Not really the "Complete Story"
Basically a glorified UK discography, this book will be a disappointment for those wanting to know more about ABBA than their UK single and album releases. Indeed, it is an updated version of the book ABBA For the Record from 1980.It is hardly a complete story of the band, nor is it truly authorised by the group. After a basic introduction and brief biographies of the four members before ABBA was formed, the text is arranged around the release of every single and album in the UK, and is accordingly centred on the chart and sales performance in the UK. The fact that many singles were hits in Europe and other parts of the world, while singles languished outside the UK charts in the 18 months between Waterloo and SOS is brushed aside, and it's since become conventional wisdom that ABBA's records were universal flops in that era. Coupled with the author's equally inaccurate CD liner notes, ABBA's world history is being twisted to this "Anglocentric" view.
The author also relies to heavily on gossip and hearsay, quoting rumour as fact and thus distorting what little actual ABBA history is included in this book, especially in regard to "unreleased" recordings and "group reunions".
It has to be admitted that there are many wonderful full colour pictures in this book, but unfortunately, very few are given their proper place in the chronology of this book, or are inadequately captioned, so the casual reader will have no idea who is in the photos much of the time(besides the ABBA members) or from what particular period the photos belong.
Sadly, the only other ABBA "biography" to date (bar a couple of books written during the late 1970s), The Name Of The Game by Andrew Oldham et al, is even less factual than this book.
For a more balanced view of ABBA's recording history, look no further than The Complete Recording Sessions by Carl Magnus Palm. The forthcoming books ABBA: The Book should give a better overview of ABBA's entire history, while From ABBA To Mamma Mia (already published in Swedish)will be an excellent look at the later years of ABBA and beyond.
May 29 2000 Amazon.com
