Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Collection Update - Abba Gold MP3 Player
The pictures below show one if the latest items added to my ABBA collection - an ABBA Gold MP3 music player. The package includes a memory card containing the album together with a set of headphones and a USB adapter.
Posted with BlogsySunday, 27 October 2013
Collection Update - "The Visitors" Single
I recently bought a 7" single which had "The Visitors" on the A and B side. The single was released on The Epic record label in Italy.
ABBA Magazine Number 36
Issue 36 of the Abba Magazine was published in June 1981 and opens by mentioning the Dick Cavett TV special which was scheduled to be shown in the Autumn of that year. The magazine then goes on to discuss the Hockey World Championships which were being held in Gothenburgh for which Bjorn and Benny wrote some music.
The first main article in the magazine details a visit to London by Gorel and Anders Hanser. At the time Gorel was the vice-president of Polar and was in the UK to oversea the arrangements for the filming of the Dick Cavett TV special.
Gorel's husband Anders was the photographer who took many pictures of ABBA including a number of those which were included in the magazine indeed it was his photos which were used for the "On And On And On" video.
There is also an article on a singer from Norway called Finn who's album "Wake Up To Love" was produced by Benny. The piece also says that Finn represented Norway in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with a song called "Here In My Heart".
Tuesday, 22 October 2013
Collection Update - "Um Novo Espaco Para A Musica"
The latest album I have added to my collection is a compilation album from Brazil entitled "Um Novo Espaco Para A Musica" which was released in 1978. A slight departure from normal ABBA compilations as it includes a number of tracks not released as singles such as "Arrival" and "Watch Out".
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Collection Update - 7" Portuguese Single
The latest item added to my collection is a 7" single from Portugal which has "Hasta Mañana" on the A side with "Honey Honey" on the B side. The single was released on the Ploydor record label in 1974.
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Review Of "Ring Ring" (Deluxe) #1
I have been reading a number of on-line reviews of the latest ABBA reissue - here is the first...
Click this link to view the article
Click this link to view the article
Monday, 14 October 2013
"Ring Ring" Deluxe Edition
I have just received my copy of the Deluxe Edition of "Ring Ring" - please see below some pictures of the outer and inner packaging.
Friday, 11 October 2013
Collection Update - 7" Australian "Money Money Money"
One of the latest additions to my collection is a 7" import from Australia which has "Money Money Money" on the A side and "Crazy World" on the B side. Released on the RCA record label in 1976 the single reached the number 1 spot in the Australian singles chart.
Thursday, 10 October 2013
ABBA Date - 11th October 1976
On the 11th October 1976 ABBA released their latest album "Arrival" in Sweden. In the UK the album hit the number 1 spot in the Album chart - it was also the biggest selling album of 1976 and the 11th biggest selling album of the 70s.
Monday, 7 October 2013
ABBA Date - 8th October 1982
On the 8th 1982 October ABBA released their latest 7" single "The Day Before You Came" which reached number 32 in the UK - their lowest chart position since "I Do I Do I Do I Do" which reached number 38 in 1975.
The single did better in other countries reaching number 2 in Finland, number 3 in Sweden and Belgum and number 4 in Switzerland.
This is probably my second favourite ABBA track (after "The Winner Takes It All") and it's a little sad that it didn't do quite so well in the UK charts however at that time I don't believe anything ABBA released would have done well as the general record buying public had moved on. Although of course they would eventually come back....
Two years after ABBA released the single the UK the British synth group Blancmange released a version which did slightly better in the UK chart reaching number 22. I remember buying the 12" version of this and loved the middle section which at the time was probably the first remix of an ABBA song I had ever heard.
The single did better in other countries reaching number 2 in Finland, number 3 in Sweden and Belgum and number 4 in Switzerland.
This is probably my second favourite ABBA track (after "The Winner Takes It All") and it's a little sad that it didn't do quite so well in the UK charts however at that time I don't believe anything ABBA released would have done well as the general record buying public had moved on. Although of course they would eventually come back....
The single also had one of my favourite videos where I think Agnetha showed her acting talents. In some countries the single was also released as a 12" although the actual running time was exactly the same as the 7" single.
Saturday, 5 October 2013
ABBA Date - 6th October 1978
On the 6th October 1978 Benny and Frida were married on the island of Lidingo. The ceremony was attended by Bjorn and Agnetha as well as Frida's father. The image shows a newspaper article from the time.
Friday, 4 October 2013
ABBA Magazine Number 34
Issue number #34 of the Abba Magazine was published in April 1981- the magazine has a picture of Bjorn on the cover from the "Super Trouper" video.
The magazine mentioned the TV programme "Words And Music" and that in America the single "On And On And On" reached number 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. There is also a small piece that confirms the sad news of Frida and Benny announcing their divorce in February.
The majority of the magazine is taken up with an interview with Bjorn who had just returned from a trip to New York with Benny where they had seen a number of musicals (including Evita) on Broadway. Bjorn also mentioned that he and Benny were soon to begin writing for ABBA's next album.
As usual the magazine also includes a number of recent pictures of the group from TV performances and video shoots.
The magazine mentioned the TV programme "Words And Music" and that in America the single "On And On And On" reached number 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. There is also a small piece that confirms the sad news of Frida and Benny announcing their divorce in February.
The majority of the magazine is taken up with an interview with Bjorn who had just returned from a trip to New York with Benny where they had seen a number of musicals (including Evita) on Broadway. Bjorn also mentioned that he and Benny were soon to begin writing for ABBA's next album.
The second major article details how a German fan reading Bravo connected the dots which lead to Frida being re-united with her father.
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
ABBA Date - 3rd October 1980
On the evening of 3rd October 1980 ABBA were at the Europa Film Studios in Stockholm where Lasse Hallstrom filmed the circus crowd scenes which were used for the "Super Trouper" video and album artwork.
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
Collection Update - Mexican "Gracias Por La Musica" 7" Single
I recently added a 7" single from Mexico to my collection which has the Spanish version of "Thank You For The Music" on the A side with "Dame! Dame! Dame!" on the B side. The single, released by RCA in 1980, has the same cover as the album of Spanish versions released by ABBA with the lyrics to both songs printed on the back of the cover.
