A billion to ABBA?

[Cisco]

http://www.dotmusic.com/news/February2000/news12850.asp


What the hell is up with this? Why did the US/UK Government offer ABBA one billion dollars to reform? And how could these guys possibly generate a billion dollars? I couldn't name 2 ABBA songs if you had a gun to my head.

[Astroboy14]

FTR: the US/UK governments have nothing to do with this... the article says "An American/British consortium..."

However, I'm with you, Cisco WHY?

[Cisco]

con*sor*tium (noun), plural -sor*tia also -sortiums

[Latin, fellowship, from consort-, consors]

First appeared 1829

1 : an agreement, combination, or group (as of companies) formed to undertake an enterprise beyond the resources of any one member

2 : ASSOCIATION, SOCIETY


Ok, maybe the government, but probably not. But if not, then what company can afford to lose a billion on these guys? There is NO WAY they can generate that much money, especially not so much more that the "consortium" profits.

[Annie-Xmas]

There is NO WAY ABBA is going to re-group. Agnetha Faltskog (the blonde) has stated she wouldn't do it if you held a gun to HER head. It's a sucker deal.

The amazing success of the musical Mamma Mia, based on ABBA songs, probably has something to do with this.

[jayjay]

When ABBA Gold came out in the early 90s, it was on the British charts for 206 weeks, and even hit #1.

When it was re-released in 1998-99, it was on the charts for 103 weeks and was at #1 for 5 of those.

If it weren't for the bitterness of the breakups (both personal and professional), I'd say they'd have a good chance of making a lot of cash from a revival.

[Captain Amazing]

Originally posted by Cisco
[B I couldn't name 2 ABBA songs if you had a gun to my head. [/B]

Dancing Queen, and Waterloo. Sorry, I'll go now...

[kunilou]

Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
There is NO WAY ABBA is going to re-group. Agnetha Faltskog (the blonde) has stated she wouldn't do it if you held a gun to HER head. It's a sucker deal.

We'll see. For my share of one BILLION dollars, I'd not only let you hold a gun to my head, I'd load the bullets.

[jayjay]

Originally posted by Captain Amazing
Originally posted by Cisco
[B I couldn't name 2 ABBA songs if you had a gun to my head.

Dancing Queen, and Waterloo. Sorry, I'll go now... [/B]

Knowing Me, Knowing You
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme
Chiquitita
Fernando
Thank You For The Music
Money, Money, Money

Of course, I'm gay, so naturally...

[jayjay]

Originally posted by kunilou
Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
There is NO WAY ABBA is going to re-group. Agnetha Faltskog (the blonde) has stated she wouldn't do it if you held a gun to HER head. It's a sucker deal.

We'll see. For my share of one BILLION dollars, I'd not only let you hold a gun to my head, I'd load the bullets.

Well, you know all those Swedes are Commie Socialists, anyway, so money doesn't really matter that much to them.





Kidding! Kidding! Don't send the Vikings!

[Cisco]

Originally posted by jayjay
I'd say they'd have a good chance of making a lot of cash from a revival.

A billion though? Or rather, so much more than a billion that this mysterious "consortium" profits? This has been bugging me for 2 days now, someone must know some facts behind this charade.

[Annie-Xmas]

I owe every CD ABBA ever made, but I resisted the urge to list all their songs. In case anyone is interested, Benny
& Bjorn are currently working on an English translation of their Swedish musical "Kriten fran Dumagda" and a Swedish translation of their English song "Chess."

[Robot Arm]

There's a folk singer named John Wesley Harding. I saw him in concert a few years ago, and he gave a fascinating recap of the history of Abba. I wish I could remember it verbatim, it was hysterical, but to recap:

Their first big hit was "Waterloo". This pissed off the French, but the English loved them. So they had to sing "Voulez-Vous" to win over the French. "Mamma Mia", Italy. "Fernanado", Spain. Until eventually all of Europe fell before the super-storm-troopers.

Sort of makes the prospect of a reunion a little more ominous, doesn't it?

[puddleglum]

Originally posted by Cisco
Originally posted by jayjay
I'd say they'd have a good chance of making a lot of cash from a revival.

A billion though? Or rather, so much more than a billion that this mysterious "consortium" profits? This has been bugging me for 2 days now, someone must know some facts behind this charade.
The article mentioned 100 concerts. If each concert had 50 thousand people paying 100$ a ticket you are halfway there. If they played bigger stadiums they could make more. Add merchandise sales and corporate sponsors and you are almost there. Add sales from a live album and a pay per view concert I think you might be able to make enough money to turn a profit. If ABBA is capable of drawing that many fans.

[Finagle]

The real deal is that they've patented the ABBA rhyme scheme. It was really a secret consortium of poets making the offer.

[Montfort]

Originally posted by jayjay
Well, you know all those Swedes are Commie Socialists, anyway, so money doesn't really matter that much to them.

Kidding! Kidding! Don't send the Vikings!
Some of them are sexy Commie Socialist Vikings...

*ahem*

[Floater]

Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
... their Swedish musical "Kriten fran Dumagda"...

And you make fun of non-English speakers trying to express themselves in English!!!

The title is "Kristina från Duvemåla" and the musical is based on the "The Emigrants" series of books ("The Emigrants", "Unto a Good Land", "The Settlers" and "The Last Letter Home") by Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg. If you are interested in the migration from Europe to America in the mid 19th century, you really should read them. They're excellent.

They have also been filmed by Swedish director Jan Troell with Max von Sydow and Liv Ullman playing the lead characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina.

Montfort
Some of them are sexy Commie Socialist Vikings...

You can say that again!

[Annie-Xmas]

Originally posted by Floater
Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
... their Swedish musical "Kriten fran Dumagda"...

And you make fun of non-English speakers trying to express themselves in English!!!



When have I done that? I think you have me confused with someone else.

Actually, yesterday was a bad day and a very bad typing day.

[Floater]

Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
Originally posted by Floater
Originally posted by Annie-Xmas
... their Swedish musical "Kriten fran Dumagda"...

And you make fun of non-English speakers trying to express themselves in English!!!



When have I done that? I think you have me confused with someone else.


Sorry, I didn't mean you personally of course. I was referring to all sorts of amusing lists (I like such things very much) of mistakes people have made when trying to translate menues and what-have-you into English (like "Hot and cold water running up and down the stairs", alledgely sighted in a Stockholm hotel). And besides: my tounge was planted very firmly in my cheek.

[Rysdad]

Originally posted by jayjay
[QUOTE]Don't send the Vikings!

Don't worry. You could kick their ass. They have no defense.

[dantheman]

I don't see why ABBA shouldn't get a billion. I mean if they're gonna give a Million to Juan* :p






*Obscure 1993 movie starring Paul Rodriguez!

[don willard]

I heard that ABBA was the top selling group of all history. But I like them anyway. Also, let us not compare falsely. If something like Britney Spears or what have you sell a lot nowadays it is only because of a breed of spoiled children whose parents give or let them buy everything they want.
Anyways, how could anybody not like Dancing Queen, Fernando, Chiquitita, and all the rest! Some people need to have the musical part of their brain analyzed. To the heavies who don't take to ABBA, there is such a thing as a vision of life that doesn't take the tragic or pretentious view of it. The non-tragic view has been called the classic vision and is found I think in Jane Austen as I remember, and other works in which nothing happens.
But my real purpose in writing is not to annoy the overly serious people who have pretentions to music criticism, since I fear them anyway, but to plead for anyone who knows where I can get ABBA in SWEDISH. I am guessing that they probably recorded the songs originally in English
and later may have made Swedish versions, so this is my second question--is this true? And 3) Do they really speak English or did they record by looking at phonetic symbols?
4) How do I locate the ABBA fan club?
Hail to Annie-Xmas. And to my grandparents who were from Varmland and Sodermanland. If I could spell Velcomen
I'd say that too. Every once in awhile I get a book on LEARNING SWEDISH but when I see that part about how there are 6 extra vowels in Swedish that only a Scandinavian can pronounce, I get discouraged.
Signed, Donald-My Great Uncle Albert Had A Bakery On The South Side of Chicago But His Brother My Grandfather Was A Northside Swede.

[Annie-Xmas]

Originally posted by don willard

Hail to Annie-Xmas. And to my grandparents who were from Varmland and Sodermanland. If I could spell Velcomen
I'd say that too. Every once in awhile I get a book on LEARNING SWEDISH but when I see that part about how there are 6 extra vowels in Swedish that only a Scandinavian can pronounce, I get discouraged.[/B]

Hail to you,too. There is a marvelous CD called ABBA pa svenska that shows up on ebay from time to time. You can also try the major chains like Tower or HMV, as I think it's still in print. 14 ABAA songs in Swedish.

[Hello Again]

In case anyone needs their ABBA fix, the band has endorsed cover band "Bjorn Again" as the closest thing you'll get to a ABBA show nowadays. Visit http://www.bjornagain.com/ to get their tour schedule.

There's also the A*Teens, a swedish pop cover band specializing in ABBA tunes. The sound *exactly* like the originals, except set to a heavier dance beat. They came out with a CD, last year I think it was.

IMHO, the promoters would have no trouble making back their $$ on a worldwide tour. (of course I also have a horse I *almost* named Super Trooper) But ABBA will never, ever sing together again.