Sunday 17 June 2012

Das Freizeit-Magazin, 1977: ABBA at work

Observing ABBA at work in the studio is almost as difficult as breaking into Fort Knox. But we did it. Our magazine was there when Anni-Frid, Agnetha, Björn and Benny were busy recording their new album, that should be released in the beginning of next year.
The atmosphere in the studio is a little irritable. It's late in the evening and the foursome has been on their feet for ten hours. "A day like this wears you out completely," red-haired Anni-Frid sighs. "The small studio, no fresh air, nothing decent to eat, just a sandwich every now and then: it's really not very pleasurable."
On top of that, Björn and Benny are perfectionists. They won't let any wrong sound or musical inaccuracy pass through.
"We are a product from which the audience can expect the very best," blonde Björn states clearly. "We won't and we can't afford ourselves a flop." But the quartet had no need to lift their fingers. They made a profit of 28 million dollars in the past few months. With this achievement, they have overtaken Sweden's most important export article Volvo.
The four of them are still not in agreement what song should be released as their next single. Either the somewhat rocky 'Thank You For The Music' or the gentle love song 'Joanne'. Anni-Frid and Agnetha are in favour of the latter. For hours, they deliberate and listen to the tapes again and again. Until they decide to go with 'Thank You For The Music'.
Blonde Agnetha is relieved and says: "That was a difficult delivery. I'm happy that we will soon be finished completing our new single, the album and our feature film. Sometimes I'm downright knocked out."
That's not surprising, after all she is already in the eighth month of her pregnancy. But despite her huge belly she is looking positively pretty and healthy. "It will certainly be a broth of a boy," she says gleefully. "And for sure enormously musical. But I won't be able to bring him along yet, when we come to Germany in January..."

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