Benny's Band is Back on SVT & confirmed new music with BAO will be recorded in Jan

This week it was releaved Benny Andersson- he has some new music to record with his

band BAO -this will also mean the Benny band will be on tour again in summer 2011. Benny also did an in-depth interview VI magazine in sweden, this turned into a rare time when Andersson really opened up to speak of his family his mother, & being a 16 year-old Hep Star Rock-Star/father of Peter his first son in the 60's ( from his first marriage). It seems to be the time to remonise of the 70's as well...

A Tv special was shown a few months back on Svt called Seventies' here Benny is interviewed & chats casually about all his old Abba albums. You can view the whole thing here'

Benny interview on SVT

PLUS- alot more interesting 70's footage was found in the Kenneth Gardestad interviews (about his brother Ted) Ted was part of the Polar Records family, and was produced in the early 70's by Abba- this clip has some excellent old 70's footage of Stig Anderson.

Clip of Ted/Stig Andersson (this clip has english subtites)

Enjoy this rare stuff -Ted, off course also sung a Toto inspired Eurovision entry & Mf winner of 1979- 'Satellit'

ABBA in Melodifestivalen entries from 1968- 1981

Many swedish stars have entered Melodifestivalen many times with dreams of

making it to the Eurovision glory, names like Magnus Carlsson ( who we are hoping will be back in 2011-see interview below) & Nanne Gronvall, to name a couple.

ABBA made the biggest impact back in 74 with 'waterloo' as we know so well however this journey along the melodifestival path was also a long one, and even continued after that Brighton win in 1974. In fact as songwriters or solo singers they competed in Melodifestivalen a total of 7 times, twice a song was not selected or choosen- giving a total of 9 entries from back in 1968.

Here is the History year-by-year.

1968- Agnetha a new star in Sweden submitted the song 'Forsonade'

wrote by Agnetha.

It failed to be selected for Melodifestivalen- is found on her debut album.

1969- Benny (& Lasse Berghagen) wrote the tune 'Hej clown'

sung by Jan Malmsjö, a famous actor-The tune tied for 1st place, then following a re-vote

Benny's song came just second to Tommy Korberg.

1969- Anni-Frid Lyngstad sung the same year 'Harlig ar var jord' following her Tv breakthough 2 years previous this jazzy standard finished in joint 4th place. This was Frida's only solo Mf appearence.

1970- Sweden did'nt take part in Eurovision

1971- Bjorn & Benny began writing pop hits together now so submitted a tune 'Det kan lngen Doktor hjalpa' a folk band Family Four, had been choosen already by SVT as the artist to sing in ESC.

However this was not one of the 5 songs choosen as part of Melodifestival show- The song was released as a Bjorn & Benny single- with Agnetha & Frida on backing vocals. This track shows an early Abba sound now coming together.

1972- A Polar Lable artist Lena Andersson sung the next Bjorn & Benny song 'Säg Det Med En Sång' she came 3rd- and this gave her a big hit single in Sweden. And has remained a popular Melodifestivalen classic of 70's.

1973- Following the debut single 'People need love' released in 72-ABBA arrived in Melodifestivalen yet stil know as their individual names. The song was 'Ring Ring' due

to a jury of experts the song came only 3rd! 'Ring, Ring' was clearly the public's favourite and launched Abba's career & debut album.

1974- Abba won Melodifestivalen with 302 points ahead of Lasse Berghagen (211) & Lena Ericsson (185) ..the rest really became international history.

Yet this was not the end for Bjorn & Benny at Melodifestivalen- next year they came back.

1975- 'Bang en Boomerang' became a hit track on Abba's third LP it was infact wrote for Svenne & Lotta in Melodifestivalen 1975 it came 3rd. While Lasse Berghagen took top honours at last. (click on song to view MF 75 performance)

...it seemed as if the four swedes would not come back to Melodifestivalen after 1975. There was a long gap and ABBA's huge international career kept them busy, then in 1981 -Agnetha suddenly put her songwriting talents out there for the Mf final.

1981- Agnetha Faltskog wrote "Men natten ar var" (lyrics by Ingela Forsman) a new artist Kicki Moberg sung the song. It came in 5th place with 28 points (out of 5 songs)

This year was strangely the same year Benny Andersson chose to Produced a new Norwegian folk singer/songwriter Finn Kalvik who was selected for

Eurovision 1981 for Norway. Finn's own song 'Aldri i Livet' (Here in my heart) came last

in Dublin! with nul points, although Agnetha & Frida sang the back-up vocals on his studio version of the single and album released.

So that's the Abba long journey with Melodifestivalen. That had rejected tunes and last placing

even after Brighton..if you want to hear more Abba JUST tune into 'Cafe Latte' today on

Joy 94.9 fm

Alan Ross will be doing a 2 hr special on the swedes on Sunday 29th 3pm (EST Melb time)

Elisabeth Andreassen & Alexander Rybak Perform 'Klinga Mina Klockor' & 'Det Är Vi Ändå'

Two winners of Eurovision Alexander (2009) with Elisabeth (1985-part of Bobbysocks) these two Norwegian
Stars in fact toured together before this years Eurovision Contest in May. As part of Elisabeth Andreassen
tour for her new Album Spelemann, here they sing two folk classic songs wrote by Benny Andersson. What a great duo
they make...

even if 'La Det Swinge' (Bobbysocks 1985 song) was not on their playlist! perhapes in Oslo 2010.

Kylie & Benny at ABBA Tribute Concert

.....FROM AUSTRALIA to SWEDEN

With Love.
(via Hyde Park)

Here it is, Kylie's Dream come true-
An Emotional Performance

'When all is said and done' was recorded on ABBA's final Album release
'The Visitors' in 1981. That must be just the best version since!

Benny Down at The Heath-BAO (Benny Andersson's Orkestra) playing the 1st English gig

Sweden on Stage, Hampstead Heath, London July 4 2009. In one of the first pics above it looks like Alexander Rybak's dad came over to join in the schlager fun!!

Also Below two amazing first clips LIVE- Helen Sjöholm singing 'Story of a Heart' from Benny's new english album wrote by Bjorn & Benny. The quality of the video is okay, but the sound is great! The other clip is of Abba's "Why did it have to be me?" with Benny's intro, then you can hear the fans chorus of song's 'Way Old Freinds do' & 'Thank you for the music' at the end- wow!

It certainly looks like one  wonderful svenska evening in hot London Town. It is in fact not the first time Benny has performed abroad, BAO did a concert in Glasgow  ( just like in Super Trouper's  lyrics "I was sick & tired of everything, When I called you last night from Glasgow" )  + the concerts in USA in 2007.

More BENNY Here on R4 Front Row great new interview-check it out its rather excellent

Many Thanks Teza & Videotheque (U-tube) & Mark for photo.

Benny is Coming to Town- or even Hampsted Heath this weekend

Clip by 'Geminie1' thanks

Benny Andersson has brought to London his long runnng Schlager Sommar Dansband BAO- Almost
every year they tour the swedish open air FolkParks.
Now he will give the Brits a sample of what life is really like for him after Abba.
In this 10 min clip of BAO Live last month, we see just what the show will be like..
& Yes, there will be some Abba Gold among the Swedish traditional sounds, wait til 8 mins
into this preview.. ( among others 'Ring Ring' the swedish Melodifestivalen 1973 original )
What Pure Schlager JOY

Kristina - The Musical it is finally coming 'Home' to NYC ! September 2009 Concert...

A classic track 'Stanna' from swedish Kristina- set to 'Day Before You came'- visuals clever 

Kristina- The Musical concert will take place in September at Carnegie Hall starring Helen Sjoholm (Kristina).
The amazing New Musical was an outstanding success in Sweden in the late 90's and since then been frozen
in time, just like the very story it portrays the swedish immigrates are now going to a new home in New York City.
You can check out this great fly-on-the wall clip of a meeting at Mono Music in Stockhom.
At the end a wonderful jam session + a verse of the song 'Home'

PAST & PRESENT Benny & Bjorn in 1970 ( before Abba) from 'Lycka' LP

Kara Gamla Sol. (Side 1-4. on Lycka album)

Some Wonderful old Pic's of Benny- this song has lasted so well, I think compared to Benny's BOA stuff
today-its just as great from 1970- almost 40 years on still writing those classics.

Benny Andersson's 'Give me my Song' performed Live!

Give me my song  ( B.Andersson-Y.Eggehorn)

From 2004, I had not heard this track before, I was thinking it was from the english version of B&B's Kristina -Musical. 

It is actually "Saknadens Rum" and "Karlekens Tid" medley called 'Give Me My Song' with a little luck the tune could be featured in BOA Live concert on Hampstead Heath London in two weeks? Watch the clip til the end and see Benny in the crowd.