Ask Ian

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9 March 2002

Actually, I always thought that the prominent instrumental riff in ‘Voulez-Vous’ sounded very much like the one in ‘Staying Alive’ – but perhaps that’s because it was some of the same musicians playing on both songs.

But the song that Benny’s talking about in this particular anecdote is actually ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’. On page 58 of ‘The Complete Recording Sessions’, he says "The only problem was that when it was released, someone wrote to us and pointed out that a small part of the song was identical with a part in another famous composition (an early 1970s US hit which shall remain unnamed). That was a total coincidence, though." I have no idea what that song might be however.

I’ve never heard any story of proposed 1981 concert (especially in Las Vegas). However, in April 1981 ABBA made the television special ‘Dick Cavett Meets ABBA’, which included ABBA performing several of their hits and a couple of new songs from the forthcoming album (‘The Visitors’) live in the TV studio.

Though it is well known that this special was filmed in a TV studio in Stockholm, many people still think that it was made in America, because Dick Cavett was an American talk show host, and many assume that the ABBA show was just one show in his regular series, which it wasn’t. Perhaps the article you remember was talking about this "concert" but got the facts a little twisted.

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On the English internet-site ‘Dotmusic’, I read about a special radio-programme on BBC dedicated to the ABBA. In this programme, for the first time, the listeners have hear ‘When The Waves Roll Out To Sea’, unpublished song of the 1982. My question is: this song will distributed on CD-single to the music-shops? Mauro, Italy

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Recently your news section reported that the composition ‘When The Waves Roll Out To Sea’ was played at the end of a BBC radio special. To the best of your knowledge are you able to clarify what format the track was in. For example: 1/ Was it an instrumental only? (and was it complete) 2/ Did any of the ABBA members sing on the track? 3/ Is it the version of ‘Just Like That’, that we would have been released had recording sessions continued? 4/ Or was it a demo from the ‘Chess’ era and we shouldn't get too hung up on it? Any way you get the drift of what I mean, a lot has been said about it being played but no one has outlined what it actually was and if you can help with the confusion I'd appreciate it. Thanks G. Yewers Melbourne

Though many sources date it in 1982, it’s my belief that it was probably done in early 1983. Despite what the BBC’s publicity department says, it was not a "lost ABBA recording from their unfinished final album" and is not being released as "a new ABBA single".

The tune of the verses of ‘Waves’ is identical to ABBA’s unreleased verse of ‘Just Like That’, but with a completely different chorus melody.

The recording of ‘Waves’ played on the BBC is on a few bootleg CDs, such as ‘Giving A Little Bit More’.

 Reportedly, this tune is finally going to see the light of day in the new Swedish production of ‘Chess’, sung by the character of Anatoly Molokov, which is why it was played on the BBC special. You can read more about the long and winding road of ‘Just Like That’ at http://members.home.net/abbamouse/id1.html.

Phew! I hope I covered everything asked here. ;-)

Now can we please let this story rest?

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I want to know where I can find ABBA stuff like posters, T-shirts, anything. It's so hard to find things here, any kind of places I go to or is it mostly just going to be online stuff. And do you have any idea what kind of things they might be selling at the ‘Mamma Mia!’ show I'm going to see it in May down here. Thanks Bree Bradenton Florida

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I am looking for an ABBA hat and T-shirt and I'm having no luck can you help me? I'm a real big fan. Thank you very much, Sharrell

When ’ABBA GOLD’ was released in 1992, there were a range of ABBA T-shirts available, but that was almost 10 years ago now. ABBAMAIL has an ‘ABBAMAIL’ T-Shirt for sale, as well as an original T-shirt transfer from 1976 and some other merchandise – check out the Merchandising page.

The ABBF Record Service and Pop Import also have limited ABBA merchandise like that available. Or you could try auction sites like eBay – they sometimes have original 70s and newer ABBA merchandise like T-shirts, badges and posters listed.

At theatres where ‘Mamma Mia!’ is playing, you’ll find a range of merchandise related to the show, with the only ABBA merchandise likely to the video ‘The Winner Takes It All – The ABBA Story’ and the book ‘From ABBA To Mamma Mia!’.

Tens of thousands of these covers were printed. On a 1994 ABBA television special, it was said that there were only 3 printed as a mistake (and they were worth over $400), but this is most definitely not true.

I remember when the single was released in August 1976, my local record shop (in Canberra) had a whole rack of them – but I stupidly didn’t buy any copies then! One of the Sydney newspapers (The Daily Mirror, I think) was also giving away copies of the single in a competition, and in every edition of the paper they reproduced the "forwards B" cover.

In recent years, I’ve managed to pick up no less than six copies at the Parramatta Record Fair in Sydney – and the most I paid was about $4.

The story that I've heard was that a local insurance company already had a logo featuring two Bs facing each other, so there was some dispute over ABBA’s use of the similar idea, though obviously it was quickly resolved – on the day of ‘Dancing Queen’s release, there were plenty of covers in the shops with the now familiar ABBA logo with the "backwards B". You can see the front cover of the "forwards B" version here.

There are two versions of the single cover with the proper ABBA logo - one has the ® and one doesn't. The one without the ® was printed last - as a result of the dispute about who owned the backward Bs copyright issue I mentioned above.

But why ask me? It’s all in the book! And if anyone reading this hasn't read this excellent book yet, for shame!

Possibly you might be able to get replacement inlay cards from your local Universal Music office, but I seriously doubt it. Unfortunately, I think you’ll either have to buy replacement CDs or do without those inlays.

Benny is touring intermittently with his new ‘Orkestra’ and has recently released a new album of mostly instrumental music.

Frida has retired from public life in Sweden (again), while Agnetha has been living out of the public eye since 1988, though rumours continue to circulate that she’s planning a new album for release this year.

It’s extremely unlikely that there will ever be an ABBA reunion, publicly anyway. In 1999 the four sang together at Görel Hanser’s 50^th birthday party, but that was a private occasion.

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This has been a favourite song of mine for years, before I even really knew anything about ABBA.

Does anyone know the story behind the song? Patti Brown

I don’t think the name is based on anyone in particular, rather just a catchy, memorable name with the right number of syllables.

The only official word is that Agnetha’s album project has been delayed "because of illness of one of the team". Michael was seen at the recent Stockholm premiere of ‘Chess’ and was reported to be looking "fine".

During ABBA’s peak years, John was in his reclusive "househusband" phase, so any comments (if indeed there were any) would likely have been in one if his many dozens of interviews conducted in the last few months of 1980.

Incidentally, Paul met Frida during the recording of her ‘something’s Going On’ album in 1982, when she was in London for string overdubbing recording sessions. There is a bit of footage of them meeting in the TV special ‘Something Going On – The Making Of A Record Album’.

2 I think ABBA should get the award at this year’s Brit Awards 2002 for outstanding contribution to British music, don’t you agree I’m sure all ABBA FANS must agree with me? Thanks for listening Thomas Blackpool Lans UK

I just want to know if Agnetha recorded her song ‘När du tar mej i din famn’ 1979 at Polar Studios and if any ABBA member or one of "their" musicians did the backing track or backing vocals. Kind regards, Gerrit Germany

The tickets for the Perth concerts did not - they looked more like any other standard concert ticket of the day.

Many years ago, Agnetha was caught smoking after appearing in a 'Non-Smoking Generation' T-Shirt for an anti-smoking campaign run by the Swedish Government.

One of my spies tells me that Björn was seen smoking at the recent 'Chess' after-premiere party in Stockholm. And I'd been led to believe that he quit years ago! (thanks to Paul C for the update).

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CD Universe link Thought you’d like to know about it. T. Evans

Both these sites have no information at all, except for the title and "release date". Though it has been mentioned that a new live CD may be released, possibly to coincide with the release of ‘ABBA - The Movie’ on DVD (itself, currently on hold), nothing is under development at this stage.

Frida is presently a trustee of the Mentor Foundation, which to quote from their website: "was incorporated in 1994 by a group of prominent international personalities to address the issue of substance abuse, by striving towards reducing the demand for drugs among the world's young people. The Foundation is independent, apolitical, and funded through voluntary contributions."

2. Agnetha’s second pregnancy was indeed "dramatic". Around the middle of her pregnancy, it was feared that she would lose the baby and so was confined to bed to rest for a while. To accommodate ABBA’s recording schedule, she would come into the studio for a few hours and record her vocals while reclining in a deck chair.

3. Björn and Agnetha divorced simply because they grew apart - just like so many other couples. No, Björn did not beat Agnetha.

Belleville, Ontario Canada

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I'd like to know how can I buy ‘ABBA - The Movie’. Thanks for your help. Rachel

Though he used many other keyboard-based instruments during ABBA’s years. I don’t know whether the sounds you’re asking about were created with the GX1 or some other instrument.

However, when ABBA performed 'Under Attack on television towards the end of 1982, Benny can be seen playing a small synth propped on top of his piano, but whether that's the instrument (or something similar) used on the track, I can't say. Perhaps someone with a musical ear out there knows more?