Sweden thanks Abba for the music with an all-singing, all-dancing museum

A boxy, four-storey structure of Scandinavian pine is rising out of the snow on Stockholm's Djurgården Island, sandwiched between the city's largest funfair and a restored 17th-century warship.
From its opening day, on 7 May, Abba The Museum, the city's first monument to the Swedish supergroup, is expected to lure hundreds of thousands of tourists a year to belt out versions of hits such as Super Trouper, Dancing Queen and Waterloo, alongside holographic images of the group in all their spangly 70s glory.
"Obviously, from a Swedish state point of view it should have already been around for many years, because it's one of the most famous Swedish brands ever," said Mattias Hansson, the museum's managing director, as he showed off the site before Christmas. "We know from the tourism office in Stockholm that each and every year they receive thousands of questions from tourists about where to go to see something about Abba, and for years they have been forced to say, 'nowhere'."
"We weren't entirely sure if there was going to be one, whether we wanted one – to become artefacts and relics while we are still alive," said Abba's Björn Ulvaeus, explaining the group's previous reservations when he announced his involvement back in October. But, he said: "I realised someone had to take the full responsibility and it gradually dawned on me that I was the one."
He is now the project's main backer, having taken a majority financial stake in December by buying shares from the three main investors – Universal Music, Live Nation, and Parks & Resorts Scandinavia. "He's taken a much bigger stake in the company, and that means also intellectually, when it comes to putting his creative mind and time into this," Hansson said.
Ulvaeus is by far the most entrepreneurial of the four members. He had completed a degree in law and business before he launched his pop career and he has a portfolio of property ventures. It was Ulvaeus who gave his backing in 1999 to Mamma Mia!, the London stage musical. He then worked as a producer on the 2008 film version, starring Meryl Streep, for which Benny Andersson, Ulvaeus's songwriting partner, wrote some new songs.
Hansson says Ulvaeus's involvement has made all the difference. "For certain, Björn Ulvaeus is the brightest creative mind I've ever been in the same room with." The two are trying to make the museum as interactive as possible, drawing on Hansson's experience as an internet entrepreneur. Every visitor will receive an Abba ID with their ticket, which will generate a page on the museum's website when they enter the building. Everything they do inside will be recorded, from singing on the holographic stage to entering a booth where Abba costumes will be projected on to them. Later, they will be able to share photos and videos of their experiences on Facebook and other social media.
Hansson said this all justifies the price of the tickets which, at 195 Swedish kronor (£18.50), aren't cheap. "Given the experience we will provide, it's a pretty fair price." It's also a sign of how the business model of Universal Music, which holds the rights to Abba, is evolving. Abba The Museum has done a deal to "integrate and extend the museum experience" into Spotify, the Swedish music-streaming service, and has tied up with a list of corporate sponsors.
Mamma Mia! has generated revenues of well over $2bn – it is the longest-running musical ever on both Broadway and in London's West End, and the film is the highest-grossing musical ever, generating well over $600m at the box office on a budget of $52m. That success has limited the hit that Abba and Universal might otherwise have taken during a decade when music piracy flourished.
But according to Hansson, it wasn't the prospect of additional royalties that finally won the band round to the museum project; it was Ulvaeus and Andersson's decision last year to insist that the museum be part of a wider Swedish Music Hall of Fame, with Abba sharing the glory (but less than 30% of the floorspace) with 400 other acts.
The band agreed to a 2006 plan to build an Abba museum in Stockholm, which failed when its main backer, Iceland's Kaupthing Bank, collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis. This time around, though, they're all more involved. Even Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who these days prefers a quiet life in Switzerland with her husband, heir to the WH Smith chain – has helped out. According to Hansson, she has "cleaned out her closet", bequeathing old costumes and memorabilia. Also on show will be the costumes the band wore when they won the Eurovision song contest in 1974. "In some way, all four of them will give each and every visitor an extraordinary take on the history of Abba," Hansson said. "They've all been filmed and interviewed for the exhibition."
The interviews are being used by Catherine Johnson, the British playwright who wrote Mamma Mia!, to make an audio guide which will tell the band's story from the 1960s, when each member was a musical success in their own right, through their marriages and Eurovision victory, to their divorces and the band's breakup in 1983.
"There's a built-in Romeo and Juliet thing here, with four individuals who all had their own careers, then became lovers and then won the Eurovision song contest," said Hansson. "It's a 10-year saga which you can follow from the first love affairs to the bitter end."
Ulvaeus has been keen to downplay the glamour and emphasise the more melancholy side to the band, the darker aspects of the lyrics, the frequent use of plaintive minor keys and the two divorces. However, that hasn't stopped Hansson trying to market the museum with the slogan "Walk In, Dance Out!"
Hansson said he did not know whether any of them would come to the museum opening. "I will be wondering about that until 10 minutes before the opening ceremony, because they don't usually do things together… But I cross my fingers."

"ABBA: Dancing Queen" (Part 6: Sweden, 2012)

"ABBA: Dancing Queen" (Part 5: Sweden, 2012)

"ABBA: Dancing Queen" (Part 4: Sweden, 2012)

"ABBA: Dancing Queen" (Part 3: Sweden, 2012)

"ABBA: Dancing Queen" (Part 2: Sweden, 2012)

ABBA Doco By Carl Magnus Palm Part 1

Fabulous documentary titled 'Dancing Queen' showing lots about ABBA in Australia.
Made for the European market but all interviews are in English.
Features our very own Ian Cole and Christopher Patrick !
Check the Thank You's at the end ... you may recognize some other names also :)

ABBA Bang A Boomerang Doco

It's official !

 

 

ABBA Chiquitita - Rare demo mix (filtered vocals)

ABBA-Chiquitita Rare Vocal Mix

Published on Dec 9, 2012

1920x1080 (upscaled) Chiquitita. Listen carefully,this version has less leadvocal,emphasis on the backing track/harmonies & you can really hear Bjorn's harmonies in the choruses.

Uber Rare!

ABBADiego

ABBA-DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW-THE ROCK VERSION

Published on Dec 10, 2012

Early version of DYMK in full with no disco bet rather the early version that was performed at ABBA In Switzerland. However this is not he actual Playback from the Swiss show, the video is just matched to the song out of interest. This is what we can call the "backing track" I suppose. It was introduced by Bjorn on the show as "Does Your Mother Know That You're Out"

ABBADiego

ABBA Under Attack Rare Vocal

Published on Dec 10, 2012

Under Attack with extended intro, & outros with an almost instrumental ending.

Note beginning of second verse "This is getting crazy" is heard as "All this is getting crazy"

ABBADiego

ABBA-GIMME GIMME GIMME(A Man After Midnight)-BONKERS MIX

Another rare version from ABBADiego

ABBA - Rare Original Dancing Queen Audio

Published on Dec 10, 2012

This has a count in intro, a slighly longer intro, the verses in like I said, a very diffferent order, plus the ending is extended where you can really hear Ageths & Frida giving it some welly for the harmonies,is that Frida screeching at the end?

Let me know your thoughts.

As for the video, all I have done is grab a non-UMG video to match it up,kinda, as the video is a different tempo to the sound, but rather than adjust the sound, I just chopped the video where it fell out of synch & put in a crude crossfade. But it's not really the video we are on here for,it's these amazing insights into how these geniuses put their hits together.

Makes me want to get into a time-machine with these tracks, go back, find the producers of Janet Street Porters documentary about "punk" where I saw the punks ripping up a sleeve of ABBA-The Album, go to them,slap their faces & say "so you think they are a hit factory, WRONG punk!" Then walk away, go over to 1976 & 1977 record sales and reel them off, ABBA sold more those years that the over-hyped punk ever did.

ABBADiego

ABBA Museum Opening Date !

OPENS 7^TH OF MAY 2013

A LIMITED NUMBER OF OPENING TICKETS ON RELEASE NOW

It’s official as of today – ABBA The Museum will open on the 7th of May 2013. The first opening weeks tickets will be released on Thursday, December 13th. The buzz is in full swing, as is the demand for tickets both in Sweden and internationally. In response, ABBA The Museum will now release opening tickets for the first three weeks, the 7th–31st of May 2013.
In October, Björn Ulvaeus informed the Swedish and international press of the plans for ABBA The Museum. Alongside Mattias Hansson, Managing Director of the museum, he confirmed that the museum is to be a part of Swedish Music Hall of Fame, located at Djurgården, Stockholm.

“We want to be available to everybody, from our very first opening day. Since a lot of music lovers and ABBA fans live outside of Sweden, we want to offer them a chance to get tickets beforehand order to guarantee a unique first time visit”, says Mattias Hansson.

Tickets:
For those who prefer to make a spur-of-the-moment visit to the museum in May, there will be a limited number of tickets on sale at the venue. The tickets will cost SEK 195 (approx €23) and SEK 50 for children under 8 (approx €6) and will be time-slotted in a bid to cut queues and give all visitors a music experience of a lifetime. All ticket sales in Sweden and globally will be handled by SJ’s outlets; phone number +46 771 757575, SJ Resebutiker, www.sj.se/abbathemuseum and via www.abbathemuseum.com.

The venue and the museum ABBA The Museum will become the home of ABBA’s collected works, set to be showcased in a contemporary, musical and interactive exhibition that allows the audience to get close to their favourite band. ABBA The Museum is a part of the new Swedish Music Hall of Fame, and the tickets will be valid throughout the building. In addition to the two permanent exhibitions ‘the History of Swedish Popular Music’ and ‘Hall of Fame’, Swedish Music Hall of Fame will also host temporary, mostly contemporary music exhibitions.
The 5,000 sq. meter building, located at Djurgårdsvägen 68, Stockholm, includes 2,000 sq. meters of exhibition space, of which a considerable amount is dedicated to ABBA The Museum. The museum is counting on 200.000-250.000 of Swedish and international visitors during 2013.

New ABBA Release - Official Notebook

http://www.abbasite.com/store/

 

 

ABBA Deluxe Pre-order Now !

Available for pre-order now from Video Ezy in Australia for $28.95:

 

http://www.videoezy.com.au/CD/abba-abba-deluxe-edition/dp/520843#bc=91f7

 

 

Disc 1:

1. Mamma Mia
    
2. Hey, Hey Helen
    
3. Tropical Loveland
    
4. SOS
    
5. Man In The Middle
    
6. Bang-A-Boomerang
    
7. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
    
8. Rock Me
    
9. Intermezzo no 1
    
10. I’ve Been Waiting For You
     
11. So Long
     
12. Crazy World
     
13. Medley: Pick A Bale Of Cotton - On Top Of Old Smokey - Midnight Special
     
14. Mamma Mia (Spanish Version)

Disc 2:

1. ABBA In Australia (Television Special) (SONGS PERFORMED: Mamma Mia/ Hasta Mañana/ Ring Ring/ Tropical Loveland/ Waterloo/ I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do/ Rock Me/ Dancing Queen/ Honey, Honey/ Fernando/ So Long/SOS)
2. Made In Sweden - For Export (SVT) (SONGS PERFORMED: Mamma Mia/ I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do/ So Long)
3. SOS (Seaside Special, BBC)
4. Mamma Mia (Top Of The Pops, BBC)
5. The Best Of ABBA, TV Commercial
6. Greatest Hits, TV Commercial
7. International Sleeve Gallery 

 

New Agnetha Album Confirmed !

Agnetha Fältskog Comeback

Agnetha is recording new material for the first time in eight years. According to Aftonbladet there is a new album in the works The former Abba star is working on music again. This has been confirmed by her spokesperson Staffan Lindé.

 

- Yes, it is true that she has gone into the studio again, he told the newspaper.

Reports that Fältskog work with producer Jörgen Elofsson, who has written songs and produced for artists such as Britney Spears, Westlife and Kelly Clarkson, and wrote "When you tell the world you're mine" to the Swedish royal wedding in 2010, but it has not been confirmed.

Agnetha Fältskog released a number of solo albums in the 1970s - and '80s. 2004 released latest album 'My coloring book ", after a break of 17 years.

 

WOOHOO !!!!

 

 

 

 

AT LAST, ABBA THE MUSEUM OPENS IN SWEDEN.

WALK IN. DANCE OUT.

ABBA’s collected works will be showcased in a contemporary, interactive setting at Swedish Music Hall of Fame, a new exhibit venue located at Djurgården, Stockholm, set to open next year.

The great search for all things related to ABBA’s music, lyrics, stage costumes, musicals and films has gone on for quite some time. And Swedish Music Hall of Fame provides the perfect framework for it, says original ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus.

’ABBA The Museum will fit right in at Swedish Hall of Fame, as it is a part of Sweden’s pop history. And the location at Stockholm’s Djurgården feels like coming home,’ says Ulvaeus.
Behind the scenes, Mattias Hansson – Managing Director of ABBA The Museum – is in charge of getting the museum up and running.
’Swedish pop music is an important part of our cultural heritage’, says Hansson. ’And ABBA is one of our most well known international brands. It’s our duty to give their work a permanent space here.’
ABBA remains Sweden’s most successful band of all time, with sales of 378 million albums around the world. ABBA The Museum will span the band’s career all the way from the start in 1970, via the breakthrough with ’Waterloo’ in 1974, the grand world tours and finally, the split in 1983. Since then, ABBA has lived on through a wide range of musical projects run by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, whose musical ’Mamma Mia!’ revived the public’s interest in ABBA’s music yet again. An interest that never seems to fade – 1st October 2012, ’ABBA Gold’ was officially named the best-selling CD album ever in England.

’We’re proud and very happy that ABBA chose Swedish Music Hall of Fame to put their work on display and tell their own, personal story,’ says Charlotte Wiking, Managing Director of Swedish Music Hall of Fame.
Swedish Music Hall of Fame will show temporary as well as permanent music exhibitions ranging from the 1920’s until today. In addition, there will be a Hall of Fame devoted to Swedish pop music. Several guest curators and music industry representatives will be involved in making the exhibitions interactive and experience-based. The venue will suit a wide audience, with a special nod to children and young people.
In addition to the exhibitions, the venue will also host unique events linked to current music happenings; small and intimate gigs; courses aimed at schools and music lovers; a hotel called Melody Hotel; a restaurant with a bar, and a shop. ABBA The Museum will no doubt attract international attention and pull crowds into the 5,000 square ft building, situated between amusement park Gröna Lund and art gallery Liljevalchs at the heart of Djurgården.

In the first year alone, several hundred thousand Swedish and international visitors are expected to discover ABBA The Museum. The tickets are to be released later in the autumn and will be available at SJ’s outlets – phone +46 771-757575, SJ´s Resebutiker and www.sj.se/upplevelser.
Some of the entertainment industry’s most prominent establishments stand behind ABBA The Museum: Parks and Resorts (Gröna Lund), Universal, Polar Music, Synergera Rättighetsförvaltning and Eventum have all contributed to its existence.
Proud business partners with an in-depth involvement include MasterCard, SJ, Stockholm Arlanda Airport and Viking Line. Media partners include SBS Radio and TV4. More partners will be added soon.
In the autumn of 2012, ABBA The Museum and its partners will arrange a press briefing presenting the museum’s contents, grand opening and ticket sales.

ABBA Madame Tussaud's Images

Here are the completed Madame Tussauds waxwork models of ABBA as displayed at a roller disco in the Renaissance Room at the museum's London location. The figures will embark on a world tour to other Madame Tussauds locations including Vienna, Berlin, Amsterdam and Blackpool. Each figure cost £150,000 and took four months to create. After the tour, the ABBA waxworks will take up their permanent position in the Music Zone of Madame Tussauds London alongside Michael Jackson and the Beatles.

 

ABBA Museum Plans To Be Announced !

A press conference to announce the plans for a permanent ABBA exhibition at the upcoming Swedish Music Hall of Fame at Djurgården will be held tomorrow, Wednesday 3 October in Stockholm. The event will be attended by Björn and the new museum concept will be unveiled at this time. Organisers have said that the ABBA members will be donating instruments, clothing and more. More information soon !

New ABBA Collection Item - Australian T-Shirt

The latest addition to my collection - another fabulous Australian Reg Grundy T-Shirt.

This is a slight variation on the other LOIS one I have - having yellow sleeves & trim .. my other one is blue.

Just love these !

 

 

Deluxe Edition Of The ABBA Album Released In November

Australian Bandstand Special included on the DVD !!!

 

 

 

Hot on the heels of the well-received Deluxe Edition of The Visitors, November 2012 will see another release in the ABBA Deluxe Edition series. This time the 1975 album simply entitled ABBA, featuring classic hits such as ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘SOS’ and ‘I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do’, will receive the Deluxe treatment.

The first disc in this 2-disc package is a CD, which features the original album plus three bonus tracks, all of which have been remastered especially for this release. The second disc is a DVD, featuring 60 minutes of previously unreleased television performances, including the complete 1976 television special ABBA In Australia – the export version of the famous The Best Of ABBA special, which had higher viewer ratings than the moon landing in Australia. 6 of the 12 songs in the special are performances of tracks from the ABBA album. In addition, there are three songs from the 1975 television special Made In Sweden – For Export, along with two fab performances from the BBC archives: ‘SOS’ on Seaside Special, first broadcast in 1975, and ‘Mamma Mia’ on Top Of The Pops (1976). To round off the DVD there are two vintage television commercials, one for the Australian hits album The Best Of ABBA (along with the other albums released by ABBA in Australia up to that point) and the other for ABBA’s Greatest Hits album.
The package also includes a 24-page booklet featuring an extensive essay on the making of the album, for which ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have contributed fresh insights and stories.
Don’t miss out on this Deluxe Edition of ABBA – featuring the hits that made Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida household names all over the world!

ABBA – DELUXE EDITION
DISC 01: CD

1. Mamma Mia
2. Hey, Hey Helen
3. Tropical Loveland
4. SOS
5. Man In The Middle
6. Bang-A-Boomerang
7. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
8. Rock Me
9. Intermezzo no 1
10. I’ve Been Waiting For You
11. So Long
Bonus Tracks:
12. Crazy World
13. Medley: Pick A Bale Of Cotton – On Top Of Old Smokey – Midnight Special
14. Mamma Mia (Spanish Version)

DISC 02: DVD:
1. ABBA In Australia (Television Special)
Mamma Mia
Hasta Mañana
Ring Ring
Tropical Loveland
Waterloo
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
Rock me
Dancing Queen
Honey, Honey
Fernando
So Long
SOS
2. Made In Sweden – For Export (SVT)
Mamma Mia
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
So Long
3. SOS (Seaside Special, BBC)
4. Mamma Mia (Top Of The Pops, BBC)
5. The Best Of ABBA, TV Commercial
6. Greatest Hits, TV Commercial
7. International Sleeve Gallery

ABBA In Clay For Madame Tussauds



MADAME TUSSAUDS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE POP GROUP ABBA

6^th September 2012 – Madame Tussauds is creating one of the world’s most successful music acts, ABBA, to be unveiled at the London attraction this autumn.

Famous for their catchy lyrics and bold costumes, the four band members – Agnetha, Benny, Björn and Anni-Frid – will add a colourful dimension to the attraction as they take up a short term residency in the Music Zone before making their way to Madame Tussauds' attractions around the world.

ABBA will be captured in the iconic style from their 1975 video for ‘SOS’. Agnetha and Anni-Frid will be wearing replicas of the popular yellow and blue feline themed outfits teamed with pristine white knee-high leather boots. Benny and Björn will wear outrageous white seventies outfits encrusted with diamantes and sequins, finished off with flares and platform boots. 

 

 

Ellie Mauger

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ABBA Documentary Filming

As most would know, there is a documentary in production here in Australia about ABBA fans etc called 'Bang A Boomerang'.

And as some may know, I am in this documentary.

On 4th September I had a house full of film crew and a photographer for the final part of my involvement and here are a few pics from the day.

My Mum and husband are also featured :)

What an amazing experience this has been !

It should go to air on Australian ABC1 in February 2013.

 

 

Frida's Personal Items At Auction

Stockholms Auktionsverk has the great pleasure this autumn of auctioning a large collection of high-class clothing and accessories from the wardrobe of Frida, one of the members of ABBA.

As one of the world’s best known and hugely popular pop groups, neither ABBA nor Anni-Frid Lyngstad Reuss/Frida needs any further introduction. Despite the fact that ABBA broke up in 1983, public fascination with the group and its members has not diminished and we anticipate great interest in this special department. This auction offers a selection of attractive items of exceptionally high quality.

Since starting in autumn 2009, Fashion & Lifestyle has been a big success. Here you can find clothes and accessories from every period of the 20th century and right up to the present day.

“Each season we notice more and more that the modern woman attaches great importance to expressing her personality through her own distinctive dress style – and there is nothing better than finding it at Stockholms Auktionsverk’s Fashion and Lifestyle auction,” says specialist Beata af Donner.

In addition to Frida’s Collection there is the usual range of beautiful creations, handbags, suitcases and jewellery from leading French fashion houses such as Balmain, Dior, Chanel, Pucci, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, YSL etc.
Fashion & Lifestyle with Frida’s Collection at Stockholms Auktionsverk
Viewing 7-10 September
Auction 11 September at 4 pm
Nybrogatan 32, Stockholm

To see the items available, click this link:

http://auktionsverket.com/auction/special/2012-09-11/

CHANEL, Paris, a jacket, covered with ornamental plots in gold, label CHANEL BOUTIQUE, size 40 according to label, measurements: bust 92 cm, waist 82 cm, hip 98 cm, shoulder/arm 11/57 cm, shoulder to shoulder 37 cm; length back 50 cm
PROVENANCE: Anni-Frid Lyngstad Reuss/Frida
HISTORY: Worn at the concert at The Royal Castle in Stockholm August 14 1992 with Marie Fredriksson

Estimate
SEK 20 000-22 000
€ 2 450-2 700

New ABBA Merchandise Release

Here are some lovely new official ABBA caps which are available through the official ABBA site here:

http://www.abbasite.com/store/

Production of ABBA – BANG A BOOMERANG (ABAB) commenced in Brisbane in early July.

The one-hour HD documentary, commissioned by ABC TV, is a co-production between Queensland production companies Gulliver Media Australia and Bright Films and looks at the special relationship that the 70’s pop group ABBA had and continues to have with Australia and also examine fandom by looking at ABBA’s Australian legion of fans.
Sequences in the film will show Aussie fans who travelled to the opening night in New York of the new musical Kristina, penned by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the two Bs from Abba; bearded fans dressed as nuns singing ABBA favourites in Amsterdam and concerts by ABBA tribute group Bjorn Again.

The most recent filming took place in Trundle, a small town near Dubbo, NSW, where the team covered the inaugural ABBA Festival. Over 600 ABBA fans showed up for the 3 day festival.

The documentary is a long term labour of love by producers and writers Bec McElroy and Matti Crocker and is funded by Screen Queensland, Screen Australia and ABC TV.

http://www.screenqueensland.com.au/news/onscreen-news/1029-abba-bang-a-boomerang.html

New ABBA Collection Item - Music Charts Australia

These great music charts were the ones you used to find on the counter at Record Stores in Australia.

These are from 1976/77 with ABBA singles and albums at number 1 - of course.

Adding more soon :)

New ABBA Collection Item - Aussie Jumper

These jumpers were a common sight in Australia in the 70's. Not the most stylish, or even the most attractive of garments, but still great rare Aussie memorabilia these days.
This one is a registered Reg Grundy product however there were also t-shirts and jumpers available before Reg Grundy became involved in the merchandise.
All items are the same, made by the same companies, but not all have Reg Grundy on them.

New ABBA Collection Item - Aussie T-Shirt

What a fabulous t-shirt !

This has to be my favourite at the moment - can't go past the LOIS pictures.

Great Australian memorabilia :)
This one was obviously available before the name ABBA became a registered trademark and before Reg Grundy became involved with the merchandise - both of which happened during 1976.
As most would know, these items were available from early in 1976. The trademarks were later added to all merchandise - but merchandise was still made by the same companies here in Australia.

Agnetha Out And About June 2012 - More Pics