Mikory's ABBA-blog:

British music journalist Neil McCormick writes in his column that he hates ABBA. Read it here. I think he wasn't prepared for the huge reaction from fans worldwide, read more here.
Tim Rice, who was the lyricist for B&B's musical "Chess" has added his thoughts:

"Dear Neil:

I read your amusing and well-written piece about Abba today and can understand your frustration about their continuing presence in your life, but cannot remotely sympathise with it.

Obviously I have to declare an interest but I feel most strongly that their music (if not their English lyrics) is way up there with the best. The very best. They are certainly much closer to Lennon-McCartney than they are to Stock-Aitken-Waterman. In 1974, almost the only way a non-British or American act, in particular one from Sweden, could hope to make any impact outside their own territory was through Eurovision, not a route that encourages subtlety. Having made it internationally, their work developed remarkably - most of the songs you have a go at are from their very early days.

But leaving Abba aside, and here is my obvious bias, have you heard Chess, the musical I wrote with them in 1984? You may think my words for the project or the project itself dire but I would be amazed if you could say that the music is without merit. Some (I believe virtually all) of the tunes (and there is a huge variety) and orchestrations are quite outstanding - sophisticated while retaining the very elusive quality of memorable melody. Cock an ear to Pity The Child, Anthem or Endgame. Or even the instrumental opening to One Night In Bangkok. Then there is their Swedish language opera Kristina från Duvemåla which is a magnificent achievement, far outstripping attempts by other pop writers to move into classical fields. I don't think that Status Quo, SAW or even Paul McCartney could do what Benny Andersson has done in both musical theatre and opera. He also has a very successful folk-influenced orchestra.

Abba was brilliant (I accept you don't accept that) but just as Waterloo and Honey Honey were stepping stones to The Winner Takes It All and The Visitors, the group was a stepping stone to other fields.

I fear you may get a lot of stick for your article which will delight your editor. Much of it will be pretty inane but I hope my respectful comments give you cause and pause to re-think Andersson-Ulvaeus if not Abba.

Best wishes

Tim Rice

PS I always fancied Frida most"