Christmas of 1972, Ring Ring was born, it was the first song for the Swedish band since they'd changed their name from Engaged Couples to ABBA. In March of 1995, Breast Secreting Cake wandered into the Flying Nun offices with their interpretation of Ring Ring. it was to mark the first of many scintillating moments for the Nun staff, as the deluge of Abba songs poured in over the subsequent months, 'til finally, it sees the light of day....Abbasalutely.
The idea was first installed in the Nun's mind more than five years ago, pushing on as a joke for several Christmas parties as band members stood 'round drunkenly warbling their song. Earlier this year, it was decided, time to stop fooling 'round. All the bands on the label were sent letters requesting their presence on an Abba tribute album, and asked to select a song. While some excitedly dithered over three or four choices (Chug, Love's Ugly Children), others had theirs practiced, primed for this opportunity (Able Tasmans, Magick Heads), while the odd few had to be convinced (Shayne Carter - he was - King Loser & Bailterspace - they weren't) the final list was compiled. And everyone was sent off to the recording studio, where they strode in confidently only to come out the other end squirming and complaining of the difficulty of songs which had originally "seemed sooo simple"
Ahh, the songs - the very reason why ABBA was chosen for Flying Nun's inaugaral tribute album. While the choices were limitless (and perhaps more obvious) - Elvis, The Beatles, Velvet Underground, Split Enz! - the exuberent, catchy and ultimately irresistable songs Bjorn Andersson and Benny Ulvaeus and - usually Stig Anderson (the man who was Abba's Brian Epstein/Colonel Tom) wrote are timeless - sometimes unbelievably corny, sometimes indigestably syrupy - yet undeniably lasting.
Abbasalutely has fourteen great hits, each in a unique style true to the performers. No-one had to dress up silly and though it's sure to conjure up memories of those bubblegum cards, lunch-boxes, blonde versus brunette fantasies - or perhaps the pretence of disliking the band , Abbasalutely ensures the pop group of the seventies is revived for their chance to influence the nineties, and showcases the ample talents of the Flying Nun stable as they each tackle that most unlikely of beasts, a million-selling chart-topping hit. That's style.
A Flying Nun tribute to the music of Abba'' - a 1995 compilation album on which each track is an Abba cover by a different one of Flying Nun's stable of alternative artists.
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