B&B Q&A - Voyage 2nd Anniversary / Royal Order of Vasa

Some of the questions were quite trivial. The ones I can remember:

"Which of the songs you haven't written would you wish to be credited for" (Benny changing it the songs they wish they had written) - Benny: "Silent Night" Björn named two and I can remember Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Then they were asked about their greatest achievements personally and profesionally.
Björn: personal - having children
Benny: proffesional - having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame

Do they have any unfulfilled ambitions?
Björn: "To climb Mt. Everest"
Benny's reply was something in the vein that he still works every day and hopes some more good songs will come of it.

Of course, DSMD uses the same device as ST (the song): the chorus melody slowed down to serve as the preamble or intro to the song. More generally, it seems to me Benny just doesn't like the contrast between verse and chorus if JLT (whereas I, as a listener, now love it) and 'musical theatre' vs 'pop' is a rather shorthand explanation of his dissatisfaction with the song

Again, as a listener, my dissatisfaction is that I think the verses could have been done so much better because I think the melody itself is great and sets up the superb chorus wonderfully. But that draggy, uninspired guitar riff for a start... Just my opinion.

Hi, I’m new to the forum but I’ve been thinking about creating an account for some time.

I was there last night. I found it incredibly frustrating that the focus was on the famous people and their questions - what was the point in getting fans to submit?

On JLT, Benny did seem a bit …smirky to me when discussing that. Take that with a pinch of salt but I do wonder. However he did then say his usual speech about the verses and choruses not matching.

Overall I’d say the Q&A was a disappointment especially with the subservient attitudes toward the random group of celebs rather than the ABBA fans themselves

Are we any wiser because of this Q and A? Future releases? Hit me by a train?

Perhaps a fan did ask but the question wasn't selected. Instead they had crap questions from celebs.

They probably wanted to avoid these kind of questions completely, otherwise it would have been all about the unreleased stuff and B&B have expressed what they think about the matter so many times before. If they changed their minds, it was not the right place to announce it. The same goes for any future releases. However, the way it was presented, it was a bit boring at places (even the notorious story of Take A Chance On Me lyrics was brought up, fortunately Björn turned it into a joke, replying "The legend has it", explaining he doesn't remember it anymore but it must be true).

No, I love the 80's production style. No tweaks, no remixing, no adding instruments or removing them... Keep it as it is, including the bum note from the sax. 

I love the Saxophone Version of 'Just Like That' which is the final finished version of the song and that's the one I hope that gets released its been 30 years since we got a snippet of the song which was the 2nd and 3rd choruses at the end of the song, 'Just Like That' is a fantastic song and the verses do make sense as they explain what the woman's life and feelings are about especially in the 2nd verse 'now the tears have dried its become a pleasant break' meaning she has spent time crying over a man.

Regarding the above post from Terry. This is supported by a friend of mine who was there for the Q&A and told me earlier in the week:

“They were quite dismissive of A&F again. Just briefly at the end. They must realise how much the fans love A&F and are interested in them but were asked “where are they tonight?” to which Benny said, “why would we know where they are?” And Bjorn said, “we don’t really see each other much” which all rather dispels that “fantastic bond” myth that they were peddling when the Voyage album came out. Benny did say that they will be together on Friday in Sweden for that award thing. It would have been nice if they’d bothered to find out what A&F were up to as they must realise any little bit of news about them would set the fans’ hearts racing. Or had a little message from them for the fans. There was just no effort really.”

What does it take to dispel the notion of Benny as the avuncular, twinkly-eyed cuddlebunny that Polar PR has always peddled? That was disrespectful - not just to his super-talented colleagues, but to the fans who keep him in a very comfortable lifestyle. Bjorn's response was a little better. But just a little. It can't have been a surprise to anyone involved with this event that fans would ask about Frida and Agnetha. At the very least, they should have prepared a simple "the ladies can't be here, but they send their love." Would that have been so hard?

Unless, of course, our heroines have zero effs to give either. Unlikely, I'd have thought. But an awkward question remains: have ABBA just become a bit more disconnected from their fans? 

Truedodz, Benny's English is perfect. It's his manners and social skills that need working on.

Agree totally with Hometime's comment

"At the very least, they should have prepared a simple "the ladies can't be here, but they send their love." Would that have been so hard?"

Clearly they were going to be asked about Frida and Agnetha.

No one can know another person's mind but I can speculate: he felt obliged to be there.

Why? To support Bjorn and probably genuinely for the fans. The Q&A might have been a bad idea and it might have not been theirs.

All of us have agreed at times to be some place to please others when we did not wish to be there. Rather than a negative the fact that you do so because you care is a positive. 

People have complained that they have not done enough for the 'anniversary'. And when they have there have been complaints.

I suspect there might have been pressure to do some other things for the anniversary which might have been entertained for a time - the sort of things that we speculated about or were hinted by connections.

From all I have read I have concluded that they collectively decided to draw a line in the sand with ABBA to bring closure, with B&B tidying up a some things. Increasingly they are delegating the business aspects of ABBA.

They gave us something we never expected and that was a new album. And ongoing concerts. And over the past couple of years have re-engaged with the media, even Agnetha.

And they have said that as a group it is over. Having done all of the above it is clear that 3 of them at least want to retreat to their post ABBA lives. They owe us nothing. 

I put Benny's rebuff down to what I said earlier (if he had said it in Swedish there may have been better nuance in the delivery) and the tiresome (sometimes trivial) questions they continually get which must be annoying. Manners and social skills are cilturally based and so differ between cultures. B&B are Swedes and having dealt with plenty of Swedes I understand how we can mis-interpret things and vice a versa.

He genuinely didn't know what the girls were doing because having been reformed briefly for the Voyage album and concert project they have returned to their former lives. Communication is limited social contact or as business interests dictate. He wasn't prepared to lie and say that the girls had sent their love when it is likely that he has not had a conversation with them about his appearance at the Q&A.

I always try to 'walk a mile in someone elses shoes'. 

That is my opinion and if others disgree that is fine.

Abba is very much alive and present trough the voyage show. And suddenly they decide Abba is no more. That's not how it works.

I think if they want to draw a line in the sand they could just release any decent unheard songs and JLT and then that will be it. Most big rock groups have released an anthology with literally everything that was recorded.