The Book of ABBA

With exclusive band interviews and over a decade of deep research, in The Book of ABBA, renowned music journalist Jan Gradvall explores the secret to ABBA's success.

''The essence of ABBA''s magic has somehow eluded the written word. Not any more.'' PETE PAPHIDES Through exclusive interviews and over a decade of deep research, renowned music journalist Jan Gradvall explores the secrets to ABBA''s success. More than half a century after their songs were recorded, ABBA still make people the world over dance and sing their hearts out. After interviewing the four members for an article in 2013 - at which time the band had not been interviewed for over thirty years - Jan Gradvall was granted unique access to them for the next decade. In The Book of ABBA , the band share their thoughts and opinions more openly than ever before, while Jan reveals the context in which their sound developed - and shows how the story of ABBA is also the story of Sweden and the globalisation of pop culture. From their chart-topping ABBA Voyage - their first album in forty years - to the two-million-ticket-selling concert-experience of the same name, it is undeniable that, in the history of pop culture and music, there has never been a group like ABBA. With remarkable intimacy, Gradvall''s book brings readers closer than ever to one of the world''s most notoriously private music icons. ''Gradvall has written the only ABBA book that the world will ever need . . . A euphoric, life-affirming ode to joy, with a sob somewhere deep in the heart.'' TONY PARSONS

Vorwort
With exclusive band interviews and over a decade of deep research, in The Book of ABBA, renowned music journalist Jan Gradvall explores the secret to ABBA's success.

Autorentext
Jan Gradvall is an award-winning writer and Sweden's most respected music journalist. He has written several books on pop culture and helped found the Swedish Music Hall of Fame. He has a uniquely close journalistic relationship with ABBA, appearing in two BBC documentaries about them, before writing this book.

Zusammenfassung

'Almost as miraculous as the songs it exists to celebrate.' PETE PAPHIDES
'The only ABBA book that the world will ever need.' TONY PARSONS
'Writing perfection on musical perfection: book heaven.' CAITLIN MORAN

Through exclusive interviews and over a decade of deep research, renowned music journalist Jan Gradvall explores the secrets to ABBA's success.

More than half a century after their songs were recorded, ABBA still make people the world over dance and sing their hearts out. After interviewing the four members for an article in 2013 - at which time the band had not been interviewed for over thirty years - Jan Gradvall was granted unique access to them for the next decade. In The Book of ABBA, the band share their thoughts and opinions more openly than ever before, while Jan reveals the context in which their sound developed - and shows how the story of ABBA is also the story of Sweden and the globalisation of pop culture.

From their chart-topping ABBA Voyage - their first album in forty years - to the two-million-ticket-selling concert-experience of the same name, it is undeniable that, in the history of pop culture and music, there has never been a group like ABBA. With remarkable intimacy, Gradvall's book brings readers closer than ever to one of the world's most notoriously private music icons.