Hitkrant, May 1983: ABBA only in the studio from now on

A 1983 article from Dutch magazine Hitkrant informing us that ABBA would not be seen outside of the recording studio any longer. In hindsight, they would not be seen together inside of the recording studio either.
The decision has been made. The ABBA-members Björn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida – and not forgetting the ABBA-empire headed by Stig Anderson – will not appear on stage anymore from now on. While there were still tentative plans for a tour last year, now it’s definitely out of the question, just like all other performances. ABBA will only get together in the recording studio from now on.

Frida regarding this decision: “Don’t get us wrong: all four of us think it’s just wonderful to get up on stage and get in contact with our audience through our music. But it just isn’t possible any longer. We all have our families, the boys both have young children at home and we think the long separations from them, while being on tour, are not acceptable anymore.”

But although all ABBA-members are going their own way at the moment, for the time being the group ABBA will stay together. Only: they won’t be seen together officially anymore outside of the recording studio. Also, the separate solo activities of the four ABBA-members have been the cause of the group’s decision to stop performing.
Björn: “It takes at least a year of preparation to go on tour and that means you can’t record an album during that time. Then you have to choose.”
ABBA may have decided not to appear on stage again, the rumours claiming that the group won’t last for much longer are definitely not true. ABBA goes on!