ABBA in Australia 1976

Lots of police. Airports closed down. Screaming fans of all ages from 10 years old and upwards. Hotel entrances besieged.
     Does it sound like a description of a Beatles or Rolling Stones' visit in Sweden in the midsixties?
     This is about a Swedish group this time. ABBA's popularity on the other side of the world culminated in endless rows of pressconferences - most of them shown on TV (!) during the groups ten day visit in the beginning of March.

ABBA IN AUSTRALIA -
A FORMIDABLE TRIUMPH
The parallell with the Beatles is not a Swedish idea. Australia, which didn't experience the pop era's breakthrough as intensely 10 years ago, has become a huge record market during the 70's.
     - The second best market after Scandinavia for us, Benny beamed in front of the hundreds of radio and TV-microphones which accompanied ABBA in Sydney and Melbourne. Both are large cities, together they are the homes of half of the 14 million Australian citizens.
     And flattered Australian reporters thanked, smiled and timidly asked for autographs. To them songs like Mamma Mia, I Do I Do, Waterloo, Honey Honey and whatever they are called are pop music of the highest carat.
     - Australia simply love ABBA's image of proper and well dressed youth, explained Mr. Lionel McCabe, one of the initiator of ABBA's long trip "down under".
     - No other group has ever had 3-4 songs in the charts at the same time. That's what we think is one explanation that says it all.
     ABBA's clothes are also very popular. Everyone was surprised when Anni-Frid Lyngstad time and time again had to explain that they are made by two gentlemen from Stockholm, Owe Sandström and Lars Wigenius. Together they have a company called Artistdressing; even Lill-Babs use their services for their great ideas. Owe Sandström is also a biologist and teaches at Spånga high school.
     Since Sweden hasn't had the chance to see ABBA's new clothes yet having a look at these pages will give you an idea.
     Most of the time in Australia was spent in TV-studios. Some were last-minute-calls to join talkshows. And for the other part there was the production of a 45 minute TV-special, which Mr. McCabe is hoping to be able to sell to TV networks in Europe.
     - But then of course we will have to add some kangaroos and koala bears, Stikkan Anderson insisted. He is a man who thinks ahead all the time.
     We have to feel a little bit sorry for ABBA though. Imagine - in Australia now there's a beautiful, hot late summer. With tantalizing beaches, espceially around Sydney, beuatiful green golf courses, emerald green swimmingpools for the ones who don't dare to force the barricades of autograph hunters outside the hotell.
     - It's enough to drive you mad, mumbled Agnetha Fältskog, more than once. Now when we have the chance to get a nice tan, we have to travel around in limousines.
     Oh well, in the end they did manage to get one day off. ABBA got to meet kangaroo babies. The Ulvaeus family - Björn and Agnetha - even though of buying one. Their daughter Linda, 3, who is at home on Lidingö has no pets since they had to leave the family dog to their relatives.

THIS ARTICLE COMES FROM HÄNT I VECKAN, APRIL 1976