Monday 10 August 2009

Muziek Expres, June 1977: ABBA’s sleeping beauties

These pictures, taken by German photographer Bubi Heilemann in the autumn of 1975, inspired Dutch magazine Muziek Expres to write an article about the quality of ABBA’s beds on their tours.
Agnetha and Anni-Frid, the two delicious eye-catchers of ABBA, have one thing in common: they hate having to sleep on uncomfortable beds while being on tour. Muziek Expres enticed the girls to share some of their bed secrets...

Being at the top of the pop business can be pretty exhausting. ABBA can definitely have their say about that. Especially the girls Agnetha and Anni-Frid aren’t in the best physical shape, ever since the packed schedule of their manager Stig Anderson hardly leaves any space for the badly needed rest. The eight hours of sleep, that every human being either is entitled to or needs, is not sure and certain for ABBA either every twenty-four hours. And even when they are able to get under the covers at a proper time every now and then, this isn’t a guarantee for a reviving rest at night.

Anni-Frid: “I can’t even begin to describe the lousy beds that I had to sleep on during tours. In America, it was the worst! Even in a first class hotel. The bed in that place was cracking like crazy and I’m a rather restless sleeper, therefore I was wide awake all night due to my own tossing and turning. Benny was snoring away comfortably beside me, but oh well... he can even sleep well in a coal-shed, when he’s tired.”
If it were possible, Agnetha would drag her own bed along everywhere as well. “It’s unbelievable that most of the time I end up with a bed with these holes in the mattress. It’s simply awful!” according to the blonde beauty, who surely won’t have such a rough time in the future, now that manager Stig has promised that he will check the sleeping equipment in person from now on.
In case Stig gets enough of it, Muziek Expres is willing to take over that chore from him...

No comments: