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Post by Alan on Jul 19, 2023 15:09:07 GMT
There is no reason why OTF cannot remain the album's closing track - for example, on a CD. Two new songs could easily be added on a Deluxe Edition as tracks 10 and 11, leaving OTF as track 12....or the new songs could be slotted into other places. There's no rule against not doing so..... I’ve never known that to be the case with any album from any act, and I’ve got loads that have bonus tracks. As with ABBA’s other albums, the bonus tracks are added at the end. It’s usually made clear that they’re bonus tracks and the original album retains its running order. In the days of vinyl and cassette, we didn’t have much choice but to listen to every song on an album as it was much more difficult to “skip” songs. In the current era, you can skip anything you like. If you don’t like bonus tracks added at the end of albums, you’re under no obligation whatsoever to listen to them. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 16, 2023 16:29:38 GMT
I don't think the show will be re-locating until it has recovered the huge costs involved. Wasn’t there something a while ago that said they were no where near breaking even? Also, although the real ABBA may have performed more songs, that might be as far as it got. It’s possible they selected which ones to use at that point, so the others were taken no further. If they’re getting bums on seats with the setlist as it is, why invest more by changing it? I saw something the other day where Andrew Ridgeley said he’d like to do a Voyage-style show for Wham! As they only had 12 hits (and one of those a Christmas song) I’d imagine they’d use George Michael solo songs as well. As no other acts have announced any definite plans in the wake of Voyage, I do wonder if ABBA’s was just a bit too early? I mean early as in technology/costs? They know that “everyone likes ABBA” so could be confident it would work, but how many other acts could guarantee that? In some ways I wish the Voyage show was more true to the real ABBA. Some of the dance moves you could never imagine them doing in reality. Frida could move and looked great doing it (even when she does her own thing in the Take A Chance on Me video where it looks spontaneous - the camera’s on her so she’ll play to it), whereas Agnetha didn’t look as comfortable in that regard. We loved that it looked a bit amateurish. The ABBATars look much less so. I’d be happy to see Frida going for it while Agnetha merely goes through the motions, just like the real thing. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 14, 2023 18:41:01 GMT
HOMETIME’s post has made me think… Around half of the world’s population at the end of 1982 are now dead. And around half of the current population were born since (in fact, substantially more than half as the population has increased). And even some of the half that were around in 1982 were too young to remember the likes of Ring Ring being either a hit or a flop (depending on your country). It therefore has to be said that sales and chart positions from the original ABBA period are largely irrelevant now. There is a legacy from them - UK chart positions determined the tracks selected for Gold (with just Summer Night City left out in favour of Thank You For The Music) and that in turn influenced what was used in the original Mamma Mia! - but other than that, it now has to go more on Spotify and YouTube streams. HOMETIME also mentioned in a previous post that anyone can very easily listen to the non-Gold songs in the Voyage show before they go. There’s no excuse for not checking out the setlist and therefore looking up the likes of Hole In Your Soul. It’s easier than it’s ever been to hear exactly what you want, when you want. No hunting down and having to buy old studio albums.
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Post by Alan on Jul 9, 2023 16:40:54 GMT
There are a couple of lovely photos of Agnetha from June 28th on the Intermezzo site. Apologies, but not sure how to put them here!? Can anyone oblige please!? Do you mean these? I saw them on ABBA Access. Janne Schaffer’s show on 28 June.    |
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Post by Alan on Jul 9, 2023 11:36:29 GMT
Yes, there are certainly no issues with quoting. It’s not like we’re going to run out of space, and no one is forced to read the quoted part again. Plus not everyone reads all posts, so the quote might be the first time they’ve seen it.
In fact, quoting can help avoid misunderstandings. Once or twice, someone said that “no one said that” when actually someone had, and they merely hadn’t read the post someone else was referring to.
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Post by Alan on Jul 8, 2023 19:46:12 GMT
The ABBA band members wore motion-capture suits as part of the development process and were filmed as they performed a 22-song set over the course of five weeks. Oh, sorry, yes. Quite brave of ABBA to be photographed wearing those. I think that was only the second photo we’d seen of all four of them since 1986, so a full 35 years. I’m glad there were photos of them in more regular clothes after that.      |
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Post by Alan on Jul 8, 2023 17:35:27 GMT
The selling point of the shows to some extent is that Abba actually performed the show in those bubble suits. Bjorn said ‘this is Abba’. I had to Google “bubble suits” to see what you meant, but I’m still none the wiser… For me the Tron outfits are the highlight. They were so closely associated with the Voyage album (we saw them even before the live broadcast on 2 September 2021) that for me this was old meets new. Now and then combined, and they won’t be the same. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 8, 2023 17:26:38 GMT
I see in this poll, three people have voted for 12 songs. Why would you remove a song and should it be a Gold song? I wasn’t one of the three, I voted for 13, but I imagine the two most obvious candidates are Thank You For The Music and Does Your Mother Know. If I had to, I’d choose the latter. Sorry, live band, it’s nice that you get your moment in the limelight but it’s not what I came to see. Voulez-Vous might be another likely possibility as it’s an animated sequence. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 8, 2023 15:35:21 GMT
It perhaps could do with a few extra tracks. I remember thinking during the first couple of songs (as I knew what the setlist was), “there’s a long way to go yet” but it went unbelievably quickly from then on.
Sometimes knowing the setlist doesn’t help as you’re willing a favourite to be on. That doesn’t mean you don’t equally enjoy everything before it but maybe somehow it makes it go quicker? Or perhaps 90 minutes really isn’t long enough.
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Post by Alan on Jul 7, 2023 15:56:02 GMT
Just imagine paying £130 a ticket and 2 songs are cartoons and another a video. You know it's not ABBA but at least get the ABBAtars for everything. Also I don’t think they’d upscaled the footage in the Waterloo video so it didn’t look too clear. I don’t know… would it be too much if all 20 songs were ABBATar performances? I actually really liked the ABBATar video ones, they were highlights for me. When it’s not real it doesn’t matter if some are done differently. I agree though, the two cartoon ones aren’t what we were there to see. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 6, 2023 21:29:39 GMT
Ticket prices are too expensive - I have seen as high as £130 Maybe I just don’t want to see it again enough. It’s not even affordability. I can stretch to that. I just don’t want to! Even when I saw Kate Bush in 2014, I went for the cheapest tickets and was stood at the back. I paid a lot to see Madonna in 2003, but that was a one-off. At the end of the day, it’s not the real thing with the ABBA show. Both Kate and Madonna were “helped” by rather obvious play-out of recorded music/vocals (as most “live” acts are these days) but you’re still seeing the real thing. With ABBA you’re not. Sorry. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 6, 2023 21:20:29 GMT
From the 2 Songs, Eagle worked best as Anime video. Some may remember that it was used with footage of a hot air balloon race in ABBA In Switzerland back in 1979. This is sadly missing from the Voulez-Vous deluxe DVD, but is on YouTube and did get an airing on BBC Four not too long ago. Was their “old friend” David Niven? |
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Post by Alan on Jul 6, 2023 20:54:52 GMT
There’s also Mamma Mia! to consider though. The original stage musical had five non-Gold songs, and the second film (by necessity) many more. I therefore don’t think it’s a big deal to have non-Gold songs in Voyage.
It’s not just hardcore fans that will know these songs. ABBA’s much wider “audience” will be familiar with them. If someone that’s only ever heard the 19 Gold tracks is seeing this show (and paying a lot to do so) I don’t have that much sympathy for them. It’s no great hardship to put up with seven songs (four of which are on the very accessible More Gold).
Sorry, but why should they only cater for the very casual listener? Mamma Mia! didn’t. 13 songs from Gold is well over half (indeed, over two-thirds), and only six missing from that album. It’s enough.
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Post by Alan on Jul 6, 2023 20:41:16 GMT
The animees are the one real let down of the show. Although I like Eagle a lot I am not convinced it would have been a great show success. That being said, if I do go again I can always take my toilet break when one of them comes on. I’m guessing the animated stuff - along with the live band - is so that other artists are earning a living from it. Could they have done it without? Yes, but I’m guessing musicians’ unions etc wouldn’t be happy. Let’s face it, most of the people attending couldn’t care less if there’s a live band or some fancy animated sequences. A one-off live recording used for every performance, and no animation, would be sufficient, but not artistically/morally acceptable*. Without them, ticket prices might be cheaper though! I was a bit disappointed to learn that the animation isn’t to give the ABBATar generators time to cool down. I was hoping there was some truth in that. *Though it seems to be acceptable for the likes of Pet Shop Boys or Erasure, where Chris Lowe or Vince Clark are seen playing the music out from an Apple laptop. But as they are the live act, and not holograms/digital re-creations, it’s OK… |
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Post by Alan on Jul 6, 2023 19:56:01 GMT
No, I don’t think the ratio should be higher. 13 is enough. It’s not as if the other songs - apart from Hole In Your Soul - are that obscure. They’re all on More Gold aren’t they (apart from HIYS and the two Voyage songs)? And that is the de facto compilation beyond the main Gold. Plus Summer Night City was a big hit and the main Gold omission.
When you see a live show by any act, you expect to hear tracks you may not know.
(I voted for 13 then wanted to change it to 12 but wouldn’t let me!)
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Post by Alan on Jul 5, 2023 11:53:36 GMT
That’s a good price, johnny. That’s the sort of price I’d be looking to pay as it’s only slightly more than I paid the first time (£44.20, including all the fees). I’m waiting for a setlist change. Everytime I look at prices they seem to be astronomic. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 3, 2023 21:10:54 GMT
Sorry if this has been covered already (don't think I saw it mentioned otherwise on this thread) but what did Catherine Tate and Zoe Ball say in relation to this? Hugely excited for 2024 already! Took me a while to find it as it wasn’t in the most obvious thread! Not sure where to put this, but hot news I found on facebook this afternoon... Catherine Tate was interviewed this morning on Zoe Ball Radio show. She is about to reprise her role as Donna on Dr. Who. She mentioned that Russell T Davies (Dr Who writer) is a friend of Bjorn and recently stayed with him on a trip to Stockholm. Bjorn told him about the two unreleased "Voyage" tracks and said watch this space for news about their release at a special event.... That part of the interview was very swiftly removed from streaming platforms (including BBC Sounds). I’ve moved the posts about it to this topic. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 2, 2023 14:12:34 GMT
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Post by Alan on Jul 2, 2023 14:01:59 GMT
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Post by Alan on Jul 2, 2023 7:31:40 GMT
Not so sure about The Singles. As they couldn’t fit all of them onto a vinyl album, they picked the 23 that had been released in most countries (hence why So Long is on it but not Honey Honey or Eagle). The omissions were all singles that hadn’t been released everywhere. Definitive/Essential filled in the blanks and was therefore an expanded The Singles in all but name.
I don’t think a new compilation is a great idea. Gold / More Gold swiftly saw off any competition, such as Number Ones (a pointless compilation if ever there was one) and The Definitive/Essential Collection. It’s therefore likely that any new compilation would be short-lived, even if it did include new tracks. Gold would quickly wipe the floor with it and send it packing with its tail between its legs.
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Post by Alan on Jul 1, 2023 14:46:41 GMT
Why not add DSMD, ISHFIY and the two new songs to ABBA Gold? Can’t be done unless you remove tracks, as it’s at the 80-minute maximum already. Gold should be left as it is. And I’d reluctantly say the same for More Gold. 30 years on, these have become historical compilations in themselves. |
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Post by Alan on Jul 1, 2023 14:37:43 GMT
I guess another feasible option would be a deluxe version of 1982's 'ABBA - The Singles', which to my knowledge, has not been reissued in remastered form and/or appended with bonus tracks. How do you mean? The Definitive/Essential Collection was effectively an expanded version of The Singles. Or do you mean use the original name and artwork but with more of a Definitive/Essential tracklisting? The Essential Collection added four tracks which had videos (Bang-A-Boomerang, That’s Me, One Man One Woman and Happy New Year) which could all be removed and ISHFIY, DSMD and perhaps the two new songs added (but only if they’re both going to be issued as singles, which I doubt). A vinyl version would need to be four discs. The final home for them will be Voyage, as they are from the Voyage sessions, but I agree, adding them to that straightaway might not be a good idea commercially. The 1994 Thank You For The Music set was a good way of getting rare b-sides and unreleased tracks out there before adding them to as bonus tracks to studio albums a few years later. Whatever they do with these new songs initially is OK with me, as long as they get released. |
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Post by Alan on Jun 30, 2023 17:24:30 GMT
“Heart Attack” was tame compared to Madness’s “Cardiac Arrest”.
Perhaps it might just be “Hit Like A Train”. I’d be disappointed if this song isn’t one of the two as I really want to hear it!
Did someone have a title for the other Voyage outtake? I seem to recall Adam had one but not sure where it came from.
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Post by Alan on Jun 30, 2023 17:13:37 GMT
Didn’t the “Hit By A Train” title come from one of the performers of the Voyage show? Little Boots or someone? I imagine its actual title is something along those lines but not quite so literal.
When I first heard of that title, it reminded me of a line in Madonna’s “Erotica” - “I’ll give you love, I’ll hit you like a truck, I’ll give you love, I’ll teach you how to…” [implies but avoids using the “f” word].
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Post by Alan on Jun 30, 2023 14:11:18 GMT
…it might be an idea to add them to the Voyage album - and take off the ghastly Little Things. Christmas songs don't belong on studio albums. It won’t get removed. As much as I agree with you on Christmas songs not being on studio albums, I wouldn’t want to see it officially removed. It wouldn’t be the same album if it was. However, if we do get two or three additional tracks, that would make a decent length album even without LT, so I’d certainly be removing it from my version of it (something which for any other album I would never do). |
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Post by Alan on Jun 30, 2023 9:51:43 GMT
I don’t think we should get carried away here… even if either or both tracks are released as a single, I don’t see them being a big hit. The first two singles were hits mainly because they were the first completely new ABBA songs in 39 years. A new single next year wouldn’t have that distinction.
Similarly I don’t see a deluxe Voyage album returning to number one or even the top 10 necessarily. It will probably return to the chart but let’s be realistic.
The excitement here is the songs finally being released, not how successful they might be.
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Post by Alan on Jun 30, 2023 9:37:40 GMT
It’s not always helpful to name sources. Not helpful to the source who could get into trouble, and could negatively affect future leaks. As it supports what Catherine Tate said on Zoe Ball (expanding on it) I’m prepared to go with it. Thanks Colin onlyabba4meagain for the info. This would nicely finish off the Voyage album story. It was in need of some bonus tracks. All the other albums have some. [I’ve moved foreverfan’s very similar post to the main Voyage thread so that there isn’t repetition in the same topic.] |
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Post by Alan on Jun 26, 2023 17:43:35 GMT
Thanks evilincarnate. I think I wanted DSMD to be in the Tron outfits and remembered it wrong. Hasn’t Money Money Money been ruled out? I don’t think ABBA even did that one. Something about it not being the right kind of song for the show? Not sure how they came to that conclusion. |
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Post by Alan on Jun 26, 2023 16:53:51 GMT
Is Don’t Shut Me Down the last performance with them in their Tron outfits? I was really looking forward to this one as there had been no proper video for it, and the Tron costumes were so familiar from day one of the album campaign back in the September.
Would it have worked better if it was the first one in those costumes, or earlier in the show? The two new songs are together way down the setlist, with only four big hitters below them. I wonder if DSMD would have been better much earlier on so that the audience is still warming up?
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Post by Alan on Jun 25, 2023 14:01:57 GMT
One option up their sleeve is to swap "Don't Shut Me Down" with one of the two unreleased 'Voyage' outtakes that may be released within the next twelve months. If all four members agree that either of these songs pass the requisite quality control standards, it could happen. I think that’s very unlikely. For starters, the real ABBA would not have been able to perform either of these songs in their motion-capture outfits*. Secondly, if there are four unused performances, these would be far more likely to be added. I also think it’s highly unlikely Don’t Shut Me Down would be removed as it was written for the show and its double-meaning lyrics even refer to the ABBATars. I’m starting to wonder if Russell T Davies bigged it up to Catherine Tate (let’s face it, he’s good at that) and she in turn may have enhanced it. I certainly wouldn’t put money on these two songs definitely getting a release, let alone being included in the show. [* It remains uncertain just how important these performances really were to the finished project, particularly as we know that body doubles then took over and enhanced the dance moves, but I would still prefer to see performances that the real ABBA were originally involved in]. Oh… Don’t Shut Me Down without strings? I don’t remember it like that, though granted, I’ve only seen it the once and that was 13 months ago, but I’m sure I would have noticed at the time if it sounded much different to the record? |
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