AGNETHA
4th of June 2004

[My Colouring Book]

Lotta Bromé: Put a headline on me!
Agnetha Fältskog: A headline on you?
L: You're welcome, put a head line on me, you're the headline setter. Let's change roles.
A: A headline, a headline. A headline on you? Oh Jesus, I hadn't counted on that question, of course!
L: Put a headline on me now!
A: A headline on you is "curious".
L: A headline on you then?
A: Careful. In certain situations...
L: Lotta is my name. Hello!
A: Agnetha. Hello!

[If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind]

L: Have you missed your own voice?
A: My own voice? Nah. No, but I've missed singing. That's what I've done. And I felt: perhaps I'm not really too old - perhaps I could do another record. But there was also another question: was the voice still there? That is one thing you don't know. So it took some time before I had "sang up", so to speak.
L: Can't you try that at home?
A: Yes, you can, but that's not the same thing as when you stand in the studio in front of the microphone - then things starts to happen and that's where you really get to see if it really is good enough. But it's not like that that I've maintained the voice and been singing through all years and been singing scales or so. It has been lying fallow. Indeed it has been doing. It has rested.

L: The young girl from Småland comes to Stockholm with her father.
A: Yes that was exciting. That was fantastic.
L: Who were you then?
A: Then I was a young, unexperienced, naïve girl who shined with happiness who would be able to go up to Stockholm and do a record for Little Gerhard, and for the record company Cupol as it was called back then. And my father followed up me and we went by train to Stockholm. And it was really exciting we stayed with my aunt. And then we were to have the first recording day at the Philips Studio, and it was my own songs, and the strings played: Oh, God! That's my song. It was such a big experience for me.

L: What were you doing in Sten and Stanley's tour bus?
A: We actually toured both them and I and Björn Ulvaeus and I've been out very much in the Swedish folkparks before ABBA - from north to the south.
L: When you became a singer in the first band in Jönköping. What was its name?
A: Bernt Enghardts.
L:: Was it like that that they already had a singer called Agnetha before you?
A: Yes, exactly.
L: The posters were ready?
A: I don't know exactly how everything turned out but she wasn't able to go on with the orchestra so they had already printed posters with the text "FEATURING AGNETHA", and then she quit the group, and they actually looked for someone who was called Agnetha, and then it was very suitable that I came.

L: What were your dreams?
A: The dream was to become this singer I wanted to become and I had idols back then. Connie Francis, Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw, Sylvie Vartan, Rita Pavone - there were a lot of them. That was almost about the only thing I did - to play the gramophone and sit and mime to these songs.
L: What was it in that dream? To be famous? What was that? What did it mean?
A: I don't think I was thinking so much about me becoming famous, or that it was that thing that was the ambition of my dreams. The most important was to be able to get into a studio and sing - and sing my own songs.

[Dancing Queen - AF in studio]

L: I wasn't blonde, so of course I wasn't Agnetha when the class had its "fun hour".
A: You had to be Frida, I understand.
L: Yes, or Björn because I thought it was so cool to have a guitar so we were together at that time. But if you were able to choose, who would you choose to be in ABBA?
A: Perhaps Frida.
L: Why?
A: Yes, because she was funnier to watch on stage and when it comes to the voices I believe we were quite equal, equally important because the voices complemented each other so extremely well. But when it comes to the appearance to move on stage I thought Frida was much cooler, much more comfortable and carefree on stage. So I'd probably want to be Frida there.

[Summer Night City - ABBA in concert]

L: But it was your bottom that was chosen as the most beautiful, it wasn't hers?
A: Yes, that's right. Perhaps I contributed with something then. (laughs)

[Sealed with a kiss]

L: Explain for me who has never done a world tour - what does that mean?
A: It's a big thing taking off for a world tour, with both positive and negative aspects. It's fun also, but it's nothing I would do today. And that hysteria we experienced in Australia that was on the edge to be nasty. I was so in fear many times when we were in the cars and drove to and from the stage that someone would be pinned or ran over because there were people pounding on the car, and there were guards everywhere so that was a nasty feeling. It really was.

[footage from ABBA - The Movie]

L: Did you have a period when it was completely quiet?
A: Oh, absolutely. A long period after we stopped with ABBA, then I couldn't stand listening to music, I couldn't stand listening to ABBA, and not anything else. And I also often have very quiet around me - I can't stand too much noises and sounds quite simply, for example if there is a airplane coming, or if there's a machine on at home that there are sounds that "cross" each other - that makes me stressed. But I can have strong sounds in the headphones for example, when I'm about to sing, and when I'm listening to music I often want it a bit loud but  different sounds at the same time can stress me.
L: How long was that quiet period?
A: It was quite long. Perhaps five-six years or even ten years. Not that it was death quiet all the time at home, I just didn't want to turn on an ABBA record - I couldn't stand hearing it - because it had been so much of it. And it is in the backbone all the time. And today I can still feel... There isn't one day without me thinking about ABBA, or me dreaming about ABBA. I dream about one of the people, about Frida or Björn or Benny or myself in different situations. So I have it with me all the time. And it has meant extremely much for me.

[When You Walk In The Room]

L: Before ABBA you had done six LPs, and then you release a new record now. Why don't you have any of your own songs on the record?
A: Yes, because I've released so much of my own material before, so I've always stood for original material, for the most of the time. Own songs or like in ABBA, where we had original songs, not from me but...
L: Well, one time?
A: Yes, one sing have I written.
L: Disillusion?
A:Yes, Disillusion. And now when I wanted to do a record after so many years I felt that the reason for doing it is that I wanted to sing more myself. I felt I couldn't leave everything behind me, I felt I have to sing more. The difficult thing was picking out 13-14 songs that I felt most for. Because there is any number of songs...
L: And then one favourite more showed up. The ABBA-producer Tretow.
A: Yes, first it was me myself and then I felt that I really wanted to work with Micke B., because we are so used to working with each other. He is a real mainstay who knows exactly if I get stuck somewhere in the song, which you do from time to time. Then he can say: don't take so seriously upon it - he knows exactly how I am to do to get out of it. So we were working a time on it, but then Micke got ill. But he is absolutely on the way to get better, so everything is on the right track. So that feels great. But it felt hard that he couldn't be on the record after his illness. But then Anders Neglin and Dan Strömqvist joined the worked, and I must say I think it has been great working with them. It feels as if we've known each other for a long, long time. We've really been complementary to each other. This with producing is so interesting also. And we have complemented each other so very well mainly because I'm not a technical producer - I don't know so much about the buttons or so, instead I've got a picture in my head, and I know exactly how I want it to sound. If there's certain things in the songs like: "Oh, no! I want that part there instead" or "That should be weaved together with that song" or "It begins like this and it should end like that". I have many ideas as such in my head, and we've been together during the whole period of recording the album, with musicians, choir and strings and everything.

L: It's fun that you're thanking Demis Roussos.It's not that many who understands what he have done.
A: No. I heard his voice... I was in town, then I heard the music coming out of a shop. It was this "Goodbye my love, goodbye" or if it was something else. Then I thought "What is this for kind of superb voice?" So I really stood there listening to it, and it was Demis Roussos. Fantastic, and I love that kind of songs too.
L: The Past, the Present and the Future is an interesting song on the record. How sad it is!
A: Yes, it is. It really is a sad lyrics. But I have certain tendency to get stuck with these sadder songs. I've always had that tendency. And why it is like that I really don't know, perhaps because of the drama in the songs.
L: Now you do that song, Shangri La did it once upon a time.
A: A girl group. It's one of these songs I had forgotten about, but when I started looking through all these boxes for this type of songs, I suddenly found this one.
L: What boxes are that? Where are they?
A: At home. I went to different record shops were they had so many records from this time, and I was just wading through everything and brought heaps of records from there. And then there was some kind of CD with different girl groups and then suddenly that song was there in the middle of all the other ones, and which I remembered. And then I felt: "This song!", it was so deep in me. Really. And I felt that this song is going to be on the album. And then I thought it was a bit eccentric that you "talk yourself through the song", instead of singing.

[Past, Present, Future]

L: Can you read and write sheet music?
A: Oh, yes. I can play from music, but I don't write notes.
L: How do you do when you write songs then?
A: In a very special way. Very strange. It's almost impossible to explain. But I write the words - often in some strange language, but most frequently in English actually. So I write the lyrics and then I write the note names above it and then I write the chords besides everything. I've always done like that, and it's probably only me who knows how it should be. I believe. And it's like this when you write songs sometimes, and lyrics as well, that you come up with something when you're heading for bed and when you're dreaming - "that was a good part" - then you hardly have the energy to get up and write it down. But it's often then it comes, I think it comes very often when you're relaxed.

A: The fantastic thing was that I started so early, with starting to feel that I could write. And I was only five-six years when I found out, so that was very early. I felt the keys - there was that, and there was that key. So very early I felt "Oh God, I can write a song of my own". So I started writing songs and the first one was "Två små troll" (Two Small Trolls)  or something else.
L: How did it go?
A: Två små troll (two small trolls)
träffades en dag (met one day)
Två små troll (two small trolls)
lekte med varann (played together)
Kom sa den ena (come said one)
Kom sa den andra (come said the other)
Kom ska vi leka med varann (so we will play with each other)
A: But it wasn't anything special.
L: See! The song works! (pointing towards a duck). "Two little ducks..."
A: (giggles) Exactly!

[Fly Me To The Moon]

L: What's the difference between the Agnetha that was in ABBA and the Agnetha who sits here now? How have you changed?
A: I think I am... I'm probably almost the same person but I'm much more harmonic today. During the ABBA-period everything was a muddle. More or less chaos. To cope with such a work. And then have the children at home, and lots of other things that had to be taken care of. When we were working as most with ABBA our children were so young, and both mum and dad went away so much and I had a bad conscience all the time. And apart from that they were children from a divorce. So they were really vulnerable. And for many people it  gets like that. That the career and bearing children comes at the same time from 20 to 30 years or something like that. A bit unfortunate in a way, but you have to do the best out of it. And it is possible to take help from the surrounding people if it is like that that you have to take the chance. I felt I had to do it while I could - because I felt that this was "my thing", this was what I wanted to do.
L: What is a good mother? Have you been a good mother?
A: I've tried to. I think I've been a good mother. Of course not faultless, but I believe I've brought up my children with these fundamental things.
L: Which are they?
A: So that they can feel safe. And to be able to enjoy life, and to dare things. I don't want to pass on my "stuff". I want them to live happily and to feel good.

[My Colouring Book]

L: I don't get the impression that you are a coward?
A: No, but I probably am not. I like challenges.
L: But there is a difference between being a coward and being scared?
A: Yes, I think so. You can have too much respect like I have for example with my fear of flying. I'm so fascinated about those planes that take off with all this stuff and you know what everything weighs. How does it work with all small screws and things. I'm very scared that there will happen accidents, I'm always feeling bad when my family flies too. I'm scared of that. Even though I know it's safe. That's the way I work.

[Opp, Opp, Opp]

L: I found an old film where you are going with nice guys in flying uniform and then you sing "Up, Up, Up".
A: Ah, yes.
L: And then you jump into some kind of Draken-plane. Isn't that ironic then?
A: Yes, but back then I wasn't that scared.
L: If you look back on your life. When did you do something that you felt "Now I was really brave!".
A: (silence). Hrm. I'm not that kind of brave type who jump with a parachute or something like that. (laughs). I'm not. I wish I was such a tough person who could say "I've started diving in the deep oceans" or something like that. But I'm not like that. I'm not really for adventures, in that way, I think it's brave not being scared of showing your own feelings, and express them. Because I really am a sensitive person. I very easily cries, and I go up and down like that. I'm not one of those who elbow my way forward, which you've read so many times that you have to do in this branch. I don't think I've been like that, but perhaps you could come further then. Even further! (laughs)
L: Can one come further?
A: Nah, perhaps not.

[If I Though You'd Ever Change Your Mind - a mix I don't know the name of...]

L: One of the most naked songs on the album, "Sometimes When I'm Dreaming".
A: Yes. That's a bit of a favourite.
L: Tell me about it.
A: It was Art Garfunkel who did it and I believed for long that it was he who had written it. It really captured me, both the melody and the lyrics that is extremely good. Sometimes it feels that something is very much of "one part" - that the melody and the text fits together well. It's as if both have been written at the same time. And that must be one of them. Then when we started investigating it when found out that it wasn't he who had written it instead it was an Englishman called Mike Batt who had written it.
L: Extremely sad song.
A: Yes, once again. Typical for me to start liking it then.
L: I fall in love first when I'm dreaming. In the dream.
A: Yes, exactly.
L: Yes.
(silence)
A: Yes? (laughs)
L: Is there something like happy love?
A: Love is supposed to be happy but it isn't - always. There is a very big unhappy part in the love, unfortunately. So the one who finds the happiness and who can make it work is only to congratulate. You have to work on it, I think.
L: But you can have a yearning for that. You can always dream.
A: Yes. You are allowed to do that too. Yes, it's nice to be able to have a longing.
L: Can you have it?
A: Yes. I can.

[Sometimes When I'm Dreaming - complete video]

L: How important is it what others thinks?
A: It becomes less and less important the older you get, I think. Because somewhere you feel: "I just want to be myself". I don't want to be thinking all the time what others think of me.
L: Can you practise your self confidence?
A: I think you can do it, and I also think you should do it.
L: Have you done it? Or have you always had... or Do you have a good self confidence?
A: I quite easily take things what people say to my heart. Even more when you get unjustified critics. I think I know best myself how to do - so don't stamp in on my territory. But I don't have a good self confidence when it comes to myself and standing on the stage - I'm a bit uncertain on these parts. And they are almost important if you are going to be able to pass your material to the audience. But I'm uncertain here.
L: Because at the same time you seem to be very clear about what you want.
A: Yes, I know what I want to do, but I seem to have hard expressing it, with gestures and so - I easily feel stiff.
L: But can you practise that then?
A: Yes, I think so. If I did interviews every day I would probably come loose enormously in a week and perhaps become really funny. (laughs)
L: Don't you think you are quite fun as you are now?
A: Yes, perhaps sometimes.
L: Do you want a pinch of snuff? (laughs)

[What Now My Love - kiss + main credits over]

A: This must have been the funniest interview I've ever done! (laughs)
 

A million thanks to Robin Andersson c/o ABBAMAIL
Other thanks to Anne Meski c/o ABBAMAIL