About My Blog

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 :)

Sunday 11 December 2016

ABBA Photographer Torbjörn Calvero Passes Away December 2016



IN MEMORIAM: TORBJÖRN CALVERO

1949 - December 10th 2016

Sweden’s true rock photographer was without a doubt Torbjörn Calvero. His photographs were never over-arranged but rather reflect private encounters with the person on the other side of his lens. Torbjörn followed ABBA through their careers.

Torbjörn Calvero was born in 1949. His career as a photographer of artists began when he was still in his teens. In 1966 he took pictures of American singer P. J. Proby – it was the first time one of his photographs was published. This encouragement of his talent made him decide on a career in photography.

Torbjörn started socialising with Swedish artists such as Tommy Körberg, later one of the stars of Björn and Benny’s musical Chess. Tommy began using Torbjörn’s pictures for publicity purposes, while Torbjörn himself gradually became all the more popular with the Swedish weeklies.

In 1970, Torbjörn Calvero began taking pictures for Swedish record sleeves; his first such assignment came in 1970. This led to a successful collaboration with the major Swedish labels, and up until the mid-Eighties he photographed some 100 album sleeves. During the second half of the 1970s he also travelled regularly to the American west coast to photograph the mega-stars of the time, such as The Eagles and Emmylou Harris. His pictures were published regularly in Swedish weeklies.

Torbjörn took his first ABBA photographs in 1974 and was especially active with the group in the years 1978 and 1979. For example, it is his picture that adorns the sleeve of the Chiquitita single.

His fabulous little book of ABBA photographs and Limited Edition signed prints can still be purchased at ABBA The Museum Webshop here:

http://www.abbathemuseum.com/en/shop-en

Some of the photo sessions with ABBA with links:

1978 Studio session with tights - 13 images










































Friday 9 December 2016

ABBA Album Reaches Number In Australia - 1975 !



Today in 1975, the ABBA album reaches number one in Australia, staying there for 11 weeks.


This was ABBA's third album release - second international release - and has the wonderful songs that shot them to the top in Australia - and finally around the world.

Hits include:

I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do - No. 1 in Australia
SOS - No. 1 in Australia
Mamma Mia - No. 1 in Australia

But it also contains other greats like I've Been Waiting For You, So Long, Bang A Boomerang & Rock Me - plus the amazing Intermezzo No.1.

This album went to Number 1 in Australia and was in the charts here for 65 weeks ! The only ABBA album to stay in longer was, of course, The Best Of ABBA.

Check out the Making Of The ABBA Album here:

http://www.abbasite.com/the-making-of-the-abba-album/


Following the Eurovision success of "Waterloo", ABBA saw the band gaining worldwide recognition. "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do" topped the charts in Australia, as did "Mamma Mia" shortly after. "SOS" and "Mamma Mia" became hits in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and two of its most famous songs. The album saw ABBA dabble into reggae with "Tropical Loveland" and includes a grand pseudo-classical keyboard instrumental in the traditions of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman with "Intermezzo No. 1" (early working title: "Mama").

Pictures for the 'ABBA' LP sleeve were taken in the lobby at the Castle Hotel in Stockholm. One of the photos from this session features on the back of the album cover.
Today the hotel's name is "Riddargatan".

According to photographer Ola Lager, the photograph on the front of the glamorous sleeve was taken a couple of roads away from Polar Music offices at Baldersgatan.



Thursday 1 December 2016

Frida In Las Vegas With Olivia ! November 2016

ABBA Singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad attends Olivia Newton-John “Summer Nights” at Flamingo Las Vegas.

Spotted Tuesday night at Olivia Newton-John’s show, “Summer Nights,” at Flamingo Las Vegas, was singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA. Following the show, Anni-Frid visited with Olivia backstage for a photo opp (Photo courtesy of Kodak for Caesars Entertainment)

How fabulous that Frida attended Olivia's show. They do go back a long way :)