|
|
Post by madonnabba on Apr 28, 2018 14:29:12 GMT
Read that bookmakers are confident the new songs will reach number one. Odds 4/7.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2018 16:17:59 GMT
Here is an interview by Goral Hanser, with Australia's Fairfax Media. She gives more details as to what the
2 New ABBA Songs sound like. It looks like 'I Still Have Faith In You' is sung in unison, by both Agnetha and
Frida. That one is 'slow'. 'Don't Shut Me Down' is up-tempo.
'Magical': What happened inside the recording studio with ABBA
By Neil McMahon -- 28 April 2018 — 5:18am
ABBA’s return to the recording studio is one of the most long-awaited, surprising band reunions in music history - and here’s what to expect from their "magical" reconciliation and their first song in 35 years.
In an exclusive Australian interview with Fairfax Media, long-time ABBA business partner and confidante Gorel Hanser, who was in the studio for the reunion recording session, reveals: It’s a ballad.
The Swedish pop legends say they've recorded their first new songs since 1982.
The song, I Still Have Faith In You, was specifically written for this reunion by the ABBA men - Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson - and is not a dusty composition pulled from the bottom drawer from the 1970s.
It’s sung together by the ABBA women, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, re-igniting their instantly recognisable vocal duel but with neither taking a solo lead.
And the making-of story behind this reunion was a warm, emotional affair when the four band members - two pairs of former spouses - finally came together again to record their first music since 1982.
"It was wonderful," Hanser says. "It was magical. It was a very warm, relaxed, happy atmosphere, no hard feelings, no stress… it was like 35 years hadn't passed. Like back in the old days. It was very emotional."
The band left the studio "very happy, all of them".
In a statement, the ABBA members said: "We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go in to the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and that we only had been away on a short holiday. We may have come of age, but the song is new. And it feels good."
The recording session was driven by a semi-reunion project flagged two years ago, a vaguely defined show involving ABBA reproduced as digital avatars. That ABBA-avatar project is still going ahead but now with this new original music attached, Hanser says.
"Along the way, Bjorn and Benny talked about maybe it would be good to have a couple of new songs included in this show… and then they wrote some new songs for this show. This was something that gave them the idea of writing something new for ABBA, for a special cause, for a special project."
The band has recorded two new songs: I Still Have Faith In You, which the world will hear for the first time when the avatar show is revealed in a TV special in December, and another song, Don’t Shut Me Down, that is likely to follow as a single release when it premieres on the avatar tour.
"The first song is more of a ballad, the second song is more of an up-tempo song,” Hanser told Fairfax Media.
And how did the band go about matching the ABBA sound of the 1970s and 1980s to a new era?
"I think you do it the same way as you have always done it - the best you possibly can," Hanser said.
"They have always done it their own way. They did it today the way they always did. The way Benny writes music. And the lyrics are more mature... the way they are today."
You will recognise ABBA, no problem - but it is ABBA 2018."
As to the question fans worldwide now want answered: Does this mean a possible on-stage reunion? Hanser has bad news.
ABBA famously knocked back an offer of $1billion to reunite for a world tour and apparently it’s the same response now.
"No," she says. "They will not be performing as a group again."
That leaves the avatar tour as the only live hope for the ABBA faithful, and that tour is certain to include Australia, where the band first exploded as a music force in 1975.
"Australia is a dear, dear country to ABBA, absolutely," Hanser said.
|
|
|
|
Post by gary on Apr 28, 2018 21:56:39 GMT
I think I’m right in saying that the two new songs will bring the total number of complete, B&B (and Agnetha)-written, officially released ABBA songs to exactly 100, which appeals to my neat mind.
|
|
|
|
Post by smugasacat on Apr 29, 2018 7:04:10 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by chron on Apr 29, 2018 12:42:50 GMT
Great news, but they aren't half making a rod for their backs by announcing this well before the release date. No matter how good these tracks might be, it's going to be very hard for them to live up the amount of anticipatory expectation that will have built by the time they surface. Possibly they should've followed Bowie's lead re. the handling of Where Are We Now? - i.e., just release suddenly, without a lot of prior hoopla, to catch the world by surprise. In any event, it's good news for this place. I like to imagine that Benny and Bjorn have lurked here from time to time and have finally concluded: "Enough! AbbaChat has become little more than a bleedin' Agnetha Faltskog picture repository! It's time to give them something else to chew on!"
|
|
|
|
Post by foreverfan on Apr 29, 2018 13:14:14 GMT
I agree to a point ^^^^^^, a rod for their backs.... That said it highly likely that only " us" die hard fans will harp on about it, and the vast amount of " casual" fans the news will fade into the background until December, especially with MM2 taking off in the next few months, or it could be the start of a year or so of full on assault to the public, as with everything time will tell... I have a feeling it will be the former.. but come on havent some of us been waiting 35 years for this, we are allowed to be excited and enthusiastic ....  |
|
|
|
Post by chron on Apr 29, 2018 13:41:38 GMT
I didn't mean to come across as unmoved; just cautioning (myself as much as anyone else) against the giddy effects of hype! It's certainly very exciting news indeed.
|
|
|
|
Post by madonnabba on Apr 29, 2018 14:40:20 GMT
The bookies are not often wrong. And the boys are such perfectionists I cannot seem them risking their reputation. And I think the girls would have commented if they thought there was a risk. I was sceptical about Mamma Mia way back in the day and what a juggernaut that turned out to be and again when they took it to movie and again massive. And then the DVD . Phenomenal sales first day and overall. Mamma Mia 2 will be released in time for Christmas and the hype from that alone will help boost the new single/s. Going to be a busy year. Ballads always do well as Adele &Sam Smith have found out. Who knows if the demand is there, they may be tempted to complete one last album. Let’s face it Benny has been composing many tunes over the years since Abba. Maybe some with Bjorn’s lyrics could provide sufficient material for a classic album.
|
|
|
|
Post by foreverfan on Apr 29, 2018 15:52:43 GMT
It's all ifs buts and maybes as per usual, ( but it's fun getting carried away with the excitement).
We might be getting carried away on the success of the new singles, and UK Christmas number ones, especially here in the UK timing will be crucial , equally competition. As already stated " older " more established acts find it extremely hard to crack the top 10 , with modern technology of calculating the charts. Released around the 21st December, will be good, with Christmas being on a Tuesday , the official chart for being a Christmas number one won't be released until the 28th December. ( I believe it's week ending here in the UK , so only sales realistically for the 22, 23, 24th will have a huge impact on determining number 1, as shops in general will be closed on 25 and 26, it will be a strange week to calculate) So all depends on the airing of the show for maximum exposure..
one of my my favourite sayings.... time will tell...but keep in mind, Steps , ( poor mans ABBA) had loads of exposure with their comeback single, and it was pretty good considering, it only managed 37 for one week, and a total of two in total, and all follow up singles failed to chart including...... Story Of. A Heart ❤️.
but the thought of them getting two more numbers ones...well that would be amazing 😉 But may only be a thought...
A new album, now that's a whole new story.....
|
|
|
|
Post by madonnabba on Apr 29, 2018 16:18:25 GMT
Heard that neither of the girls are taking the lead vocal. That will be so unusual on a ballad. And trying to think of one where that has happened before. Can think of uptempo numbers like Voulez Vous and Dancing Queen . But a ballad? Maybe someone can help me out.
|
|
|
|
Post by stepalm on Apr 29, 2018 18:54:15 GMT
I was also hoping that they would have one lead each so we could here both there solo voices and also the Classic mix of them both. At the end there was not many songs where they shared the lead or sang in unison. I guess one of the few was the name of the game. Anyway i Think it could be a duet and in that case I would love to here a duet like I know him so well, We hardly ever got a duet like that during the abba years. It could also be more like the style of The way old friends do, especially since its around christmas and the lyric sounds like it could be in that style. More a type of friends song than a love song. These news make me remember when we Heard the titles of The day Before you came and under attack and speculated how they would sound.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Rubber Ball Man on Apr 29, 2018 19:27:45 GMT
These news make me remember when we Heard the titles of The day Before you came and under attack and speculated how they would sound. Did you know about the other 1982 songs? Eg I Am The City and Just Like That Or was it until the 90's? |
|
|
|
Post by stepalm on Apr 29, 2018 20:08:05 GMT
Yes we heard about Just like that and I am the city and since I hade a friend who knew the son of Benny finally we got this poor recording of the two songs but since the quality was so bad i was never found of them at that time. I didnt either like Under attack at all. I loved TDBYC and those more mature ABBA songs like The visitors and When all is said and done. UA i thought sounded childish and stupid like You Owe me one. I love songs like I know him so well with a lot of emotions and two strong voices competing
|
|
|
|
Post by wobblenit on Apr 30, 2018 15:45:10 GMT
I think I’m right in saying that the two new songs will bring the total number of complete, B&B (and Agnetha)-written, officially released ABBA songs to exactly 100, which appeals to my neat mind.
Took me a while but I get the same answer! - only by ignoring (i) all the different language versions of a song, (ii) all alternative mixes of a song, (still accepting the two Ring Ring remixes) , and (iii) all different length versions of a song. Fair dos. Much neater that way. |
|
|
|
Post by wobblenit on Apr 30, 2018 18:10:54 GMT
Thinking again, I've noticed that you're talking about songs, not tracks, and so I make it 101 songs! I'm ignoring the Folk Medley (Not B&B written) but am including two songs only released as live recordings; The Way Old Friends Do and I'm Still Alive.
|
|
|
|
Post by gary on Apr 30, 2018 20:18:21 GMT
Thinking again, I've noticed that you're talking about songs, not tracks, and so I make it 101 songs! I'm ignoring the Folk Medley (Not B&B written) but am including two songs only released as live recordings; The Way Old Friends Do and I'm Still Alive. Dammit, you're right! And the one I missed was I'm Still Alive! The way I worked it out was I used the 100 numbered songs from this excellent YouTube clip: but deducted Get On The Carousel and Medley, making 98, then added I Still Have Faith In You and Don't Shut Me Down, making 100. But of course ABBA Live At Wembley was released after the YouTube clip, so the YouTube clip didn't include I'm Still Alive. Nul points for Gary. |
|
|
|
Post by wobblenit on Apr 30, 2018 20:51:13 GMT
Ha! So not so neat after all but hey, here's to the next 99 songs.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zeebee on Apr 30, 2018 20:54:39 GMT
These two new songs, together with the unreleased ones from 1982, should be (almost) enough material for a new ABBA album As far as I know, Just Like That is the only song ABBA completed recording that hasn't been released. I hope these two new songs are released on CD. I don't have a turntable. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2018 21:17:28 GMT
After getting hugely excited about the 2 New ABBA Songs, I'm now starting to worry, that so many
things could go terribly wrong, between now & December.
I can think of all manner of things.
As I've waited 38 Years for ABBA to have a 10th UK No.1 Single, it should be as easy as can be for at
least 1 of the New Songs to reach No.1 here.
However, it is not easy at all - the UK Singles Chart now hinders 'Old' Acts, who try to so much as
reach the Top 10 - without even thinking of getting to No.1.
I'll have to find out what may happen to ABBA's Singles, via Questions to the UK Charts people.
Luckily, I've managed to get back in regular contact with them, after becoming ill in 2015, & only
starting to feel better this Year. 2 of the Contacts, that I have, are Bosses there - and both of them
have recently urged me to ask them any Questions that I like.
I can think of one truly awful scenario. That ABBA reach No.1 in the UK's Sales Chart - but cannot do
it in the Main Chart, due to their Singles not getting enough Streams. Only No.1's in the Main Singles
Chart count. It is no longer good enough to have the UK's Best Selling Single, in any Week. If it does
not get enough Streams, it will not get to No.1 in the Main Chart - so it would not be allowed to count
as a 10th, (or 11th), UK ABBA No.1 Single. That would really upset me.
When 'One Dance' was No.1 for 15 Weeks, by Drake, it was allowed all 15 No.1 Weeks, as it was No.1 for
all that time in the Main Chart. But, it certainly did not dominate the Sales Chart. It only managed to be
the UK's Best Selling Single for 3 Weeks! It was not selling enough to be No.1 for more than that. But, he
got Millions of Streams & that is how he clung to No.1 in the Main Chart for 15 Weeks.
Sadly, Streaming really does hold back 'Old' Artists. Had ABBA released New Songs in 1992, 1994, or 1999,
they'd easily have had No.1 Singles. But, in 2018, it is far, far harder for ABBA to achieve that.
THE PROMOTION OF THE 2 NEW ABBA SONGS
1)... I've read some 'Journalists' saying that ABBA do not perform the 2 Singles. Yes they do - it is their voices
& music! The Holograms don't possess voices. ABBA - the 'Real ABBA' - are their voices. So, as they make all of
the sounds for the Holograms, it is 100% obvious that the 'Real ABBA' are performing the 2 New Songs.
2)... Videos will be made for the 2 Singles. They will not feature the 'Real ABBA'. The ABBATar Holograms will
lip synche to the Songs, in the Videos. There is no need for the 'Real ABBA' to be seen in them - which is why
we won't see them in the Promo Clips. It will all be an illusion created by the ABBATars and state of the Art
Video special effects. In fact, they will be the cleverest Videos that ABBA have ever done. The irony being
that the 'Real ABBA' will not be in either of them.
3)... Already some 'Experts' are saying that the ABBA Hologram Shows will be a flop. One 'Expert' said that
people who watch Music Holograms, only have an attention span for it of 14 to 16 Minutes. Then they get bored
& want to walk out. So, they are saying that the ABBA Shows are going to be a disaster - before anyone has
even seen even 1 minute of the finished Shows! Yes - apparently, even the most dedicated ABBA Fans will get
bored, within 20 minutes of the Show starting...
4)... With so many 'Experts' predicting that it will all end in a big mess, I do hope that ABBA don't lose heart in
it all, & give up on the idea.
5)... It is horrendously expensive, to create a Hologram, to sing even a 3 Minute Song. Some say, that those 3 Minutes
cost about £73,000! If it all ends in disaster, ABBA can easily claw the cash back. All they need to do is to record 8 more
New Songs, & release a proper Studio Album to the World. A sure fire way for huge ABBA success. (If they get Agnetha
and Frida to sing 'I Know Him So Well' & 'Just Like That', they need only record 6 more New Songs & a New ABBA Album
is ready)...
|
|
|
|
Post by gary on Apr 30, 2018 22:16:34 GMT
^
Colin, don't start to worry or your head will explode by the time we get to December!
I would be just as delighted as you if ABBA were to have a 10th number one in the UK, but even if it all goes wrong we will still have two new ABBA songs. And even if they are only average by ABBA's incredibly high standards, they will still be enjoyable. No way would B&B come back with rubbish after 35+ years!
|
|
|
|
Post by Ginger Spice on May 1, 2018 2:37:20 GMT
Just had to stop by to share in the excitement! I never thought this day would come. I was born in the 90's and I didn't become a big ABBA fan until 2014, so I"ve never experienced new ABBA. I even missed out on the excitement of Agnetha's comeback with A.
|
|
|
|
Post by madonnabba on May 1, 2018 6:02:13 GMT
So if we all stream that should help. Not sure why the album chart and physical sales should be different from the singles chart. Streaming seems to de value the number one title. Does this happen in the USA charts?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2018 7:13:33 GMT
Maybe it's just me but it really doesn't matter how high (or indeed if) the new song(s) chart. Music is a completely different ecosystem these days in so many ways. For the likes of me, we're well beyond the Golden Age of Music; so if the new ABBA material evokes just a bit of that spirit/feeling, I'll be completely happy.
From a UK perspective, I always kind of liked ABBA's 'Nine Plus One' record of number-one hits (with 'I Know Him So Well' as the Plus One) - I've no burning need to see them have another. In and of itself, the new material will do very nicely. No chance of the legacy being tarnished, in any case. Even if the new tracks are 'disappointing' in the eyes of many (i.e. not 'Dancing Queen'), so what? My guess is that they'll both be 'growers' that only the real fans will truly appreciate. And I quite like that idea, too - we're the ones who've stuck by ABBA all these years and it'd be nice to have something to savour and dissect that other people don't really 'get'.
|
|
|
|
Post by foreverfan on May 1, 2018 7:41:41 GMT
In a perverse sort of way..  .. if they don't chart in the top 10 or number one, I'd rather they don't chart at all... Like Colin ^^^has said , charting for older acts is very tough, and bias towards them, anything released single wise from MM2, will probably not chart at all here in the UK, the album another story. There are a few , chart watchers, myself and Colin included who no doubt wish the old days of compiling the chart was still in place, an entry on week one and then the climb up the charts, far more interesting than today's, straight in to normally it's highest position then fall... Still we move with the times. To be truthful and hope that I am wrong, a realistic hope of a 10th/11th number one is slim, if it's released at Christmas it may have a hope in getting there, ( not sure if you can stream for another person i.e. A 🎁 present), nostalgia playing a big part, however if a Christmas , " bells etc" is released , as it normally always is, it will be tough... It will be all about the Hype and promotion. I refer to an earlier post of mine, love or hate them Steps came back last year, to great acclaim, their single Scared Of The Dark, was pretty good, but only managed 37 in the main chart, ( I believe it made 10 in the sales) , for one week only, and the follow up Story Of A Heart, which had loads of airplay and hyped a lot on TV, failed to chart at all. The album ....made number 2... So yes , far to early to speculate on what will be, and again, its " us" that will truly appreciate its lasting legacy...so we wait...it's only been 35 years..lol it could be a huge a number One for 10 weeks or a complete miss....( charts are just a way of comparing different acts success, a 10th number one would be among the elite and an extra week at number one would equal Frankie Laine total !! Who you may ask, ask your grandparents..lol) , statistics are interesting for some for others, not at all, but I'd bet there are very few on here who would not like to see ABBA back at number 1). Ultimately, I'm over the 🌙 moon that we are getting something new, apart from a new album!! What more can we ask for. |
|
|
|
Post by Michal on May 1, 2018 7:46:25 GMT
@thisboycries, very well said. For me the success of the new songs doesn't matter too. I am delighted that I will hear Agnetha and Frida together (something I've dreaming about for decades) and I would be even if they sang a Swedish folk song. Another thing I've been waiting for was that one of the ABBA ladies would sing a song written by Björn and Benny (the last time this happened was in 1984). And lo! We have a song by Björn and Benny sung by not one but both ABBA ladies!! What more to wish? I don't even need it to be promoted and presented as new ABBA song. It is sufficient that it's Agnetha, Frida, Björn and Benny together again. Of course, Universal will certainly want to present this as an ABBA song, but for me it's really not that important.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2018 7:53:50 GMT
Regarding the quality of the 2 New ABBA Songs. I have no worries there. Benny & Bjorn are so careful, about
not releasing inferior Songs, that the 2 New Songs must be excellent, to have been both recorded & released.
Yes, we will compare them to what is on 'ABBA Gold' etc., but a lot of Fans dislike some Tracks on that.
Some Fans don't think that 'Does Your Mother Know' is ABBA at their best. Others do not like 'Chiquitita'
or 'Super Trouper'. I know Fans who are not very keen on 'Fernando' & 'I Have A Dream'. Others are not
impressed by 'Waterloo'. 'The Name Of The Game' is another 'Gold' Track, that some Fans are not keen.
on. All of those Songs were Global Hits - so it harmed none of them, that some ABBA Fans don't think
they are ABBA at their best. A lot of ABBA Fans think that 'Thank You For The Music' is rather weak.
I didn't like 'S.O.S.', when I first heard it. Nor 'The Winner Takes It All'. I grew to love them. In 1982, I
was so unimpressed by 'The Day Before You Came', that I only grew to like/love that one, in about 2012!
It took me 30 Years!
So, I'm sure that some ABBA Fans will not like one, (or both), of the 2 New ABBA Songs - but, it will
not stop them being Hits. Likewise with the 'Music Experts', in the Media. I'm sure that some of them
will think that the 2 New Songs are 'Classic ABBA' - and others will say, 'No-where near ABBA at their
best'. It has been that way, ever since ABBA Won the 1974 ESC.
I was shocked, in 1980, when 'Super Trouper' became ABBA's 9th UK No.1 Single and instead of being excited
& pleased, some of the biggest ABBA Fans, that I knew, were saying it was 'Awful' & 'No way does that deserve
to be No.1!'. That really got to me - that it was such a big UK Hit, yet some ABBA Fans hated it. It went on to
sell over 770,000 UK copies - ABBA's 3rd biggest UK Single, after 'Dancing Queen' & 'Knowing Me, Knowing You'.
So, the Fans who didn't like it, had Zero effect on how the UK Public saw the Single. The Public loved it.
I'm sure that the 2 New ABBA Singles are worthy of ABBA's faith in them...They'd not have been recorded, if
they were sub-standard.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 1, 2018 9:36:57 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by gary on May 1, 2018 11:45:19 GMT
^
Colin, I always thought that Fernando was ABBA's third biggest UK single, and Super Trouper was fourth. But I am sure you know best. What is Fernando's sales figure? It would be interesting to see a complete up-to-date sales ranking.
Are you on ABBA Talk on Facebook? I was just involved in (yet another) discussion about whether One Of Us was really a number one. I quoted you (and praised your encyclopaedic knowledge) about how One Of Us was number two in one of the unpublished weeks, but was never number one.
|
|
|
|
Post by gary on May 1, 2018 11:49:43 GMT
Ha! So not so neat after all but hey, here's to the next 99 songs. If only (sigh). :-) |
|
|
|
Post by josef on May 1, 2018 14:56:48 GMT
They could easily do a video featuring ABBA as they are now, but as shadowy, arty, elusive figures. Great lighting, a good night's sleep and excellent make up and direction and there's no reason it couldn't be cool. Just because they're all older now doesn't mean they can't be seen. It's not as if they're typical doddery pensioners with grey perms! 70 is the new 50. And I'm sure they'd all scrub up great, particularly Agnetha and Frida.
|
|
..
