www.abba4ever.com

Angeleyes - 16.04.2008, 12:39
re-re-re-re-releases....
I'm getting tired of re-releases... :yawn: and I don't think this will be interesting. Another package, new liner notes etc...nice words, and it surely will look very nice/beautiful, but are we gonna to buy this? :roll:

See the news on ABBA The Site:

NEWS April 2008
Upcoming re-releases of ABBA CDs
ABBA Gold, More Gold, and the Thank You For The Music box set to be re-released in updated packaging.

The classic ABBA compilation, ABBA Gold, which to date has sold more than 26 million copies worldwide, will be re-released in a so-called Super Jewel Box. The booklet has been slightly updated at the same time, and the CD features the latest remastered versions of the ABBA tracks.

ABBA Gold's "companion CD", More ABBA Gold - originally released in 1993 - will also be re-released at the same time. This release has undergone an even bigger overhaul, with revised liner notes, a re-designed booklet and a remastered CD.

The new versions of ABBA Gold (catalogue number 060251724732) and More ABBA Gold (catalogue number 060251724733) will be released at the end of May 2008.


The 4-CD ABBA box set, Thank You For The Music, will also be re-released in a different format. Originally released in 1994, Thank You For The Music featured ABBA's hits and significant album tracks, along with the first release of many rarities and hidden gems from the tape vaults. It is now re-released in a downsized format, in accordance with modern-day box set packaging. The booklet has been redesigned with different photographs, and parts of the essays and liner notes have been gently corrected and updated. The disc content remains exactly the same as in 1994.

The updated version of Thank You For The Music (catalogue number 060251743234) will be released in early June 2008.

DancingQueen - 16.04.2008, 12:58

What's wrong with the original albums and packages?!

I actually planned to buy the Thank You For The Music box, but I might wait now until the new re-release is available. (the original box might be offered for less in that case) But I would definitely NOT buy it if I already owned a copy.

They could better do something nice with all these rareties and old tapes from the Polar archives instead..

Joe - 16.04.2008, 13:07

It was obvious that something like this was going to happen to accompany the MM movie, but right now I'm pretty disappointed, because I really hoped for an additional dvd release with some unreleased TV clips. I still think we will see something new for Christmas, but I actually had expected something like the "Number Ones" dvd for the summer.

If this should be all, it's a missed opportunity - for fans, but also from a business point of view.

Joachim :?


Edit: I won't buy them. ;-)

kitty-cat - 16.04.2008, 14:29

I only have Abba gold on Video, so I might buy that, and my More Abba gold cd has seen better days, the box is broke and a couple of songs jump!! I will buy that too I think. I wont buy the Thank You For The Music box set as i'm quite happy with the one I got as it is one of the first ones sold in the uk at the time :D !!!

Gill xx

Angeleyes - 16.04.2008, 17:57

Toni wrote: As there is nothing new on the tracklist, I donŽt buy it...

....but I will take a look at the new booklets in the record store... :eyebrows:
That's what I thought too! :D

I've already Gold and More Gold on cd and also have the Box set, so this would be nothing new for me.
But I do understand that some fans will buy this stuff if they haven't these cd's or box set already.

Visitor1982 - 16.04.2008, 19:30

I emailed Universal Music Sweden and asked them if the ABBA fans could be looking forward to some more imaginative releases on the ABBA catalogue. I mentioned an ABBA Live album, a DVD with TV clips and an 'Anthology Project' like what happened to The Beatles in the mid-nineties. (I know B&B have to give permission for that one).

I will let you know if they respond!

Marnix

ABBAFANUSA - 16.04.2008, 22:57

like any ABBA fan should be surprised :shock:

The only positve thing is that GOLD is back and Number Ones is out! And if released in the USA, we will finally get the correct logo.

onlyabba4me - 17.04.2008, 00:38

The Re-Issues/Re-Vamps of 'Gold' & 'More Gold' are NOT
aimed at ABBA Fans - obviously - but at the people who will
go to see the 'Mamma Mia' Movie, who do not usually buy
anything by ABBA - at all.

A lot of people will see the Movie, who like Films, & who
- overall - do not see themselves as ABBA Fans.

Universal obviously hope that a lot of those Movie-goers
will like the actual Songs in the Film more than they expected
to - and that they will then buy 'Gold' and/or 'More Gold',
for the first time.

The idea is to add to 'Gold's' 26 Million Sales, & to the 2.5
Million that 'More Gold' has sold. (And a few extra Thousand
to the Sales of the 'Thank You For The Music' Box Set).

It has nothing to do with whether ABBA Fans like the idea of
the Re-Issues or not - the Re-Issues are not aimed at us.

Unfortunately, Benny & Bjorn will never, ever allow us to
have any further unreleased ABBA material, or any 'Alternative
Versions', of some of the old Singles. Nor can we have Re-Mixes.

There is no use in ABBA Fans getting angry about it. I used to
be furious about this matter, but it makes 100% no difference
to Benny & Bjorn - they decide what we can & cannot have,
& we are powerless to change their minds. They see the Fans
as not terribly important - as has been obvious for Years.

Maxi-saxi - 17.04.2008, 03:51

SHAME! SHAME! SHAME................

B & B together with Universal had a chance to do something special but yet again same old rehashed stuff.

There is just so much true fans can take.
I mean how many times can they update liner notes.


Stupid


Boycotting definite.

Maxi-saxi

Zeebee - 17.04.2008, 06:43

I have More ABBA Gold on a cassette, and I bought it for I Am The City, but now I have the CSR box set, so I have I Am The City on CD. So I won't buy any of these new releases.

johnny59 - 17.04.2008, 08:08

A major fraction of your analysis strikes me as probably true. Unfortunately.

Joe - 17.04.2008, 10:19

Well,

I think including one or two unreleased tracks on a "Gold" compilation again would make sense as it would be interesting for both the general audience (for the hits) and the fans (who want to have every single bit). It's not the nicest way, but many of us probably would buy it I guess.

But I'm sure this depends on B&B first, not on marketing aspects which Universal has in mind. B&B probably don't see a need to push the ABBA marketing because ABBA sells on a certain level and they have other successful projects, especially MM.

However, an accompanying dvd for "Gold" would be interesting even without any new tracks on the cd. Universal alone could re-release a dvd with the videos and some additional TV clips to make it interesting for both groups. They've done it with "Number Ones" and I guess many fans have bought the dvd only. Such a dvd under the established "Gold" label probably would be even more successful.

We have to accept that we won't get any (cd/dvd) completely new release for the time being - because of B&B, marketing reasons and limitation of costs. But including 3 or 5 new single TV clips should be realistic even under these circumstances, especially if we think about clips from Sweden, UK or Germany where Universal's access seems to be pretty good.

I think it's very strange that there wasn't any announcement regarding a "Gold" dvd at all. At least I would have expected a re-release with "updated" booklet as for the cd's. It's not a "complete package" as it was in the past. Maybe this is still to come for July or so, or Christmas? The cd's are announced to be released almost simultaneously in May/June, perhaps they didn't want to announce/release all at once!?

Joachim

Maxi-saxi - 17.04.2008, 10:47

Pablo

Believe me my friend I do understand But I guess being a hard core fan like others knowing what is still there, And after hearing some of it.
Too me and others I guess I just can't see the point in having it sitting in the vaults.

Doing nothing.


Maxi-saxi


:D :D

onlyabba4me - 17.04.2008, 11:55

Hello,
I discussed the 'Mamma Mia' Film with a Friend this morning. He
us not an ABBA Fan. I asked him what he thinks Universal would
do to 'cash-in' - with an ABBA release - when the Film comes out.

He suggested an ABBA CD that has the original versions of ALL
the Songs in the Film.

I told him that instead, 'Gold', & 'More Gold', were being Re-Issued.
He said:, 'Are ALL the Songs in the Film on those CD's?'

I explained that most of them were, but not 'Slipping Through My
Fingers'. He was surprised at this, & wondered why it was not on
the 'New' version of 'More Gold'.

All I know is that most people only know the ABBA Songs on
'Gold', & they only get the chance to hear other ABBA Songs when
they go to see 'Mamma Mia'.

When it first came out on Stage in the UK, (1999), more than one
UK Critic said how they liked 'Slipping Through My Fingers', & that
they had never heard it before.

If I were Universal I would have put that Song on the 'New' version
of 'More Gold', & removed one of the other Tracks, in order to fit
it on. In my case, I would remove 'I Wonder', as I think that it
never was one of ABBA's better Album Tracks.

It is very odd, to me, that Universal did not ensure that the 'New'
versions of 'Gold', & 'More Gold', did not include ALL that ABBA Songs
in 'Mamma Mia' - the Film. It now means that if a lot of people like
'Slipping Through My Fingers', (when they see the Film), they will
be very disappointed, if they look at 'More Gold', in the Stores, &
see that they cannot get that Song on that CD - or even on 'Gold'.....

RARE TRACKS - THE BEATLES etc.

I realise that only a few thousand ABBA Fans 'care' if a 'Rare' ABBA
Song is added to an ABBA Compilation, BUT it would be the same
if a 'Rare' Beatles Track were added to '1', (for example), & THAT
Beatles CD were to be Re-Issued & Re-Promoted.

'1' has sold over 2,700,000 in the UK, & 28 Million to 31 Million
Globally - hardly ANY of those people would buy it again, just because
a 'Previously unreleased Beatles song', were to be added to it.

However, what happens with The Beatles is that several of their
'Rare' Songs, came out as SINGLES - and they became Hits, in
the 1990's.

ABBA's 'Rare' Songs are always BURIED on ABBA CD's - and
that is why most people in the World do not get to hear them.

I hear that there is at least one more unreleased Beatles Track
that will be a Global Single - one Day. It will be a Hit too - as it
will not simply be buried on a Beatles CD/Album.

ABBA would never have had as many Global Hit Singles, as they
had, if nearly all of them had simply been left on ABBA Albums!....
Most people would never have heard all those Old ABBA Songs
had they never been Singles - Album Tracks get nowhere near
as much Air Play, or attention.....

hamlet3 - 17.04.2008, 16:54

The point about the Mamma Mia movie visitors is very good. CDs like "Gold" are cult and the first compilation(s) these people will go for. And now they get it presented in the best possible way with the brilliant 2005 remaster, a modern design and more current liner notes.
I think it's a shame just to cry for new material, while ABBA's famous compilations are upgraded for people who don't own an ABBA CD yet.

Carribean - 17.04.2008, 23:01

Settle down ya'll... These releases are of course not for us fans but for the general public. I would not worry too much about it.

I think that Universal has done some great things for us fans like the remasters of the solo albums by Frida and Agnetha and the remastered Lycka. The DeLuxe versions of Arrival and The Album and the DVD for Number Ones (with newly released material) are also made with us fans in mind. Even The Complete Studio Recordings!

I do not think they treat us fans that bad. Benny and Bjorn obviously do not care for unreleased material and Universal of course wants to make money. So in order to give us these remasters and DeLuxe editons (that won't make big bucks) they have to release this stuff for the mainstream audience out there. Target this time are the Mamma Mia! movie go'ers.

Let all of them get these albums and we might be in for a Voulez Vous DeLuxe next year. Good deal I would say!

:wink:

onlyabba4me - 17.04.2008, 23:38

Carribean is RIGHT - the 3 ABBA Re-Issues are NOT aimed at
'The Fans' - they are meant to attract people who see the 'Mamma
Mia' Film, but who do not usually buy anything - at all - by ABBA.

A LOT of people will see the Film, who have never bought any
of the Compilations before.

We, (Fans), WILL continue to get 'Deluxe' versions of the Studio
Albums, & we should get 'Voulez-Vous' in 2009, with 'Super Trouper'
in 2010, & 'The Visitors' in 2011.

BUT - I still think it is rather silly that people attracted to 'Gold'
& 'More Gold', (by 'Mamma Mia'), will NOT be able to get ALL of the
Songs from it - the ABBA originals - on either Compilation.
'Slipping Through My Fingers' is not on 'More Gold' - it would
make far more sense for Universal to remove 'I Wonder' from
'More Gold', & to add 'Slipping Through My Fingers' instead.....

Hades - 18.04.2008, 19:11

restareabear wrote: OMG, what's left after 2011 then?
A 30th anniversary edition of 'The Singles' or a 20th anniversary edition of 'Gold' in 2012.
And then, of course, the 40th anniversary edition of 'Waterloo' in 2014. :wink:

Maxi-saxi - 19.04.2008, 04:24

:rotfl: :rotfl:
Maxi-saxi

Pabs - 19.04.2008, 13:22

Johnny, a "nitwit" is someone with no brains.

"The general public is not as dumb as you think - they're even DUMBER than you think" - Stig Anderson (ABBA's manager).

This man knew that plenty of money can be made because most people are stupid. :lol: How right he was! :roll:

Pablo

Pabs - 19.04.2008, 15:04

I certainly know that you are not stupid, Carribean! and I apologise if I have caused offence to you or anyone else, because I never meant to do so.

Pablo

onlyabba4me - 19.04.2008, 17:11

Hello,
I truly do not think that the 3 Re-Issues are 'aimed' at
the Fans - meaning the people who bother to Join or Post
on ABBA Forums like this.

They are meant for the - many - people who will see 'Mamma
Mia', (Film), who have never bought an ABBA CD before -
and most people have NOT done so.

I realise that SOME Fans may well buy the Re-Issues too,
but - over all - they are going to be Re-Promoted towards
people who see the Film, and - to their surprise - they like the
ABBA Songs in it more than they expected that they would.

Carribean - I am sure that Pabs meant no offence towards
those Fans who do buy/collect a lot of these Re-Issues. I
know some Fans who buy every ABBA release that ever comes
out - and that is hard for me to understand. But, it is their
money. Some people Drink a great deal, & get Drunk a lot -
and they then have nothing to show for the cash they spent
on the 'Booze' - except a Hang-Over!

I buy a LOT of CD's & Books. So, I have a huge collection
of both of those things.

It MAY be that 'Slipping Through My Fingers' is not being
added to 'More Gold', in order to get people to check out
'The Visitors' Album - but, ABBA's Studio Albums tend not to
Sell very well - no matter what.

I know that 'Arrival' has sold about 77,000 copies in the UK,
since 1994 - and that is ABBA's Best Selling UK Studio Album in
that time. However, 'Sgt. Pepper', by the Beatles, has sold
about 780,000 UK copies in the same period - people tend to
buy old Beatles Albums a lot - but, not ABBA ones. Not the ABBA
Studio Albums, anyhow.....

onlyabba4me - 19.04.2008, 20:32

OK, well us ALL just try to be polite to each other here.
Even if we disagree - sometimes strongly - with other ABBA
Fans.

We can ALL have fun here, I think.

Here is a Picture of me, after I accidently sat on a needle :shock:

Maxi-saxi - 22.04.2008, 06:03

Pepe Looks a lot classier with the correct ABBA logo, I agree with you there


Maxi-saxi

onlyabba4me - 16.05.2008, 12:07

Abbagav, out of curiosity, I look on Amazon.uk every day - to
see any sign of the late May 'Gold' & 'More Gold' Re-issues. As
you point out - there is no trace of them on that Site!

Amazon.uk do not seem to know that they are being Re-issued.

Nor do the USA, German, or French, Amazon(s).

I wonder if Universal plan to get them into the Stores in late
May, but to wait until well into June to actually start Promoting
them - to cash-in on their Advertising/Build-Up to the 'Mamma Mia'
Movie, & then to the Movie actually coming out in July?

What WILL happen is that there will be numerous Global Press
Articles on ABBA, once the Film comes out - and perhaps more
ABBA Documetaries will be shown on TV - either new ones, or
repeats - or up-dates - of old ones.