Earlier Projects and events

2006

December 31, 2006 and January 1, 2007 : Repeat broadcast in Australia of the ABBA documentary previously shown in the US, the UK and Australia (see below).

December 25: TV 4 in Sweden will broadcast the interview I did with Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Lasse Hallström for the Special Edition of ABBA - The Movie. The interview is broadcast at 3.20 pm (CET) under the title "Lasse Hallström om ABBA", and is followed by a screening of ABBA - The Movie.

Those with widescreen TV sets and digital reception might be interested to know that the interview will be broadcast anamorphically, meaning that you can watch it in 16:9. On the ABBA - The Movie Special Edition DVD, the interview is in 4:3 only.

October 25: The first of a two-day free Internet broadcast of a selection of Sirius Satellite Radio shows. I will appear to talk about ABBA at some point between 1.30pm and 2.30pm CET (betwen 8am and 9am ET in the US) on the Nordic Rox show. More importantly, during the three-hour live broadcast from Sweden (12pm-3pm) there will be an exclusive interview with ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus. This will also be broadcast during the same time-slot, between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Read the press release on my Nordic Rox page.

October 15: Broadcast in Australia of the ABBA documentary previously shown in the US and the UK (see below). The documentary will be broadcast on the Biography Channel.

October 9: Projected release date for Arrival Deluxe Edition, featuring my research and liner notes.

June 21: Broadcast in the UK of an ABBA documentary on the Biography Channel. It is the same documentary that was first screened in the United States on the A&E channel on December 22, 2005 (see earlier Projects and events above). On the UK Biography Channel page for the programme, you may watch a clip featuring yours truly as one of the interviewees.

June 1: Broadcast of the second ABBA-related edition of The Greatest on Radio Sweden, this time featuring Björn and Benny. The earlier edition, focusing on Agnetha and Frida, is still available to listen to on the website (click on the programme title), along with the Björn & Benny edition. I was interviewed for both features.

May 22: The remastered CD of the Björn & Benny album Lycka, featuring my research and liner notes, is released.

May 7: My first ABBA segment is aired on the Nordic Rox show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

April 24: Release of the 30th Anniversary vinyl replica edition of ABBA's Greatest Hits, featuring my liner notes.

April: Release of the Disco Fever CD set, for which I wrote the liner notes.

2005

February 12: Premiere in Stockholm of the Swedish version of the Mamma Mia! musical. I contributed an essay about Björn and Benny to the programme. I have also written the manuscript for Vad hände då? ("What Happened Then?"), Anders Hanser's slide show presentation about ABBA and the individual members. The slide show is available to view on the Swedish Mamma Mia! site.

March 11: I am interviewed on the BBC World Service programme Postmark Africa regarding the ABBA story.

Late March/early April: Publication in the UK of my ABBA discography, ABBA - The Complete Guide To Their Music.

May 2: The Frida Remasters, researched by me, are released.

August 14: The Agnetha Fältskog Remasters, researched by me, are released.

September 26: ABBA - The Movie DVD, featuring my research and liner notes, is released. The 2-disc Limited Special Edition version of the DVD features my interview with Björn, Benny and director Lasse Hallström.

November 7: The CD and DVD box set ABBA - The Complete Studio Recordings, featuring my research and liner notes, is released.

November 16: The double CD, Z - Det bästa med Monica Zetterlund, is released, featuring my liner notes.

December 22 : First screening in the United States of an ABBA documentary on the A&E channel. I am interviewed along with people such as Thomas Johansson (ABBA's tour producer), Marie Ledin (daughter of manager Stig Anderson), Lasse Hallström (director of ABBA - The Movie and the group's promo clips), Sid Bernstein (briefly ABBA's American promoter) and Jerry Greenberg (head of Atlantic Records, ABBA's American record company).

This is the A&E's own description of the programme:
"The Swedish pop group ABBA (Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad) had a string of hits in the 70's and 80's before breaking up in 1982. Throughout much of the world, especially Europe and Australia, the ABBA phenomenon never went away, with repackaged hits compilations and live collections continuing to hit the charts long after the group's demise. Their music was revitalized and introduced to a new generation yet again with the premiere of Mamma Mia, a global smash-hit musical based on their catchy tunes. It remains a top draw on Broadway today, proving that truly outstanding music never loses its charm."

2004

March 29: The DVD ABBA In Concert is released, featuring my liner notes.

April: The book ABBA Gold by Elisabeth Vincentelli is published in the US and the UK. I was interviewed for the book.

April 5: The CD/DVD Anniversary edition of ABBA Gold is released in the UK, featuring my liner notes.

April 7: I am a guest on the Swedish television programme Studio 24, broadcast on the digital channel SVT 24. The interview concerns ABBA's 30th anniversary.

April 11: The German television special ABBA - Die Jubiläumsshow is broadcast on ZDF in Germany. I am a guest on this show.

April 18: I am a guest on the Swedish radio programme Svensktoppen, to talk about my upcoming book about The Hep Stars.

April 18: I am interviewed about ABBA on the Russian news programme Vesti 7, brodcast on the RTR channel. This report will probably include shots from the ABBA exhibit at the Music Museum in Stockholm, and from inside Polar Studios, which will shut down very soon. It is possible to watch the ABBA report on the Internet. Click the Vesti 7 link above, then click the small camera symbol.

April 19: The 30th Anniversary Edition of the Waterloo album is released in Sweden, featuring my liner notes.

May 12: I am a guest on the Stephen Nolan show on BBC Radio Ulster, discussing the reasons for ABBA's never-ending popularity.

May 13: My new book Cadillac Madness - Den otroliga berättelsen om The Hep Stars is published in Sweden.

May 19: I am a guest on P4 Radio Stockholm to talk about my new book Cadillac Madness - Den otroliga berättelsen om The Hep Stars, together with my co-author Dan-Eric Landén and Hep Stars member Janne Frisk.

June 12: ABBAfest in Brighton. I am a guest at the Fan Club convention. This is also where my new book, Benny's Road To ABBA, is launched.

August 22: Broadcast of an episode about ABBA on the BBC 3 television programme Liquid Assets. I am interviewed along with people like Hansi Schwarz, Svenne Hedlund, Rune Söderqvist and Owe Sandström. BBC 3 is only available as a digital channel, but some episodes of Liquid Assets are also broadcast on BBC 1 and the cable channel BBC Prime. According to the production team, the ABBA programme is likely to be aired on at least BBC 1. More details as soon as I have them.

October 24: Broadcast of a programme covering the 1970s nominees for the UK Music Hall Of Fame on Channel 4 in the UK. I was interviewed for the 10-minute segment about ABBA, along with Björn and Benny plus an array of artists paying tribute to the group.