I created this blog to help share ABBA information with other fans and to show off my new collection items :)
Please note: Collection item photos are from my own personal collection. These are not stock photos. If you wish to use any of my photos elsewhere, please have the courtesy to ask first - Thank you :)
Great radio interview from 1976 with RCA's State Manager, Terry Gray,
talking about producing ABBA records. Interview takes place inside the
RCA record factory during the production of 'Arrival' and 'Money Money
Money'.
Lots of interesting information - and quite a delight knowing
they were pressing ABBA albums at the time.
Great piece of history and a nice trip down memory lane :)
On the eve of the wedding between Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath, ABBA performed Dancing Queen at a televised all-star gala staged by Kjerstin Dellert, held at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, Sweden.
This was the first live and domestic performance of Dancing Queen, after premiering on TV in Japan and Germany during the spring of 1976.
After
the gala performance at the Stockholm Opera house the King, Silvia and
their families and friends went back to Drottningholm to have their own
party.
All the other people involved in this gala went to the restaurant Operakällaren instead.
Almost 300 guest gathered there and ate smoked salmon, spring chicken and strawberries.
The gentlemen's medallions clanked in tune with the crystal glasses and the ladies long dresses swept around the room.
The
mood was already on a very high level when Bertil Attelmark started
playing dancing music. The room was filled with important people from
the state and among them where the governors Lassinantti, Huss and
Holmberg, the opera singer Håkan Hagegård and our world stars ABBA. The
athletes of the country were represented by Linda Haglund, skier Ewa
Ohlsson and the racing driver Ronnie Petersson.
A unique pickupNWT was one of at most four media companies invited, and when this year's Richest party was held in Stockholm on Sunday.It was Björn o Benny - Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson - who
celebrated 50 years of collaboration and chose to call it "100 years of
togetherness".Everyone was there. From
the entire ABBA Lill-Babs of Peter Jöback to my table where Pernilla
Wahlgren and Harpo was in full prosperity and Pernilla revealed that she
would not only sing a duet with Lena Phillips but also sing running on a
track at the end where she learned that she might end up being a little "overshadowed" by two other singers.And just so it was.For
when suddenly Anni-Frid Lyngstad gets up in his white beautiful
creations and go up on stage and start talking, and get with it another
dressed in white beautiful woman named Agnetha Fältskog - then pull the
entire salon for breath and realize that now it will written history, Swedish music history.And just so it was.We had in itself been a part of history already. Jerry Williams sang "Cadillac" - Hep Stars old here. Benny played solo. How heavy anytime. Lill-Babs and Peter Jöback sang Benny's two sons, Peter and Louis sang together. How concerning whatsoever. Bjorn Ulvaeus Benny sang to whooping and piano accompaniment.Lena PH and Pernilla sang, "Hole In Your Soul" as some latter-o Agnetha Frida. How Darling whatsoever.And that was performed video greetings from heavy people.Lasse Hallström and Lena Olin from the US. How Swedish whatsoever.And
Paul McCartney sent a video message in which he is protesting his
admiration and declared ABBA's grandeur and kinship with Paul's old
orchestra, if you remember it. It was history, and one could have imagined that Paul wiped a small
tear that he did not get the chance to celebrate some anniversaries my
trusty old companion and ADVERSARY John.Paul acclaimed Björn o Benny. It set a level of everything. Suddenly everyone in the room physically what level these gentlemen are. Equal with Paul. At par with the Beatles. Respected flush with the ankles of pop music biggest names of all time. Acclaimed by Sir Paul.How historically anywhere.So sang Frida.Thus, I have to say this very clearly.So sang Frida and I have never ever in my life heard a woman singing with such buoyancy and beautiful voice. I have heard almost all major live, but as Frida this evening rise
from a dinner for several hours and perform the song with the voice and
the depth and the feeling is among the most impressive I've heard.-
You and I can share the silence (You and I can share the silence), she
started and the text is indeed a paradox in this context, but certainly
quite true when it comes to her and Benny, and perhaps also her and the
rest of the band; they have shared the clatter and voices and the audience cheers. To also be able to share the silence was certainly a path and a prerequisite for survival as a team.Agnetha
was not as comprehensive in their singing but in the end she found yet
their role in the outrageously fine harmonies and I would say that what
was created then, those few minutes, it is beautiful to be heard in
Swedish music history since ABBA recorded their discs and - if we make music history even further back - then Jussi Björling and Birgit Nilsson recorded "Turandot" 1959thHow historically any time, as I said.And you can hear it.Yes actually.Visit
nwt.se and click on this article there the whole song in one, what I
have seen, globally unique recording from my seat out in the audience. Poor picture, good sound. Alternating good, shaky and amazing vocals. But never uninteresting.We wanted the story.And just so it was.Go and enjoy. Unique NWT's listeners.And if I can ask for anything, it is that Frida doing another record. She is 70 years, but sings best. By far the best and sensuellast and innocent world shrouds. Avicii wake up ... or someone. Wake up everybody.
All four members of Abba reunited on
stage as Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson celebrated 50 years together
as friends and musicians by throwing a private party in Stockholm
Sunday night.
– It's been a great night, says Benny Andersson.
50 years ago, on June 5 1966, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson met
for the very first time. The beginning of a friendship and collaboration
that has come to enrich and heavily influence Swedish music history
over the course of the past five decades, as well as the reason for a
private party at Berns Salonger in downtown Stockholm. Some of Swedens
most well known artists and musicians, including fellow Abba Members
Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstand, gathered at 6.15pm and kept
the party going until well after midnight.
Among those performing throughout the night were Fältskog and
Lyngstad who got on stage to perform the song You and I, dedicated to
Ulvaeus and Andersson, with the male songwriting duo joining in on the
performance towards the end of the song thus reuniting the whole group
on stage.
They talked a little bit about their history, how everything started
with Abba. And then they all sang together towards the end, Guitarist
Janne Schaffer tells Expressen.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad describes the celebration of Ulvaeus and Andersson as an emotional night.
– It was absolutely amazing. A lot of emotions. Weve made this
journey throughout our history. Benny and Björn in particular. Its been
very nostalgic.
Also joining the former members of Abba on the guest list were fellow
musicians, actors and celebrities including Peter Jöback, Lasse
Berghagen, Björn Skifs, Pernilla Wahlgren, Lena Philipsson, Kristina
Lugn, Jerry Williams, Niklas Strömstedt, Helen Sjöholm, Tommy Körberg
and Thomas and Marie Ledin. Lill-Babs was also in attendance.
– I've cried a lot tonight, she says.
Claes af Geijerstam hosted the party and had personally put together a
video retelling the careers of Björn and Benny, highlighting key
moments such as winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the song
Waterloo.
– It's been a great night, Benny Anderson says.
Actors Marie Göranzon and Jan Malmsjö couldn't have been happier as they left the festivities.
– A magical night. I never could have dreamed it would become such a
party. I feel like I can die happy having experienced a night like this,
Göranzon says with Malmsjö chiming in:
– We got to see a kaleidoscope of people that have been present in Björn and Bennys careers.
Newlyweds Alexandra Charles and Bengt von Hofsten described it as exceptional.
– Lena Philipsson and Pernilla Wahlgren singing together, Lill-Babs
performing with Peter Jöback. Helen Sjöholm singing a song from Chess,
and then Tommy Körberg performing her hit song Du Är Min Man. The way
they traded songs with each other, Alexandra Charles says.
And then, as the night was coming to an end, the sweet albeit very short reuniting of all four members of Abba.
– We witnessed a piece of music history tonight, Janne Schaffer says.
Translation: Anders Sandqvist
Sunday 5 June 2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the day that Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus first met.
One of the world’s most successful and enduring musical
collaborations was celebrated in grand style a private party at Berns
Salinger in Stockholm.
The party was attended by 350 guests, all of whom Benny and Björn
have worked with during their career, including Agnetha Fältskog and
Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Görel Hanser, Michael B Tretow, Tommy Körberg, Helen
Sjöholm and BAO, Tim Rice, Elaine Paige and Murray Head, Judy Cramer,
Peter Jöback, Thomas and Marie Ledin, Lill-Babs, Kristina Lugn, Björn
Skifs and Janne Schaffer, to name but a few!
Sir Paul McCartney (Björn and Benny have often acknowledged the
massive influence The Beatles made upon their early careers) sent a
video message conveying his congratulations.
The celebrations commenced at 18.15 (a reference to the year of the
Battle of Waterloo) with a champagne reception during which Benny and
Björn both made short welcoming speeches.
While the guests enjoyed dinner, a video of old photographs and interviews from the 1960s played on a big screen.
Some of the guests took to the stage in musical tribute: Benny’s sons Ludvig and Peter performed Rock Me, Helen Sjöholm sang Where I Want To Be, Peter Jöback Det kan ingen doctor hjälpa and Svenne Hedlund Isn’t It Easy To Say. There were also performances from Lill-Babs, Lena Philipsson and Pernilla Dahlgren.
Benny said that most of the entertainment was as much a surprise for
him and Björn as it was for the invited guests, having been planned in
secret by a committee consisting of Ludvig, Görel, Lars Rudolfsson and
the evening’s toast-master Claes af Geijerstam.
“When we started talking about throwing a party about a year back,
Ludvig suggested that maybe they should do something that we didn’t know
about,” Benny told us. “It is incredible that so many people wanted to
participate. We had such a great time and I think they did too,” he
said.
Later in the evening Benny’s band, BAO (Benny Anderssons Orkester),
entertained with an hour long set of songs old and new, including their
hit Du är min man, which was sung with a comic inference that Benny and Björn’s relationship was like that of a couple.
However, for many, the highlight of the night was undoubtedly when
Agnetha and Frida joined Benny and Björn on stage for the second time in
just a few months. And this time they sang!
The female half of ABBA performed a moving duet of The Way Old Friends Do, from ABBA’s 1980 album Super Trouper and…it seems that Benny and Björn couldn’t resist the temptation to join in with a couple of lines. Does Your Mother Know is another classic from the ABBA catalogue that was performed, this time as an instrumental by Benny and Björn.
Afterwards, Frida said that it had been a very special occasion: “It
was absolutely amazing. A lot of emotions. It’s been very nostalgic,”
she told journalists.
Benny told icethesite that he had no idea that
Agnetha and Frida were going to sing. “I think it was just so wonderful
that they did that for us. I think they were really brave!” he said.
Here are Agnetha and Frida with Lena Philipsson & Pernilla Wahlgren who performed Hole In Your Soul and then back up for The Way Old Friends Do !
Pernilla writes: "Yesterday I & @lenaphilipsson sing for, among others, these two beautiful legends: Frida & Agneta! I fortf in the euphoria after yesterday's incredible celebration of Björn & Benny's 50 years in the industry! All of us in any way over the years has worked with Björn and Benny were invited. Sooo fun to meet industry professionals and old musicians that you have not seen for many many years! I & Lena had the honor to surprise with driving Abbas rocking "Hole in Your Soul," and it was like pulling the audience stood up during the whole song! Though nothing topped the finish in the evening when Agneta & Frida went up and sang beautiful ABBA song "The Way Old Friends Do" and we girls had the honor to run behind. Then, when Björn and Benny came on stage and joined there were not many who could not hold back the tears ..! The most powerful I have experienced in all my years in the industry."
Benny with Jan Bengston from BAO
With Lill-Babs
Sir Tim Rice, Murray Head and many others
Ingemarie Halling, Judy Cramer, Tomas Ledin and many others
A special monument has been inaugurated in the city of Linköping to
commemorate Björn and Benny's very first meeting on June 5th 1966. It's a
bench with their mirrored initials in gold in the castle park opposite
the Rally Hotel (Best Western) on Storgatan where they played songs
together on that memorable summer night once upon a long ago...
Aussie newspapers - pretty boring actually:
Herald Sun:
Gold Coast Bulletin:
Daily Telegraph:
Jerry Williams
Tomas Ledin & Anders Glenmark
Pernilla & Harpo
Tomas Ledin with Görel Hanser and Clabbe who together had done a fantastic job of organising the night
