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Saturday Deluxe / 28 August 2021

ABBA-dabadoo: They’re back! (sort of)

By Paul Sinclair

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62

ABBA Voyage – the wait is nearly over

ABBA fans the world over are excitedly waiting for details on ‘ABBA Voyage’ a project which the band have been teasing on social media since Thursday.

This is of course undoubtedly about the so-called ‘Hologram Tour’ which has been years in development and which is expected to start in Stratford in East London in May. It’s not really a tour, more like a multi-year residency in one venue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YavN9MA9378

Then of course there is the matter of the new songs. As we all know, ABBA said in 2018 that they had recorded two new tracks (‘I Still Have Faith In You’ and ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’) and that they would be released later that year. This didn’t happen, but fans’ disappointment was tempered by the fact that those two songs have grown into what is thought to be five new tracks. Not enough for a full album, which is a shame.

All will be revealed on Thursday 2 September when the big announcement will happen. You can register at the new ABBA Voyage website “to be first in line to hear more about ABBA Voyage”.

Press to Play at 35 is SDE’s unofficial collectors’ guide to Paul’s 1986 album

SDE on Paul McCartney’s Press to Play at 35

I’m delighted to share with you the news that SDE is marking the 35th anniversary of Paul McCartney‘s 1986 album Press to Play with a new collectors’ edition ‘keepsake’ booklet.

The 32-page book features an in-depth interview with the producer, Hugh Padgham, a 9,000-word SDE review with a track-by-track examination, an interview with John ‘Tokes’ Potoker (who remixed ‘Spies Like Us’ and ‘Pretty Little Head’) a look back at the reviews of the album at the time, newly commissioned illustrations and more!

We have produced a limited run of 1,000 numbered copies, which will be signed by myself. For extra collectibility, the first 500 out of those 1000 will also be signed by Hugh Padgham himself!

These will go on sale on Wednesday 1 September 2021 (when the album was released in the UK in 1986) and will ship almost immediately (starting 6th Sep).

We have also reprinted the long sold-out McCartney: 10 Years of Archive Reissues SDE book for anyone who missed out. Unlike the original run of 1000 copies, these will not be numbered or signed. Bundles will be available with the Press to Play at 35 publication. Again, these will go on sale on Wednesday.

McCartney: 10 Years of Archive Reissues sold out in 2020 and was acclaimed

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62 Comments

62 thoughts on “Saturday Deluxe / 28 August 2021”

  2. A new 10 track album to be released in time for the Christmas rush say my sources with 2 of the tracks to be included in the ‘Hologram Tour’. Not sure if they (ABBA) will be making an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show Christmas Edition though. Too soon to confirm that booking!

  6. A 5-track album?
    Great idea!
    My favourite 5-track albums:
    Vangelis ‎– Spiral
    Vangelis ‎– Soil Festivities
    Isaac Hayes – …To Be Continued
    Isaac Hayes – Presenting Isaac Haye
    Isaac Hayes ‎– Joy
    Isaac Hayes ‎– New Horizon
    Isaac Hayes ‎– And Once Again
    Yes ‎– Going For The One
    Dire Straits ‎– Love Over Gold
    Patrick Cowley ‎– Menergy
    King Crimson ‎– In The Court Of The Crimson King
    King Crimson ‎– Red
    Donna Summer ‎– A Love Trilogy
    Donna Summer ‎– Four Seasons Of Love
    Mike Oldfield ‎– Five Miles Out
    Pink Floyd – Atom Heart Mother
    Pink Floyd ‎– Wish You Were Here
    Pink Floyd ‎– Animals
    Miles Davis ‎– Kind Of Blue
    Jean-Michel Jarre ‎– Les Chants Magnétiques

  8. I wonder if ABBA might resurrect Just Like That and make it work as part of this new project. I’d love it if they could finally achieve a finished version of the song they were happy to release themselves.

  9. I really do believe these new songs will be great. Just hear Story Of my Heart from the Benny Andersson Band some years ago. Now think of Agnetha singing this tune. It‘ SOOOO Abbaish. And I also expect a full album with nine or ten new Songs. The whole team around Abba is very smart and clever in keeping secrets.

  12. Fantastic to hear the Abbatar concerts are really happening.Currently under construction is a specially built theatre in the Olympic Park, London that will present eight shows a week from May next year until 2025 and all four original members will be there on opening night!
    Let’s hope September 2nd sees the news break of a new album although I’ll be more than happy if I can finally buy the five new songs which have been talked about for some time now.

    1. I know I am going to cry (don’t judge) if they get some good shots of all 4 together on stage. There is a youtube video of the last time they were together, set to “The Way old friends do”. Blubfest every single time.

  15. Also added to all the new ABBA stuff will be a documentary about group musical return and as someonce closer to the band said they will be there the night of the show premiere at London theater.

  16. Press to Play is one of my favourite McCartney albums (I know, weird, right?), just loved his word play with tracks like However Absurd and the energy on Angry. Played it until the tape wore out.

  17. The problem with all these long lead in times is that expectation is ramped up to levels whereby Abba may struggle to deliver quality wise. Maybe it would have been better to drop some tracks out of the blue instead.

    1. Or indeed just do 10 actual live shows at the 02 & 10 at Madison Sq Garden and keep everyone happy! That would be far better.
      I do hope they have recorded a new album and not just 5 new tracks.

  18. Really looking forward the Press to Play keepsake. One of my favourite McCartney albums and one which never seems to get much love.
    I’m not holding my breath for an SDE of it given McCartney’s supposed lack of love for the album, even though there are definitely much worse collections in his oeuvre.
    Setting a reminder for Wednesday…

  20. One thing about ABBAs artwork: They always have that ugly ® sign at their band logo, even on the front covers.
    ABBA®. I understand the logo is protected, but so are the logos of many bands, and most do not use that sign. It disturbs the artwork.

  21. Apparently the ABBA trailer isn’t official and it’s likely fan-made. If so, the official team haven’t come up with anything.

    Someone asked which ABBA songs are in the trailer. They are: Fernando (“We were young and full of life”), If It Wasn’t For The Nights (“Even I could see your light”), SOS (“But you have closed your mind”) and The Way Old Friends Do (“…of violence. We’ll make up with each other, the way old friends do”).

  22. I’m a huge ABBA fan, bought all their catalogue many times over, I think they are in the top 5 bet music makers ever.
    They are what The Beatles are to most of you on here.
    And I have no desire to hear new music from them, ever. I think they should leave their superb legacy alone. They definitely can’t need money or new exposure so I really don’t understand what made them decide to do this.
    I also doubt that the new material will be equal to their catalog.

    1. I largely agree – the odds are against them matching their previous high quality. That said, I’m fairly optimistic here. Benny and Bjorn are amazing songwriters, so if anyone was up for the challenge of writing new material on a level with the balance of their catalog, it’d be them.

      I doubt this is a money grab; they value their legacy as well, so if they have confidence in these tracks, it must be for good reason.

  23. There’s something of the “Cybermen behind the couch through fingertips” about the upcoming Abba releases.

    I adore Abba, at points in the last 5 years they have given me more joy than just about any other artist. I want these tracks to fly, to be brilliant, to leave the legacy on a massive high. If it goes well it will put all other musical comebacks into the shade. Almost 40 years? Please, please, please. Be good.

    2. Arnd01 It seems to be Our Last Summer, Fernando, If It Wasn’t For The Nights, SOS and The Way Old Friends Do. It’s apparently not an official trailer, but regardless it’s extremely good.

    2. Five? Five?

      Are you deliberately teasing us by lopping off “Wild is the Wind”? “Station to Station” has SIX tracks.

      Here are five albums that DO have five tracks though:

      1) Animals – Pink Floyd
      2) In the Court… – King Crimson
      3) Red – King Crimson
      4) Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
      5) A Kind of Blue – Miles Davis
      5) Greatest Hits – The Jackson Five.

      1. Let’s not forget Relayer and Close to the Edge by Yes, each with 3 tracks. And their Tales from Topographic Oceans, a double album with four.

        Not sure I could listen to an ABBA track that ran nearly 20 minutes….

        1. Oh I don’t know. I could listen to very long versions of Voulez Vous or Eagle.
          There is something about an insanely long song I quite like.

          Pleasuredome / Macho City, Misty / Lake Tahoe as examples.

          All hail to the 10 minute plus song.

          1. Not me. I liked their material back in the day when I was younger, but my tastes have changed.

            Pleasuredome, though, now there’s a great track which unfortunately doesn’t work at single length.

            Off topic: back in my bit torrent days, I once downloaded a Frankie concert in Germany. Audience shot, so horrible quality, but it was awesome to see the lads perform the full-length Pleasuredome.

          3. Okay, I’ll join in on this one…..

            Paddy McAloon (or Prefab Sprout as it was on re-release) with I Trawl The Megahertz clocking in at 22.06 minutes, and The Unthanks Mount The Air at 10.34 minutes. Both tracks are totally sublime.

            As for Abba, I’m expecting nothing less than a 10 LP box set of new songs. They’ve had enough time since 1982. Still, a new LP would be something special.

      3. Well, while we’re at it: Mike Oldfields “Amarok” has only 1 (one) track. And it’s an album, not a single.

        I doubt, though, that ABBA are about to offer us progressive rock longtracks.

        1. Okay, I’ll keep playing. Jarre has En Attendant Cousteau/Waiting For Cousteau (depending on your region) with four tracks. Eno had Music for Airports (four tracks) and Thursday Afternoon (one track).

          ABBA progressive pop? I don’t think so!

          1. I forgot Eno’s Discreet Music…. four tracks.

            And what about the other extreme? Didn’t NIN’s Broken have 99 tracks?

    3. Former ABBA session guitarist Janne Schaffer claimed during an interview this week that they are releasing a new album this autumn… hopefully he doesn’t have his wires crossed…

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