The deep secret of Abba’s “music without nostalgia” and the time they met the Pistols
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Abba’s biographer Jan Gradvall met and interviewed Abba many times and builds a fresh picture of their internal chemistry in his new book Melancholy Undercover. Highlights of this illuminating pod include …
… how Sweden rejected their early hits for not being sufficiently “socialist”.
…. the discomfiting early life of Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
… what Max Martin and Denniz Pop thought made Abba’s music so durable.
… Strindberg, Bergman, the climate, the eight months of darkness and the role of melancholia in Swedish pop culture.
… the influence of the Human League on their later catalogue.
… why manager Stig Anderson “became a burden”.
… “Norway has Grieg, Finland has Sibelius, Sweden has Benny …”
… the first band to write about divorce.
… the Abba song with 57 chords and the only two samples Abba ever approved.
… Elvis Costello, Joe Strummer and Ian Dury backstage at a 1979 London show.
… when Sid Vicious ran into Abba at an airport on the Pistols’ 1977 Swedish tour.
… the role of the Lionesses football team, Kurt Cobain, Erasure, U2, Madonna and the Sydney gay community in the Abba revival.
… why the Abbatars are better than Abba.
… the myth of Agnetha as “the Greta Garbo of Pop”.
… and why The Day Before You Came is more than the Abba swansong.
Order Melancholy Undercover here:
www.amazon.co....
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What a hugely interesting interview.
Just for the record.Phil Oakey from The Humn League and both Jo and Suzzane were Abba fans.The girls kinda closet ones but Phil openly even back in his '81/''82 interviews.The synth riff of their mega hit "Don't you want me" was 'inspired" either consciously or subconsciously by Abba's prog 1977 anthem 'Eagle".Also whenever they released HL singles they had an indication either RED or BLUE in their covers.When asked they replied "Red is for posers/Blue is for Abba fans!.When they played in Stockholm(early '82) Frida attented their gig and made photos with Phil and the girls chatting and having fun backstage.
Oliver’s Army contains a musical quote from Dancing Queen and I remember Costello saying Knowing You, Knowing Me was a great song. That’s way early..
That's another book added to the 'must read' list then!
This man knows his subject. Fascinating
Regarding the 'tourist English' level of Abba songs, Abba's 'tourist English' is indistinguishable from that of the vast majority of pop songs. The level of English in Abba songs never struck me as being unusually basic. It's a very rare pop genius who comes up with something as literate as 'furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued'. We don't really expect that in the pop world.
I’m from early 1972. My mother was an unhappy neurotic young girl when she got me.
The only healthy coping strategy she could find, apart from all others she adopted on her own and by help of her physician, was music: radio and records to be exact.
I learned from The Beach Boys, Motown, Miles, Aretha, The Beatles, Earth Wind and Fire, Bowie, ABBA and Queen...
All about harmony and melody in music, about life, and some English...
ABBA was deep...
Freddie brought me humor. For god sakes..., 😂
Thank you for sharing this.
My uncle was a big Mamas and Papas fan.Someday i visited him and one morning put on his turntable my 'Voulez Vous' album copy."If it wasn't for the nights" was playing followed by "Chiquitita".He rushed out of his sleeping room in enthusiasm asking me,'Wow!Who's singing on this superb music?"!I exposed him to ABBA and became a big-big fan and he expopsed me to TMATP that i loved and bought all of their discography.I learned vocal harmonies and arrangements listening/studying to the marvelous blending of Agnetha and Frida/Cass-Michy-John and Denny's legacy.
@admarhermans thank u 2 for sharing your story.
Fan va kul, Gradvall!
As early as 1984, Blancmange had a hit with a cover of 'The Day Before You Came' (in fact I heard this version way before hearing Abba's original).
Blancmange were even given permission to use excerpts from the original video in their own promo - a further indication perhaps of Abba's regard for UK synth-pop, as alluded to in this interview!
I think Bjorn's lyrics on the last few abba albums were so good. Benny was a modern day Mozart
Mike Parry's English is improving
ABBA Voyage in Vegas would be amazing, sign me up
I just wonder if Fleetwood Mac and Eagles thinking we are taking about dark subjects, then hear ABBA and think they just got even more darker in their lyrics.
Although made in Australia, ABBA The Movie must have a very mixed reaction now there because of the actor who played the DJ. Same reason why many episodes of Top of the Pops cannot be shown now on TV.
It's only the scenes with 'Ashley" that may annoy people but Abba couldn't be blamed and ain't responsible for his future acts and crimes.They wouldn't know, anyway.
Btw Lindsey Buckinham from FM has talked with flattering words on Abba whan asked and discribed them as 'Brilliant".Video's on utube.