News Archive:
May 2004 part 1
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May 2004
Click for larger calendar image and find all the ABBA dates you need to know for this month !
Regular visitor ? You can vote for this site at ABBAsite.com – Click Here !
May 2004
In the diary page of todays Daily Mail (page43) if you look carefully the columnist states that to celebrate John Mortimers 81st birthday one surprise included songs from ABBA star Anni Frid Lyngstad.
Thanks to Jamie/Faro from ABBA site post: http://www.abbasite.com/forum/thread.php?t=20313
According to abbaonspeakingterms.com these are some dates for the airing of the TV special:
UK dates have not been announced.
Prince to Attend Hit Abba Musical
By Sherna Noah,
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The Prince of Wales is to attend a performance of the hit Abba musical Mamma Mia!.
The royal gala charity event will take place at the Prince of Wales Theatre in aid of the Prince’s Trust.
The
The theatre has undergone a £7 million restoration project by its owner Cameron Mackintosh.
Building work has meant the transfer of Mamma Mia! from the
The musical is celebrating its fifth anniversary and has been seen by more than 18 million people worldwide.
Nils Landgren: Funky ABBA article:
Abba Get Funked
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Abba are about to get an upgrade. One of
‘Funky Abba’ comes with the blessing of at least one Abba member. Benny Andersson is a close friend of Nils. 25 years ago, Nils played trombone on Abba’s ‘Voulez-Vous‘ and Nils asked Benny along to perform on the new version of “When All Is Said and Done‘.
According to a statement from Nils “When I first asked Benny Andersson for his blessing to make an album titled Funky Abba’ he just said: ‘Is that possible?’ I think yes’ I replied. OK, do it!’ Benny said with a smile and so ahead I went. We booked the scene of the crime for this recording. The great Polar Studio A where all the ABBA songs were recorded to get the right vibe from that old tribe. I tell you, it´s still in those walls: all that great stuff that was once produced in there”.
This is the new single cover for Agnetha’s new single “When You Walk In The Room”. It will be released 9th of June in
Click for bigger version.
Ana rticle in the Daily Mail today by Mamma Mia! former cast member; Michael Simkins. A very entertaining read. It also states that in 11 weeks if ABBA Gold remains in the chart it will be the longest chart run ever outdoing Fleetwood Macs “Rumours“.
Another piece from this months Record Collector:
Click to read review.
Most-played
Procol Harum tops Queen in 70th anniversary list
Monday, May 17, 2004 Posted: 1946 GMT (0346 HKT)
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LONDON, England (Billboard) — Procol Harum’s 1967 classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale” has been named as the most-played record of the past 70 years in the United Kingdom, according to British performing rights group PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd).
To mark its 70th anniversary, PPL tabulated the 70 recordings that have received the most airings, not only on radio but all other public performances, including clubs, retail outlets and jukeboxes. It was produced using methodology that ensured each of the seven decades in the organization’s history was fairly represented.
Research reflected the amount of play gathered by a song on its original release, as well as subsequent exposure.
After learning that “A Whiter Shade” beat Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” to take the No. 1 position on the survey, Procol Harum bandmember Gary Brooker told Billboard: “When poor old Freddie Mercury died (in 1991), it gave a huge boost to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ but ‘Whiter Shade’ has never been the subject of a lot of hype, and it wasn’t when it came out.”
The top 10 of the chart embraces the years 1957-1994, but earlier recordings were also represented in the top 70. The oldest track in the chart was “In The Mood” by Glenn Miller and the Orchestra, from 1939, at No. 35. Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” (1942) was at No. 16 and the same singer’s “Santa Claus Is Comin‘ To Town” (1943) at No. 58.
After Procul Harum and Queen, the top 10 included Wet Wet Wet’s “Love Is All Around” at No. 3, the Everly Brothers’ “All I Have To Do Is Dream/Claudette” at No. 4, Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” at No. 5, Abba’s “Dancing Queen” at No. 6, Elvis Presley’s “All Shook Up” at No. 7, Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” at No. 8, and the Beatles pair of “Hello Goodbye” and “Get Back” at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively.
The History book on the shelf……
Today in the
Here are some adverts from various papers:
For more on this release – Click Here ! and Click Here ! to see images of each format.
This article is from the latest issue of Record Collector, in an 80’s special they interview Bob Geldof, he says “ABBA are Sh*t” here is that very small segment, click the headline below:
In the same issue there was a short piece about Agnetha not appearing at Mamma Mia!
Click to read article
Tomorrow (
1. CD single
2. 7″ vinyl
3. 7″ vinyl picture disc
The picture disc will be limited to 2000 copies, each individualy numbered.
The tracklist will remain the same as the original:
1.
2. Watch Out
To promote the single the original promo video is used. There is also an e-card:
http://www.hyperlaunch.com/abba/waterloo/
Despite rumours and even an announcment from Tiscali (the company who broadcast the show on the net) there was no appearance from ABBA, not even a re-run of “Our Last Video Ever”. The only ABBA referance was later when teh votes were coming in; when calling
Builders Disrupt Abba Musical’s Rehearsals
By Sherna Noah,
The relaunch of the hit Abba musical Mamma Mia! has been postponed by a week after drilling at its new premises disrupted rehearsals.
Builders at its new home,
Rehearsals in the theatre have been abandoned because of the deafening noise and the show will now remain at the
The hit musical, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, will re-open at the Prince of Wales Theatre a week late, on June 3.
Mamma Mia! has been seen by over 18 million people across
A spokesman said: �The delay has been caused by the fact that the noise generated by drilling work makes continued rehearsals in the building impossible.
�It was therefore decided to give the builders an extra week to finish the job before handing the theatre back to the cast and crew of Mamma Mia!.�
“Our Last Video Ever” to promote “
Monday 17th May will see the re-release of the “
ABBA REUNITE!
The four members of ABBA have been reunited for their first public appearance since splitting in 1982.
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of “Waterloo” winning Eurovision, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog made cameo apperances in a new video for the single, re-issued next week.
The Video also stars Rik Mayal and
Tiscali in deal to broadcast Eurovision Song Contest
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Jennifer Whitehead, Brand Republic 08:00 13-05-2004
LONDON – Internet users who have yet to switch to broadband now have a new incentive, with Tiscali signing a partnership to broadcast this year’s Eurovision Song Contest live on the internet.
Access to the broadcast will be free through Tiscali or on the dedicated Eurovision website . It follows an agreement between the ISP and the European Broadcasting Union.
Tiscali is to broadcast the final on Saturday May 15. The event is being held in
ABBA fans have the added incentive of access to a previously unreleased video of the group, to be premiered online.
Tiscali has hosted other major music events including concerts by U2 and Sting, the MTV Europe Music Awards, and the recent 46664 charity event to commemorate Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, the biggest joint web event staged to date.
You can watch it again:
http://www.songfestival.nl/
Click “Bekijk clip ABBA>>” in the top left of the screen.
All members in “Our Last Video Ever”
Last night the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest were broadcast across
The film is called “Our Last Ever Video”:
Set in 1974, the video starts with a man exiting a lift at a record label office, with him he has a bag, we also see the office secretary. All the script is based on ABBA lyrics from the hits to the more obscure tracks. The man enters the record bosses office and introduces him to his act, four puppets resembling the members of ABBA! They perform three songs; “Take A Chance On Me”, Dancing Queen” and “
They continue to perform wowing onlookers including
Now the performance by the puppets is over but the record boss played by Rik Mayal isn’t impressed and throws them out ! “The Winner Takes It All” is then played as they slump off, on leaving he enters the lift again and look who is there; ABBA but from 1977, this scene is from ABBA The Movie and very cleverly put together. As ABBA exit the puppets wish them good luck.
The video ends with “Greetings from….”
The scenes were filmed at Independent Studios, south of Stockholm in March 2004 all members parts were filmed there except Frida who’s was done in London but cleverly put together.
�When Agnetha saw what her own doll looked like, she laughed and said, �I look like Miss Piggy!’
Read more including an interview with director Calle Åstrand at ABBAsite.com
To see other (and better quality) pics from teh vid visit ABBA On TV.
An article from today:
Abba appear at Eurovision
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Swedish supergroup Abba were reunited at the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals.
Thirty years after the band won the event with
Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog made individual appearances at the window of a record company executive, played by comic actor Rik Mayall.
Four puppets also appeared as caricatures of the singers and performed some of the band’s hits to the record company executive.
The tribute video also featured a brief appearance from American singer
The Eurovision final is in
New article about Eurovision video
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Abba are Faces in Window at Eurovision
By Sherna Noah,
Swedish supergroup Abba are being reunited at tonight’s Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals.
Thirty years after the band won the event with
Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog make individual appearances at the window of a record company executive, played by comic actor Rik Mayall.
Four puppets also appear as caricatures of the singers and perform some of the band’s hits to the record company executive.
The tribute video also features a brief appearance from American singer
A BBC3 spokeswoman said: “Whilst the puppets perform, a host of familiar faces appear at the window of Rik’s office to watch and listen, with each member of the line up taking a cameo role.”
The Eurovision final is in
The Swedish production of Mamma Mia! now has its own site, if you don’t understand Swedish it’s worth a visit just for the intro !
http://www.mammamiathemusical.se
“MammaMia! –one of the most appreciated and loved musicals round the world, is now going to see the light in
Link to the live Stream of Semi finals
The semi-finals for Eurovision, which will air the ABBA sketch will be broadcast live stream here.
THE WONDERFULL ABBAONSPEAKINGTERMS.COM have published two more pics from the TV special !!
Agnetha looking absoloubtley fab !!
World premiere ABBA’s last video ever
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Ok this is the news from ESCtoday from the press conference earlier but be cautious, do not get over excited people are already shunning this as rumour,according to the article; ” all four members of ABBA make appearances in the video” and the group approved it, some as late as yesterday. Here is the article and below it you will find
Then to the surprise and delight of everyone Svante Stockselius announced that we would now see the world premiere of the short video that will be broadcast in the qualifying round.
It is of course 30 years since ABBA won the contest in
It was put together by Radical Media and was shot on a tight schedule, including about six days in total in
There was no doubt in the hall that the media present were also delighted with the video, which will be on sale as a separate DVD, probably in June. It will not however form part of the official DVD to be released of the contests. It would be best to leave viewers to judge and enjoy the final result, so we will not reveal too many details, but there are some clues…
The world premiere of ABBA – Our last ever video will be shown in the qualifying round on 12th May.
GALLERY FROM SHOW
Both contests will be broadcast livestream on the internet, via the official website.
ON TV:
The Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final 2004 (Music)
Time – 20:00 – 22:00 (2 hours long)
When – Wednesday 12th May on BBC 3
Twenty-two European countries compete in the first ever Eurovision Song Contest semi-final for a chance to take part in the main Contest on Saturday 15 May. Viewers vote to select the top ten songs. Presented by Kothan Abay and Meltem Cumbul from the Abdi Ipecki Sports Arena in
The ABBA puppet sketch – It is happening
World premiere broadcast! ABBA – Our Last Video Ever!
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ABBA make a small scale comeback in the Eurovision Song Contest, at the semi finals on May 12.
ABBA make a small scale comeback in the Eurovision Song Contest, live broadcast semi final on May 12 in OUR LAST VIDEO – EVER!
Speculation on an ABBA reunion has been rife during the current 30th Anniversary celebrations. The world’s ABBA fans and the international media has been presenting various theories about a comeback – one has been more incredible than the other has. However, no-one could anticipate that the four ABBA members would actually reunite under the present circumstances – in the humorous film OUR LAST VIDEO EVER they now come together for a world premiere broadcast where it all began – in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Thank you for the music – but no thank you. You’re not big enough!
ABBA – OUR LAST VIDEO EVER is the film about four hopeful musicians in search of a record contract. They pay a visit to the Big Record Company Boss and his oily assistant, performing one hit after the other, cheered on by their manager. But things don’t really work out as planned…
Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida look just like they did back then – or perhaps not, after all. Is memory playing tricks with us? Were they really this… small?
OUR LAST VIDEO EVER will receive its world premiere during the live broadcast semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest in
The film is a Radical Media UK production, directed by Calle Åstrand. Apart from the doll-size versions of Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida, the film is starring Rik Mayall, Robert Gustafson, Sissela Kyhle, Cecilia Frode, Loa Falkman, Micke Nyqvist. and Per Svensson, along with a number of interesting extras…
Public announcement of the broadcast will be held at a press conference in
ABBA are again all over the
ABBA in Radio Times
Nothing worth seeing inside. Just Eurovision facts and apparently
My, my, here we go again
THEY broke up 21 years ago, but they just won’t go away.
Abba’s posthumous staying power is the pride of the pop industry this week as its greatest hits album celebrates its 466th week in the British charts.
Released in 1992, Abba Gold has been in the top 40 for almost nine years, making it the fifth biggest-selling album in
It is exactly 30 years ago that the band, including Agnetha Faeltskog, swept to fame by winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo.
Fittingly, Abba Gold is back in the top 20.
The 19-track compilation has sold 3.6 million copies in
The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the biggest-selling album, having sold 4.5 million copies.
Next comes (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis (4.2 million).
Abba mark Eurovision anniversary
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Swedish pop group Abba are re-releasing their Eurovision winner Waterloo, 30 years after their victory propelled them to musical stardom.
The song, which is out on 17 May, coincides with this year’s Eurovision, taking place in
Abba’s Gold album is also enjoying a chart resurgence inside the top 20, and has spent 486 weeks on the hit parade.
Singer Agnetha Faltskog’s solo comeback single, If I Thought I Could Ever Change Your Mind, reached number 11.
Tribute bands
Faltskog – Abba’s blonde vocalist – also released an album of sixties pop covers, which debuted at 12.
The 30th anniversary of the group’s memorable Eurovision win in
A host of Abba tribute bands will play at venues across the city, while the theme of the weekend is distinctly seventies.
Lena Philipsson is this year’s Swedish hopeful
The original line-up – Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson – have failed to publicly reunite since their split in 1982.
But the group briefly got back together last year to sing for a friend at her private birthday party.
Swedish hopeful
This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be quite different from the 1974 event which saw Abba’s
A total of 17 countries took part, while this year’s event has attracted 36 participants.
The event has grown so much that for the first time a semi-final will be held on Wednesday night to determine the 24 countries who will sing in the grand final on 15 May.
This year’s Swedish entry by Lena Philippson is being tipped for a strong finish.
After the article we found the other day – Click Here !
We have heard different things, we are told this is just a mere rumour by some and these pieces from abbaonspeakingterms.com give a different insight but only time will tell !
Agnetha’s “duets” news on Dutch radio
Today the Dutch radio show of Hans Schiffers ‘Schiffers FM’ was the first to bring the news about Agnetha’s upcoming project on the radio. The item features the same info as we gave you a few days ago. So far the officials around Agnetha have not confirmed the rumours. But sources from Warner do confirm that this is an ‘interesting subject’. More news will follow….
From our own research we can say that Anders Eljas already spoke out about this in the book “ABBA On Speaking Terms” He said: “Agnetha has different projects she is working on” Other sources around Agnetha confirm that she was working on more than just the album of songs that inspired her to start singing, now known as ‘My Colouring Book’. One thing is for sure Agnetha is not in a hurry. A new project, whatever the concept, can take a few years before it is finalised. And like with this recent Cd, a new project will only be released if Agnetha is 100% happy with it.
Brand NEW pictures from the documentary, TV special !
EXCLUSIVLEY FROM ABBAONSPEAKINGTERMS.COM
TEXT and images from abbaonspeakingterms.com
Agnetha’s TV special is ready to be broadcasted. There will be two versions. One for the Scandinavian market and one for the international market. The Scandinavian edition will be 45 minutes long, while the international version lasts 30 minutes. The special will be sold to TV companies all over
Creative director for the film is Ola Johansson. He has created the visual and graphical concept for Agnetha Fältskog’s show. He has done the documentary together with the director Magnus Skogsberg and producers Ulla Flurr and Espen Bekkebråten. The rights for the film are owned by Agnetha Fältskog Production and licenced to Warner Music. And doesn’t Agnetha look fantastic???
We are also proud to show you more shots of Agnetha at work with Anders Neglin in the studio and while working on the recording of the video for ‘If I thought you’d ever change your mind’.
Agnetha has dropped from the singles and album chart this week in the
Meanwhile ABBA Gold is still enjoying success up 2 places from 19 to 17.
:: Agnetha from Abba – the stunning blonde one – has just gone gold with her first album in nearly 20 years.
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My Coloring Book, which features reworked 60s classics, sold more in one day than some sell in a year.
This, of course, has made her label very happy.
But Agnetha is refusing to do any promotion for the album as she prefers to live the quiet life.
But there’s some great news for dedicated fans.
She’s already planning a follow-up album and this will see a collection of top line duets including Barry Manilow and Neil Sedaka.
A source said: “It will also include some more modern partners in the duet stakes, but as yet she wonders who would want to sing with her.”
By Neil Sean
Music Hall of Fame gets TV launch
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The first UK Music Hall of Fame is to open in November as part of a Channel 4 prime-time Saturday night TV series.
A shortlist of artists from the last six decades will be drawn up by a panel of music experts to compete for a place in the final.
A new series will be aired annually, with several acts from each year’s final being inaugurated into the Hall of Fame based on a public vote.
Artists can be any nationality as long as they have had success in the
Possible contenders are likely to include Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Abba, Queen and U2.
Shortlists will be drawn up from record sales, critical acclaim, entertainment value and reputation in live performance and songwriting.
Each year of programming on Channel 4 will climax in a live event featuring collaborations, classic renditions and special tributes.
Frank Sinatra could get some votes from the panel
The panel of experts will consist of artists, music journalists, broadcasters and industry executives.
Among them is broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, who said: “I have been waiting for a
“
There are also plans to open a UK Music Hall of Fame venue at an undisclosed site.
The programme is being made by production company Initial, which made shows like
Linda Ulvaeus, daughter of Agnetha and Bjorn now has her own site:
www.lindaulvaeus.com
It is all about her professional life and acting. Linda recently provided backing vocals on her mother, Agnetha’s new album, “My Colouring Book” and even features in the video for “When You Walk In The Room”.
In Sweden Agnetha holds the top spot with “My Colouring Book” and the single
The single dropped two places to number 9, despite the new maxi-single release.
In The Netherlands the album climbed to number 15.
In
Jørnxxx – ABBAsite post
On MTV Thailand Agnetha’s video is one of the top new adds. – Agnetha.se
Mamma Mia! Continues Worldwide Expansion
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By Andrew Gans
and James Inverne
ABBA fans in
Variety reports that Stage Holding � Joop Van Den Ende’s theatre company that operates in
Executive producer Robin de Levita told the industry paper, ” Mamma Mia! is just the sort of content we need to roll out to the other European territories we have been hoping to enter.”
It was also recently reported that several other Mamma Mia! companies will soon be added to the 11 that are already playing. Following two sell-out years at
A new English-language international tour will begin at The Point in
Mamma Mia! features music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, a book by Catherine Johnson, direction by Phyllida Lloyd and choreography by Anthony Van Laast. The musical continues to play Broadway’s Winter Garden, where it celebrated its 1,000th performance March 4.
You can watch online Agnetha videos at Cafe Zizo:
http://home.planet.nl/~knape073/videoen.htm
(English Section)…
Playlist is:
1) Last Interview Agnetha gave in January 1988 (For Dutch Television).
2) A For Agnetha (Tv-Special) Part 1.
3) I Wish Tonight Could Last Forever (Tv Special 1983).
4) A For Agnetha (Tv-Special) Part 4.
5) I Wont Let You Go (A For Agnetha Tv Special).
6) Jönköping (Agnetha`s home town) (Balloon trip).
7) Agnetha “My Coulouring Book”Tv Commercial
8) If I Thought I Ever Change Your Mind (VideoClip)
9) Fly Like An Eagle (& Ola Hakenson)
10) I Stand Alone (Swedish Tv 1987)
11) Abba –
12) Abba & Agnetha Item On Dutch Tv
Benny on stage and on record
From abbaonspeakingterms.com
Benny Anderssons Orchester will release their album a few days earlier than reported before. Mono Music has announced that the album will be released on June 9th in
6/8
7/8 Örebro, Stadsparken.
8/8
11/8 Leksand, Sammilsdal.
12/8 Lidköping, Läckö Slott.
13/8 Göteborg, Trädgårdsföreningen.
Over the past years since ABBA site .2 opened the forum there has become an active and fun place. Now they have closed the misc section and want to keep chat ABBA.
Here at AbbaFeatures though we have an alternative for you. You can join our forum to chat about ABBA and anything else you desire ! Many abbasite members have already made the move.
Welcome: Enter Now
More rumours and stories about ABBA at Eurovision. It is believed the so called “muppet” sketch is happening, it is said that all members of ABBA lend their voices to this.
Here are the articles:
Will the “Dancing Queen” Agnetha scuttle an Abba reunion?
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It seems unlikely that the Swedish band Abba will reunite to perform at the Eurovision song contest, which is being held at
There have been speculations in the music industry that the group which rose to fame after winning Eurovision in 1974, would perform together to mark the 30th anniversary of their win.
“Eurovision have given us a detailed, minute-by-minute schedule,” a spokesman of SBS television, which will cover the event in
“There’s a three-minute prerecorded segment marked ‘Abba’. But no one from Eurovision can tell us what they will actually do,” he was further quoted as saying by The Age.
However, the chances of all four members appearing, even in a prerecorded segment filmed in
Blonde singer Agnetha Faltskog withdrew from last month’s hyped London reunion at the fifth anniversary of the Abba musical Mamma Mia!, citing unresolved tensions with ex-husband and Abba member Bjorn Ulvaeus. She also cancelled a scheduled appearance on the Parkinson chat show. (ANI)
Bummer Mia!
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By Chris Johnston
The on-again, off-again pop music reunion of the century appears to be off again. Despite some evidence to the contrary, Abba appears unlikely to feature in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The internet and music industry have been abuzz with rumours that the Swedish pop group would be involved in this year’s song quest, being held in
The event would mark the 30th anniversary of Abba winning Eurovision in 1974 with
The running order for Eurovision includes Abba, according to SBS television, which screens the event in
However, the chances of all four members appearing, even in a prerecorded segment filmed in
Blonde singer Agnetha Faltskog withdrew from last month’s hyped London reunion at the fifth anniversary of the Abba musical Mamma Mia!, citing unresolved tensions with ex-husband and Abba member Bjorn Ulvaeus. She also cancelled a scheduled appearance on the Parkinson chat show.
Faltskog, 53, has lived as a recluse in
“I keep hearing all these reunion rumours,” veteran pop commentator Molly Meldrum said. “But I would be astonished if it were true. A couple of years back Abba knocked back millions and millions of dollars to reform, so if they did it now it would be a breakthrough.”
The editor of Australian internet music magazine Undercover, Paul Cashmere, said the other members – Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – might appear on the Eurovision coverage, but Faltskog would not. “She won’t leave the house. If she wouldn’t go to
Super Troupers – 30 years of ABBA
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ITV1 doc boasts abba exclusivesReclusive Abba star Agnetha Faltskog has given her first major interview since the break-up of the band in 1981 in a major ITV1 documentary. The 90-minute Super Troupers – 30 Years of Abba, made by indie Iambic, will also feature fellow band member Frida Lyngstad singing Dancing Queen for the first time in public since the split. The programme, which was commissioned by ITV controller of entertainment Claudia Rosencrantz and will be produced by Chris Hunt, is due to air in mid-September in a 21.00 slot.
abbaonspeakingterms.com say these claims are false.
Abba-Cadabra!
Come out of the closet, Abba fans. As the
By Clara Chow
THANK you for the music. First, it was the just-ended Saturday Night Fever musical at the Esplanade which floored everyone with the Bee Gees’ disco magic.
Thirty years after Swedish supergroup Abba was formed, its music still cast a spell on fans. A musical based on its songs, Mamma Mia!, has sold over 17 million tickets worldwide.
Now, it’s the turn of Abba fans to get enchanted when the musical Mamma Mia! rolls into town on Sept 21.
The Australasian production, with a cast of 33, has a plot revolving around a bride-to-be looking for her father in
That gives the excuse to slip in 22 songs from the now-defunct 1970s Swedish pop group.
More than 17 million people have seen the show since it premiered in
It has 11 simultaneous productions in more than 70 cities in places like
Six other versions are being planned for the next 18 months, with four opening this year.
It generates over US$8 million (S$13.6 million) a week in ticket sales, with total box-office receipts at more than US$750 million.
The
The Straits Times is the musical’s presenter here.
Mr Tham Kai Wor, Singapore Press Holdings’ senior executive vice-president of marketing, says: ‘It is SPH’s wish to bring the best entertainment events to
It sponsored other musicals like The Phantom Of The Opera in 1995 and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1997.
United Overseas Bank is one of the co-sponsors. Its vice-president and head of strategic marketing division, Mr Richard Christopher Dyason, says: ‘The musical is about a wedding, tying in with how we want to be there for our customers at every rite of passage.’
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME
EVERY musical has its icon. Think Miss Saigon (helicopter) and The Phantom Of The Opera (chandelier).
Mamma Mia!’s centrepiece, says Ms Louise Withers, associate producer of the Australasian productions, is Abba’s legendary music.
The quartet first won fame in 1974, winning the Eurovision Song Contest with the hit,
The group comprising Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – who are now all in their 50s – split up in 1982 when they felt big money diluted their musical focus.
In the past 30 years, the group has sold about 350 million singles and albums.
Tribute groups also tour to help keep its legacy alive.
But Mamma Mia! was never intended to be a tribute to the group, its conceptualiser and
Songs in the line-up include Dancing Queen; Money, Money, Money; Knowing Me, Knowing You; S.O.S.; and Take A Chance On Me.
But Fernando and
It has an 80-tonne set automated to change with each new location. The set, complete with a cleverly constructed floating wharf, was built in
The plot is simple, if a little flimsy. On the eve of her wedding on a Greek island, Sophie (played by Kellie Rode) gathers three of her single mother’s ex-boyfriends, in the hope of finding out who her father is.
Meanwhile, her mother Donna (Silvie Paladino) invites two girlfriends to the wedding. They proceed to recreate their hilarious disco act.
Ms Craymer attributes the show’s popularity to its tale of multi-generational sisterhood. Featuring characters aged from 20 to 55, its message is that it is never too late to have fun.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
MAMMA Mia!’s successful formula has been adopted by other shows, such as British comedian-writer Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You (2002) – with a plot sewn from British rock group Queen’s songs like Under Pressure.
‘It’s almost like a sophiscated revue. I was quite impressed by the surprising way they worked in the songs.’ – Singer-composer and Abba fan Dick Lee, who saw the musical in West End in 1999
He followed it up with Tonight’s The Night, based on the life of British singer Rod Stewart, in November last year.
Greatest-hits musicals have had varying results.
The £7.5 million-budget We Will Rock You was only a modest success with a gross of over £41 million.
But that has not stopped others from joining the bandwagon. An Elvis Presley musical is in the works.
Even Teresa Teng Forever – The Musical, which will be staged here in January next year and stars Julia Peng, can be seen as part of the trend.
The fad started by Mamma Mia! had The Guardian newspaper’s David Stubbs’ begging for mercy from ‘crock musicals’ two months ago.
Making a musical about music is like ‘baking a pie pie’, the theatre critic wrote with scorn.
But Ms Withers says: ‘I’ve never heard of anyone who has seen the shows who believed they were rip-offs.
‘Whether you are watching to hear the music of a band you love or liked, or to see a piece of contemporary theatre entertainment, it does not disappoint.’
Mamma Mia! is likely to find an audience here. As singer-composer Dick Lee quips: ‘Who isn’t an Abba fan?’
He saw the musical when it opened in
‘It’s almost like a sophisticated revue. I was quite impressed by the surprising way they worked in the songs.’
If the 1,600 people who turned up to see a four-day run of Sing-A-Long-A Abba at this year’s Singapore International Comedy Festival is anything to go by, the popularity of Abba’s music is enduring.
DANCING QUEEN
THE festival’s organiser, local theatre impresario Robert Liew, says: ‘The harmonies and melodies are all very well-crafted. They stay in your mind forever.’
Australian actress Paladino, 32, who plays Donna, remembers singing along to Abba songs with her hairbrush as a child.
Her co-star, Australian actor John O’May, 56, recalls how an audience member in Auckland last month stood up to dance and sway wildly, ‘like she had not taken her pills’.
Adds Paladino: ‘Abba does this to people.’
“My Colouring Book” drops to number 25
“If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind” drops to number 31
TV-channels battling about Agnetha-film
The film about Agnetha Fältskog is recorded now – and all TV-channels in the world are batteling to show it.
– She is going to be open hearted, says Helen Wigren at Warner Music.
The recordings has been taking place lately in the central parts of
Yesterday morning her coworkers got to see parts of the film for the first time – but the contents are still being kept secret.
According to Helen Wigren at the record company Warner it is a relaxed Agnetha Fältskog who tells about herself.
– It will be very very good. She’s very open hearted and generous, says Helen Wigren.
The intrest for the documentary has been enormous from several big TV-channels. In
What Swedish TV-channel that will show the film about Agnetha Fältskog isn’t yet decided.
No more interviews
At the same time the requests from several big TV-programme grows. But it seems as if the ABBA-star won’t give any interviews.
– She doesn’t want to travel and she thinks it’s annoying with press and everything that. And she is the one who decides, says her co-worker Staffan Lindé.
Almighty remix When You Walk In The Room !
Just to let you know, Almighty have remixed the second single ‘When You Walk
In The Room’. It is to appear, this time, on CD singles for all territories.
It is a big uplifting hands-in-the-air club anthem mix � quite fun too. It will
certainly bring a big smile to your face when you hear it! Again, we have
supplied a radio edit, a club mix and a dub.
It shall play the mix for the first time on Sunday May 9th in my set at The
Royal Vauxhall Tavern (Vauxhall, London SE11).
want to be there for that!
Keep up the good work you guys. Your sites are both the most informative and
well presented. I look at both most days.
Cheers,
Andy Almighty
Thanks, Andy !
Agnetha CD of the week in
Weblink
Agnetha Faltskog – My Colouring Book (Warners) ***** [5/5 starts]
Maybe it’s the crystal-clear memory of an adolescent crush, but there is something special about Agnetha Faltskog. Her magnetic appeal could well stem from that enduring air of Garbo-esque mystery – the life as a hermit on an island made for one, the tales of phobias, the refusal to do interviews, the bizarre relationship with an obsessed fan that nearly ended in tragedy – but, whatever the reasons, there is definitely something about Agnetha.
Given her reclusive and difficult reputation, it is a miracle that the woman, known for most of her musical career as the blonde one in Abba, has made an album at all, let alone a very respectable one.
The so-called washed-up star shows an effervescence that surely would not have been possible a few years ago, but this album marks the rebirth of the introverted, moody and insecure singer from one of the world’s biggest pop acts.
It may be just a collection of songs, but in reality, My Colouring Book represents Agnetha’s first interview in years, where she airs her innermost feelings about her extraordinary life.
Each track has a personal story, even though every tune was written by other artists. The Searchers hit, When You Walk in The Room is given a new burst of life, with Agnetha’s voice sounding better than ever. Sumptuous versions of Brian Hyland’s Sealed With A Kiss and Cilla (yes, Cilla) Black’s If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind are among the album’s outstanding tracks.
Hopefully, this won’t be a one-off and the most misunderstood pop princess will soon return with her own material – now she’s told us all about her life’s story.
Time – 19:05 – 19:30 (25 minutes long)
When – Friday 7th May on BBC 2 Northern Ireland (Digital)
Fast-moving music show mixing today’s hits with classic performances from the Top of the Pops archives. Songs from Matchbox, Sly & Robbie, Beyonce, Starsound and Morrissey. Plus new music from Abba’s Agnetha Faltskog.
(Widescreen, Subtitles)
A post on ABBAsite reads:
Weblink
Thought fans would like to know that Agnetha was scheduled to do a phone interiew with The Sun nerwspaper in the
But she has cancelled for some reason.
Rumour has it she says she was feeling `unwell`.
It might be re-scheduled next week.
Let`s hope she does go ahead with it – even if it is just a phone interview (she won`t fly over of course).
This is apparently the only British newspaper she will be doing an interview with.
So `fingers crossed` that it does finally happen – and soon.
When You Walk In The Room release
From: abbaonspeakingterms.com
The single release of ‘When you walk in the room’ promises to be another treat for the fans. The Cd maxi-single will include both remixes of the song and a video. As it looks now in the second single will be available in
Agnetha’s new album “My Colouring Book” debut at number 1 this week on the Swedish charts. It is reported she took 25% of sales of the whole album chart !
This re-issue will be released in the
It will be available on CD, 7″ vinyl and 7″ picture disc.
The 30th Anniversary Edition of the album is expected to follow soon after. Only