We are born. We live. And at one time we face our Waterloo. That's life. Except for Stikkan Anderson. He faced his Waterloo four times.
• In Brighton 1974, when he got to see his ABBA win the ESC with ”Waterloo” - and get the chance to start two decades of unbelievable success for Swedish music abroad.
• In Stockholm 1984, when he had to witness his ABBA dissolve, even though he tried to fight that and tried very hard to convince Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus to continue.
• In Stockholm 1991, when ABBA "declared war" and sued their former manager and business partner for 27 millions.
• And then finally in Stockholm, yesterday, when his heart, so filled with music, couldn't cope any longer.
There is only one way to pay your respects to Stikkan. With music. But I don't think that the old schoolteacher was loved enough within the music industry for artists to come together and record a tribute album. Perhaps Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Quincy Jones and Joni Mitchell who each received a million from Stikkan's Polar Music Fund.
No a tribute album is not a good idea. What I really would like to see is a television documentary about Stikkan - with lots of music, a fun portrait of the outspoken Västgöte [Västergötland is the part of Sweden where Stikkan came from] who really went the long hard way. First becoming a schoolteacher and a free lancing schlager singer, then a very hardworking lyricist and finally powerful multimillionaire in the music business.
Sveriges Television who has so much material should put together a documentary as soon as possible, like for next week. Just get on to it! As ABBA:s manager and the fifth member of the group, Stikkan was often called commercial, cold and calculating.
Naturally a part of the big success was due to good planning and calculating and it came to mean a lot of money for Stikkan to count and invest, but his heart was always filled with music. I sincerely believe that. I'm sure he would have loved to be on stage together with the four in Brighton. Stikkan was totally against ABBA:s split up. For a long time he hoped he could patch up things for one of the world greatest pop groups.
The ironic thing about Stikkan's death is that it's probably the only thing that can bring the group back together again. A last farewell. With music.
On "ABBA - The Album" the song after "Thank You For The Music" is a ballad called "I Wonder (Departure)". It's not one of ABBA:s greatest hits, but it clearly predicts Björn's and Benny's ambitions to write a musical, and Stikkan has written the lyrics.
It's about leaving something behind, to move on and take the chance when it appears.
Frida sings the verse with great movement and Agnetha supports her in the chorus.
"I wonder
It's frightening
Leaving now
Is that the right thing
I wonder
It scares me
But who the hell am I
If I don't even try
I'm not a coward
Oh no, I'll be strong
One chance in a lifetime
Yes, I will take it
It can't go wrong"
It's a beautiful song, and I would love to hear Frida sing it again. With Agnetha, Björn and Benny beside her. I really think Stikkan would have liked that thought.
He was the teacher who wrote two songs a day and gave the Swedish people immortal schlagers like "Klas-Göran" and "Sån't Är Livet". He created ABBA in his office and became the brains behind the groups success. Stikkan Anderson was called "the business"
It was a classic and controversial statement from Stikkan Anderson.
"People are not as dumb as you think, they're dumber"
It happened that he stepped away from that statement and said he was misquoted.
But in an interviews in DN 1969 he does say that. Stikkan was angry that it wasn't profitable to try and write literary and better lyrics. His ambitious "Gröna Små Äpplen" (Small green apples) didn't reach Svensktoppen, but "Man Ska Leva För Varandra" (You should live for each other) reached number one.
- It is those things that makes one believe that people aren't as dumb as we sometimes think - they're dumber. It's sad, but true...
The statement contributed strongly to making Stikkan Anderson the good taste's enemy number one.
Stikkan with his ABBA and his Svensktoppssongs was seen from many tongiving directions on as rubbish culture from sordid capitalism of the worst kind. Stikkan was a sly people seducer with only one thing in mind: money and more money.
He was seen on as spreading shit simply - in the peculiar culture climate which was 1960 - and 70's Sweden.
Where Stikkan against all odds managed to build up an empire of something as simple as schlager- and pop music.
It might seem like the stone age but it's only 23 years ago:
When Stikkan stood by his life's biggest triumph - ABBA's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 - Rapport came with one microphone. Not to congratulate too much but to ask the legendary stupid question: - Why have you called your melody Waterloo...40.000 people died there."
As happy as Stikkan was about the victory, just as mad he was about Rapport's question.
It is said he never really recovered from that.
Today it is since long a well known fact that ABBA is one of the biggest pop bands ever.
And that Stikkan Anderson was a visionary and a contractor in the music business with few equivalents, not even mulitnationally.
Stig "Stikkan" Anderson was born in 1931 in Hova in Västergötland.
He grew up poor. But when it came to earning money Stikkan was very good at making thing up. As a thirteen year old he got the rights to the kiosk during the football games in Movallen in Hova. What he had to do for it: paint the field and wash the clothes.
He got hooked to popular music at an early stage, got a guitar and started laying local shows. He started writing own material, wrote for his big idol Ulf Peder Olrog - and got to his amusement and long encouraging letter back. It came to mean much to Stikkan's career.
About a year later (1950) he got to perform his "Grädde På Moset" in Sigge Fursts popular radio show "Frukostklubben". the song was recorded by Harry Bandelius and Snoddas.
1953 he moved to Stockholm, educated himself to a teacher, but continued to write songs and perform (sometimes as "Den Sjungande folskolläraren" (the singing teacher).
1958 he works as a teacher in Aspudden in Stockholm when he got his first big break.
Nacka Skoglung and the Swedish soccer team sings his "Vi Hänger Me´". A big hit. The year after that the determining hit came.
A new find does his song on the TV.
The singer was Lill-Babs. The song was "Klas-Göran".
Now Stikkan had learnt the music business. He knew what a song like "Klas-Göran" could be worth. He borrowed 500 sEK and started the music publishing company Sweden music at his kitchen table in Tullinge.
Sweden music grew into one of the world's biggest music publishing companies with the right to over 100.000 songs. 1989 Stikkan Anderson sold his life's work to the music giant PolyGram. The price was kept secret but it is rumoured to be 200 million SEK.
Few understood as early as him the music business economical potential.
Soon after the success with "Klas-Göran" the press reported that Stikkan earned 80 000 SEK. On just one simple schlager.
Klas-Göran wasn't really so simple. To the song and Lill-Babs plaits and a comical touch were added.
This, an entire "package", was soon one of Stikkan's specialties.
Tight song, right artist, but also a good idea and a good marketing.
Next success was "Sån't Är Livet". Singer Anita Lindblom.
Thanks to his great contacts in international music business most of the good success songs came to Stikkan. Who wrote the Swedish lyrics, found the artist, released the record.
During the 60's he wrote over 3000 Swedish schlager lyrics.
"Kära Mor". "Du Borde Köpa Dig En Tyrolerhatt". "Mamma Är Like Sin Mamma". "Ljuva 60-tal"
In the middle of all the hundreds of projects Stikkan also read Expressen. It was here he saw the notice about the schoolboys group who had won a talent hunt in Norrköping. Stikkan renamed the gang to Hootenanny singers, and after a couple of years of success together he employed one of the members as a songwriter in his office.
The guy was called Björn Ulvaeus. Björn got Stikkan to give the same sort of job to one of Björn's friends, the ex-Hep Stars member Benny Andersson.
Björn and Benny wrote "Hej Gamle Man" and used their girlfriends Agnetha and Anni-Frid as backup singers.
After a longer moments thinking the quartet called themselves ABBA.
When Waterloo won the Eurovision Song contest Stikkan Anderson was the right man in the right place. He was a co-writer of many of their early songs, but mostly he was the businessman.
With his knowledge about the business he understood, for example, that got to release ABBA's records in England didn't necessarily give the best marketing in USA. It became many Deals.
Stikkan went around the world and sold ABBA, not seldom with a business meeting already six o´clock in the morning. (on the side he kept on managing the record company Polar successfully in Sweden with artists like Ted Gärdestad).
It was hard work, but ABBA also became one of the biggest record successes ever.
Not least important for the future was that Stikkan and ABBA proved that Swedish pop could stand up internationally.
When ABBA split up in 1982 (after 240 million sold records) the group was still on top.
But the reflections to Stikkan was infected and ABBA's split up was followed by long economical disputes.
There had to be long persuasions to get Björn and Benny to appear when Stikkan 1986 was the target for Lasse Holmqvists "Här Är Ditt Liv".
When Sweden Music was sold Stikkan founded the Polar Music Prize, with the thought in mind of creating some sort of a musical Nobel prize.
In May this year Bruce Springsteen came to receive the price.
Stikkan is the target of the most rare ABBA record of them all.
It was recorded for his 50th birthday 1981 and pressed in 200 copies and is called "Hovas Vittne".
Maybe it is time to release that now.
But Björn and Benny knew Stikkan so well they predicted the manager's reaction in the lyrics.
The song was to long.
Short and fast was Stikkan's melody.
Lill-Babs was questioned about Stikkan and this is the article it resulted in in the evening paper Aftonbladet.
Lill-Babs stood on stage yesterday, sang, showed off, like the Professional she is. Afterwards she talked about Stikkan Anderson, the friend, the colleague who had passed away.
- It feels good to talk about him, she says in a whispery voice.
- I sang a pot-pourri tonight, which starts "Välkommen gröna, sköna, granna, sanna sommar". (Welcome green, wonderful, beautiful, true summer). When you hear the entire audience singing along...Stikkan - you will live as long as possible in the music.
They knew each other for many years.
- I am so glad he got the respect he deserved, with the Polar Prize. So glad that he finally acknowledged, and respected. He certainly reached into cabin and castle!
The last time they met was at the Polar Prize.
As it is in the artist world they didn't have much time to spend with each other. But it came short or phone call, private and about work, there was always a moment to spare.
Everything begun with "Är Du Kär I Mig Ännu Klas-Göran" - the hit Stikkan wrote and Lill-Babs sang, in the beginning of the 60's.
- It was the breakthrough for both me and Stikkan. It was then he got started! And it gave me my only gold record.! It sold a 100.000 copies. But it's not only about Klas-Göran.
- We have made many more songs. It's not long ago Ann-Louise, Siw and I talked about Stikkan, about how much he has done. Not only fun, but many wonderful songs... When we do a pot-pourri lasting for 27 minutes - so is very much by Stikkan! He was warm, humouristic...
She speaks about how Stikkan made Sweden famous all over the world:
- Talk about me putting Järvsö on the map, he put Sweden on the world map! Think about how many groups have come after ABBA.
Stikkan Anderson sat a long time on the board of Lill-Babs environment fund, and he gave many good advice.
- I wanted to start handing out money at once, but he said " No, they're gonna grow, after that you can hand out the proceeds." You could ask him about everything.
With extra warmth Lill-Babs tells about her seeing Stikkan Anderson nervous only once.
- It was on my 50th birthday, he had made new lyrics for Klas-Göran. He and Lucke Bonnier comes on stage and sings it with plaits and native clothes....it was the only time I've seen him nervous. Oh, he was so cute.
ABBA grieves their fifth member.
Here in Brighton 1974 Stikkan Anderson won his greatest battle. ABBA - the group he created - won with Waterloo in the Eurovision Song Contest. Today ABBA grieves:
- My wife is very sad and shocked, says Anni-Frid Lyngstad's husband Ruzzo Reuss.
It is no exaggeration to say that Stikkan Anderson was the fifth member of ABBA, the supergroup who put the whole world under their feet.
It was Stikkan Anderson who in 1964 brought Benny and Björn together.
Björn Ulvaeus was a star in Hootenanny Singers, which Stikkan was the manager of, whilst Benny Andersson played in Hep Stars.
Stikkan was at that time already a famous songwriter and he soon tied both of the musicians to himself.
But to create the phenomenon ABBA two components more were needed: Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
It was Stikkan Anderson who made up the name ABBA. The first letter in Anni-Frid, Björn, Benny and Agnetha. An international name that was easy to pronounce.
And after the victory in the Eurovision song Contest in England in Brighton 1974 with Waterloo ABBA was soon a well-known name over the entire world.
During the next 10 years ABBA sold 240 million records, more than The Beatles.
ABBA's songs were played in clothes shops in England, in airports in Japan, in malls in USA, everywhere.
The big year 1977 the industry ABBA was worth 300 millions. During the golden years the pop group made billions.
But during the 80's it started going worse. The records still sold good, but the members thought the touring around the world became more boring and boring.
When the couples Björn and Agnetha and also Benny and Anni-Frid went separate ways it didn't work any longer.
1984, ten years after the magical night in Brighton the group split up.
Björn and Benny is still writing music together, whilst Anni-Frid and Agnetha has mostly left the pop world.
Today none of them wants to comment on Stikkan Anderson's death.
Prince Ruzzo Reuss from Switzerland, Anni-Frid's husband says to Aftonbladet that his wife is sad and shocked.
- Anni-Frid needs time to work this through, Ruzzo Reuss says.
note: this article does contain a lot of mistakes (facts) even in the Swedish version, it has nothing to do with the translation.
The sudden death of Stig Anderson, who succumbed to a heart attack Sept. 12 in Stockholm at age 66, has deprived the Scandinavian music industry of one of its great mentors and taken from Sweden a cultural ambassador. Best known as the man who discovered and managed ABBA, one of the biggest-selling acts of all time, Anderson was also a prolific lyricist and publisher with a career in music that spanned five decades.
"Stig meant a hell of a lot to me during the early years of my career," says Bjorn Ulvaeus, who, with Benny Andersson, made up the creative pairing at the core of ABBA. "He was a man of vision, of relentless energy and great driving force. He introduced me to the record business, and it is sad and tragic that his life should end so prematurely."
Anderson published his first song in 1953 and soon discovered he had a talent for picking up songs he heard on Radio Luxembourg, writing Swedish lyrics, and finding local artists to record his versions, many of which became Scandinavian hits. He is registered as a writer on some 3,000 titles.
In 1960, he formed Sweden Music, which was to become a Scandinavian publishing stronghold representing foreign catalog from Columbia, United Artists, MCA, Don Kirshner, Rondor, Lowery, MAM, ATV and RAK, among others, as well as a raft of domestic talent. He set up Polar Records three years later with Bengt Berhag and in 1969 formed Union Songs with Ulvaeus and Andersson. Berhag's suicide after years of health problems in 1971 prompted Anderson to formalize his relationship Ulvaeus and Andersson, whom he employed as producers.
It was the start of the ABBA roller coaster. The band, formed in 1972, took off with its Eurovision Song Contest win in 1974 with "Waterloo" -- a song whose lyrics were co-penned by Anderson -- and was still selling millions of copies of greatest hits packages in the early 1990s, 10 years after the members quit recording together.
"Stig was arguably the best and most well-known character in the music industry in Scandinavia, and his contribution is simply to have put Sweden on the international map," says Peo Nylen, now creative manager for Scandinavia at publisher Peermusic, who worked with Anderson at Sweden Music from 1989-91.
He made contacts all around the world with projects he knew had the potential before it happened here, even in the '60s, and this way of doing groundwork made him a pioneer in this field," Nyler continues. "He had very good ears for what people liked and didn't care about what the media said."
Although PolyGram acquired Sweden Music and Polar Records from Anderson in 1990, he maintained an active role as a consultant up until his death. He also founded the Polar Music Prize in 1992, an award recognizing artists making an outstanding contribution to global music.
"Stig was a great music man and a gentleman to deal with, and I will miss him on both a professional and personal level," says David Hockman, chief executive of PolyGram International Music Publishing. "That we will no longer be able to benefit from his experience and enthusiasm is a great loss to both PolyGram and the music industry."
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