Stockholm is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, with a stunning location on the water, picturesque old town and a vibrant nightlife - are the words of Deutsche Welle who recently phoned our author Sara Russell for an interview about the ABBA Guide. Everyone who wants to know more about the band and Stockholm is welcome to listen to the interview (in English) on www.dw-world.de.
If you want to win a copy of the book, you can visit the German site of VisitSweden, and answer correctly what building can be seen behind ABBA, on the book cover? Good luck!
Lily Berglund dead - 18/8, 2010
Lily Berglund belonged to one of Swedens most popular singers of the 50ies, alongside with Alice Babs and Thory Bernhards. With songs like "Vita syrener", "Valpen i fönstret", "Vaya Con Dios" she piled hit on hit. When the pop music of the 60's conquered Sweden, she spent increasingly more time with her family. In the 80's however, she founded a record label together with her husband Göte Wilhelmsson and continued to perform on a smaller scale. Lily Berglund died 82 years old.
The singer released her very first English speaking recording on the second volume of our 4-cd box "Stora Schlagerboxen - 100 svenska sångerskor 1954-1969". The song "For The First Time" is previously unreleased! She is also represented with her biography and discography, in our book "Stora Schlagerboken (A-L)".
At home of - 12/8, 2010
Who would have thought. The other day no one less than Björn Borg payed our author Börje Lundberg a visit, who amongst others has written "Elvis - Kung av Sverige", "Yeah Yeah Yeah - The Beatles erövrar Sverige" and "Rolling Stones i Sverige". Modest braggy we are allowed to publish the photo that was taken on this special day:
Photo: Jan Düsing
Rock-Olga dead - 11/6, 2010
Yesterday Swedens queen of rock'n'roll - Birgit Magnusson - died, better known as Rock-Olga. She died of serious blood poisoning, at the age of 70. Rock-Olga was Swedens very first female rock singer, starting her career at the age of 3, between the hall and living room. A couple of years later, she performed at the legendary Stockholm club Nalen, when even the security guards left their position to see her play - something similar has never happened before.
For all who want to learn more about Rock-Olga, can read in our luxurious book "Stora Schlagerboken" Volume 2. (Note! The book is written in Swedish)
60-talet.nu - 02/6, 2010
Saturday, 5th June, a new huge exhibition about the 1960's will open at Västergötlands museum, in Sweden. Come and experience once again what the 60's were like. The exhibition 60-tal.nu is for everyone who has an interest in this century. What happened in the world back then, and what happened in your world then? For more info about the exhibition, please visit the museum's homepage www.vastergotlandsmuseum.se.
PS: In the museum shop you can buy our books "Stick iväg Jack! Historien om Radio Nord" and "Tio i Topp - med de utslagna 'På försök' 1961-74".
Anna Lena Löfgren dead - 24/5, 2010
The well known Swedish singer started her long carreer as a 4-year-old. In school she struggled with a tough timetable, but succeeded to combine her studies with studio recordings and numerous singing performances.
Metronome founder Anders Burman discovered her when she was in her teenage years and helped her to breakthrough. She also made herself a name in Germany. Anna-Lena Löfgren had about 40 hits on the Swedish charts, called Svensktoppen, but became most famous with the song Lyckliga Gatan.
On Friday, May 21, she died, only 66 years old.
For everybody who wants to keep one of Swedens foremost singers in memory, or know more about her, can read Vol. 1 of our book "Stora Schlagerboken", where she is presented with several pages (her biography and complete discography).
She is also represented on our 4-cd box "Stora Schlagerboxen", with the less known song Regniga natt and the previously unreleased Wanna be, from 1962.
ABBA Rapport 1976 - 20/5, 2010
Just recently we found a fantastic ABBA clip on Youtube, that we would like to share with you. In 1976 the Swedish news programme Rapport send featured the band, who talked about their fame, money and taxes. In the video you can see manager Stig Anderson talk about the financial aspects of success, and in the end Benny & Björn play "Thank You For The Music", which at that time hasn't been released yet!
In the middle of the clip, you can also see the famous jazz and pop photographer Bengt H. Malmqvist, when he took some of the photos, that we (Premium Rockshot) now have in our photo archive. What a fantastic time document!
Btw, a lot of Bengt H. Malmqvist's pictures are featured in our latest ABBA book "The ABBA Guide to Stockholm".
Mysteries of life - 06/5, 2010
What would life look like for us if we hadn't focused on releasing books about music? In 1998 we published the book "Stjärnornas Fotograf", a tribute to the legendary photographer Bengt H. Malmqvist, who unfortunately passed away in 2008.
How suprised weren't we, when we just recently learned about the fact that no one less than Stieg Larsson has helped our AD with layouting the book.
In other words, at that time still unknown, the succesfull writer fiddled in our book "Stjärnornas Fotograf". Had he already started writing? Would we have gotten the chance to review his Millenium books, if we had had a wider range of publications? Is this one of this life's mysteries... or just a little anecdote from our publishing house. You decide!
Of course we want to take the chance to introduce you to our book "Stjärnornas Fotograf", with its 200 artist portraits. A book for those who are into photography, who are nostalgic and those who love music!
TV4 Nyhetsmorgon - 13/4, 2010
This morning the Swedish breakfast TV "Nyhetsmorgon" on TV4 reported about the ABBA Guide by visiting several ABBA-places. ABBA expert Carl Magnus Palm talked live about the importance of the old Metronome studios (today Atlantis studio) and explained its ABBA connection. Club legend Alexandra Charles visited her old disco Alexandra's and shared some of her memories of ABBA, who were regular visitors in the club.
Watch Nyhetsmorgon's report about the ABBA Guide book here:
Photos book release ABBA Guide - 13/4, 2010
Thanks to everybody who came and visited us at the International ABBA Day in the Netherlands! The book release has been a huge success for us with several hundred visitors and many happy faces. Click here to see more photos from that special day.
