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ABBA NEWS:
ABBA REUNION NOT ON CARDS
ABBA star BJORN ULVAEUS has no regrets about turning down a $1 billion (GBP500 million) deal to reunite the legendary pop group, because it would keep the band busy for the next decade.
The Dancing Queen hitmakers, who enjoyed huge success in the 1970s and early 1980s, have enjoyed a return to the limelight this summer (08) thanks to the success of movie musical Mamma Mia!, which is based on a stage show featuring Abba's hits.
The four members of the group - Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog - came together in public for the first time in 22 years earlier this month (Jul08) for the Swedish premiere of the Meryl Streep-starring film.
But they have ruled out a return to the stage - and Ulvaeus is glad.
He says, "They (promoters) were talking about 120 gigs or something, and sponsors, and commercials."It would have taken 10 years out of my life. Eeuuurgh! It was easy to say no to it."
QUEEN LOVES DANCING TO DANCING QUEEN
Her Royal Highness told guests at a recent Windsor castle bash how much she loved dancing to Abba's Dancing Queen " I always try to dance to this song because I'm the Queen and I love to dance "
BENNY CAMEO IN ABBA MOVIE 30/06/08
ABBA star BENNY ANDERSSON has a cameo as a piano player in movie musical MAMMA MIA! which brings the hits of the 1970s supergroup to life on the big screen.
MERYL STREEP JUST LOVES DANCING QUEEN 01/07/08
MERYL STREEP has found a new personal anthem after starring in movie musical MAMMA MIA!She insists the 1970s supergroup's Dancing Queen is one of the best tunes ever written, and now she sings it whenever she's feeling low.
She says, "It's like the iconic, great song. It's just impossible to maintain your gloom when you hear it."
BENNY HOPES FOR ABBA REUNION 02/07/08
Forme r Abba sttar BENNY ANDERSSON hopes the Swedish band will one day get back together - for a private rendition of all their hits.
The singer/songwriter doubts the pop group - which broke up in 1982 - will ever appear together on stage again, but he is convinced that one day they will be able to enjoy a reunion out of the glare of the public eye.
He says, "We never sing our stuff together. But I do think we should secretly get together and sing all our songs that we ever recorded, the four of us, with a bottle of champagne and no one else."
TOM HANKS IS BIG ABBA FAN 02/07/08
"I didn't realise how many ABBA songs I knew. But I knew them all. Every single one of them." MAMMA MIA! director TOM HANKS hates to admit he is familiar with all of the group's hits.
STATUS QUO STARS REVEAL LOVE OF ABBA 03/07/08
"This German journalist asked me what music I liked once and I mentioned ABBA. And he said: 'I really don't think you should say that. It's not good for your image.' I thought, 'It may be bad for ABBA's image that I like them, but not for mine!'" Sstar FRANCIS ROSSI isn't afraid to admit his love for the Swedish pop band.
ULVAEUS WANTS RID OF FUEL-GUZZLING PLANE -12/02/08
ABBA star BJORN ULVAEUS is selling the private plane he purchased to travel in post-September 11 - because it guzzles too much fuel. The Dancing Queen singer bought the Cessna 560XL to avoid airport queues in the aftermath of the terrorist atrocities, but he's become unhappy with its damaging effect on the environment - and his bank balance. Consequently, the Swedish star rarely uses the jet now - so he's decided to offload it. Ulvaeus' accountant Lars Hogberg says, "Bjorn bought the plane after the 9/11 tragedy because flying anywhere was proving more complicated with airport queues and delays. "However, the plane uses up lots of fuel."
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BJORN'S TRAGIC MEMORY LOSS
ABBA star BJORN ULVAEUS has forgotten much of his time in the pop band - as he is suffering from severe memory loss.
The songwriter has revealed the condition is now so crippling that he can't even recall any of the highlights from his abba career including winning the Eurovision song contest in 1974.
He says, "It is like I was not even there."
Ulvaeus is now seeking professional help for the condition which has robbed him of his precious memories and he is also turning to old photographs and video footage in a bid to help jog his memory
BENNY FRAMES SAMPLE REQUEST LETTER FROM MADONNA
ABBA star BENNY ANDERSSON was so pleased that Madonna sampled the band's Gimmie Gimmie on her 2005 song HUNG UP, he framed the letter she wrote to the group to commemorate the occasion.
The composer was stunned to hear that the pop superstar wanted to use a line from the Swedish band's 1979 smash Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight), and was so flattered by Madonna's personal request to use the song's hook, he has saved the note as a souvenir.
He says, "Well we had this wonderful letter from her. I framed it. Very sweet. Her assistant came over to Stockholm with a CD and we played it. And we thought the record was great. But also realising that without the 'Gimme! Gimme!' thing in it, it wouldn't have been so great. So we said, 'Well, fine, of course you can. But we just split the copyright, half-half.'
ABBA SINGER FRIDA DENIES AFFAIR WITH BRITISH POLITICIAN - 16/12/07
Former ABBA star ANNI-FRID 'FRIDA' LYNGSTAD has denied having an affair with a high-ranking British politician, insisting her relationship with ADMIRAL SIR ALAN WEST is purely platonic. West, 59, who is the U.K.'s Security Minister, has come under fire after admitting to adultery while married to his wife of 34 years, artist Rosie. But he has denied the affair was with the Swedish singer. Lyngstad, 62, says, "I feel awfully sorry about Rosie and the family. It is very sad. I feel totally sorry. There is no relationship, absolutely not. "I am innocent. Alan is innocent. We are friends. There is no relationship."
COLIN FIRTH - THE THINGS THEY SAY - 12/12/07
"I am no stranger to Spandex and Lycra. It was actually nice to get out of a suit for a while and let it all go." COLIN FIRTH on stepping into costume for the upcoming movie adaptation of ABBA musical MAMA MIA!" ing to go there at all. I have a job to
ABBA MUSEUM TO OPEN IN STOCKHOLM - 7/12/07
A museum dedicated to pop supergroup ABBA is to open in Stockholm, Sweden. The three-floor attraction will feature a wardrobe room, where the foursome's glamorous costumes will be displayed, and an area where fans can make their own recordings of Abba songs. Abba - Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus - are donating memorabilia including clothing and instruments to the museum, to which they have given their blessing. The centre is being built at a cost of 200 million krona ($30.6 million/GBP15.3 million) and is due to open in 2009.itish
ABBA REUNION MOST WANTED - 7/11/07
Swedish pop group ABBA have topped a poll of bands British music fans would most like to see make a comeback. The band beat off competition from Spandau Ballet, Wham and The Jacksons to top the survey by online auction site eBid. Spokesman Mark Wilkinson says, "There is a huge market for nostalgia and I think if they did reform, they would outsell even the Spice Girls."W
BENNY NO DANCING QUEEN - 12/01/08
ABBA star BENNY ANDERSSON refuses to dance to his band's greatest hits - he prefers to watch disco-goers enjoy their music instead. The Swedish star, 61, admits he has never danced to the Dancing Queen hitmakers' songs, but liked to see how much enjoyment his fans would have at the local disco. He says, "Every time we had a new song we used to take it and run down to one of the discos in Stockholm and play it at night to see if the mix was good or if we should go back and work on it. "So we heard our music a lot in discos but that's about it, I never dance, I'm sorry."
DANCING QUEEN VOTED BEST PARTY TUNE 14/11/07
DANCING QUEEN by Swedish 1970s stars ABBA has been named the best party tune of all time. The track, which hit the number one spots in both the U.K. and the U.S. in 1976, is the most popular party track, according to a new survey. Dexys Midnight Runners' Come On Eileen was placed second, while Queen's Don't Stop Me Now was voted into third place in the poll, conducted by drinks brand Orangina
est, 59, who is the U.K.'s Security Minister, has come under fire after admitting to adultery while married t his wife of 34 years, artist Rosie. But he has denied the affair was with the Swedish singer. Lyngstad, 62, says, "I feel awfully sorry about Rosie and the family. It is very sad. I feel totally sorry. There is no relationship, absolutely not. "I am innocent. Alan is innocent. We are friends. There is no relationship." When asked about their friendship Saturday (15Dec07), the Admiral said, "All I'm going to say is I'm not having an affair with her, you know. I know her, and I've known her for a couple of years. "So I'm sorry, but I'm not going to go there at all. I have a job to do which I'm trying to do very hard for the Government, and that seems to me to be the right focus." |