www.abba4ever.com

drimnagh - 04.05.2007, 13:33
Alice In Wonderland
A weird one, I know but I have a feeling that one of the reasons ABBA were derided during their years as an active group was because they were seen as too clean and 'safe', whatever that is! Another reason might be I think because ABBA were so smiley all the time and rarely did the 'cool' thing photo-shoot wise (but when they did! WOW! Sizzle! :bow: ).

I have a theory that if ABBA had been a bit more mean and moody they might have alienated their (mostly young) fan base but they might also have garnered a bit of credibility and a certain amount of kudos. All nonsense, of course but we know how the music biz is!

Anyway, I would nominate Bjorn as the worst 'culprit' smile- wise ! LOL. Cheeky and enigmatic though he is, he was the cheshire cat of ABBA!

No need for responses, just me airing my thoughts although feel free to debate/agree/ tell me to keep taking the tablets/whatever. :wink:

:rotfl2:

Joe

P.S I rarely post in the Bjorn section so thought I'd give it a whirl

Sinikka - 04.05.2007, 19:47

To say honestly, I have no idea what you mean. I think that the more time has elapsed since ABBA's existence, the more alienated and weird the explanations about their popularity/unpopularity.

ABBA were never as popular in Finland as they were, for example, in Britain. Why? One explanation is that Finns prefer rock music more than pop. But does it matter in the end? I don't think so.

Björn is accused of all kinds of things. It maybe shows his importance in ABBA. But a cheshire cat? Well, some would say that he resembles a monkey, not a cat. :?

Anne

PS. I had to add a smiley, because I will be misunderstood again :D.

drimnagh - 05.05.2007, 13:53

Remember that quote from Benny? ''No, we're not clean but we don't take any drugs..'' Says it all really! I'm sure ABBA were capable of letting their hair down and getting raucous at times. Frida and Benny were renowned for partying 'til the small hours and Swedes are well known for their love of the odd tipple (vodka) so all in all I would think ABBA could be just as rock and roll as the next band.. but they did it with a smile! 8)

And no probs Anne, smiley or not I don't take offence easily so no worries! It would be nice if some people could chill out more and not take (certain) things so seriously! IM(humble)O. :wink1:
:wink:

Joe

P.S how about a cheshire monkey, then? :wink:

Joe_Bear - 08.05.2007, 05:58

drimnagh wrote: ...I think because ABBA were so smiley all the time ...I have a theory that if ABBA had been a bit more mean and moody they might have alienated their (mostly young) fan base but they might also have garnered a bit of credibility and a certain amount of kudos.

I don't know about that, I feel what endeared ABBA to their fans and to the public was that they happy go lucky, easy going, I think ABBA were themselves and if they did that I think most can see through an phoney act. I don't know who favor they would gain if they acted like you what you said.

As far as I can remember I don't recall any derision. At least in America it was quite possible if you were into AOR radio you won't known any pop acts and if you were in Top 40 radio you won't know hard rock and progressive groups. I don't recall anyone my friend who listen to AOR radio tease or even mention ABBA.

But back to your subject of Alice In Wonderland, I have different take on that, when I was young I was into hard rock and progressive rock. So to me that was like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that I fell through the rabbit hole and there was whole world of music, that was unkown to others, I remember people who like Top 40 couldn't understand why I would listen to songs over 3 minutes or that weren't hits or worse of all "old' like 5 or ten years old, and talking about music was trying to discribe the adventures of Alice. And now oddly enough (even though they were famous in the 70's) ABBA today is like a band from Wonderland, that other just didn't know or care about them. :? :? :?