Celebrities

Exclusive interview with Björn

On Thursday, 7 June 2001, I was very privileged to be granted a few minutes to speak with Björn in the Princess Theatre, only a day before the Premiere of MAMMA MIA! In Melbourne. We sat and talked over a cup of coffee.

MY:Well on behalf of the many, many ABBA fans of Australia, I would like to thank you for coming to Australia for this opening of MAMMA MIA! and in a way starting a new ABBA revival in Australia, after all these years.

BU: Yes.  (smiles) Yeah.

MY: Yes. I greatly appreciate you giving up your very valuable time for this interview. It’s a real priviledge. So, I sent out an e-mail to fans on the internet asking: “If you could ask Björn one question what would it be?” And so I’ve got a list of questions the fans feel are the most important to them, that are an issue that they feel they would like to get some indecation from you on.

BU: OK.

MY: Yes. I’d like to talk first about ABBA - The Movie DVD. I love DVDs, I love all the extras - extra footage etc - and there seems to be some extra footage around from the time The Movie was made.

BU: I think there is…

MY: Have you had a chance to discuss with anyone what might be on the DVD?

BU: No. We haven’t had a chance to discuss that yet, but we’re coming to it. It’s very important, since, as you say, it’s very interesting. Will get in touch with Lasse Hallström very soon, I hope, so that he can go back and look, because it would be in the archives of the Swedish Film company who produced it. For him to have a look at that and see what other stuff there is to put on it as well.

MY: We’re looking forward to it! One suggestion from the fans is they’d like to see the whole of the Mini Musical – “The Girl With The Golden Hair”. That would be wonderful to put that together as an extra perhaps.

BU: Oh, I see, I’ll keep that in mind. It must have been filmed, all of it.

MY: Aparently, that’s what they’re saying. They filmed everything and Micke remixed everything that was recorded.

BU: The one in the middle, might not have been mixed [Get On The Carousel]. There’s a reason why it’s not on anything but if it’s presentable it will be on the DVD I think.

MY: We have a guy here at the moment from the USA. He’s come over for the ABBA weekend that we are holding, in conjunction with the premiere of MAMMA MIA!, and the question from him, this is more from an American perspective. He sort of mentioned with “CHESS” you did the Cold War story and with “KRISTINA” you did immigration, colonialism in the USA. I heard you say before, there may be a couple more good musicals in you and Benny still. Have you had any inclination of where you might like to go? Or is there a story that has caught your attention yet, after MAMMA MIA!?

BU: No. Sadly, not. It’s very difficult. We’ve been actively looking. Reading novels again, and all of that, not having found anything. At the moment we're not too active because we'are reviving CHESS in Stockholm in February, with a revised story, which we hope then as soon as possible to re-translate in English and send it out into the world again.

MY: That would be wonderful!

BU: So that’s very much occupying us right now. Plus I’m translating KRISTINA into English.

MY: Wonderful! Of all the musicals I’ve seen, “Les Mis”, “Cats”, “Phantom” all that, “Les Mis” is the first one I fell in love with, because it’s a little bit different from the Andrew Lloyd Weber style, I think, and I love that.

BU: It’s a wonderful story.

MY: As you said, the most important ingredient in a musical is story, story and story. All the songs are important to some degree.

BU: Yes of course they are, but if you don’t have the story, really, it’s no use.

MY: It could just be a show, a concert perhaps instead.

BU: Yes, yes.

MY: With the English translation of KRISTINA, that’s probably the most asked question that I was given. As fans - of course many people have gone over and seen KRISTINA in Sweden and loved it. The funny thing is though, we don’t understand what they are saying.

BU: No.

MY: But, first of all, I think the music that Benny has written is so powerful that you feel the emotions. The performances are so strong from Helen and Peter and all the cast, that people who don’t speak the language actually can feel what’s going on and fall in love with the musical. And we’re thrilled to know that it’s coming out in English eventually. Are you thinking concert version first, or stage version?

BU: I haven’t come that far yet. We hope to have a presentable script by October this year and then I’ll take that with me to New York when we do MAMMA MIA! in New York and show it to a couple of people and see how they feel about it, because this is the first time that they can really read through a script and take it from there. At one point, we had an idea to have a concert in the Albert Hall in London to present it in English. I think it’s very likely that we do that because there is huge interest. It’s a very, very good way of presenting something to the people so they can see roughly what it is. The fine thing is that there’s a concert tour in Sweden right now. It started yesterday.

It's very interesting to watch how Björn lights up when he speaks about KRISTINA. It's obviously something he is very passionate about and it really shows!)

MY: In Swedish, isn’t it?

BU: Yes, it’s still in Swedish. But, I mean, now that we’ve done that one, we know exactly how we’d do an English speaking one. It already stands up, just a matter of getting the Göthenborg Symphony Orchestra or some other orchestra and off you go. I look forward to that, but as I say, I don’t think that’s going to happen before Chess opens, which is in February of next year. But maybe after that, and there’s been talk about … do you know where Ellis Island is?

MY: Yes, yes.

BU: In New York.

MY: In New York, yes, where the Statue of Liberty is; isn’t that right?

BU: This is where the immigrants or emmigrants came to before they were sent ashore in America and they have a wonderful place there. There have been some ideas about playing a concert on Ellis Island.

MY: That sounds amazing!

BU: Because that could be a very good way of presenting it to New York.

MY: That sounds like a great idea.

BU: Particularly, no firm plans yet, but something like that is going to happen.

MY: That’s all very interesting. That’s great to hear. Now, for example, some of the songs. My favorites in Kristina would obviously be “Guldet blev till sand”. Now, in English how does that translate?

BU: “Gold Can Turn To Sand”. That title is already translated.

MY: And of course, the other one of Helen’s “Du måste finnas”.

BU: “You Have To Be Here”

MY: Oh okay, “You Have To Be Here”. That song in particular, what’s it about?

BU: It’s about a very, very religious woman. A simple peasant woman, who is very deeply religious for the first time in her life because she’s had a miscarriage. And she’s prevented from being together with her husband. For the first time she’s doubting whether God exists or not. It’s a big turmoil inside her.

MY: And it’s worked in towards the end of the show, isn’t it?

BU: Yes, it is.

MY: And “Guldet blev till sand”?

BU: That’s about Robert, leaves with his friend Arvid for the gold fields. And, of course, Arvid never comes back.

MY: He dies.

BU: He dies.

MY: There’s a line at the end about, something like, “…as the light fled from his eyes, the watch fell from his hand…”

BU: Yes, that's right!

MY: I’ve tried to translate it a bit with an English-Swedish dictionary for myself, these couple of songs.

BU: It’s from when Robert comes back. He’s always been very close to Kristina and Kristina sees something is very, very wrong. He takes out Arvid's watch (gestures with his left hand as if holding something lightly in it) and holds his watch, and tells her the story of what happened to him.

It was very moving to watch Björn become so absorbed in the story as he told it to me. I will never forget the image of him holding the watch etc…

MY: I’d love to see it some time. We’re all really looking forward to seeing it in English. Would there perhaps be a recording of the concert in English?

BU: That’s absolutely possible, yes.

MY: That would make many of us happy, and because everyone would know what’s going on and we’d be even more into it.

We were told by Björns’ assistant, Emma, that there was time for one more question …

MY: So basically we’ll go back to an ABBA related question. Now, in the vaults, of course, there are still bits and pieces of songs. We’ve heard some bits, and we’ve heard names such as “Just A Notion”, “Just Like That”, “Ricky Rock ‘n’ Roller”, “I Am The Seeker”, “In The Arms Of Rosalita”, “Another You, Another Me”, “Friday Night” … endless titles/working titles, there seems as though there might be an album worth of rare things. The Beatles have released three CDs of rarities I am told.

BU: No there isn’t!

MY: There’s nothing left there?

BU: No, no there’s all these little snippets, that you hear on More ABBA Gold, is it?

MY: And the “Thank You For The Music” Box Set.

BU: Yes, and that’s all there is and there is nothing more now, sadly to say, but that’s the truth. There’s, nothing more!

MY: And there is mention of a live album to replace the one that was deleted, ‘A Night With ABBA’ type of thing. Is that a real possibility?

BU: Again, I think it’s from a TV show or something like we did. It’s not anything that I’m very keen on. It’s quite boring.

MY: It’s nothing new, but one of my favourite performances.

Emma appears beside us to tell me I have to go. Björn motions her away and says he actually wants to continue the conversation! I am shocked, but go for it while I have the chance…

MY: Thanks. I appreciate it, Björn. Thank you for giving me a little bit extra. One thing I remember, I think it was one of your last performances together as ABBA, on I think the ‘Late, Late Breakfast Show’ in England or something. . .and the four of you – Benny at the piano, you with the guitar, Agnetha and Frida sang “Thank You For The Music.” Just piano, guitar and vocals; and it was stunning, so good, so beautiful. And there’s always been these discussions about the offer to reform, which we fans think is just crazy, because you never really enjoyed touring a lot - - -

BU: No!

MY: - - - so like, a billion dollars – you’ve got to be kidding. Ever thought of the possibility an MTV unplugged one-of thing – has anyone suggested that kind of idea?

BU: Yeah – it’s just that, well you have to feel very motivated to do that. . .and we just don’t – I’d like you to remember us as we were.

MY: Well we do, and you can’t help it when you have cover bands everywhere and of course, Mamma Mia! reminds us in many ways of the songs written back then - how ABBA were – you’ve said before “it would be kind of silly, to see all of you over 50, dressed up in your Waterloo outfits.” You just wouldn’t want to, would you?

BU: No. No way. I mean, if we were to re-form, we’d never use those clothes again. Nevertheless we don’t wanna do it.

MY: Exactly that’s how we fans perceive it, although you did actually consider the billion dollar deal. We’d love to see all four together, but we don’t expect this will actually happen. Görels’ 50^th birthday – when you were on Bert this week (GMA), I remember you speaking about it. You said, to stand there with the other 3 and to see them, your reaction was - - -

BU: Kind of weird you know, 'cause we hadn’t done that in 25 years. No, not 25 years – or whatever.

MY: Yeah, about 1986, I think was the last time. You were together for Stigs’ tribute, I think. Was it ’86 or - - -

BU: I think it was much earlier than that.

MY: Was it?

BU: Oh yes. Much, much earlier than that.

MY: Oh. OK.

Not really appropriate to argue this point any further. I cannot remember last week, so I am quite sure if my life had been as busy as his I would not remember these little detalis either!

BU: Not since 1981 or probably 82. 81 I think the last tour. Japan. And possibly some video after that. Anyway, it’s such a long time back, so like it was a kinda weird feeling ‘cause, you know, after having lived through such an intensive period as we had, and then so many years after, being back together again, you know it was kinda strange.

MY: Yes, the interesting question someone asked me was from an artistic point of view - a creative/musician point of view, a writer point of view, when you stood there, and you looked over, saw Agnetha next to you, is that correct (Björns agrees, Michael continues) and then Frida and Benny - stood there and sang this birthday song, whatever it was – what’s the song?

BU: It’s was - a Swedish birthday song – you wouldn’t know it.

MY: No. OK.

BU: Just one of those silly little things.

MY: Yes. Sort of “happy birthday” (Björn agrees) – was there from an artistic creative point of view any stirring of a desire to maybe collaborate in some way musically with, I don’t mean as ABBA, but with these three. Was there any hint of that within you or…?

BU: No, funnily enough, that never sort of came up because, I mean, we rehearsed for three minutes with everyone who was on, then went up and just sang – so, no, there was nothing of that.

MY: You’ve spoken about the joy that you had, all of you going to the recording studio, like it’s fun to be here again and that eventually wasn’t happening. I suppose, around ‘The Visitors’ time, was that when it became clear that you were losing that excitement of being there?

BU: Just after that I think.

MY: So between ‘The Visitors’ and maybe ‘The Singles’, if we include “The Singles” album - - -

BU: Yeah, yeah ‘The Visitors’ felt like, you know, didn’t know it at the time, but, but in a way it felt like afterwards that this was possibly, you know, the end of it, so maybe that’s why we felt energy running out, even though I’m very, very proud of “The Day Before You Came.”

MY: Oh yes, as a fan, that’s one of my absolute favourites. I guess you’re most remembered for “Mamma Mia”, “Waterloo” and 20 years since “Waterloo”, 25 years since “Waterloo” and all that sort of publicity. But would you rather be remembered for songs like “The Visitors”, “The Day Before You Came”?

BU: I would very much like to be remembered for them as much as the ones before, the “happy ones”.

MY: There was the younger time, and then as you said, I think your music showed you were growing up as well, in your 30s.

BU: We modelled ourselves completely on the Beatles, in that respect. Never do the same thing again. Just press forward and trying to break new ground all the time.

MY: I mean we love the songs like “The Visitors” album. It’s just a master piece, “The Visitors” now, 20 years on almost, it actually sounds as though it fits more into today musically I think (Björn agrees here) than it did back then. I think that you were so far ahead of the rest of the world.

BU: Yeah, people tell me that. We’d gone one step too far ahead. Oh, I don’t think so. I mean it’s sold fenomenally well, so.

MY: So, B&B concerts, they suggested the perfect follow up in abouts a year's time to Mamma Mia! in Australia, would be a B&B concert - (Björn gives a little laugh here) - because this is wonderful - (I show him the CD) - just to hear this. Any thoughts on that?

BU: Well you see the funny thing is, although Benny recorded that, we were not really involved in it. It was someone else who did it, because we didn’t feel like doing that ourselves. It was someone else – with very good people. Anyone could really do that at any time, in any country. There are no rights involved. You don’t have to ask permission to do that.

MY: Oh, I’m sure that, as fans, if we had the money we would!  (Björn again gives a laugh at this suggestion/idea) Because then we would show people the difference – the other side of Björn and Benny, absolutely.

Emma had reappeared and we were now well over time. Björn had to get to his next appointment.

MY: Thank you, so much.

Björn then asked Emma to take the photos and we briefly discussed MAMMA MIA!, and he asked if many of us would be at the premiere! I told him roughly how many fans would be there and how very much we appreciated being included on the night.

For me, this is still an amazing and somewhat surreal experience. Even when I look at the photos of us together it still doesn’t seem real. As I have said, I had never met Frida, Agnetha, Benny or Björn. Then suddenly, there I am sitting at a little table upstairs in the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, having a coffee and a chat with Björn. Although it's now all a bit hazy, I am sure I will never forget it!

When I packed my stuff and walked out of the theatre I saw that Björn had been stopped by a few fans before reaching his car. I was particularly happy to see Ryan from USA having his photo taken with Björn, and Cathy from Sydney passing on to him the gift she had hoped to give him …

What an amazing day … what an amazing week!

Michael Young, Melbourne, Australia