Ask Ian.....11 January 2003

Q		A
I have an genuine ‘Dancing Queen’ single where ABBA is spelt ABBA instead of the first B being reversed it is normal, I understand these were a misprint and only seven or so got out into the public. It has a name written very small and light on 2 of the ABBA letters but a good restorer will probably get this off, what would this be worth if I was to sell. Regards Mike, Australia AND One of our members on Record Collectors page seems to own ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ with logotype without the reversed "B" Is this just a printing error at some disc plant or did the logotype come into being about this time? Any info greatly appreciated. Keith		It's not as rare or as valuable as one might think - despite an Australian TV special in 1994 that declared that there were only 3 copies in existence and that it was worth $400. It's not a printing error. Apparently, after printing the initial run of covers (featuring the ABBA logo with the reversed B), a dispute arose with an advertising firm who had a similar logo of Bs facing each other. It seems that RCA had more covers printed, ironically reversing the backward B to make it the face the usual way, just in case the dispute wasn't resolved by the planned release date in mid-August. The amended B was fairly roughtly pasted on - it's not quite straight and lined up with the other 3 letters. The dispute was obviously settled quickly, as on release day the cover with the correct ABBA logo was available everywhere. However, it's likely that thousands of the "forward B" copies made in into the shops - I remember a whole rack of them in my favourite record shop in Canberra at the time, and one of the Sydney newspapers used one to illustrate a competition giving away 1,000 copies of the single. In recent years I've frequently found copies at the Parramatta Record Fair in Sydney for no more than A$6 - at least until that TV special artificially inflated the price. It's definitely not worth the hundreds of dollars that have been asked in recent years at record fairs and online auctions - I wouldn't pay more than A$30 now, and I think that's about the maximum that most would pay. The main problem that people trying to sell it encounter is that most people don't really understand what it is. For anyone who's never seen this famously unusual sleeve, here it is on the left. Compare it to the more commonly available version on the right.

My brother-in-law has asked me to ask about a vinyl LP that was printed with the wrong name, and then recalled, this was not the right way to print their name (ABBA) was as you would know wrong, but he has one of the wrong printed covers and it is printed wrong on the record. Is it a collectors item? Sylvia, Australia		Without knowing what specific record you’re talking about, I couldn’t say for sure, but until the official ABBA logo (with the reversed B) was introduced in July 1976, all ABBA records had ABBA written normally, with both Bs facing the right way. No ABBA records were ever recalled for having the "wrong" name printed. ABBA’s pre-logo albums are regularly available in second hand shops and record fairs for less than A$10 – I'm sorry, but I don’t think you’re brother-in-law’s record would be a collectors item. The only real rarity like this is the 'Dancing Queen' single discussed in the previous question.

I once wrote a musical based on songs from Gemini ‘Gemini’ and Josefin Nilsson ‘Shapes’, then asked Görel Hanser for permission she said no because of ‘Mamma Mia!’. I see this current dispute with German tour of ‘Mamma Mia!’- are laws different in Germany, that you don't need permission, in England if I sang one line of an ABBA song in a musical theatre show (concerts are different) without permission I could be sued! Yours Mike Hume		I’m sure that the producers of the German ‘Mamma Mia!’ rip-off show ‘Mamma Mia – Come Together’ would still have to pay royalties to the local music publishers to perform ABBA’s songs (and those of The Beatles too). The dispute about that show is that it’s copying the storyline of ‘Mamma Mia!’. I'm sorry to hear that your effort was rejected, but I'm not surprised - the ABBA organisation is very resistant to approve anything, especially if it conflicts with their own projects.

Do you know of any US or North American ABBA cover bands? If so, can you tell me about them? Kirk Coleman		I know of one in Canada called ABBAmania. Swedish tribute band Waterloo have been touring the North America during 2002 as "ABBA – The Music 2002", and I’ve heard that they will be touring again in 2003. Björn Again have also toured the US and Canada in recent years, and probably will again. I don’t know of any others, I’m sorry.

The Fugees used a sample (I think) of ABBA's ‘The Name of the Game’. What is the title of the track that has this sample and on what LPs (if any) is it available? Hope you can help! Cheers, Michael		That Fugees song is called ‘Rumble In The Jungle’, and features the backing riff from ‘The Name Of The Game’ – the only time that Björn and Benny have allowed sampling of one of ABBA’s records. ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ was recorded for the film ‘When We Were Kings’. You should be able to find the film soundtrack CD in any good music store or any online store.

Any idea where I can find the correct backing lyrics to ABBA’s songs thanks Terry		They used to be on the popular website Lovelight, but recently that site was asked by Universal Music Publishers to remove all copyrighted song lyrics. I don’t know of any other sites they might be on – you could try looking through the sites with lyrics listed on ABBA World (go to links > sites by category > lyrics).

`Is it possible to get some autograph of any ABBA member these days? I've written to Görel Hanser Service and Agnetha Fältskog Produktion! Thanks. Tallis José N. Ribeiro, Brazil`		Writing to those addresses is probably the best you could do. I have no private contact details for ABBA members. I hope you get a response.

Do you know who covered ‘My Love, My Life’? I don't mean the versions who are on several compilation albums. I remember that it must be a man and his first name must be Jonathan or like that. I thought of Jonathan Richman but couldn't find any information about it. But I definitely know that I read that in an ABBA Book or a CD Booklet. Thank you very much!!!! Dirk, Germany		John Tobler wrote in his books ‘ABBA For The Record’ and ‘ABBA Gold – The Complete Story’ that British personality Jonathon King recorded a version "in the style of Brian Ferry". I’ve never heard this version myself, and I don’t know where you might find a copy.

Is it known where Agnetha is recording her new album? In the Polar Studios or has Michael Tretow his own studio? Thanks Bruni		I believe that Michael Tretow does have a small recording studio. I’ve not heard where Agnetha is allegedly recording – there are many top quality studios in Sweden today.

Is Agnetha in the studio recording her new album now or postponed to another day??? Is the producer American or Swedish? Is the album going to be in English or Sweden language? ABBA Fan Tony Fung, USA		It’s hard to say for sure – the stories that she is allegedly recording have been circulating now for almost 3 years, still without any concrete evidence. Some reports have said that it's being produced by former ABBA recording engineer Michael B. Tretow. It's my guess that like Frida’s last album it will be in Swedish and released only in Scandinavia. Agnetha has said many times since ABBA that she would rather be "a little star". We’ll just have to wait and see when/if it's ever released.

I need a price and info on how to order ‘The Definitive Collection’ for my disabled cousin. ABBA means the world to her. We live in Australia. Her parents have tried to get ABBA on VHS but can only seem to find it on DVD. They can't afford a DVD player and only have a video recorder. Please help me, as this child deserves something to make her world rock. She is confined to a wheel chair and will never be able to experience life the way it should be experienced. ABBA is one thing that helps her get up in the morning. Please help me. Thanking you in advance, Michelle Higgins		You should be able to find the VHS version or order it from any good music shop. However, if you have no luck there you can order it online from HMV, Sanity, Red Eye Records, or Leading Edge – all have the VHS listed as currently available within Australia.

Where can I download the full cover (front & back) of the new ‘Chess på svenska’ CD? You have the cover; what about the back? Thanks a lot. Marc		I don’t know of anywhere where you can download the cover. The CD set is freely available from Skivhugget or the ABBF Record Service. Here at ABBAMAIL we encourage fans to support ABBA and the individual members by purchasing commercially available product, rather than downloading it from the net, which is illegal and deprives artists of royalties.

I'm wondering if you can tell me where the video for ‘The Name of the Game’ was filmed (I refer of course to the very Ikea-groovy Nordic room/house in the game-playing sequences)... was it someone's house or a set? And an auxiliary question, do you know what game it is they're playing? Thanking you, Lisa, Australia		Those scenes were filmed inside Björn and Agnetha’s house in Lidingo, Stockholm, and the outdoor scenes were filmed in their garden. The game ABBA are playing is Fia, a Swedish board game similar to Ludo.

Q1) Is there any where on the net that you can download all releases /catalogues, company of releases info etc on official releases, catalogue numbers and time of release? Q2) What places on the net would you recommend to find rare releases and would you recommend Esprit for such releases (I know they are expensive). Lilly Madden-Scott Melbourne, Australia		ABBA – The Site lists all the official Polar (Scandinavian) album and single releases plus recent important compilations. ABBA – The Releases lists hundreds of ABBA and solo singles, albums and compilations from many countries – though not 100% complete, it is comprehensive. Esprit does have a hell of a lot of rare and hard-to-find ABBA stuff listed, though I’ve personally never tried buying from them (nor have I heard from anyone who has), so I couldn’t say for sure whether they are reliable or not. Of course, lots of interesting ABBA stuff appears regularly on eBay, though you usually have to search through a lot of commonly available dreck to get to the rare and interesting items. Diana Potter from the UK has bought from Esprit and writes: I notice someone was asking about Esprit. Yes, they are quite expensive, but I have bought a lot of stuff from them over the years. They are very reliable and quick and everything I have bought from them has been in mint condition. The only thing is, if you want something they have in stock don't hesitate because it soon gets snapped up. I have been disappointed a few times by dithering over things. Thanks for the additional information, Diana

Where can I obtain a copy of the video ‘Chess Moves’? Kevin Coughlan		You might get lucky and find a second hand copy somewhere – in second hand shops, record fairs or eBay. That video was deleted quite a few years ago (unfortunately, I never got a copy either – and just before it disappeared, I saw it on sale for half price!)

I’ve always wondered why ABBA went there separate ways, Benny and Björn seem to still have a friendship but what happened with Frida and Agnetha and their partners, do you know why it all suddenly stopped when they had plans for at least another 4 albums??? Thanks - Luke from Australia.		There are many and varied reasons why ABBA went their separate ways when they did. By 1982, all four probably felt that had achieved all that they could achieve as a group – number 1 hits around the world, many successful albums and singles, and of course created many memorable and popular songs. Both couples had divorced, taking away another reason that they started working together in the first place. After so many years of the same thing, they get the urge to move on and try other things. The boys wanted to branch out and try writing a musical, so the girls decided they would record solo albums. In an interview with a British women’s magazine in mid-1980, Björn commented that the group probably had "only 2 or 3 albums" left in them. This was of course before the release of ABBA’s 7th and next to last album, ‘Super Trouper’, and they never really planned beyond the album that they were working on at the time, so I don’t know where you might have heard that they had "plans for at least another 4 albums".

I found information about ‘ABBACADABRA’ the musical fairytale. Have you a video about it? Thank you Mtchantal		There was a television presentation of the original French version, which included Frida singing the song ‘Belle’ with Daniel Balavoine. I don't know where you might find a copy, I'm sorry.

I was just wondering what sort of feedback you've received from fans re the video ‘An Australian Love Affair’ when that advertisement says that it’s in a bad way and some segments don't have sound. If its that good I will buy it. Please let me know. Thanks, Fred.		The segments that don’t have sound are rather fascinating – it’s all raw, unedited footage, so you get to see behind-the-scenes stuff that’s usually not seen by the public. The picture quality is really quite good, considering the age of the material. Many fans have commented on how they thought that this was some of the most interesting ABBA footage they’ve ever seen. I think you’ll be quite happy with the tape.
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