Abba ..........................................

[Missy]

Originally Posted by becca

To focus on something positive... as a kid in the '70s I remember the early disco period and how positive the music was. It wasn't great capital A art maybe but you could dance to it as they say. A lot of the artists were black too; Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (with Teddy Pendergrass), Shirley & Company, George McCrae, Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament, Barry White, Kool & The Gang, we had records by all of them. I even learned The Hustle. The first Abba I remember hearing was probably S.O.S. like most North Americans, or I Do, I Do, I Do which came on a cassette from relatives in Holland who recorded things off the radio that were hits there (Radio Veronica and Radio Hilversum). They were upbeat and fun where a lot of big arena rock was becoming pretentious and even ponderous. I remember buying a Kansas album and liking only one song (Dust In The Wind, talk about downbeat)... and then buying a Boney M disco LP and liking almost every track. The two Fleetwood Mac albums I played a lot were the white album and Rumours and they fit in well with the times. Somewhere people began just turning out product with the dance beat, and even though there were still good disco records like by Chic or The Gap Band it did get worn out. I had moved on to the skinny tie groups, Joe Jackson, Blondie, Pointed Sticks and The Police around when Tusk came out.

I know now that there was depression, drug abuse, violence and class struggle etc. in the '70s, but for me it seemed a really optimistic time where, like Fleetwood Mac sang, thinking about tomorrow was exciting. I haven't felt that was since and yet have heard others say the same about the '60s or '80s and even the '90s as a golden age for them and music. One person's Beatles and Byrds is another person's M.C. Hammer and Beastie Boys?

I was born in the 70s and still remember it as so much fun, even if we weren't as technologically sophisticated. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm still a 'glam girl' at heart. To me, Stevie Nicks was in many ways a female American version of Mr Marc Bolan. I've read that the glam movement developed partly in response to the overly intellectual, analytical, serious music of the late 60s. It may have been derided by critics at the time but I think some of it still holds up well today - some of those who were clever like Bowie were able to incorporate a good sense of irony into it.

Yes some of it was damn silly. ABBA had their bad costumes and share of trite songs but also had their moments of pop brilliance. Agnetha and Frida were truly good singers and Bjorn's lyrics matured over time. Though they projected this fun happy bubblegum image a lot of the time, it can also be noted that there was sometimes a sadder, moodier undercurrent reflected. It was just the right mix.