They have both spoken of having formal voice training, which is essential not only for singing technique but proper maintenance of the vocal chords.

I have a question do you know when The Visitors Deluxe Edition will be released I imagine 2012 and I think that this will be the perfect album for Bjorn & Benny to release 'Just Like That' as it will be 30 years old in 2012 will it be included on The Visitors Deluxe Edition and do you also know why the 'Ring, Ring' and 'ABBA' albums never got a deluxe edition release.

Adam, United Kingdom 

As far as I know there are no plans at the moment for a Deluxe Edition of The Visitors. It's a hot topic in the ABBA forums at the moment - a recent poll on my own blog has The Visitors way ahead as the album that fans would most like as a Deluxe Edition next. As for 'Just Like That' being included, that's unlikely. Benny and Björn have vetoed all suggested releases, stretching right back to More ABBA Gold in 1993. Of course it's the one thing that fans want released.

Ring Ring and ABBA haven't had Deluxe Editions simply because it hasn't come up yet. The Waterloo 30th Anniversary Edition in 2004 technically wasn't a "Deluxe Edition" either, with only 4 tracks on the DVD. Though some of the Deluxe Editions have coincided with the 30th anniversary of the albums' original release, they weren't necessarily to commemorate the anniversary, and any album could well be the next Deluxe Edition. Take a look at this piece by Carl Magnus Palm discussing the Deluxe Editions so far.

How much are the programmes worth in mint condition of the 1977 European programme and 1979 world tour programme.

Many thanks,
Paul 

I've seen programmes for both tours in good condition on eBay in the range of US$100-$150. Mint could fetch more.

From 1978 onwards, it was quite common to see some chart singles available on a 12" extended version. Not necesserily all aimed at the disco market either. Why do you think Benny & Bjorn never did this with any of their latter singles? Not including the obvious Voulez-Vous for the US market, but worldwide. Also, what singles would you have liked as extended? Gimme & One Of Us for me.

True, with the disco craze in the late 70s it was common to release extended versions of dance tracks, and in the early 80s it also became common(particularly in the UK) for extended versions of less dance-oriented singles, to the point where every single had a 7 inch, 12 inch remixed or extended version, picture disc, limited edition poster sleeve, etc. But that was more marketing than creativity. Several unauthorised extended mixes of ABBA songs did appear, notably 'Lay All Your Love On Me' and 'The Visitors'.

Björn and Benny have always maintained that they've don't see the point of remixing, they're happy with the songs they've created as they are. Only twice did they allow it, at the insistence of record companies for limited markets - first 'Ring Ring' as the UK follow up to 'Waterloo' in 1974, then 'Voulez-Vous' for the US club market in 1979, leading up to ABBA's concert tour. They also eventually vetoed an ABBA remix project in the 1990s.

Now that ABBAWORLD has closed in Sydney where is it going to next? Is it going to any other Australian cities?

Blake, Australia 

Sadly no, ABBAWORLD is not going to any other Australian locations. The exhibition is being packed up to return to Sweden and then the next exhibition venue. A version of ABBAWORLD is currently in Prague, Czech Republic until 7 August. The eventual plan is a permanent exhibition in Stockholm. Sign up for the newsletter at the ABBAWORLD site to keep up-to-date with the latest news.

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