ABBA Group of the Year, at Rockbjörnen

 ABBA Group of the Year, at Rockbjörnen

It's big to get the Rockbjörnen and it's of course even bigger to get the Rockbjörnen when someone like us stopped being active as a group 40 years ago, it's a little bit like a miracle,

Thank you very much Aftonbladet's readers and the entire Swedish people, says member Björn Ulvaeus

The winners of the Rockbjörnen are chosen by Aftonbladet's readers.

https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/rockbjornen/a/g6Vk0a/abba-vinner-rockbjornen-for-arets-grupp

Stig Anderson 50th birthday

 

photo and info Manuela Najman

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1880654402165813/posts/3293794004185172/

25 January 1981, Stig Anderson celebrated his 50th birthday. To mark the occasion, ABBAs producer had invited all his friends to his house in Djurgarden. He had planned everything - apart from the many surprises which had been organized by his close friend and family. At 7 a.m. Bjorn, and Benny climbed into his bedroom via a fire-escape ladder and began playing "Happy Birthday Stig" on the accordion while humming along. They had just finished when a group of seven young women, dressed in cabaret costumes, came into the room and performed a special song for the occasion to the tune of "Ljuva Sextital". Among the dancers were Gorel Hanser, Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Lena and Lillebil Ankarcona (Rune Soderqvist wife). An enormous buffet was waiting in the lounge later. An orchestra of fifteen musicians played at the party, welcoming guests as they arrived. More than four hundred people came to pay homage to the king of Swedish showbusiness. The event was recorded by photographers and a TV crew. After dinner, which was exclusively for Stigs close friends and family, there was a video show on a massive screen. The guests had the opportunity to relive the best moments of the day and to see ABBA singing "Hovas Vittne". Stig was overcome when Bjorn and Benny presented him with the record, together with a contract signed "Personally to Stig, for the world, for ever !". The party was far from over, with more presents arriving and songs being sung. Before the dancing began in the evening, a mini-concert was given featuring Benny on the piano, Stig on guitar and John Spalding on the drums. As a grand finale, there were fireworks lightning upthe sky, spelling out the words "Long Live Stikkan !". John Spalding remembers :"When I decided to take Stigs dog Lucas for a walk, I found Stig, flopped out on a chair, surrounded by presents. Apparently he had just sat down, as the last guests didnt leave until 6 a.m. He had been awake for 24 hours !" A few days later, Stig thanked his friends through a mini-newspaper entitled "Stikkan-Expressen"

Bjorn photo with Fan

 photo from James Cimino with this info:

https://www.facebook.com/.../13034.../posts/1491367321292865
"You won’t believe, but I have witnesses! What are the odds of me walking around Copenhagen meeting the legend himself! Isn’t Bjorn Ulvaeus Swedish, anyway?  I need to write a great review for the cruise company that stopped here today, because I am in town for 12 hour only and this was worthy the entire trip! The picture was taken 2 hours ago by his new girlfriend. The man is very charming and she is very nice and offered to take the picture! And today is Madonna’s birthday and the day I started working as a professional journalist. What a day!"