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Post by Alan on Mar 7, 2024 14:37:15 GMT
In the last Abba fanclubdag it is written dat none of them will attend the celebrations I read. That’s so that, if they did appear, it would be a complete surprise, and if they didn’t, no one could be disappointed. It covers them on all angles. That’s why it’s best to take what is said with a pinch of salt (or perhaps a whole truckload). Not expect anything but not completely rule it out either. Did someone mention a bit ago that right up until the album announcement in 2021, Görel was still saying there were only two songs? I do think they’ll say anything to throw people off the scent. I also suspect they think the fans are stupid. Björn’s comment about “every snippet has been released” is an extreme case of that, as we know that’s not true. It’s not helpful really. I think Agnetha’s attitude is perhaps the best one - not say anything at all about ABBA. |
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Post by Alan on Mar 6, 2024 9:23:03 GMT
Abba is no more said Bjorn. I doubt if there will be a new reals this year containing unreleased tracks. Abba is no more. ABBA have been “no more’ since the end of 1982, apart from a brief return (mostly in secret) between 2017 and 2021. The fact they are “no more” is completely irrelevant, as it doesn’t stop previously unreleased recordings being issued, or ABBA appearing together in public again. In any case, you can take much of what Björn says with a pinch of salt, being as he said recently that every “snippet” ABBA ever recorded has been released. We know that’s not true. Anyway, isn’t it about time you gave one of your other two guest profiles an airing? You’ve rather tainted the Tinneke one by your fairly recent comments about Frida. |
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Post by Alan on Mar 5, 2024 20:30:18 GMT
Yes, but to me this isn't at all about Eurovision but celebrating 50 years of remarkable success. I completely agree, but unfortunately the association remains. As someone who can’t stand Eurovision, I can understand their reluctance. The anniversary of the issue in Sweden of the Waterloo album was yesterday, but it’s 6 April that’s marked. The average person might think that ABBA were hell-bent on winning it, being as they tried twice, but as we know, the reality was that it was the only way they could get an international audience. If ABBA was emerging now, they wouldn’t have had to go anywhere near it. It’s a pity the 1972 anniversary (People Need Love) or the 1973 Ring Ring album anniversary isn’t marked, but I suppose neither of those brought them to a fully international audience. It was used in 1982 purely as an excuse to release yet another compilation (and only after a new album had been abandoned). But you’re absolutely right. 1974 was when a fully-formed ABBA (complete with the name) arrived in most countries. That’s what we’re celebrating. Eurovision is a part of it, and the reason it happened, but shouldn’t be the focus. |
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Post by Alan on Mar 5, 2024 18:57:37 GMT
It’s easy to forget this now, but for 30 years prior to January 2016 they weren’t seen together in public (at least not all four of them together at once). There was the Mamma Mia thing in 2008 but even though they were all on the same photo, only Agnetha and Frida were stood together. For a long time it seemed like that 1986 This Is Your Life appearance for Stig might be the last time it ever happened.
We’ve been spoilt these last few years by seeing them together quite regularly. We can’t give up hope but ultimately it’s unreleased recordings that we want. If they never appear together in public again, it would be a shame but I can live with it.
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Post by Alan on Mar 2, 2024 10:08:06 GMT
Lol this is more "bullstuff" from the person with multiple names? Can we add septic peg? I was thinking the same but I checked and apparently not. We have had over 1,200 “guests” viewing the forum in the last 24 hours so I suppose it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that one or two trolls will post… |
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Post by Alan on Feb 27, 2024 21:18:13 GMT
 Absolutely no way would you think this was Benny’s elder son, Peter. 😆 |
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Post by Alan on Feb 26, 2024 21:19:12 GMT
What Records (who I’d not heard of until recently) have the picture discs at £11.99 each. Quite competitive until postage of £6.50 is added. I enquired whether they would have the coloured vinyl box but apparently that’s “D2C” (direct-to-consumer) so they won’t be getting it. Even Amazon doesn’t appear to list it, but The Sound of Vinyl does.
The previous boxes weren’t D2C were they?
What Records also have five of the album picture discs for £16.99 each (with two others at £19.99, the only one they don’t have being Super Trouper). Really not sure I want them though, even at those prices! Their maximum postage charge is £8 so it would be worthwhile but…. I just don’t find album issues as interesting as singles.
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Post by Alan on Feb 24, 2024 10:29:08 GMT
Just watched the footage of Frida at Voyage. That was lovely, almost brought a tear to my eye. Out of all four of them, Frida seems to be the one with the most affection for their legacy. There’s no sense of her doing it out of obligation, everything she does for ABBA is with love and affection (I’m not saying the other three don’t, but with Frida there seems so much warmth).
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Post by Alan on Feb 19, 2024 11:34:43 GMT
Frida lives with William Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden, in Switzerland. He has two grown-up daughters that I think live in the UK, so he probably pops over regularly to see them and other family. Plus Frida did live in the UK for a few years during the 1980s so it’s possibly become like a second home to her.
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Post by Alan on Feb 19, 2024 10:46:48 GMT
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. It is tempting to delete them and if there’s a general indication that I should, then I will, but as enough of us have called “Tinneke” out on it, I’m tempted to leave the comments in. I’m intrigued about what the other two guest profiles are… |
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Post by Alan on Feb 18, 2024 21:23:11 GMT
She has a puffiness face. Anyone can see that. Er… no, I can’t. I agree with lamont, I think she looks amazing. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 16, 2024 19:25:07 GMT
If I'm not mistaken it's in the Official Photo Book. Thanks, I’ll have to check that out. I’ve got the book but probably looked through it just the once. Probably the last ABBA or ABBA-related book that I got, or will ever get. But hey, apparently we’re not allowed to discuss such things for fear of being labelled “seriously dedicated” / ridiculed by someone that seems to be seriously dedicated to chart stats or Eurovision… (yes, you, foreverfan 😄 ) |
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Post by Alan on Feb 16, 2024 12:57:31 GMT
I’m not sure if this Sound of Vinyl 10% discount code is still valid. I used it to order The Visitors issues last year. Looks like it can only be used once as I tried it again this morning for Waterloo but no luck.
HELLOSOV10
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Post by Alan on Feb 16, 2024 12:41:17 GMT
I wonder if the clothing and other merchandise is a sign of things to come? We’d already had it with Voyage, of course, so it was no real surprise, but in the past, the Waterloo anniversary was used as a try-out for future issues. In 2004 there was the Waterloo 30th Anniversary edition, a proto-type deluxe, then in 2014 a 7” picture disc. For Arrival’s 50th anniversary in 2026, it seems we’ll get more clothing and merchandise.
I’m not interested in any of that, but as all vinyl and CD options appear to have been exhausted, I can’t imagine what else they’ll do.
Going back to Graham’s comment about stuff going to charity shops after we’re gone… I hope not as some of it is worth a lot! The Arrival coloured vinyl box appears to fetch prices of over £300 (one sold on Discogs in December for £315). I think there’s only Arrival and The Album (£80 Discogs sale in December, but has previously fetched £257 on there) that are attracting interest as they were issued in lower numbers than later sets and have thicker vinyl (and arguably much nicer colours).
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Post by Alan on Feb 16, 2024 12:28:55 GMT
I’m fine with it being focussed on those five years. As johnny says, events of 1972-1975 and 1981 and beyond will likely get mentioned but not dwelled upon. If they tried to do the whole 10 years and more in one documentary, it would be heavily condensed. By focussing on those five years there’s a chance it will be sufficiently detailed. It doesn’t say how long it will be, does it? I’m hoping for 90 minutes at least. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 20:45:14 GMT
…but personally I found that Frida moving her thumb by a fraction , was beyond as they say... but hey if anyone wants to spend their money on that, who am I... Fill your boots.... I think you misunderstood? The thumb thing was on the 2001 CD issue compared to the original sleeve photo. Nothing to do with these issues. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 18:48:40 GMT
Sorry but.... OMG... Frida has moved her thumb.... there are some seriously dedicated fans out there... I need a life...... It was simply to point out that the two photos were different, that was all. Frida’s thumb is merely the easiest way to spot it. It’s not an example of being “seriously dedicated”. The Visitors also had a different photo on 2001-and-onwards CD issues. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 18:32:37 GMT
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 18:22:18 GMT
The only interesting thing about this is the picture on the lid (although it's not a previously unreleased photo). Is it not? I wasn’t sure. We’re used to two different Waterloo cover shots due to the 2001-and-later CD issues using a different one from the original. Has this actual photo been seen before then? I agree about the box. The vinyl colours don’t look inspiring either. I was hoping for a green one to match the colour on the company sleeve. One picture sleeve isn’t good. The Ring Ring one also had two company sleeves, but at least there were three others. I certainly won’t be bothering with the 10” vinyl or the half-speed remastered album. I think once this picture disc/coloured vinyl box series is done with, I’ll be stopping. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 16:31:38 GMT
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 16:23:38 GMT
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Post by Alan on Feb 15, 2024 16:10:09 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. The photos I posted earlier in the thread were from the 40-single box, and two of those had company sleeves. It seems the logic for these sets is: All to be issued in replica sleeves based on what was originally released in Sweden. Except: Singles not actually released in Sweden (and there were some) in which case use the Polar artwork used in Denmark or Norway. Love Isn’t Easy is one of the many examples of this. Not released as a single in Sweden so modern issues have used the artwork from Denmark. Therefore even though Waterloo did have a picture sleeve in Denmark (which I posted a picture of earlier in the thread), it didn’t in Sweden therefore can’t be used. Ridiculous logic really but there you go… |
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Post by Alan on Feb 14, 2024 20:52:27 GMT
I’m not familiar with that 1999 documentary either, jj. The more famous one from that year was “The Winner Takes It All” where it was billed as the first time all four of them had been interviewed for the same project since 1982 (though Agnetha merely read from the English translation of her autobiography, and wasn’t actually seen talking). Is that the one you mean? For some reason I thought that was on ITV (if not actually made by them). Tried to search on the BBC’s Genome website for it but nothing appears to come up. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 14, 2024 17:18:54 GMT
Steve Wright, the BBC Radio 2 (and former Radio 1) presenter died on Monday (announced on Tuesday).
I have to say that in recent years, he used to irritate me. The “Serious Jockin’ - no g”, the “DJ Silli Boi” etc and the sloppy Sunday Love Songs were not for me, and I couldn’t stand how he used to sing over the songs (he even did it with the Pick of the Pops theme).
However, back in his Radio 1 days in the 1980s and 1990s he was brilliant. He pioneered the zoo format in the UK which many have copied since. The voices he’d have ringing in. One that amused me was Mary Decker (referencing events at the 1984 Olympics) where “Mary” would constantly ring in crying, and Steve would say “it’s only a race, Mary” and try to calm her down.
Then “David Bowie” and “Mick Jagger” (separately) asking Steve for the time/temperature etc.
Others I can remember were Linda Lust, who would read out dodgy (fake) 0898 phone lines before Steve had to stop her as she got too saucy. Then there was the January sales woman who would list all these trashy items you could buy in the sales. I also remember a camp man who - it was implied - fancied Steve and would ring up saying “l’m in the corridor” and Steve would answer “Are you really” in a disinterested way, in an attempt at humouring but not encouraging him. And of course, Mr Angry. And Mr Spoons (which wasn’t a character but a nominated listener each day).
He was absolutely brilliant back then. But not when he joined Radio 2.
It was from his Radio Luxembourg show in 1979 that my brother recorded Gimme Gimme Gimme (he used to do this in order to hear it before he got the single). I can still remember Steve’s intro to it, “Luxembourg 2-0-8, woo!” That’s probably my earliest memory of hearing him.
Also, it was Steve Wright that sparked my interest in Kate Bush. In 1985, when Running Up That Hill was out, he played a medley of her big hits up until that point on his Sunday morning show. I then made it my mission to get these songs. As she hadn’t released a greatest hits at that point, I got all five of her studio albums by Christmas that year. If Steve hadn’t played that medley, I’m not sure I would have done that.
[On a personal note, it sounds like he died very suddenly. I lost both my dad and my brother that way - 30 years apart, mind - so Steve Wright’s passing is another reminder than any one of us could literally drop down dead at any time. The positive is that there is no prolonged suffering for the individual, it’s very quick, but it’s then a huge shock for those left behind. Hardly surprising that his Radio 2 colleagues have been in tears talking about him.]
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Post by Alan on Feb 14, 2024 16:33:36 GMT
"Deleted and unreleased audio..." Now you're talking! Let's hope this leads to the anthology many of us are craving. If not, it'll still be good to hear. Indeed. The key paragraph is: “The documentary features unprecedented access to SVT (Swedish public television) archives including rare footage that capture the band’s rise to fame and the intense negativity they faced at home. With privileged insights from sources close to the band complete with exclusive photographic memories, rare footage, deleted and unreleased audio, unique band archive from behind the Iron Curtain and several exclusive access interviews that have either never aired or were thought lost since transmission; this is the untold story of ABBA.” You really would hope that the “unreleased audio” ties in with a release of what we’re after. Plus it’s the BBC (in partnership with other broadcasters), not crappy ITV or Channel 5. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 10, 2024 20:23:30 GMT
It has to be more than Mamma bloody Mia. ”EXCLUSIVE: Plans for Mamma Mia! 3 have been stopped in their tracks by ABBA stars Bjorn and Benny because there "isn't enough songs" to work with, which producers don't agree with.” Oh, how sad. I’m absolutely devastated at this news. 😆 |
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Post by Alan on Feb 9, 2024 10:17:54 GMT
There was a sense that Frida was being completely honest there. That Benny had made a decision they were not all agreed to and it was as much a surprise to her as it was to anyone else. That she hoped that by saying that in an interview it might change his mind (she didn’t say that but that’s what I was sensing).
Agnetha’s words in her interview with Zoë Ball last August, when asked about the 50th anniversary, were “you never know anything about ABBA, I don’t say anything about that, I’d rather be quiet”. Does that suggest something? Obviously it’s over five months ago.
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Post by Alan on Feb 9, 2024 10:03:03 GMT
Prior to the Voyage album announcement (when there were rumours of five songs or a full album, with Björn being coy and neither confirming nor denying) wasn’t Benny adamant that there was no album? Or am I making that up?
Both of them spout such rubbish at times that it is difficult to know what to believe.
Agnetha mentioned in her interview for A+ last year that it was best to stay quiet on the subject of ABBA. I’m inclined to agree. At least Agnetha and Frida haven’t talked any nonsense to the media.
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Post by Alan on Feb 9, 2024 9:30:10 GMT
Omg! That WOULD be mega boring! Yep! Going on how it was with Ring Ring, an announcement might not take place until 1 or 2 April. That would be assuming they have nothing else to announce. I caught a bit of Zoë Ball earlier and they were talking about Eurovision and whether ABBA would appear. They seemed to think it was possible - presumably they haven’t heard the official line that they won’t be doing anything. Of course, if they then do appear at something, it will be a complete surprise and they’ll have done their best at quashing speculation. |
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Post by Alan on Feb 9, 2024 7:32:26 GMT
Surely today is the day to announce the Waterloo releases? It's just two months to April 6th. Previous releases were announced for pre order two months before.... Not necessarily. I know it’s different, but the Ring Ring album was released on 26 March, and the vinyl anniversary issues weren’t released until 19 May last year. They were announced for pre-orders on 23 March. Personally I’m hoping they do get delayed a bit! With one lot released in May and another in December last year (The Visitors) it is starting to feel like they’re being rushed out. I’d like a bigger gap before Waterloo! If they announced it now, it’s old news by 5 April. It could be that day that they announce it for pre-orders and unveil artwork etc. |
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