you may have seen the "Baby Love" clip from the Charlie Norman Show. I just wish Swedish Television would air that show again soon. It would be a great tribute to Charlie. Frida and Charlie stayed in touch all these years. I remember seeing a picture of Frida and Lill-Babs at his 80th birthday party. And I must have remembered correctly. Because here it is: Thanks to Mattias!
     Charlie Norman was very popular in Sweden and started his career as early as 1942 with the record Charlie Boogie. In 1947 he played with Edith Piaf in Paris. Charlie's son Lennie Norman and Ronnie Gardiner were members of the Charlie Norman Trio.

Benny happy at Skansen

On Tuesday 2 August BAO (Benny Anderssons Orkester) did their annual visit at the popular TV-show "Allsång på Skansen". Benny, together with his huge band and the solo singers Tommy Körberg (Chess) and Helene Sjöholm (Kristina and Chess) were a big success. I think it's great to see Benny this happy when is performing his favourite kind of music. And it's amazing too see that he looked almost as happy 32 years ago not far from Skansen, at Gröna Lund, playing the banjo, when ABBA performed there. Just look at him in these pictures - he loves it! And the green jacket was a nice change after the blue one he has been wearing for the last 20 years or so! Only joking! :)
     After the TV-show was over, the band continued playing and even played the ABBA-song "Why Did It Have To Be Me"!
     More pics from this concert are available in the Benny photo album here on the right.