Strands #248 “Strumming Right...
Quizzes & Puzzles4 mins ago
Perfect Pop
17 Answers
There are endless candidates for the title of Best Pop Song, Best Video, Best Arrangement, Most Gorgeous Singer - and here is one example of how one band can tick all those boxes.
When you consiider that they managed to work the word 'editorial' into a song they wrote in their second langauge, you can see that Abba were something very very special indeed.
It does get better than this ... but not often.
When you consiider that they managed to work the word 'editorial' into a song they wrote in their second langauge, you can see that Abba were something very very special indeed.
It does get better than this ... but not often.
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The interesting thing about Abba is the way history has utterly altered the public perception of them.
In the late 1970's, I was a massive rock music fan but I adored Abba. because musical lines were far more clearly drawn in those days, admitting to liking Abba as a rock fan was tantamount to advising your mates in the Iron maiden Fan Club that you were excited that your tickets of Steps had arrived in the post!
Seriously, Abba were the Westlife of their day - massive sellers but generally derided as fluffy disposable pop.
Now of course, people see them for the giants of composition, melody, arranagment, and serious sex appeal that they aways were.
I had tickets to see them on tour in 1979 and had to go on a course for work, so missed them, and my best friend had my ticket and took my girlfriend in my place. To this day I regret never seeing them live.
In the late 1970's, I was a massive rock music fan but I adored Abba. because musical lines were far more clearly drawn in those days, admitting to liking Abba as a rock fan was tantamount to advising your mates in the Iron maiden Fan Club that you were excited that your tickets of Steps had arrived in the post!
Seriously, Abba were the Westlife of their day - massive sellers but generally derided as fluffy disposable pop.
Now of course, people see them for the giants of composition, melody, arranagment, and serious sex appeal that they aways were.
I had tickets to see them on tour in 1979 and had to go on a course for work, so missed them, and my best friend had my ticket and took my girlfriend in my place. To this day I regret never seeing them live.
Yes andy - couldn't agree more .
In retrospect, I'd now swap any number of Prog Rock concert memories for just one of Abba - but at the time they were firmly in a box marked 'fluffy pop nonsense' and I wouldn't have paid you in buttons for a ticket ...
< whatever happened to Gong - remember the Flying Teapot tour ... good and indeed grief >
In retrospect, I'd now swap any number of Prog Rock concert memories for just one of Abba - but at the time they were firmly in a box marked 'fluffy pop nonsense' and I wouldn't have paid you in buttons for a ticket ...
< whatever happened to Gong - remember the Flying Teapot tour ... good and indeed grief >
It's much harder to write a good pop song than a good prog song!
Last I heard of Gong they were still touring, though that was a couple of years ago at least. Daevid Allen, Gilli Smith, Steve Hillage, Miquette Giraudy et al.
About 10 years ago the band I was in at the time played a gig at the (now sadly defunct) Limelight in Crewe, and Gong had played there the previous night. As I was a massive fan, I chatted for ages to the sound guy about what they were like to set up, etc. He mentioned that most striking thing about Daevid was how he almost looked like a stroke victim - until he pulled his guitar over his neck whereupon something just seemed to "snap" and he became as bright as a button! I am, you are, we are crazy...
Last I heard of Gong they were still touring, though that was a couple of years ago at least. Daevid Allen, Gilli Smith, Steve Hillage, Miquette Giraudy et al.
About 10 years ago the band I was in at the time played a gig at the (now sadly defunct) Limelight in Crewe, and Gong had played there the previous night. As I was a massive fan, I chatted for ages to the sound guy about what they were like to set up, etc. He mentioned that most striking thing about Daevid was how he almost looked like a stroke victim - until he pulled his guitar over his neck whereupon something just seemed to "snap" and he became as bright as a button! I am, you are, we are crazy...
http://www.crewelimelight.co.uk/
I'm not completely au fait with the goings-on but, as I understand it, Ray Bispham sold it to some people who got into some financial irregularities.
I'm not completely au fait with the goings-on but, as I understand it, Ray Bispham sold it to some people who got into some financial irregularities.
There are so many great Abba songs, where do you start? As a kid I was also into Rock but secretly loved Abba's polished pop songs for their melody, hooks and heart wrenching stories. They actually wrote some of their best stuff when they were breaking up as married couples, bizarre! In more recent times I've discovered way more great tracks on their albums, 'As Good As New', 'Tiger', 'That's Me' and 'If It Wasn't For The Nights' are all equal if not better than some of their major hits, and there are many more, just buy the albums and indulge yourself.
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