Even the outtakes of their songs like "from a twinkling star to a passing angel" or the undeleted medley prove the high standard of their work. An anthology would absolutely make sense.
@@babettesfeast6347 The 4 CD Box Set, not quite a complete collection, but at least we got some rare material. And a great mastering by Michael Tretow by the way😊
@@babettesfeast6347A good idea👍 I'm not sure if these songs were completely finished and recorded. Some of them were used with different lyrics for the chess musical.
At the premiere of the Voyage ABBAtar show, Benny showed some disdain at a grovelling NME reporter; reminding him how critical the newspaper once were of the group. 🤣
All the 20-somethings I work with found it unfathomable when last year I told them ABBA had a FORTY year gap between albums. They can't imagine waiting that long for something. That length of time between new albums must be some kind of record as well.
I have the audiobook of Carl Magnus Palm's Bright Lights Dark Shadows (2001). It's an excellent and very detailed listen, highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to the story being updated.
I'm with Patrick Crowther. The music press in the 70s/early 80s never gave them credit. The first person I remember praising them was Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen in the early 80s. Speaking of which, the last Abba album before they split, "The Visitors", should be classed as a post punk classic in the same way Joy Division's "Closer" is.
Hi Kenneth!Yes I remember in an '80s interview Ian Mc Culloch stating that he was fond of ballads like Abba's 'The winner takes it alL' and i really got surprised and also proud to hear such a thing from him,a musician from a toatally diferent music genre..I also remember back in 1979 reading a Richie Blackmoore' 'unbasheful' confession that he like very much Abba!And a music journalist commenting on his statement 'What a shame,he's been spoiled too!"lol.
I can barely stand what passed for music criticism in the ‘70s, at least as represented by the British weeklies, Rolling Stone, Creem, Village Voice, etc. Too much of it amounted to pissing matches between rival clubs slagging each other off for the fun of it. A lot of it (most?) was adopting a pose, an almost ideological stance, that favored or disparaged certain styles and certain artists. It was narrow-minded, arrogant, short-sighted, and often vicious and malicious, substituting vitriol and snark for insight and wit.
I’m not an ABBA fan at all really, but I listened to Carl with interest, merely because he is such an eloquent , honest, and very knowledgeable source about his chosen subject. Hope you have him again. I’d listen to him chat about anything.
I think analysis is sometimes tricky with pop music but I think it’s probably fair to say that some of their songs - Mama Mia Dancing Queen Take A Chance On Me - are as catchy as anything written by anybody at any time.
What people seem to have missed is that "ABBA Arenas" can co-exist. You do not have to wait until it ends in London to have another. Having built one a second will be cheaper. The only things that would be needed is a new site and training up a new band and singers. The rest can be cloned. It could easily run simultaneously at dozens of locations. I am also sure that there are more "abbatarised" songs which can be swapped in to encourage repeat customers.
I respect the work that Carl has put it in coming up with ABBA's biographies, BUT ...I always imagine that people who went to such an extent to research and dig up all the stuff about ABBA must have been a person who truly appreciate ABBA in totality including all their diversified songs. I do agreed that not all of these songs are everyone's cup of tea. True ABBA fans are matured and respectful enough towards such diversified views and tastes. After all we may and are allowed to have our own preferences. Throughout the years, I've always viewed and divide ABBA fandom (as oppose to ABBA haters) into 4 groups: a. Fans who love majority of their songs whether hit ones or not, well known or otherwise, disco, catchy, happy tunes or slow, heart wrenching, malancolic ones. Those who belong here always are able to find the beauty of each of ABBA songs and adore them whether its a hit to everyone or not. b. Fans who are very diverse in acceptance of ABBA songs. Some fans like/love some songs which are hated by other fans, vice versa. c. Fans who adore only ABBA's up tempo and lively songs while hating/disliking some (or most of) their slower, more poignant numbers. d. Fans who only adore popular ABBA numbers and disliking unfamiliar songs. However, the PROBLEM with this interview is that, it DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when a well known ABBA biographer doesn't sound that enthusiastic and appreciative enough of ABBA strengths, uniqueness and legacy. It DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when an ABBA biographer dare to label I do, I do, I do, I do, I do as being SO BAD. And it DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when you don't acknowledge the fact that ABBA fandom is ALL OVER THE WORLD, millions and millions of them who totally embrace and love the 4 ABBA members and their old and new music. Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice in this interview that you mentioned ABBA fans without much respect. This is a clear sign of non wholistic ABBA acceptance and appreciation. AND HOW DISRESPECTFUL OF YOU when you made remarks such as I don't know who's sleeping with whom. Conclusion: Even though you write tons and tons of biographies on ABBA, I don't think that you are a good biographer if you do not embrace and appreciate ABBA wholistically. PEACE 👌 Why, during this interview, the other two seems more genuinely interested and appreciative of ABBA more that you are, or seems to be
Great categorizing! I was back in Vietnam in the late seventies so I would not know what song was number one and whatnot. So I love all of them, the music and the lyrics , even though later on when I understand English then some songs are not as deep as others…
Agnetha and Frida voices are not in any way frail, their voices have retained everything we remembered from the first time around, the voice deepens slightly with growing older but correct technical use of the voice keeps it sounding well and youthful.
I’m totally surprised about Mr. Palm lukewarm attitude to ABBA. He used to be enthusiastic and rightfully so and now he sounds apologetic about the best pop group ever.
A luke warm attitude is very Swedish. It's not to common to be gushing with praise about anyone or anything. The Swedish word "lagom" - not too much, not too little - sums it up.
For me, ABBA The Album is their best album. There simply isn't a bad track on it. By the way, I think the blue sky album cover art is the best version of the sleeve.
Bands surviving beyond 50. All original members of Black Sabbath are still alive ( remarkably !) and have been around prior to 10CC....can that be beaten?
I liked ABBA foursome. I loved when the guys sang like on Honey Honey. I liked their outfits, I loved their music. It was uplifting. The Beatles post 1966 commencing with the dreadful dragging druggy Sgt. Pepper's music I couldn't stand. I was first year college with ABBA. I bought all their albums because I liked their sound and loved many songs that never became popular on the Music Charts.
Uk did not take to ABBA straight away at all. They were considered, quite arrogantly by the UK mudoc critics, as Eurovision "one hit wonders". The country that put ABBA on the map was Australia. Benny said in a TV interview that DJs in UK refused to play their singles.
Maybe i'm wrong but I also feel CMP's attitude hinted some kind of an 'apologetic breeze' instead of being defensive and enthusiastic.Why?He should be proud and 'shout it out'.Abba don't have to prove anything less now in the state they are.NO critical voice can touch them in their field anymore.Times have changed and Abba are acceptable survivors by a mass of music listeners.
This is quiet a weird interview. An Author who has made a career out of writting about ABBA and who sounds like he's giving an opinion as someone who grew up in London rather than Sweden. Its almost as if he expects the hosts to diss ABBA and their creativity and feels he needs to make the usual typical English press stereotypical comments about the band that most fans have heard a billion times since the 70's. I really don't get his comments at times, its almost embarrasing to the ABBA fans who have embraced his work.
Interesting: 2 CDs worth of suitable material remain in the archive. One wanders why they don’t do this, the fans would love this.
Totally agree.
Even the outtakes of their songs like "from a twinkling star to a passing angel" or the undeleted medley prove the high standard of their work. An anthology would absolutely make sense.
There was an Abba anthology in 1994 which had all the singles and every B side and rarities
@@babettesfeast6347 The 4 CD Box Set, not quite a complete collection, but at least we got some rare material. And a great mastering by Michael Tretow by the way😊
@@ralfh.5068 I would live to hear all the songs for the tenth album that Abba were working on in the 80’s before it was abandoned
@@babettesfeast6347A good idea👍 I'm not sure if these songs were completely finished and recorded. Some of them were used with different lyrics for the chess musical.
At the premiere of the Voyage ABBAtar show, Benny showed some disdain at a grovelling NME reporter; reminding him how critical the newspaper once were of the group. 🤣
All the 20-somethings I work with found it unfathomable when last year I told them ABBA had a FORTY year gap between albums. They can't imagine waiting that long for something. That length of time between new albums must be some kind of record as well.
I have the audiobook of Carl Magnus Palm's Bright Lights Dark Shadows (2001). It's an excellent and very detailed listen, highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to the story being updated.
I'm with Patrick Crowther. The music press in the 70s/early 80s never gave them credit. The first person I remember praising them was Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen in the early 80s.
Speaking of which, the last Abba album before they split, "The Visitors", should be classed as a post punk classic in the same way Joy Division's "Closer" is.
Hi Kenneth!Yes I remember in an '80s interview Ian Mc Culloch stating that he was fond of ballads like Abba's 'The winner takes it alL' and i really got surprised and also proud to hear such a thing from him,a musician from a toatally diferent music genre..I also remember back in 1979 reading a Richie Blackmoore' 'unbasheful' confession that he like very much Abba!And a music journalist commenting on his statement 'What a shame,he's been spoiled too!"lol.
I can barely stand what passed for music criticism in the ‘70s, at least as represented by the British weeklies, Rolling Stone, Creem, Village Voice, etc. Too much of it amounted to pissing matches between rival clubs slagging each other off for the fun of it. A lot of it (most?) was adopting a pose, an almost ideological stance, that favored or disparaged certain styles and certain artists. It was narrow-minded, arrogant, short-sighted, and often vicious and malicious, substituting vitriol and snark for insight and wit.
Fantastic discussion with Carl
I’m not an ABBA fan at all really, but I listened to Carl with interest, merely because he is such an eloquent , honest, and very knowledgeable source about his chosen subject. Hope you have him again. I’d listen to him chat about anything.
I think analysis is sometimes tricky with pop music but I think it’s probably fair to say that some of their songs - Mama Mia Dancing Queen Take A Chance On Me - are as catchy as anything written by anybody at any time.
What's more interesting are many if their lesser known rock type songs...Hole in your soul, etc
What people seem to have missed is that "ABBA Arenas" can co-exist. You do not have to wait until it ends in London to have another. Having built one a second will be cheaper. The only things that would be needed is a new site and training up a new band and singers. The rest can be cloned. It could easily run simultaneously at dozens of locations. I am also sure that there are more "abbatarised" songs which can be swapped in to encourage repeat customers.
I respect the work that Carl has put it in coming up with ABBA's biographies, BUT
...I always imagine that people who went to such an extent to research and dig up all the stuff about ABBA must have been a person who truly appreciate ABBA in totality including all their diversified songs.
I do agreed that not all of these songs are everyone's cup of tea. True ABBA fans are matured and respectful enough towards such diversified views and tastes. After all we may and are allowed to have our own preferences.
Throughout the years, I've always viewed and divide ABBA fandom (as oppose to ABBA haters) into 4 groups:
a. Fans who love majority of their songs whether hit ones or not, well known or otherwise, disco, catchy, happy tunes or slow, heart wrenching, malancolic ones. Those who belong here always are able to find the beauty of each of ABBA songs and adore them whether its a hit to everyone or not.
b. Fans who are very diverse in acceptance of ABBA songs. Some fans like/love some songs which are hated by other fans, vice versa.
c. Fans who adore only ABBA's up tempo and lively songs while hating/disliking some (or most of) their slower, more poignant numbers.
d. Fans who only adore popular ABBA numbers and disliking unfamiliar songs.
However, the PROBLEM with this interview is that, it DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when a well known ABBA biographer doesn't sound that enthusiastic and appreciative enough of ABBA strengths, uniqueness and legacy. It DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when an ABBA biographer dare to label I do, I do, I do, I do, I do as being SO BAD. And it DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT when you don't acknowledge the fact that ABBA fandom is ALL OVER THE WORLD, millions and millions of them who totally embrace and love the 4 ABBA members and their old and new music. Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice in this interview that you mentioned ABBA fans without much respect. This is a clear sign of non wholistic ABBA acceptance and appreciation. AND HOW DISRESPECTFUL OF YOU when you made remarks such as I don't know who's sleeping with whom.
Conclusion: Even though you write tons and tons of biographies on ABBA, I don't think that you are a good biographer if you do not embrace and appreciate ABBA wholistically.
PEACE 👌
Why, during this interview, the other two seems more genuinely interested and appreciative of ABBA more that you are, or seems to be
Great categorizing! I was back in Vietnam in the late seventies so I would not know what song was number one and whatnot. So I love all of them, the music and the lyrics , even though later on when I understand English then some songs are not as deep as others…
😳
Agnetha and Frida voices are not in any way frail, their voices have retained everything we remembered from the first time around, the voice deepens slightly with growing older but correct technical use of the voice keeps it sounding well and youthful.
I’m totally surprised about Mr. Palm lukewarm attitude to ABBA. He used to be enthusiastic and rightfully so and now he sounds apologetic about the best pop group ever.
A luke warm attitude is very Swedish. It's not to common to be gushing with praise about anyone or anything. The Swedish word "lagom" - not too much, not too little - sums it up.
Another very enjoyable interview.
Most interesting! Thanks!!
ᗅᗺᗷᗅ The Band
Abba The factory (for example: Kalles kaviar)
Thoughtful interview, respectful! Thank you!
Arrival is the best album pop ever.
For me, ABBA The Album is their best album. There simply isn't a bad track on it. By the way, I think the blue sky album cover art is the best version of the sleeve.
Their music did all the talking instead of silly interviews I think the B-52's line up has been the
same for quite a while
Post Eurovision win interview with transcription
Bands surviving beyond 50. All original members of Black Sabbath are still alive ( remarkably !) and have been around prior to 10CC....can that be beaten?
Slade!
Carl say's 'no one can know everything anyway', he hasn't met my girlfriend.
I liked ABBA foursome. I loved when the guys sang like on Honey Honey. I liked their outfits, I loved their music. It was uplifting. The Beatles post 1966 commencing with the dreadful dragging druggy Sgt. Pepper's music I couldn't stand. I was first year college with ABBA. I bought all their albums because I liked their sound and loved many songs that never became popular on the Music Charts.
Uk did not take to ABBA straight away at all. They were considered, quite arrogantly by the UK mudoc critics, as Eurovision "one hit wonders".
The country that put ABBA on the map was Australia. Benny said in a TV interview that DJs in UK refused to play their singles.
Maybe i'm wrong but I also feel CMP's attitude hinted some kind of an 'apologetic breeze' instead of being defensive and enthusiastic.Why?He should be proud and 'shout it out'.Abba don't have to prove anything less now in the state they are.NO critical voice can touch them in their field anymore.Times have changed and Abba are acceptable survivors by a mass of music listeners.
This is quiet a weird interview. An Author who has made a career out of writting about ABBA and who sounds like he's giving an opinion as someone who grew up in London rather than Sweden. Its almost as if he expects the hosts to diss ABBA and their creativity and feels he needs to make the usual typical English press stereotypical comments about the band that most fans have heard a billion times since the 70's. I really don't get his comments at times, its almost embarrasing to the ABBA fans who have embraced his work.