Abba

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 28-06-2017 03:17PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQqRNo7hMMw

SEPT 23 1989 · 28-06-2017 03:23PM

no early 80's brown and orange home was complete without a copy of the Greatest Hits Vol. 2 LP sitting beside the stereo system

SecretsOfEarth · 28-06-2017 03:25PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

no early 80's brown and orange home was complete without a copy of the Greatest Hits Vol. 2 LP sitting beside the stereo system

Their confusing tans seem to match the decor

gvh2.GIF

28-06-2017 03:29PM

SecretsOfEarth wrote: »

The fact that they turned down $1bn in 2000 to reunite for a series of shows epitomises their determination to be remembered as they were.

I like that, while not directly reuniting, they have found other ways for their music to live on, and I like that they let the music speak for itself rather than feed any personal ego drive. For example, since their split, they've released compilations (with ABBA Gold selling 30m copies and becoming one of the best selling albums of all time), been involved in Mamma Mia the musical and the movie, designed an interactive travelling exhibition which eventually morphed into their own museum in Stockholm, and are now working on an innovative virtual reality experience with Simon Fuller (masterminded the success of the Spice Girls) to capture their essence in 2018, along with a Mamma Mia: The Movie sequel. Incredible longevity from just one decade of active recording!

Are we possibly in danger of overanalysing them. They were a very decent pop act, that made light poppy music, that many people liked, and probably were more proficient at it than most. I wouldn't ascribe some great nobility for turning down live shows, after all they cashed in with Mamma Mia, which didn't exactly preserve their integrity or wow the film critics, and I note you say that they're doing it again. The Police went the other way, the lucrative tour but at least no awful films...swings and roundabouts.

SecretsOfEarth · 28-06-2017 03:41PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Are we possibly in danger of overanalysing them. They were a very decent pop act, that made light poppy music, that many people liked, and probably were more proficient at it than most. I wouldn't ascribe some great nobility for turning down live shows, after all they cashed in with Mamma Mia, which didn't exactly preserve their integrity or wow the film critics, and I note you say that they're doing it again. The Police went the other way, the lucrative tour but at least no awful films...swings and roundabouts.

I've never made them out to be something they're not, most of the time ABBA are underrated. The problem is that many people seem them as just 'fluff' when there is more to their discography, with most of their subject matter being more heavy than the upbeat melodies belie. Towards the latter end of their career, their music took on another level of commentary, both personally and on a societal front.

I disagree, while Mamma Mia may not be well-reviewed, it has allowed the music to live on without ABBA cheapening themselves to a clapped out reunion tour and being slated. Through all of these things, the common denominator is the music, the songs which are slowly gaining their rightful place in music history.

jmayo · 28-06-2017 04:02PM

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I was watching a programme on ABBA a while ago. It highlights the progression of their songs. It started off with The courting phase, to the honeymoon period, the troubled times, the divorce, the getting on with you life phase.

This was generally reflected with the relationships within the band but it is phenomenal that a band can map a whole relationship, in chronological order, throughout their music career.

This is why they couldn't go on (plus the personal issues). If they continued on and made new music it wouldn't have made sense artistically.

It is amazing to think that they could do a small tour, 10 gigs, 80,000 people each, charge between €500-5k a ticket but would still turn it down. They'd pack about 100m each from it but won't do it for artistic reasons. They could even put it on PPV Television and double it. Remarkable. True artists.

As opposed to all the other acts that are on tour to cash in.
Anyone notice how much tickets for Steeley Dan, Doobie Brothers are going for ?

Or even worse the likes of The Stones which have become their own tribute band and haven't released anything of note for decades.

bnt · 28-06-2017 04:14PM

If you're not involved in music production, you might not appreciate that ABBA were genuinely innovative in this area, both in their use of recording technology and the quality of the results they achieved. Their recordings still sound excellent today, better than (in my opinion) most of what passes for "pop" these days.

It helped that they could afford to spend money on this, and they certainly did. They recorded their last three albums at Polar Studios in Stockholm, which was designed by ABBA and their producers to be totally state-of-the-art. One of the studios in the complex was possibly the first working digital recording studio in the world. Benny in particular spent huge wads of money on pianos and synthesisers such as the legendary Yamaha GX-1 ($60,000 in 1977, over $300,000 in today's dollars).

28-06-2017 04:20PM

jmayo wrote: »

As opposed to all the other acts that are on tour to cash in.
Anyone notice how much tickets for Steeley Dan, Doobie Brothers are going for ?

But not sure the music of Steely Dan could really be conveyed by some frothy light rom com musical targetted at 20-40 year old women!

I'd still take the tour. But the film route has commercial advantages, it can get them into towns all over the world and spark a new interest in buying the music itself, which for an act like Abba that was never really know for the stadium thumping gigs might be more attractive. It's easier to sell a pop act to a younger audience based on dewy eyed recollections of blonde hair and great teeth than see them painfully hobble on stage.

Plus, the obvious issue, maybe acts like Steely Dan are more confident in their live ability than Abba?

artanevilla · 28-06-2017 04:22PM

Abba backwards is addA.

ohnonotgmail · 28-06-2017 04:26PM

Deleted User wrote: »

But not sure the music of Steely Dan could really be conveyed by some frothy light rom com musical targetted at 20-40 year old women!

I'd still take the tour. But the film route has commercial advantages, it can get them into towns all over the world and spark a new interest in buying the music itself, which for an act like Abba that was never really know for the stadium thumping gigs might be more attractive. It's easier to sell a pop act to a younger audience based on dewy eyed recollections of blonde hair and great teeth than see them painfully hobble on stage.

Plus, the obvious issue, maybe acts like Steely Dan are more confident in their live ability than Abba?

Playing live was never an issue for them. they were all very accomplished live performers long before they formed the band.

SecretsOfEarth · 28-06-2017 04:28PM

Deleted User wrote: »

But not sure the music of Steely Dan could really be conveyed by some frothy light rom com musical targetted at 20-40 year old women!

I'd still take the tour. But the film route has commercial advantages, it can get them into towns all over the world and spark a new interest in buying the music itself, which for an act like Abba that was never really know for the stadium thumping gigs might be more attractive. It's easier to sell a pop act to a younger audience based on dewy eyed recollections of blonde hair and great teeth than see them painfully hobble on stage.

Plus, the obvious issue, maybe acts like Steely Dan are more confident in their live ability than Abba?

I really don't think that ABBA have any reason not to be confident, they sold out countless shows in the US, a market where they weren't successful to the same degree as everywhere else.

Their concerts gained rave reviews far and wide from critics and members of the general public alike, and selling out Wembley Arena for 6 consecutive nights is not to be dismissed.

It's more a case of not needing to or wanting to, rather than not being able to.

Richard Hillman · 28-06-2017 04:30PM

ABBA were also very revolutionary in their own country. Sweden was practically a quasi-communist/socialist industrialist country when they first came along. Their music and general individuality was frowned upon in Sweden, where people
were trying to resist Western Culture. They were rather unpopular in the early days but their progression also mapped a cultural change within Sweden.

KungPao · 28-06-2017 05:06PM

DEFTLEFTHAND · 28-06-2017 05:22PM

I recall one of the men being interviewed on the Late Late Show years back. He was asked about the time ABBA played Dublin (79 I think?), and he answered something along the lines of to be honest I don't remember.

I loved that brutal honesty, he wasn't going to pretend to remember just to placate Kenny and the Irish audience. Dublin was just another stop on a long World tour and it made no impression on him.

MRnotlob606 · 28-06-2017 06:27PM

Song was inspired by El Condor Pasa - a song sung by Simon and Garfunkel.

keano_afc · 29-06-2017 04:30PM

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

Song was inspired by El Condor Pasa - a song sung by Simon and Garfunkel.

Absolutely brilliant song, one of my favourites.

LordSutch · 14-07-2017 11:53PM

Thought Agnetha was the most beautiful woman in the world when I was about fifteen. Catchy tunes & crazy outfits. I loved them, although I could never admit that I like them in school as they were never 'cool'.

Lorelli! · 14-07-2017 11:57PM

LordSutch wrote: »

Thought Agnetha was the most beautiful woman in the world when I was about fifteen

Isn't she a recluse now? I think there was something where she got into a relationship with her stalker as well!

I think ABBA are alright. Some good songs!

JupiterKid · 15-07-2017 12:01AM

I was practically brought up on ABBA and although my preference is for hard rock, blues and electronic I think they made amazing, perfect classic pop.

TheDriver · 15-07-2017 01:03AM

Absolutely love them, you cant but feel energetic when the music comes on. Even Fernando leads to a great sing along. Who cares OP what you're into, we must sing thank you for the music...
"finally facing my waterloo"

silvervixen84 · 15-07-2017 01:10AM

I'm a massive ABBA fan and learned to sing from listening to ABBA Gold from the age of 5. I don't care if they're cool or not, they've influenced me massively.

AllForIt · 15-07-2017 01:29AM

The mark of a great band/group is 1 - they were unique, 2 - they were hugely successful and 3 - they are remembered long after they retired. Decades later in fact in this case.

And another thing, just because they weren't huge in the US doesn't mean anything. As if being successful in the US is the litmus test for success. The US isn't the only place in the world.

interlocked · 15-07-2017 01:37AM

The winner takes it all is probably one of the greatest break up songs ever written.
Sheer genius.
And to think they broke up and still sung it

And they wrote and sung it in a foreign language.. Now that's talent.

KungPao · 15-07-2017 02:49AM

Sure the best punk song ever (pretty vacant) was inspired by abba. Glen Matlock said as much.

Heckler · 15-07-2017 05:00AM

I'm pretty much old school to a point (bunnymen, sonic youth, dead kennedys, nick cave and all that) but have a huge soft spot for ABBA.

When I was a kid they were never off the turntable.

Fernando, the winner takes it all, Super Trouper.

Fantastically crafted pop songs. Those two guys are genius, And getting two good looking women to sing. Sure winner.

I'm Team Agnetha btw.

15-07-2017 06:03AM

KungPao wrote: »

Sure the best punk song ever (pretty vacant) was inspired by abba. Glen Matlock said as much.

But you gotta take a lot of what the Sex Pistols say as winding up the media and winding up each other, particularly Matlock v Cook/Rotten.

Conservative · 15-07-2017 08:59AM

Great thread. They are up there with the best and most consistent songwriters of all time. There are a lot of my favourite bands I would love to see reform but I am glad Abba never did.

What is it about Sweden and pop music? Outside of the UK and the US I dont think any other country has had anything close to their influence on popular music and the charts. Listening to whats in the tkp 10 nowadays some may argue that's not a good thing but it's certainly not a fluke.

Samaris · 15-07-2017 10:33AM

They were amazingly consistent in terms of turning out really good songs. Also, the intro to Gimme Gimme Gimme is amazing and instantly recognizable (so sod off, Madonna). Also talented singers and musicians and it showed, very few of their hits you wouldn't instantly know by the tune compared to a lot of dross-pop which sounds...pretty much alike.

Always been an ABBA fan, both when it was cool (well, allowable) and when it wasn't (it wasn't particularly cool in my age group in the 90s either!). Not watched all of Mamma Mia!, but I liked the older woman that sang "Does Your Mother Know". And like MM! or not, the band created enough story in their songs to at least try hanging a coherent movie on!

Sweden seems to do death metal and frothy pop very well. Weird combination.

TerrorFirmer · 15-07-2017 12:24PM

Absolutely massive soft spot for Abba - grew up listening to Abba Gold every weekend from the age of 6 or so.

SecretsOfEarth · 15-07-2017 12:55PM

Lorelli! wrote: »

Isn't she a recluse now? I think there was something where she got into a relationship with her stalker as well!

I think ABBA are alright. Some good songs!

After ABBA and her English language solo career in the 1980s, she did shy away from public life but wasn't a recluse or anything. There was a messy situation with a stalker that has had about five different stories so at this stage I don't know what happened :pac:
She released a new English language album in 2013 that did well and did extensive promotion for it including in the UK, despite her long-time fear of flying.

Abba

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