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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 15, 2024 14:18:29 GMT
Those imports didn't make their way to Ireland either, sadly. If you still have the record 19mark62, were the A- and B-sides flipped? I can find an Atlantic 12" release with LAYLOM on the A-side, but the 7" seems to have On And On And On as the A-side. If that's the version that was imported to the UK, it might help explain why the sales weren't combined: it's technically two different singles. ABBA's UK team really were snoozing at the wheel back then. Slight side note. I dug out my Epic 12" (oooh er, missus) to play on my new record player. The sound is amazingly crisp and detailed - better than the album. It really was a fantastic pressing. I wonder if the US 12" is even better, given that it plays at 33RPM?
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 15, 2024 11:22:39 GMT
That's disappointing, Alan . I can't say I find his books hugely exciting but they usually are informative. This particular book seems to promise a different angle to what's gone before. I'm guessing that most people will skip to the Voyage chapter for something that hasn't been retold umpteen times. In his Recording Sessions book, he sometimes tries to describe something only he will be permitted to hear. It's a fool's errand in many respects, because it relies on the reader being able to reconstruct that description as an imagined sound. Who among us can really do that? I'm curious about what the rest of the book offers. Half a decade on sleeves, promo campaigns and reviews seems a lot. I hope it can bring something interesting (if not exciting). I still dip in to the Recording Sessions book. Returning to the BLDS book takes a lot more effort. I read it, cover-to-cover, but I think it really would have needed the cooperation and participation of the ABBA members to properly flesh out the personal biographies. It's a bit more academic than most personal biographies - a bit drier - and that kind of dials down the capacity for excitement. All that said, he can at least be relied upon to avoid the lurid, tabloidesque factoids and "dramatic licence" that reduced virtually every other attempt at a biography to subpar soap opera scripts.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 13, 2024 8:11:51 GMT
Wow, jj! Thanks for that. Have to agree with tagaytay that Japan looks like a far more sensible bet. I'm sure there may be other factors and other data folded into the decision-making process, but you have to wonder whether relocating/bilocating at all makes business sense. Could a North American run be cost effective either?
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 12, 2024 13:22:01 GMT
Thanks, truedogz - great to have lived experience here. I didn't realise that the media pullback had started before the 1977 tour. Another example, I suppose, of ABBA triumphing in the face of begrudgery. Did Molly Meldrum fancy himself as a bit of a starmaker? Your thinking on the viability of the show seems to match that of mine and johnny 's: there'd be heavy reliance on tourists to keep bums on seats. My guess is that if push came to shove in a choice between locating it in Asia or Australia, they might end up making a decision on what they saw in ABBA-The Movie...? Is Australia a tourism hotspot for Asian people?
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 11, 2024 16:25:55 GMT
It's a topic worthy of its own documentary - or episode in a documentary series. That mini implosion really was to be expected after that level of overexposure. I wonder if the (apparently) sudden drop in commercial fortunes in the UK market in 1982 could be seen as a bubble bursting too? Or maybe the result of a slow puncture? Again, another candidate for documentary examination. They'd be less cheerful episodes, but fascinating nonetheless.
I was thinking much the same thing about locating Voyage in Australia. The population of 25.69 million is big. But how accessible is the country for tourism? Maybe our Australian members can shed some light on how big the tourist market is - and whether Voyage could enhance that? While ABBA's bubble burst in 1977/78, I think their status has recovered enough to lure many of their old fans out of the woodwork. Would the installation of the show cost another $140 million, or would it be a lower cost? ? I would hope that some of the development costs are not needed again and that some files could be copied (he said, exposing his utter ignorance of such techy complicatedness). Would Australasian investors see it as a worthwhile punt?
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 11, 2024 8:59:18 GMT
[...] "This film will capture the scale of the challenge they faced as a Swedish band gaining success and respect on the global stage, and how the unique combination of four talents produced music that defined the decade and changed pop music forever." [...] I think this aspect of the story is really compelling. It shows that the music was so strong, it could withstand the sneering antipathy at home and the tedious snobbery elsewhere. Not just withstand, but triumph. The peak of their success coincided with punk - the movement that was supposed to kill off all that ABBA stood for. They dabbled with disco and survived the knuckle-dragging Disco Sucks movement utterly unscathed. And, half a century on, ABBA are the ultimate pop icons. It's quite a story. That it hasn't been told properly before now is astonishing.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 9, 2024 16:19:10 GMT
Maybe the documentary will give them a moment to talk about the shoulda-been-singles? I wonder if CMP's new book addresses the decision to recast it as "just" an album track? I'm not going to go into the song's merits - I'd like to focus instead on its position in the running order on the VV album. Second-on-side-two tended not to be where ABBA planted their 'best' stuff, certainly in terms of 'lead single' material. It's the slot where, up to that point, they'd stuck things like 'Rock Me', 'That's Me' and 'Hole in Your Soul', not to mention 'Me and Bobby and Bobby's Brother' and 'Watch Out'.* My question is, when was the VV running order finalised and was it a relatively last-minute decision to 'hide' IIWFTN slightly out of the way? Was this confirmation that B&B (and/or others) somehow lost belief a little in the song? All reliable answers and unreliable speculation gratefully received! * Later, we'd get 'Our Last Summer' and (much, much later) 'Keep an Eye on Dan', though not forgetting 'One of Us' which arguably bucked the trend - but I've got my own theories about that one! Not sure I'd agree with that take on running orders. IMO, the Waterloo album suggests they hadn't clue how to structure a running order. The more general "wisdom" behind album running orders is that the weakest track is placed second last on side two, but ABBA certainly didn't seem to follow that "rule": LAYLOM, STMF and NDAI are great cases in point. And they didn't usually frontload the albums with hits either. Arrival, The Album, Voulez-Vous, and The Visitors opened with non-singles - or tracks that got A-side status in fewer territories. Even the ABBA album opened with Mamma Mia, which they had to be pressured into releasing as a single. My guess is that the tempo and key of a song, and then its running time, were the main factors in where it was placed.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 9, 2024 15:55:04 GMT
Welcome flynnic ! Great first post. You're totally right about the HSM programme coming to a natural end: there's only the eponymous album left. Unless they decide to bring Gracias Por La Musica into the fold? I suppose they could do it for Voyage. It might feel a bit soon, given that it's only two years old. But it might improve on the muddy sound of the current version. Some creative thinking is now needed to keep people from being able to clear their credit card balances. I suppose that, technically, they could do HSMs of Gold and More Gold.... If so, I hope they do so on 33RPM discs. I treated myself to The Visitors HSM and, while the sound is fantastic, it's like I forked out for a pair of very expensive 12" singles. At least I get my steps in, returning to the record player every ten minutes to change sides/discs. Gold/More Gold would probably be 5-disc sets at 45RPM? That's mortgage/sell-a-kidney territory. I'm keeping some faith in Janne Schaffer's comments and even Catherine Tate's gossip. I no longer pay very serious attention to Bjorn's comments on what is/isn't left in the vaults. Benny might be a complete buzzkill on the matter too, but I think Ludvig could be a positive (albeit slow) influence there. I'd like to think that Agnetha and Frida have some persuasive power too. The content of the documentary might give some more reasonable clues as to what material remains, and what the beards' attitude to it is. I've said this before, but I hope they understand that those dusty old tracks have some real use in demonstrating exactly how hard they worked, how high their standards were, how albums were shaped, and how seriously they took their craft. Documentaries and anthologies are great for that kind of context setting. Releasing the tracks in that delineated context means that they're not peddling anything as a lost classic: they can be quasi educational; footnotes, even. The audience then decides whether it's a lost classic or a skipper.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 2, 2024 1:02:15 GMT
I, for one, am really psyched that Mystic Meg has joined the discussion.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 1, 2024 17:20:17 GMT
Rather than fade endings, I'd like if some of the Voyage arrangements could be expanded, given room to breathe. The album feels a bit short.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 1, 2024 17:18:39 GMT
That would be great. And if they decide to shake up the setlist, there's scope for the later release of a deluxe edition with extra tracks. Every little helps, I suppose, when those massive investments need to be recouped.
If they ever decide to release a VR edition, my son can kiss his Metaquest headset goodbye!
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 1, 2024 10:25:30 GMT
I think it's surprising that vocal ad libs don't feature on more ABBA tracks. The ones mentioned so far seem to have Frida cutting loose a bit. I wonder if that might be inspired by her interest in soul music? Even so, it happened a bit too rarely. Tracks like Voulez-Vous, LAYLOM, SNC, OAOAO could have been interesting opportunities for that kind of looseness and spontaneity? Maybe?
Fade endings really seem to have gone out of fashion. JAN kind of sticks out on Voyage for being the only one there. I'd love if some of the older tracks had natural endings. In some cases, it might have extended the song rather than shorten it. I could happily listen to an extra section of TDBYC that made the most of that synth/vocalising interplay and led to a proper conclusion. Chiquitita could have had a gorgeously elongated instrumental coda and natural ending too. The acapella ending that they stitched on to TACOM for a German TV performance shows how neatly things can be tied up. In this case, it brings the song full circle, with acapella intro and outro.
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Post by HOMETIME on Mar 1, 2024 10:13:44 GMT
Given the massive cost of the production, I'm sure there's some reason to keep it "hidden" as you describe it. On the other hand, many a West End/Broadway show is matched with a cast album. Exhibit A: Chess. There are so many great surprises in the show, that an album could take some of the shine away. But given how many people have now seen the show, there could be merit in releasing at least some of the tracks.
I guess any decision they make will be built around strategies to recoup $140 million.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 27, 2024 9:35:13 GMT
I hear you! My trip from Dublin did a bit of damage to my wallet - I can only imagine what a trip like yours could do.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 27, 2024 9:30:47 GMT
I've been seeing promo clips for CMP's book all over my socials. It's got me thinking: his chapter on the Voyage recording sessions should give us some insight on the two remaining songs. I wonder if there'll be any hint about any plans for their release?
Has anyone here ordered a copy? If so, flip to those pages on 15 March and let us know!
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 24, 2024 19:17:57 GMT
That seems a curiously short period?
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 23, 2024 18:29:50 GMT
Good question, jas! I would have thought the next tranche would be released by now. Maybe they'll do it around one of the anniversaries - 50th anniversary of Waterloo, or 2nd anniversary of the Voyage show? The Voyage page on Insta has posted this little video and mini interview with Frida from when she was at the show. She is looking absolutely sensational and energetic. Adorable! www.instagram.com/reel/C3sxeEZNHZH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 23, 2024 18:08:31 GMT
Excellent points! I wonder if the Polar Music Prize is ethically off-limits for them...?
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 22, 2024 17:04:18 GMT
Well, the Fridatron certainly exudes a lot of that kind of energy! If this gem ever gets its well-deserved moment in the digital spotlight, we'll have something to look forward to.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 22, 2024 8:41:56 GMT
I would LOVE to see that belted out by the ABBAtars! It would fit so well in the show.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 21, 2024 10:58:35 GMT
Agreed: I can't imagine the ABBA members approving such a venture.
On the matter of accents, there is another option... There are plenty of Swedish actors who are fluent in English and could play the parts brilliantly for an international audience. I guess people might see the movie(s) as less valuable if the cast were largely unknown.
Still, it's all wildly hypothetical given how highly the ABBA members value their privacy.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 20, 2024 21:02:29 GMT
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 19, 2024 23:20:26 GMT
You are in for a treat. And who knows if that anniversary weekend might usher in something new...? Looking forward to your review.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 19, 2024 8:06:20 GMT
That's because she had a treatment to restore the loss of volume in her face. So you asked the question so you could tell us. Well done. Thanks for bringing a nice vibe to this forum. I hope your snide, negative posts get deleted. Now that the nastiness has been called out, I bet that "Tinneke" will avoid posting under that name for a while. I wonder which of the two other identical personas will be first to arrive.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 18, 2024 20:43:43 GMT
I had completely forgotten that! Yet more fodder for an anthology, if such a thing were under consideration. It would make sense to round out the live recording releases with a 1977 set and a 1981 Dick Cavett set. Both audio and video. It would be amazing if audio from the 1974/75 tour were available too.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 18, 2024 18:29:59 GMT
I wonder how close to the Eurovision the broadcast date will be? If the timing of things is close enough, I'm thinking that events might conspire to get Gold back to No.1. I wonder if Waterloo might also pop briefly into the upper parts of the singles charts in April. Given the performance of previous sets, I reckon the vinyl charts might finally give ABBA's version of Honey, Honey its first UK chart entry.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 18, 2024 15:43:18 GMT
I might be mis-remembering, but I have a feeling that B&B weren't keen on releasing live material in general - preferring the complete control they were able to exert on the studio versions. Apart from two B-sides, they totally avoided live recordings during their heyday. The (pretty grim) 1986 live album came out after everyone thought that ABBA was extinct.
I know that Ludvig oversaw the eventual Live At Wembley album - but was the initial idea his too? He was asked directly about a similar release for the 1977 tour but said that the recordings weren't up to muster. If he was being really purist in wanting one clean, start-to-finish show like the 1979 set, then maybe there were challenges. But I can't help thinking that it might have been possible to replicate the setlist from across any number of dates. Unless there was some reluctance to expose how heavily things were overdubbed/"corrected" for The Movie?
It would be fantastic if they could even make the effort to assemble a live EP of The Girl With The Golden Hair. If not this year, then for the 50th anniversary of The Movie/The Album.
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 18, 2024 15:24:43 GMT
It's amazing she still goes, what's this 4th/5th visit..... She must really enjoy it. Plus there's the added value for the fans who happen to be there at the same time - I would have been thrilled if she or any member of ABBA had been there when I went. I'm more curious about what might be taking her to London right now.... #50thingy What has happened to her face? She looks different Really? In what way?
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 15, 2024 21:42:30 GMT
Yes, the thing about Frida's thumb is about spotting whether the original photo was used for the new release. It's probably the only reliable clue from a bunch of very similar photos. I don't think Alan or anyone else was suggesting that anyone would really buy a new release based on such a tiny detail. It's just a little sleuthing on Alan's part, if I'm reading things correctly. It's a way of figuring out whether the new sleeve is a scan or a re-creation.
All that said, there might well be people who would make sure their collections included every minutely different variant of a sleeve!
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Post by HOMETIME on Feb 15, 2024 19:01:26 GMT
A bit mystified by two of the coloured vinyl singles being presented in company bags - especially when the Polar 40-singles box set includes artwork for Waterloo. No, that’s not correct. [...] Ridiculous logic really but there you go… Indeed! And the logic seems to be arbitrarily applied. That picture disc for the Swedish disc, for example. One more set to go, and then Universal will have to consider something new to part us from our moolah after 2025. EDIT: As with the Head Over Heels pic disc, a good chunk of Bjorn's face looks like it'll be missing from the Honey, Honey pic disc. If they're being absolutist regarding the relationship between original sleeves and the picture discs, then it's likely that even more of Bjorn might be missing from the SOS pic disc next year!
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