About My Blog

I created this blog to help share ABBA information with other fans and to show off my new collection items :)


Please note: Collection item photos are from my own personal collection. These are not stock photos. If you wish to use any of my photos elsewhere, please have the courtesy to ask first - Thank you :)

Friday 27 December 2013

New ABBA Collection Item - Australian Reg Grundy Skivvy 1976

Now this is a really unusual one.
An official Reg Grundy skivvy from Australia 1976 - with great graphics and full coverage image. I love this !





 

Thursday 26 December 2013

New ABBA Collection Item - Newsagent Street Poster 1977

Love these Newsagent Street Posters !
Used out the front of the newsageny to promote the newspaper or magazine.
This beauty is promoting TV Week and is from 2 February 1977.





New ABBA Collection Item - Australian Reg Grundy T-Shirt 1976

This would have to be my favourite of all my t-shirts. I have always loved this image of ABBA and I think that comes from the first trading cards I collected as a child. It was always a clear image in my memory.
This t-shirt is truly stunning - very few of them had a full coverage image like this - really beautiful.
And what makes this t-shirt even more special is that it not only still has it's size tag, but also the price tag !! $3.99 .... Very rare indeed.
Official Australian Reg Grundy merchandise from 1976.

 




 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Thursday 19 December 2013

Agnetha Faltskog New Radio Interview

Agnetha Fältskog about growing up, career, love and the comeback.

Agnetha says in a frank meeting with Ulf Elfving about childhood and the early dreams of becoming a singer, about the time with ABBA, the relationships and how the band broke up.
- I probably got the blame for it at one time, says Agnetha Fältskog.

She also tells of the quieter time afterwards, the comeback and the life she lives today.

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2938&artikel=5737960




 

Be In The ABBA The Museum Choir In April 2014 !

In April it is 40 years since ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with ” Waterloo” .
But does a reunion sound possible – now starts an Abba- choir instead.
- It’s a complete impossibility that we will be reunited so then they thought that ” oh, let’s do a choir instead ,” says Björn Ulvaeus .
A potential reunion of Abba is a constant talking point .
Now that the next year is 40 years since ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton with ” Waterloo” is speculated something will happen more than ever.
Especially after Agnetha Fältskog , 63, in an interview with a German newspaper has opened up an opportunity :
- Obviously, something we think about, ‘she said.
” A complete impossibility”
But now Björn Ulvaeus puts down his foot once and for all .
Instead, he is committed to an Abba- choir which will now be formed along with the Abba Museum and Aftonbladet.
- Because it’s a complete impossibility that we will be reunited so they thought ” oh, let’s do a choir instead .” And now it’s on time , he says to Aftonbladet .
” Egoistic reasons”
Choir’s & Singers from across the country can apply for a place in the choir , which will consist of 50 people. For Abba , it feels like a celebration .
- It feels great , to hear what you have written , sung by a great choir, it is wonderful for an author , so there’s a little selfish reasons there too, I want to hear it .
How does it feel to hear his work being sung by a choir ?
- There is a difference when you hear a choir sing anything other than a soloist , it raises some other emotions. And we’ll choose songs from the catalog to be fit for a choir , so you may perhaps hear the songs in a different way . It is always exciting , he says. And a possible Album?

One International fan will be chosen to be in the choir !

We are looking for one (1) international chorister for the 50-member ABBA The Museum – The Choir.
Casting begins December 14th and runs until February 7. At that time we will select five finalists. Between February 8th and February 20th, these five finalists will compete for first prize. The competition will take place on the museum's Facebook page and the winner - The Missing Member - will be announced on the 21st of February. The winner of the only international place in ABBA The Museum/The Choir will travel to and from Stockholm for the performance on April 4-6 and will stay all four nights at Melody Hotel, the four-star boutique hotel located in the same building as ABBA The Museum, www.melody.se/en/.

The choir's international member will be coached remotely by Choir Director Karin Bäckström. The singer will keep a video diary and monitor his or her progress in choral training. ABBA The Museum will cover airfare and hotel accommodation for the person who is The Missing Member (ie. our international choir member).

Record a 30-second video in which you sing the refrain to “Thank You For The Music”. You have to sing all by yourself, without accompaniment. Then upload the video via the form on this page. Submit your film by February 7th.

http://www.abbathemuseum.com/en/thechoir

Check out some of the entries so far:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/AbbaTheMuseum

Frida Lyngstad To Appear On TV ! 21 December 2013




FRIDA during the recording of her interview for the new documentary "Ratata Genom Åttiotalet".
 

ABBA Backstage Stories Book Update - By Ingmarie Halling

March 2014 will see the publication of ABBA - The Backstage Stories. The book was instigated by Ingmarie Halling, ABBA's Make-up and Wardrobe Supervisor during their tours in 1977, 1979 and 1980 (i.e. all their tours outside the Nordic countries, except the 1974 tour of Germany and Austria).
Centred around Ingmarie's memories from the tours, and featuring previously unseen pictures from those tours, the parallel thread in the book is the other aspects of ABBA's visual presentation: the album sleeves, the costumes, and the videos. These texts were written by me. It all adds up to a book about the people who helped ABBA present themselves to their audience, and the tales they have to tell about their work - in other words, the backstage stories.
The book has plenty of commentary input from Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Frida, each of whom has also contributed a foreword.
At the time of writing, publishing deals are in place for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and the English-speaking countries.
In the UK and in other English-speaking countries the book will be published by Carlton under the title ABBA - The Treasures, with a completely different cover, although the contents are the same. Carlton have also sublicensed the book to UK retailer Sevenoaks Sound & Vision, who will publish the book with their own cover and under yet another title: ABBA - The Backstage Story. However, Bonnier Fakta in Sweden will also publish a number of English-language copies of the book. These will feature the same design and title as the Swedish edition.
In Denmark the title of the book is ABBA bag scenen, which translates as ABBA Backstage.
In Germany the title of the book is ABBA Backstage.

http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/abba/books/abba-the-backstage-stories

Carl Magnus Palm's site link above has links for pre-ordering all versions.


Sweden

UK

UK

Germany








Friday 13 December 2013

ABBA - Frida & Agnetha Cat Mugs Now Available !

FINALLY! - READY TO BUY. Now these beautiful cat coffee mugs are available in our webshop and our shop at the museum.

Buy them now at http://www.abbathemuseum.com/en/shop-en

Cost is 155 SEK each - about $27.00 AUD

Nice to know; last week, one Yellow Cat mug was delivered to Frida and one Blue Cat mug was delivered to Agnetha. They were delighted!




 

Wednesday 11 December 2013

New ABBA Collection Item - Reg Grundy Australian Lunch Bag 1976

The latest Australian Reg Grundy Lunch Bag added to my collection - Green.
I only need the Blue bag and I have the complete set !
These are gorgeous small bags and there would have been plenty of Aussie kids with these at school in 1976 and 1977.

The new addition:




 





Monday 9 December 2013

ABBA The official Photo Book - Fan Club Article

The Official ABBA International Fan Club magazine article!

Below is an article from the December issue of the Official ABBA International Fan Club magazine.
--
For the first time ever, a major authorised photo book on the entire career of ABBA is to be published. All four members of ABBA have contributed picture commentaries and have produced a joint preface. In addition, many pictures are shown for the first time.
“We discovered so many unseen images when doing the research! It’s been a treasure-trove,” says Bengt Wanselius, picture editor of ABBA The Official Photo Book.
He sifted through almost a quarter of a million images to select the best. Many of them had never been seen before, not even by the ABBA members themselves.
“The time with ABBA was so intense that it’s hard to remember everything. These pictures have brought back a lot of memories; the book is a wonderful mixture of classic photographs as well as images I’m really seeing for the first time. This is the closest I will ever get to having a photo album!” says Björn after going through the layout of ABBA The Official Photo Book.
Writer Jan Gradvall, an award-winning Swedish music journalist, says that the pictures worked as keys to the past.
“At the outset, both Björn and Benny said they had forgotten so much but, when I showed them the pictures, they started to recall things,” he says.
Gradvall interviewed the members of ABBA and transcribed their delighted comments on the pictures.
“I thought I knew all about ABBA, but many of these stories were completely new to me, for example the story of when Björn lost the ring right after becoming engaged to Agnetha,” says Gradvall.
The story of ABBA traces the rise to global stardom of four dedicated musicians, faced overnight with almost unprecedented adulation. The book captures the joy and hysteria of one of pop history’s greatest episodes. The text is important, but the main impact is in the photographs — more than 600 pictures on 400 pages in the format of a massive LP.
“We originally planned it to be smaller but, when we found so many extraordinary pictures, it started to grow,” says Patric Leo, the book’s designer.
Leo has worked with Benny for several years, designing the covers of many of the records released by Benny’s Mono Music label. He says he wanted the book to be elegant in a classical way and explains:
“ABBA is one of the greatest bands ever, and the pictures are extraordinary. The setting for the images had to be perfect.”
Rare and previously unseen pictures were found in many places, for example Polar Music has a vault at a secret location somewhere in Stockholm where access was always extremely limited; Bengt Wanselius was the first outside picture editor to have even entered the vault. Other pictures were discovered in the archives of newspapers and magazines.
The early ones were not even filed under ABBA because, for the first year or two, the group did not even have a name. Creating the book has been a huge undertaking. Seven people worked for a year on research, text, editing and layout. The bookshop edition will be published in April 2014 to coincide with the anniversary of ABBA’s international breakthrough, winning the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton on April 6, 1974. Interest is enormous from all over the world.
Many different language editions are planned: English, Swedish, German, Spanish, Dutch and Norwegian for starters. Pre-ordering is already open for the Super Trouper Limited Collectors’ Edition, in a handsome bespoke presentation box, dispatched at the beginning of March. The individually numbered edition is limited to 5,000 copies world-wide and signed by the author. Included is a high quality numbered photographic print – a rare alternative shot from the cover shoot for Super Trouper, size 21 X 30 cm, perfect for framing as the ultimate ABBA memento.
“This is actually the best picture from that photo session, but it didn’t fit the square format of a LP. It was taken by Lasse Larsson, and I have heard that he was really fond of this particular shot,” says picture editor Bengt Wanselius.
The limited edition has a special extra section of 40 pages with images from live concerts from ABBA’s entire career with the main focus on the early years. Also included is a DVD documentary, ABBA IN PICTURES – The Photographers’ Stories, specially produced for the limited edition.
“We have interviewed all the important photographers, for example Anders Hanser, Ola Lager and Bubi Heilemann. Görel Hanser talks for Bengt Malmqvist who is no longer with us, and Lasse Hallström comments on the making of the videos,” says Tobias Annerhult, the director of the documentary.
As an extra sweetener, the Super Trouper Edition includes a section listing all the dedicated fans who are making this limited edition possible. This means that if you order before December 31, your name will be inscribed in the Super Trouper edition that only is available through www.pledgemusic.com while the regular version will be available from the Fan Club Shop, in English, German and Dutch.
“The fans are individuals, each with a very personal relationship to ABBA and their music. By offering those who pre-order the book the opportunity to have their names inscribed, we’re giving ABBA fans if not a face but at least a name,” says Creative Director Jeppe Wikström, the driving force behind the book.
The first four copies of the Super Trouper Edition, with the inscribed list of fans, are reserved for the group members. Agnetha, Frida, Björn and Benny will be ceremoniously presented with their copies immediately on publication. It is a rare event, with fans and stars equally delighted over the content of a book, promising international success.
Simon Hohn

http://www.abbafanclub.nl/fanclub/magazine.html?117



ABBA The Official Photo Book - Another Exclusive Photo

A quick preview of a picture from the collectors’ edition of the Official Photo Book. The image is one of the earliest of the group and was taken during the rehearsals for a nightclub show, long before ABBA became ABBA. The four was still working under their individual names: Frida, Agnetha, Benny och Björn.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/abba/updates/29452?utm_campaign=project7099&utm_medium=email&utm_source=pledgemusic





 

Friday 6 December 2013

New ABBA Item - Cat Mugs

These fabulous cat mugs will soon be available in ABBA The Museum Webshop. Designed by Owe Sandstrom.

They are going to be doing T-shirts with these images also !

Check out the webshop now:

http://www.abbathemuseum.com/en/shop-en




 

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Agnetha Faltskog - The Way Aussies Advertise Her Album

This photo was taken at a J B Hifi store in Melbourne - such an Australian way of advertising Agnetha's new album 'A' ! lol

Photo Courtesy of Kathy




 

Saturday 23 November 2013

ABBA Official Photo Book - Exclusive Images

Exclusive update for those who have pre-ordered the Limited Editions of the Official Photo Book:

The limited editions of ABBA The Official Photo Book will include extra images, not available in the regular bookshop edition. The early tours were in the Swedish folk parks during the start of their career – these two images are from Skellefteå in the north of Sweden and haven’t been seen since 1975.
Image copyright: Norran

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/abba/updates


Thursday 21 November 2013

ABBA The Official Photo Book Update - Bjorn

Bjorn has now had a look through the layout for The Official Photo Book - and what does he think ?

18:00 20 November, 2013

“The time with ABBA was so intense that it’s hard to remember everything. These pictures have brought back a lot of memories; the book is a wonderful mixture of classic photographs as well as images I’m really seeing for the first time. This is the closest I will ever get to having a photo album!” says Björn after going through the layout of ABBA The Official Photo Book.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/abba/updates

Tuesday 19 November 2013

ABBA Backstage Stories Book - Sneak Peek

Here is the new cover for the English language version of the book 'ABBA: Backstage Stories' by Ingmarie Halling with Carl Magnus Palm.

I don't like this new cover and the name 'ABBA The Treasures' is totally wrong for the content of the book. Goodness knows what the publishers are thinking with this change.

Be sure to scroll down for a sneak peek inside the book :)

Available in March 2014.




 














Monday 18 November 2013

Agnetha Faltskog 'I Should´ve Followed You Home' Official Lyric Video !



‘I Should’ve Followed You Home’, the beautiful duet between Agnetha and Gary Barlow is out now!
You can purchase your copy via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/ISHFYH
Or on the Universal Music Store: http://bit.ly/19Xusjv

The digital single has been released world wide except in UK, Germany, Austria. Everyone can buy a CD version from the Universal Music Store.

Dear US fans, Apologies that you are unable to view the Lyric video for “I Should’ve Followed You Home” we are waiting clearance from the US publishers. Unfortunately the US record company has no control over this they are trying to resolve it as quickly as possible so you can view the lyric video as well. Thanks for your patience.

http://www.agnetha.co.uk/

Friday 15 November 2013

Agnetha Receives Gold Records From Australia & UK !

On Tuesday night stood Agnetha for the first time in 25 years on stage and sang before a cheering audience gala in London. The day after the celebrated singer with gold records from both the UK and Australia.

The place was for Agnetha to the last secret comeback was the Hammersmith Apollo in London, where she worked with Take That member Gary Barlow performed the duet I Should've Followed You Home on the BBC's big charity event Children in Need .
The English crowd's jubilation knew no bounds when Agnetha - who since ABBA's breakthrough with Waterloo in the Eurovision Song Contest nearly 40 years ago, is something of an icon in Britain - invited gala on her first stage appearance at the age of 25.
- Agnetha's performance was a secret until she walked out on stage at eleven o'clock on Tuesday night , says Peter Nordahl , who along with his co-producer Jorgen Elofsson on the album A [ Triple- A / Universal Music ] flew to London with the singer as early as Saturday.
- It was fantastic to see Agnetha enter the stage before a packed Apollo, who had no idea she would be there. Quite naturally , she goes in and own the room. Invites you to dance with Gary Barlow both of which perform at the absolute top level. A somewhat unexpected and historic moment . Jörgen and I never cease to be amazed by this wonderful and talented woman. She was absolutely amazing!
Last night the whole party dinner together and celebrated the distribution of gold records from both the UK and Australia.
BBC Children In Need gala broadcast Thursday, November 14 on BBC One. Other artists who participated in the gala was , among other things The Wanted , Tom Jones, Barry Manilow , Robbie Williams, The Little Mix, Kings of Leon and Jeff Lynne . Although it was Agnetha Fätskog by far the most high-profile star at the gala.
I Should've Followed You Home is the second single taken from Agnetha Fältskog's album A which was released in May this year.
Claes Olson
The picture, from left : Hadidja Mahamoud ( Universal Int. ), Peter Nordahl , Ian Cord Grass ( Universal Int ) , Agnetha Fältskog , Andrew Kronfeld ( Universal Int ) and Jorgen Elofsson


http://www.musikindustrin.se/2013/11/14/artist-agnetha-tillbaka-pa-scenen-for-forsta-gangen-pa-25-ar/

Agnetha Faltskog & Gary Barlow - Official Performance Video ! I Should've Followed You Home



Beautiful to watch - how happy do they both look ?

We have been blessed this year by Agnetha :)

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Another Agnetha BBC Video Snippet !!

Check out the intro and beginning of 'I Should Have Followed You Home' Live from the Children In Need concert performance:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24923481




 





Agnetha BBC Video Snippet

Some may be able to view this BBC video which apparently shows a little of Agnetha performing !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24922899

Stars perform at Children in Need Rocks concert.

Some of the biggest stars in music have taken to the stage for the first of two Children In Need Rocks concerts.

Among the acts joining organiser Gary Barlow on stage was former Abba star Agnetha Faltskog, performing in front of a live audience for the first time in 25 years.





 

 

Agnetha Performs With Gary In London !!!

OMG !!!!

Check out these pics of Agnetha performing on stage with Gary Barlow in the UK.

The performance is for BBC's Children In Need charity concert. This concert will be broadcast on Thursday !

"Agnetha has performed on stage at London's Hammersmith Eventim Apollo tonight with Gary Barlow!

The event was one of two concerts being held for BBC's annual Children In Need fundraising appeal. Gary Barlow is the organiser of this year's "BBC Children in Need Rocks" concerts.

Agnetha arrived in London on Tuesday morning with Lolo Murray and Peter Nordahl.

There will be another concert tomorrow evening (Wednesday). Both concerts will be combined into one TV programme which will be broadcast on BBC One this Thursday, November 14 at 8pm."


There are also a couple of pics from Agnetha's arrival in the UK and a link for the story of her arrival is here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2503320/ABBA-singer-Agnetha-Faltskog-cuts-youthful-figure-arrives-UK.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490








Saturday 9 November 2013