ABBA logo

ANNUAL 1974

February 9, ABBA win the Swedish songcontest with 'Waterloo' in the Swedish language - April 4, ABBA win the Eurovision Songcontest in Brighton with an English translation of 'Waterloo' - From April to August ABBA travel through Europe to appear on several tv shows - In September, ABBA visit the US for 3 days - In November, ABBA prepair for their first concert tour through Europe.


January:
1974-01-04  Work on 'Waterloo'.
1974-01-25. Stig's birthday.

.              

1974-01-30  Swedish vocal work on 'Honey Honey'.

        

              

February:
1974-02-09  ABBA wins Swedish song contest with 'Waterloo' with 302 points. A massive party at Sig's place follows afterwards.

        

        

1974-02-20  Guitar work on 'Waterloo'.
1974-02-21  Backing tracks for Frida's 2nd solo album: 'Frida Ensam'. Benny produced this album.

ABBA and young Linda

1974-02.       Photo shoot for the 'Waterloo' album sleeve done at the Gripholm Castle.


March:
1974-03..      Filming of 'Waterloo' in Swedish (outdoor)?
1974-03-04  Release single 'Waterloo'(Swedish) - 'Honey, Honey' (Swedish) and release of LP 'Waterloo'
1974-03-11  Work on Frida's album 'Ensam' produced by Benny.
1974-03-14  Work on Frida's album 'Ensam.  Work also on Ted Gärdestad's album 'Upptag' with contributions of the girls on several tracks.
1974-03-15  Recording 'Waterloo' in German with lyrics by Gerd Müller-Schwanke.

             

         

1974-03-19  ABBA in Paris.
1974-03-20  Backing vocals of Frida for a Ted Gärdestad track.
1974-03-27  Backing tracks for Frida's album 'Ensam'.
1974-03-28  Backing track for Agnetha's album.

April:
1974-04....    Release single 'Honey, Honey' - 'King Kong Song'
1974-04-01  ABBA and the crew fly to London for promotional work.

ABBA arriving at Heathrow airport

   

1974-04-02  In London for promotion.
1974-04-03  From London to Brighton.


           

1974-04-04  Rehearsals, interviews etc. in Brighton.

          

1974-04-05  Agnetha's 24th birthday. Rehearsals and interviews.  There's champagne at the hotel.
1974-04-06  Meeting in the morning with Dutch tv-host 'Eddy Becker', who invites the four to perform at his show.  Dress rehearsals are at 2 pm.  ABBA wins at 'The Dome' in Brighton that evening with 'Waterloo'.  After celebrations the four arrive at their hotel suite: 'Napoleon suite' at 4 am.

                  

            

    

          

1974-04-07  Champagne-breakfast at 9.30 offered by recordcompany Epic-CBS and photoshooting on the beach.  That evening ABBA, Stig and a few others talk about plans of the group for the upcoming time.

On the beachPhoto shoot on the beach.  Reading telegrams

1974-04-08  ABBA are driven to London in a limousine on Monday after the contest. They stay at the Grosvenor House Hotel.
1974-04-09  In London sightseeing and shopping.  Also photo sessions and interviews with the press, however Agnetha is ill today.

    

1974-04-10  ABBA on 'Top Of The Pops' (England) with 'Waterloo'.

       

       

              


Photosession at Waterloo Station, London

1974-04-11  ABBA fly to Hamburg, West-Germany, to appear on tv-show 'Die Aktuelle Schaubude' with 'Waterloo' and 'Honey Honey'.  ABBA fly back to Stockholm the same evening and arrive there around mignight.

        Aktuelle Schaubude, Germany

1974-04-12  ABBA back in Stockholm.  The two couples, baby Linda and Stikkan and his wife go to the island to spend Easter here.
1974-04-13  Short holiday on the island
1974-04-14  Ditto.
1974-04-15  Ditto.

                

1974-04-16  Ditto.
1974-04-17  ABBA to France, an improvised photosession is held somewhere in Holland. The trip continues to Paris to appear on the TV shows 'Midi-Première' and 'Domino' and on a radio show called 'RTL Non Stop'.  There's little time to explore the city today.

                   RTL Non Stop radio programme

1974-04-18  ABBA in Paris and work on the French version of 'Waterloo' is done today.

ABBA on 'Domino' TV show in Paris
1974-04-19  ABBA in Paris.
1974-04-22  Back to Stockholm to attend the 'Annual Expressen Spring Party'.
1974-04-24  ABBA on Eddy Becker's 'Eddy-Go-Round Show' in Holland.  Eddy Becker already had met the foursome in Brighton on Saturday morning April.  The BBC also bought this recording.
                    

Frida       Benny       Björn       Agnetha

 ABBA on the Eddy-Go-Round Show
1974-04-25  ABBA to Germany for promotional work.  They appear on the 'Peter Frankenfeld' Show.
1974-04-29  ABBA on Toppop (Holland) with 'Waterloo'. ABBA were contracted even before they won the Contest!!

                   


ABBA on' Toppop' (Holland) with 'Waterloo'.

                          

May:
1974-05-03  Work on Frida's album 'Ensam'.
1974-05-08  Recording two remixes of 'Ring Ring'.
1974-05-13  ABBA in Germany to Hamburg
1974-05-14  ABBA in Frankfurt Germany on 'Drehsheibe' (recording set in a town park)

1974-05-15  ABBA in Saarbrucken in Germany to appear on the James Last 'Starparade' with Waterloo and Honey Honey.

             

       
      


1974-05-16  ABBA in Germany.

            
                

                  


1974-05-17  ABBA in Belgium, Brussels on 'Chansons à la carte' TV show, performing 'Ring Ring' and 'Waterloo.  Later that day, they are invited to the Cinéma, a dancing.

            

                 

1974-05-18  ABBA to Paris in the afternoon to appear on TV show 'La une est à vous'.
1974-05-20  ABBA in Madrid.
1974-05-21  ABBA in Madrid.
1974-05-22  ABBA in Madrid on 'Señoras Y Señores' with 'Ring Ring', 'Honey, Honey', 'Hasta Mañana' and 'Waterloo'.

                    
Waterloo on Spanish television (poor quality pictures, I'm afraid)
                         
Hasta Mañana on the same tv-show.

        


1974-05late ABBA to Lisbon and from there back to Stockholm.

     




1974-05/06  More promotional visits during these months.


         

         


ABBA on the Top Of The Pops (UK)

July:
1974-07      .July is spent in studio most of the time, working on Frida's album and for Polar act 'Wasa'.
1974-07early Filming promotion clips for Waterloo and Ring Ring:

      

      

      
Waterloo

      

      

      
Ring Ring


1974-07-11  Work on Frida's album 'Ensam'.
1974-07-22  Recordings for the Hootenanny Singers' 'Evert Taube Pa Vart Sätt' album and Agnetha's album 'Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus'.
1974-07late Songwriting sessions for the 'ABBA' album on the Viggsö island.
 

August:
1974-08-04  ABBA on the 'Tommy Cooper Show' (England) with Ring Ring.

    
    

1974-08early Songwriting sessions on the Viggsö island.
1974-08-22  Backing track of 'So Long', 'Dance With The Devil, a working title of 'Man In The Middle' and 'Turn On Me, a working title of  'S.O.S' (first recording session for the 'ABBA' album).
1974-08-23  Continuing of work on the tracks of previous day.

                      
September:
1974-09-14  Never used backing track for 'Hey, Hey Helen'.
1974-09-15  Backing tracks of 'Rikky Rock'n Roller' and 'I've Been Waiting for You'.
1974-09-16  First backing track of 'Stop And Listen To Your Heart, a working title of  'Bang-A-Boomerang' and a backing track of  'Dixie', a working title of 'Here Comes Rubie Jamie', a working title of 'Terra Del Fuego'.
1974-09-17  Overdubs on tracks that were recorded this month.
1974-09-25  Work on track of 'So Long' and 'Bang-A-Boomerang'.
1974-09late ABBA on 'Disco' (West-Germany) with 'Honey Honey' (airdate was 28 September).

Rehearsals?


              

           
1974-09late ABBA on ' Aktuelle Schaubude' (West-Germany) with 'Honey Honey'.
1974-09-29  ABBA to America on a three day promotion tour.  Meeting with press.
1974-09-30  ABBA on the 'Mike Douglas Show' in Philadelphia and the 'Merv Griffin' Talkshow.

ABBA in Manhattan....Frida meets het idol Peggy Lee



October:
1974-10-01  Third day in the U.S.
1974-10-02  Back in Stockholm.
1974-10-03..ABBA in Essen, Germany to receive "Der Goldene Löwe" from Radio Luxemburg.

           

1974-10....   ABBA in Holland on Eddy Becker's Eddy-Go-Round Show with 'Honey, Honey' .

1974-10-16  Backing track of 'Ing. Saltet', a working title of 'A Crazy World', a working title of 'Crazy World' and 'Bach-laten, a working title of 'Huneysuckly Rose, a working title of 'Mama', a working title of 'Intermezzo No. 1'.
1974-10-18  Backing track for 'Didn't I, a working title of 'Baby', a working title of 'Rock Me'.
1974-10-21  Drum overdums for 'Rock Me'.
1974-10-22  Mixing tracks of 'So Long' and 'I've Been Waiting For You'. ABBA give a rehearsal concert in a gymnasium in Sollentuna, Sweden,
1974-10-23  Several overdubs for 'Man In The Middle', 'Crazy World' and 'Honeysuckly Rose, a working title of 'Mama', a working title of 'Intermezzo No.1'

                    .



          

ABBA in Malmö

On the road again.          
            .

November:
1974-11-06   ABBA rehears for the upcoming tour.
1974-11-07   Rehearsals.
1974-11-08   Ditto.
1974-11-09   Ditto.
1974-11-10   Ditto.
1974-11-11   Ditto.
1974-11-12   Ditto.
1974-11-13   Ditto.
1974-11-14   Ditto.

            Tour rehearsals, early November

1974-11-15  Last day of rehearsals for upcoming tour to start in Northern Europe on the 17th.
1974-11-16  To Copenhagen by plane for the 1974 tour. Arrival in Copenhagen and a press conference at the Plaza hotel in the afternoon.
1974-11-17  European tour starts today. Rehearsals during the morning. Concert in Kalkonerteater in Copenhagen starting at 2 pm.

Hysteria after ABBA's first concert in Copenhagen

1974-11-18  Soundcheck from 6 pm. Concert in Hanover (Kuppelsaal) (West-Germany) starting at 8 pm. ABBA stay at the Intercontinental hotel. Today is also the release of single 'So Long' -I've been waiting for you'.
1974-11-19  Concert in Munich (Deutsches Museum) (West-Germany). ABBA stay at the Hilton hotel in Munich. Concert starts at 8 pm.

             




1974-11mid  ABBA on 'Sportstudio' (West-Germany) with 'Honey Honey' and 'So Long'.

              

            ..Honey, Honey, on stage in Germany.

1974-11-20  A day off?
1974-11-21  Concert in Frankfurt (Jahrhunderthalle) (West-Germany).
1974-11-22  Concert in Berlin (Hochschule fur Musik) (West-Germany).
1974-11-23  Concert in Nürnberg (Meistersingerhalle) (West-Germany). Concert starts at 8 pm.

ABBA go wild on stage during their 74/75 tour.

1974-11-24  Concert in Vienna? (Austria). According a newspaper, ABBA performed 'So Long' on the Austrain tv-show 'Spotlight' today.
1974-11-25  Concert in Innsbruck (Austria).
1974-11-27  Concert in Zürich (cancelled).
1974-11-28  Concert in Düsseldorf (Philipshalle) cancelled because of Frida's illness (West-Germany)
1974-11-29  Concert in Bremen (Glocke) (West-Germany).

               

1974-11-30  Concert in Hamburg (Musikhalle) (West-Germany). This tour has been very unsuccesful, except for the concerts in Denmark.
1974-11    ...ABBA on 'Ein Kessel Buntes' (East Berlin) with 'Waterloo', 'Honey, Honey' and 'So Long'.

         

          
Waterloo in English on 'Ein Kessel Buntes'

          

          
So Long with Benny on guitar

           

December:
1974-12-01  A short break for spending time with the family.
1974-12-04  Performance on the 'Top Of The Pops' Christmas Special (England) with Waterloo and 'So Long'.  'So Long', however, was never aired.

                 

1974-12-08  Second part of the tour was to start today, with a trip to England but ABBA didn't go.
1974-12-09  Mixing of 'Man In The Middle'.
1974-12-11  Overdubs for 'Intermezo No. 1'. Tonight a concert in Stockholm at the 'Konserthuset'.
1974-12late  ABBA have a little break on the island during this tour, to work on new songs ('I Do' and 'Tropical Loveland').