Mikory's ABBA-blog: Benny Andersson

27 November 2014

20 November 2014

08 November 2014

03 November 2014

ABBA's Benny Andersson reveals extent of alcohol addiction

Benny Andersson, part of the songwriting duo behind Swedish pop group ABBA, has revealed for the first time that he had to seek help to cure an addiction for alcohol.

Andersson, 64, who disclosed he had been teetotal for nine years in an interview last year, has never discussed the extent of his problems until now.

In an interview recorded for Sweden's SVT channel, broadcast later today, he said: "When it's about the difficult battle against addiction, it doesn't matter who you are.

"I wasn't feeling well without alcohol, so I knew that I was in trouble. I sought help and I got it."

Mr Andersson finally beat his addiction in 2001, a full 20 years after the group's last UK hit, "The Winner Takes it all".

"I knew that if I continued drinking there was a risk I would lose everything. If you drink enough for a long enough time, you will lose things," he said.

Mr Andersson went on the show with his son Ludvig, who described his own battle with drink and drugs

"When you have genes and you are putting as much effort into it as I was, it's possible to drink and get addicted pretty quickly. In addition, if you take a lot of other drugs, as I was doing, the process goes even faster," he said.

ABBA's string of hits in the 1970s and 1980s thrust them into the list of top 10 bestselling bands of all time. But their success came to a painful end with the break up of the band's two couples, with Mr Andersson divorcing Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Björn Ulvaeus, his songwriting partner, divorcing Agnetha Fältskog.

"We will never appear on stage again", Mr Ulvaeus told the Sunday Telegraph in a 1983 interview, six months after their last performance in December 1982. "There is simply no motivation to regroup. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were: young, exuberant, full of energy and ambition."

Mr Ulvaeus and Mr Andersson have continued to work together, however, writing the music for the musical Chess, composing occasional new songs, and more recently working on Mamma Mia, the hugely successful ABBA musical, which became a hit film starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan in 2008.

Anni-Frid Lyngstad is now formally titled Her Serene Highness Princess Anni-Frid Synni Reuss of Plauen, after marrying a German Prince. She continues to record and release solo work. Agnetha Fältskog released her last album, My Colouring Book, in 2004 and lives a relatively reclusive life on the Swedish island of Ekerö.

Mr Andersson, meanwhile, continues to perform regularly with the Benny Anderssons Orkester.

03 November 2014 in Benny Andersson | Permalink | Comments (8)

21 September 2014

19 September 2014

A little help, please. Edit: Sorry gave the wrong e-mail adress. The red one is correct

We have been together for almost 10 years. I have som questions I would like to ask my most regular readers. So if you feel like you are are a "part of this group" could pleae send you e-mail,I'd be very happy. be relly happy! You can use this address [email protected]se. Thanks! :)

19 September 2014 in Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson | Permalink | Comments (7)

16 September 2014

ABBA Pic of the Day

Frida and Benny in an private moment in 1974. Picture came German pop magazine "BRAVO".

16 September 2014 in Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson | Permalink | Comments (1)

07 September 2014

ABBA Pic of the Day

Benny Andersson and his son Ludwig Andersson at conference for the release of the Album - "ABBA live at Wembley arena", produced By Ludwig Andersson.

Poor Ludwig. I wonder if he is prepared from all the comments from fans all over the world that no matter how well he treats these recordings of the Wembley concerts a lot of people (me included probably) called ABBA-C**s will be as we like to say, 'disappointed, 'I really exptected me more etc'. Well, we just have to see what happens on September 29! Good Luck Ludwig!