This is a radio interview by Staffan Dopping for Radio Stockholm in the fall of 1984 when he visited Agnetha and Eric Stewart in the Polar Music studio, where they were recording the "Eyes Of A Woman" album.
The weather has been lousy all day, and now the rain is pouring down. But in here there will hopefully be some music being made that will bring both joy and some money. I walk pass the reception. I nod a little nonchalant like I usually do and continue to the big studio. It's quite dark in here and I can hear music. Two people are sitting in front of the mixer table and I think I recognise the woman, so I walk in there.
Hello, I'm from Radio Stockholm, I hope I'm not interrupting anything...
- Hi Stockholm!
Agnetha Fältskog! Hi, what are you up to?
- I'm recording a new album,
How very wise of you, about time. The last one wasn't much of a succes! (laughs) Now it's about time you made some money here. This dark stranger here, who is he?
- It's my producer, his name is Eric Stewart, from 10CC.
How do you do, Eric Stewart?
- How do you do, Stockholm?
Do you like Ms. Fältskog here?
- Do I like her? Well I can't tell you about things like that.
Alright. Is this my cup of coffee by the way?
- I think so, one of them (Agnetha says).
As you know I really like coffee and I thought we'd have a cup together here in the Polar studio. How far have you come with the album?
- We have made 14 or 15 backgrounds in 14 days and now we have started to record the vocals, I have done two songs now and we are in the middle of the third today.
How much do you get to decide when it comes to choosing songs, I assume you don't just show up here when it's time to record the vocals?
- I have been here all the time. I'm always here when we record the backingtracks because I like to have my say about it. It's here you decide in what key the song will be. It's like giving birth to a baby every time.
That's beautiful! (laughs) Is it often the practice to record more songs than would actually fit on an album? Do you do this, just in case, if some of them aren't as good as the rest of the songs, so you can eliminate them afterwards?
- This time we have mad 15 backgrounds and I think there will be 11 or 12 songs on the album. And the remaining songs will be used as B-sides on the singles.
How do you choose the songs, who writes them, how does it all happen to get the right material to choose from?
- Well, it's not just me who chooses. We are lucky enough to get lots of demotapes from all around the world. People who write songs for me, and that's something I'm really happy about and thankfull for. Then I pick some and Eric pick some and Stikkan Anderson too, who listens to the songs and comments on them.
Who are the songwriters, can you give me some names?
- It's our technician, Paris Edvinsson, he has written one song for example.
Have you written any song for this album?
- Yes, I have written two songs and I think they will make it on to the album, and Eric has one that will be on the album, I think. And then there are a lot of different song writers who have contributed.
Unknown?
- Well...
You have some papers in front of you here: "Just One Heart"
- We are recording that song today, and yes it's called "Just One Heart". It's written by Paul Muggleton and Robert Noble.
Who are they?
- I really don't know! (laughs)
How does this song sound, can you sing a little for me?
- (sings) The fever's running in the city (big laugh). It will sound much better when it's completed.
Well, we certainly hope so! (laughs) Agnetha Fältskog, this is the first interview in your life, I think, were we won't compare you to Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
- Oh, what a relief! It was about time!
Yes, that must feel good for you. What's that sound, can we hear some more? (a snippet of the backing track of "Just One Heart" is played). So this is live music only partially mixed, from the Polar studio. Is this "Just One Heart"?
- Yes, it is.
Who are the musicians?
- We have used some English musicians Eric choose. Do you want me to tell you all their names?
No you don't have to do that!
- It's mainly English musicians and a few Swedish ones like Rutger Gunnarsson playing bass.
The Polar Music favourite - Rutger Gunnarsson!
- Yes, he and I are the only ones who have worked together before. So all the others are new to me. The work is progressing fine and we are having a wonderful time!
Someone, was it Mike Chapman, who produced your previous album? And now it's Eric Stewart. Is it the producer who makes the sound of the album so special? Is that so important? And why do you change producer even if the producer before did a great job?
- Not everyone changes producers from record to record. But it is exciting to try different producers and they have the utter responsibility for the album coming together. And I could never be my own producer, because I'm way to critical of myself and I would go on changing everything I do over and over.
So they have to stop you?
- Yes, Eric stopped me yesterday about a thing I wanted to change. That's what a producer does and a lot of other things too, of course.
How many copies did your last album sell?
- Around 1,2 million copies.
Does it mean a lot to you if the album is a hit or not?
- It means more that I'm able to do what I like to do best, and I really love this studio work. So if the album sells one or two million copies doesn't matter.
One or two millions? How modest of you! Sounds like a woman who says "I don't care what my husband does, if he is the king or a president"! (laughs)
- Maybe that sounded wrong, but what I meant is that the number doesn't mean anything, it's not something you are thinking about when you are working.
But surely you must feel some pressure?
- Yes, definitely, but not in terms of how many copies my album will sell. The pressure I experience is that I want to make a better job all the time.
What on the last album, "Wrap Your Arms Around Me", was the best thing you wanted to continue developing on this new album?
- I guess it was the satisfaction of coming back to work as a solo singer again. To be able to sing in a lot of different styles. I'm allowed to vary my voice a lot more. I can sing both ballads and more up tempo songs, a little rockier.
["Can't Shake Loose" is played]
This was one of the songs from the latest album that was released two years ago. But that was the previous album. By the way, Agnetha, what is the name of the new album?
- We haven't decided the title yet, but we think it will be "Eyes Of A Woman", which is the song Paris has written.
A woman's ice?
- No, a woman's eyes! (both laughs)
Oh, I see, sorry. And it's your eyes of course?
- Of course, it has to be.
Eric Stewart, you're standing with your hands in your pockets. Seems like an easy life producing this album?
- It's a luxury, yeah.
You were one of the members of 10CC. Today you are mostly a producer, right?
- Yes, I'm mostly into production, working with other people on their albums.
Talk about Agnetha Fältskog in 30 seconds!
- In 30 seconds? She's a very good looking lady, she's got a wonderful voice, she writes very good songs and I really enjoy doing this album with her here in Stockholm. It's really gonna be a fabulous album.
You have of course listened to her first solo album. What did you think of it?
- I thought her voice was great, but I thought the choice of some of the material was pretty poor.
Which song did you like best?
- The single, which was "The Heat Is On" and I liked Agnetha's own song "Man". A beautiful ballad, a really good love song, beautiful words, the sort of thing everybody likes to listen to and understand.
You have been working here in the studio for a couple of weeks. How do you get along, how do you cooperate? How is the music coming along?
- We brought over musicians from England. We worked for three weeks every single day and night until we completed all the backing tracks. And everyone threw in ideas, we get ideas from the engineer, Paris, and we get ideas from Agnetha plus my own production ideas. It's like a chemical reaction of people and chemistry that works together. And I'm really knocked out about this studio here.
What is so special about it?
- It just has a great sound, very, very natural, live sound. Good engineers and a lovely ambience. Everybody who works here, not just in the control room. The people in the office, the girls at the front desk. It's just a very good and happy team. I'm very pleased to be here.
Don't you miss the daylight, it's almost like a cellar in here?
- We have begun to take on this grey colour after a few weeks, but Paris has booked us in at a solarium, so we're going for a solarium and a massage with a big Finnish lady, not Agnetha, no! Some big Finnish footballers are going to give us a massage.
If the album sells less than two million copies, will you be disappointed?
- I'd be disappointed and very surprised, because we've got about five hit songs here.
And you are being serious now?
- Yes, I'm very serious. It's going to be difficult to choose the songs because we have so many and Agnetha told you, we got tracks written by wonderful writers from all over the world. And we've asked people to write specifically for this album and for Agnetha. And we're very surprised and pleased by the reactions we've had from these great writers.
Thank you, Eric Stewart!
- Thank you!
On my right here sits Paris and he is mixing a track. How important are you in this? They tell me you are important.
- I'm trying to contribute with everything that I can.
How late are you working at night?
- We usually go on until midnight, one o'clock or so.
Agnetha, about the tabloid press. Is it true that you have applied to join Stadsteatern (Stockholm City Theatre)?
- No, where did you hear that?
You joined their boycott of the tabloids.
- Yes, I supported them with all my heart.
You started this boycott thing a couple of years ago, didn't you?
- I don't think I was the one who started it. It was Anders Wall who had enough and that made me react finally. And I hope that it will make a difference. It's a really sad part of this business, I think.
When the album is finished will you fly around to promote it or will you stay at home in your rocking chair and let it sell itself?
- Well, I don't know how I'm going to do it this time. We have been discussing it since I don't fly anymore.
You are completely determined not to fly again?
- Yes, unfortunately I am. And it's really sad because it limits me. Not just when it comes to promoting an album, but also in my private life. I can't travel anywhere on my holidays.
You poor thing!
- Yes, but I can take the car. I will drive to France and Italy later.
And you're not scared about doing that?
- No, I don't feel any fear at all when I'm driving. Even though I'm very aware that it's a much more dangerous way of travelling. But that doesn't change my feelings about flying.
Eric is totally excited about this album and your voice and the fact that people from all over the world has written songs for you when they got to know that you planned to make another album. That is a fantastic situation.
- Yes, I feel very privileged, since I don't know if it's the same for many singers. But both Frida and I have been given this opportunity to choose from a lot of material and I'm very grateful for it.
Will you release a new album every year from now on?
- I can't promise one every year. Maybe one every other year.
When will this album be released?
- It's going to be released in the middle of February next year. The studio here is booked until the first week of November.
I know it's not allowed to say "good luck" in your business, so I say "break a leg" and thank you, Agnetha!
- Thank you!
At one time he thought he was going to be a construction engineer. He had had some workplace experience and went to school studying the subject. But then some guys, who called themselves Hep Stars, called him up. Benny left his studies. And that is something he has never regretted.
