Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia), September 15, 2001

Accidental popstars

A new book about ABBA reveals how the pop group nearly didn't form, writes SHAUNAGH O'CONNOR

CARL Magnus Palm was 10 years old in 1975, the perfect age to get caught up in the ABBA-mania that was sweeping the world.

But the Swedish writer was never that enthusiastic. He could take or leave the group back then. Which is why it's surprising to learn he is now billed as "the world's foremost ABBA historian'', and for the past three years has made his living solely by writing about all things ABBA.

His latest project is Bright Lights, Dark Shadows: The Real Story of ABBA.

"I wasn't a big fan or anything,'' Palm says. "I discovered them through the '80s, but it wasn't until the '90s that I started getting into it and doing research.''

That was just before the ABBA revival which continues to this day with the Melbourne run of musical Mamma Mia.

"So it was a lucky coincidence,'' he says.

Palm says the four band members -- Anni-Frid, Agnetha, Benny and Bjorn -- are among a handful of bands whose success has gone down in history.

They created instantly recognisable hits like Mamma Mia, Ring, Ring, Fernando and Money, Money, Money.

"It's very unusual for a group to have that many hits. They had so many songs the general public would remember, whereas your average act would have three, four, five or six, and for some it is only one,'' Palm says.

After all that has been written about the group and the analysis of their lives and music, Palm thought there was still more to be said about each member's childhood and pre-ABBA careers.

For much of the book, he has written an "overwhelming'' four biographies rather than one, looking at each member's background.

Palm works as an ABBA "consultant'', he says, writing notes for new compilations of their songs, organising an ABBA website and writing about them.

But there are facts he turned up for Bright Lights that were surprises even to him.

"I was amazed to learn about events just before the group came together by accident in early 1972 -- when they said 'let's record a pop song in English together'.

"A few months before that Frida was contemplating giving up and becoming a dress designer because her solo career was not going that well. It was fascinating to find out that ABBA so nearly didn't happen.''

AND Palm was also surprised to learn that the group tired of fame relatively early in their run of fortune.

"In the beginning they got a real buzz out of being internationally recognised and having hits in the UK and Australia and all that, but only two or three years into it they were saying, 'Oh God, can they leave us alone and can we stay home and make our records','' Palm says.

He believes it takes a Swede to write about the group, to put them in their cultural context.

"It would have been much harder for someone outside Sweden to do this book. I live in Sweden, I'm Swedish, I understand Swedish people and I'm in tune with our culture, background and history.

"That's necessary if you're going to understand where ABBA came from. Their roots are in Swedish folk music and from an easy-listening type of music we have called schlager.''

But Palm also believes the world has heard the last of the ABBA magic, despite speculation the band may reunite one day.

"I think that's never going to happen. I would be extremely surprised if it ever did.

"I'm not saying that because they don't get along because they do. They've had mini reunions in private for friends, at 50th birthday parties and stuff like that.

"The girls aren't in the music business and they haven't been for a while, and the boys have other ambitions.''

* BRIGHT LIGHT, DARK SHADOWS: THE REAL STORY OF ABBA

by Carl Magnus Palm

Omnibus Press, rrp. $55