UK TV Hits (issue 120 August 99) had almost a full page pic of the A*Teens under the heading of "Bright Young Things ­ meet the hottest stars of tomorrow today". The pic was taken at the same time as the single cover photo for Mamma Mia. There was also a small bit of copy:

##### A Teens What with Steps and their Abba obsession, the musical Mamma Mia! Taking off big-time and the huge pop collaboration, Thank Abba For the Music, hitting the charts earlier this year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that was that for the Abba revival. Well, there’s a new band out to prove it ’s still going strong. A Teens are four mates from Sweden, average age 15 and a half, who think their fellow Swedes, Abba, were the best thing since the invention of the fondue set (or whatever they eat in Sweden!). “We’re mixing ‘90s styles with Abba’s fantastic music. We see ourselves as a tribute to Abba and we’re having a lot of fun,” says Marie. Their debut single, Mamma Mia, has already become the fastest selling single ever in Sweden and it’s likely to sell like hotcakes when it’s released here next month. A Teens are one band who really can thank Abba for the music! #####

In TOTP magazine (Issue 54 August 1999) there’s an even better article ­ an interview no less ­ plus a small but totally new pic (well, totally new to me ­ it might be their Super Trouper look) where Sara has her hair in two bunches and Marie has a dozen or so tight plaits. Dhani and Amit also look more relaxed. (I’ll try and scan the pic in and send it to Graeme for the ABBAMAIL website).

Anyway, here’s the interview:

###### They’re record-breaking, ABBA-singing, school-going pop stars from Sweden and they’re heading this way. Everybody, meet the A*Teens, A*Teens meet everybody…

Right, so it’s four kids doing ABBA songs in a ‘90s style ­ the Swedish Steps, almost!

How long have you been going? Amit: It was only last year that we got together! Maire: We’ve known each other for about three years now because we all went to the same dance school. Sara: We’re all from Stockholm. Maria and I have sung for a long time before the band started but Denny (sic) and Ahmet (sic) have only started recently. Denny: We love ABBA’s songs but we don’t follow what they did exactly. None of us are going to do what Agnetha (on of the ABBA girls) did and live as a hermit in the woods!

But what’ll happen when you run out of old ABBA songs to sing? Denny: I think maybe we’ll try something different. Marie: We are starting to write our own songs. We’ve only just started but it’s something we’d like to do. Sara: I made some songs up when I was little, just for fun. I’m going to try and remember them to see if they were any good. Marie: I’m not sure if our songs would sound that similar to ABBA. Maybe they’d be a bit like dance music.

If you’ve only been together for a year you must have had to learn pretty fast… Marie: We have. The first time we played was just outside Stockholm and there were many, many people there. It was amazing, we were really nervous but it was just unbelievable. There were people screaming, climbing over the tour bus! Amit: It was a strange feeling signing autographs for the first time. Everything happened so fast for us in Sweden. Marie: One day we were signing them in school for fun and then the next day we were doing it for real! Amit: People screaming and shouting and… (Tails off, lost in his own memories.)

Did that prepare you for the success your single Mamma Mia has had in Sweden? Marie: I was quite shocked and very happy. It was a great feeling. It’s been out for seven weeks and it’s been No 1 for all that time! Amit: It’s been the fastest-selling single ever in Sweden. Denny: We’re record breakers!

So it’s the high life for you now then? Marie: Not yet. Money’s not the most important thing to us. It’s a plus! We love what we’re doing, getting paid to do it is a bit of a bonus. Amit: We’ve got to live and pay the bills so it’s helpful. {Kyle’s note: sound like Frida from Money x3}

OK, but have you already planned what you’re going to spend all that dough on when the millions roll in? Sara: Make-up and clothes! Denny: I would spend it on travelling around the world. Amit: If I had that much money I would give some to the poor people also. Amit: I don’t think that it’s very healthy to have too much luxury in your life. I wouldn’t drive a big, fast car or anything. Denny: We just act normal. Marie: We did a show in Sweden, our biggest show ­ there were about 25,000 people there ­ and it’s funny because we weren’t really nervous at all. Amit: (Coughs.) My God! I was! Denny: There were about 20 or 30 bands playing as well and the crowd were great. Amit: They were all screaming so hard, ‘A*Teens, A*Teens!’ Oh the noise, you can’t believe… (And with that, the eyes glaze over and the memories start to flood back. Time for us to go!)

The A*Teens first single, Mamma Mia, is out this month. #####

Further on in the TOTP mag there’s a half-page advert for the single. It’s the same single cover as the Swedish release, but with A*Teens and then there’s the obligatory banner with their names (all correct). The copy reads:

A new sensation for a new generation The huge single ‘Mamma Mia’ Out 23rd August

CD1. Includes Karaoke version, “Lay All Your Love On Me” and CD ROM Video.

CD2. Includes remixes by The Bold & The Beautiful and Trouser Enthusiasts.

Cassette includes Karaoke version

www.a-teens.polydor.co.uk

Special thanks to Kyle Lindsay, ABBAMAILer in London