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Post by gary on Apr 6, 2017 10:23:33 GMT
It's definitely not too technical for the average reader.
It's a bit difficult for me to say how much new material there is, as I never had the previous edition and I certainly haven't read all the other ABBA books out there. A lot of the information was new to me though. I think anyone hoping that there are loads of unreleased songs (as opposed to alternate versions of released material) might be disappointed.
Is it worth the money? It's hard to say but I am pleased with my purchase. I think most hardcore ABBA fans would enjoy it.
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Post by gary on Apr 3, 2017 19:53:55 GMT
That book certainly does sound interesting but unfortunately it costs $620! It would be great if there was an equivalent book about ABBA but I doubt there ever will be. The Beatles did so many radical things whereas I'm not sure if ABBA broke much new ground, so there will never be the same degree of interest.
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Post by gary on Apr 3, 2017 19:46:35 GMT
I'm mildly interested but ultimately I see no real point in READING about such matters without then HEARING the songs.. the discarded versions, etc. And 90 quid is outrageous.. sorry, but it is. Most of the book isn't about stuff we may never hear. I must admit I was hesitant about paying £90! It's the most I have ever paid for a book.
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Post by gary on Apr 3, 2017 15:13:08 GMT
^
I never had the first edition, but I did see it briefly somewhere. I think the second edition is probably a great improvement. But it would be a bit of a risk, given the high cost, to buy the new edition if you didn't like the first one.
I think the book is probably just about right for someone with my level of knowledge of music and its technicalities (that is, low). For someone like you, who is a musician and obviously much more knowledgeable about the subject, I can see that the book might not be what you want.
Have you read Ian MacDonald's Revolution In The Head (about the Beatles' music) or Nicholas Pegg's The Complete David Bowie? And, if so, what did you think? They have similarities to Magnus Palm's book, and are both among my favourites.
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Post by gary on Apr 2, 2017 9:36:38 GMT
^
I can't add much to Colin's review, except to say I agree with everything he says.
Alan, you definitely are missing out. It's far from being "torture by text" (although I understand what you mean). It's easily the best book on ABBA that I have read. The day-by-day format and dissection of every song is fascinating, and the longer essays - though I haven't read them yet - look riveting. I would rate it almost as highly as Ian MacDonald's Revolution In The Head (about the Beatles) and Nicholas Pegg's The Complete David Bowie, which are both essential reads if you like those artists.
The only slight reservation I have about the book is that it is very expensive at around £90. (To compare, the other two books are around £20 each.) But I am glad that I have bought it, and I know that sometimes you have to pay for quality.
To any other members of this forum, I say buy it. You won't be disappointed!
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Post by gary on Mar 31, 2017 14:16:49 GMT
Ooh, my book has arrived. It looks rather lovely. (I never had the previous edition.)
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Post by gary on Mar 30, 2017 23:11:48 GMT
^
Aha, someone of the same vintage and place!
Yes, I remember that too, although unlike you I have seen the series since its original broadcast. It, or rather they as there were two series, were released on video around 2001 (and since then on DVD). I watched all 12 episodes then in one mammoth session!
I think the series was very good indeed, particularly the music, although it is now a bit of a period piece. I wish I trusted my judgement more: I am not sure if it actually was good, or whether I remember it with the rose-tinted spectacles of nostalgia for my teenage years (I was 16/17 at the time). But who cares - I like it!
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Post by gary on Mar 30, 2017 12:11:31 GMT
Fair point. Here are a few of my favourites, although both albums are good all the way through, probably because the music is written by Andy Mackay of Roxy Music.
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Post by gary on Mar 28, 2017 23:39:38 GMT
This post doesn't quite fit under the thread title, but I'm sure you'll forgive me.
I expect some fans of a certain age (mine) and nationality (mine) will remember a TV series from 1976 and 1977 called Rock Follies. I've recently been playing the two albums containing songs from the series, and thoroughly enjoying them. It's nostalgia for lost youth, I'm sure!
But to get to the point, the songs generally (not specifically) reminded me of ABBA songs. I think it's because they are very melodic, of the same period and production style, and have strong female lead vocals (mainly those of Julie Covington, the original singer of Don't Cry For Me Argentina).
Does anyone else have fond memories of this series and its music?
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Post by gary on Mar 28, 2017 23:23:01 GMT
There's an interesting 'sneak peak' (sic) of the Complete Recording Sessions book on icethesite.
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Post by gary on Mar 25, 2017 21:54:34 GMT
Aren't they all? Opinions subjective, that is.
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Post by gary on Mar 23, 2017 10:32:59 GMT
I was just wondering about forum members' first ABBA experience. When were you first aware of ABBA? When did you first become a fan?
I can vaguely remember the 1974 Eurovision but I don't think I liked Waterloo especially. It had grown on me a bit by the time it got to number one in the UK.
I first became a fan in 1975, when I heard SOS on the radio. It sounded like (and still does) one of the best pieces of music I had ever heard. The rest is history, as they say.
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Post by gary on Mar 22, 2017 22:08:40 GMT
^
Maybe you're right. Perhaps I like it because it sounds a bit like ABBA in the 70s!
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Post by gary on Mar 21, 2017 10:11:31 GMT
Just my opinion, obviously, but I wouldn't put I Am The City in the same category as Just Like That. Just Like That is a pretty weak song, particularly the verses, as Alan says. I'm not sure if I would consider it good enough to even be an album track, let alone a single. I Am The City, on the other hand, is a terrific song. It's my favourite of the 1982 stuff, and could easily have been a single. It's very catchy! Without any evidence whatsoever, I am sure that B&B must have been keeping it back for future release.
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Post by gary on Mar 21, 2017 9:54:02 GMT
^
Your post prompted me to listen to the Blancmange version, which I hadn't heard for years. It really is very good, isn't it? I hate to agree with you but I think it might be that rare cover version of an ABBA song that improves on the original. Obviously I miss Agnetha but the vocals are excellent anyway, and the instrumentation/production is terrific. But I'm also one of those bad ABBA fans that doesn't think that The Day Before You Came is one of their masterpieces.
I has also forgotten that there were clips of the ABBA video in the Blancmange video! (I assume I was looking at the official video, and not a fan's mash-up.)
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Post by gary on Mar 18, 2017 7:37:12 GMT
^
Ah, the only palindromic hit by a palindromic group?
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Post by gary on Mar 16, 2017 8:24:56 GMT
Abbey Road (I like that recreation!), Let It Be and Yesterday and Today are easy. The other two I can't think of at the moment, but they look familiar.
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Post by gary on Mar 13, 2017 22:37:09 GMT
Not that I can think of but there are a few I like quite a lot. The Czars version of Angel Eyes (dodgy lyric change notwithstanding- what was he thinking of? He should have just sang 'young guy', not 'young boy') and Portishead's take on SOS. Oh yes, those are two of the best. The Czars' Angeleyes is probably my favourite cover version. But I think the expression 'close but no cigar' is appropriate...
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Post by gary on Mar 13, 2017 14:54:47 GMT
^
Yes, I like some of the mash-ups, particularly the Blondie/ABBA Hanging On The Ring Ring.
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Post by gary on Mar 13, 2017 12:42:48 GMT
This thread was prompted by a couple of recent polls on the forum.
Has any cover version of an ABBA song (or, indeed, any Benny & Bjorn song) ever improved on the original? Obviously it's a matter of opinion, but when I thought about it I couldn't think of a single cover version that I prefer. There are a few nice covers but I suspect the absence of Agnetha and Frida is the main problem.
What do you think?
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Post by gary on Mar 13, 2017 10:37:16 GMT
^
Yes, I love a nice poll, but I wondered the same thing about the other recent vote on which artist performed Honey Honey better. The result seemed to be a bit of a foregone conclusion. Still, it's only a bit of fun.
An interesting discussion might be whether there are ANY covers of ABBA songs (or, more generally, B&B songs) that actually improved on the original. I can't think of any offhand.
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Post by gary on Mar 12, 2017 21:52:06 GMT
Thanks Colin, that's interesting.
I am sure the Madonna/Whitney situation has been pointed out to the OCC. I wonder how they justified their decision, if at all.
Personally, for what it's worth, I wouldn't consider Evita to be a Madonna album, nor The Bodyguard a Whitney Houston album, nor Saturday Night Fever a Bee Gees album.
By coincidence, I was just playing Evita this morning. Madonna does a very good job on it, but she's not in the Julie Covington/Elaine Paige league.
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Post by gary on Mar 11, 2017 9:24:02 GMT
Colin, I have an off-topic question for you, but it's not worth starting a new thread, and it is related to chart compilation.
I noticed that the La La Land soundtrack is in the UK album chart. Indeed, it was recently number one, I think. I thought that multi-artist albums weren't allowed in the main album chart. Has that rule been changed? Or am I missing something?
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Post by gary on Mar 11, 2017 9:16:27 GMT
That's odd. Everyone has voted for ABBA!
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Post by gary on Mar 7, 2017 8:35:20 GMT
^
I don't seem to have the facility to speed up YouTube videos. I even tried a 'how to' but it didn't help. I am using an iPad, if that's relevant. But it's probably just me being a bit dim!
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Post by gary on Mar 6, 2017 22:21:35 GMT
^
Yes, it's a pity that more 'respectable' artists don't cover B&B more often. I'm not sure if Brian May counts as 'respectable', but he is definitely a step up from Steps.
How no-one has had a massive international hit with Gold Can Turn To Sand, I don't know. It's one of the best songs ever written!
But (blush, confession time) there are a couple of Steps songs I quite like...
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Post by gary on Mar 6, 2017 16:51:28 GMT
^
Yes, I know, but thanks.
It's a great song, one of B&B's best since ABBA.
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Post by gary on Mar 6, 2017 9:50:21 GMT
I can't imagine this will thrill anyone, but apparently Steps' new album (yes, they are still with us!) features a 'new' Benny and Bjorn song: Story Of A Heart! I expect I will give it a listen, but just the once.
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Post by gary on Mar 6, 2017 9:45:30 GMT
I'm not very good at this game! I can't hear any ABBA in My Sweet Lord.
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Post by gary on Mar 6, 2017 9:39:50 GMT
I must admit that the Sweet Dreams version is the very first ABBA-related product I ever bought, even though I had no idea of that at the time (1974?). I thought it was a great song. But the ABBA original, which I heard later, is superior in every way. I have a feeling I know which version will win this poll!
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