"Think about your Iron Maiden because in the Trance genre it seems you don't have a say!!!" (Not Anonymous User "ambassador" from Friend Woodstock)
"I don't know what else to do to become a Human Case..." (cptgaio)
Chapter I: More and More Commercial Until the Final Victory!
One of the most beautiful yet slightly disheartening feelings that can happen to me is when I listen to something I've heard a lot about for years but never felt the need to explore, only to discover that it truly resonates with my personal taste...
Let it be clear, despite my now well-established reputation as a bullshitter (not even that much), painstakingly earned on these pages, that the above discussion is absolutely serious and isn't meant to mock anyone...because it's true...in 2007 I discovered that I like ABBA and consider this an Absolute Truth!
ABBA is the quintessential Pop Group; they achieved a worldwide success that (even considering their non-Anglo American origins...) seems inexplicable.
Even if we don't want to, each of us must have listened to at least once singles like "Mamma Mia," "Fernando," "Dancing Queen," "Super Trouper," and of course "Waterloo," and I certainly don't make an exception, but for one reason or anotherāmostly due to superficiality and prejudiceāI had never taken the time to delve into anything of theirs...
...the opportunity came in recent months thanks to a new colleague of mine who is a fanatic of Agnetha, Frida, Benny, and Bjorn, who with his sincere and genuine enthusiasm (due to the fact that he has never had the slightest intention of approaching genres like Progressive, Post Rock, or Death Metal, etc., and in this regard, I recall Borges' statement that he reached 80 years old precisely because he never exercised a day in his life...) convinced me to let go and look beyond my nose...
Unfortunately, he possesses all the vinyl material, so the prospect was that I would have to manage on my own, and as we know, I'm a lazy type, so let's say I didn't commit myself immediately. But since fate (whether we like it or not...) exists, the timely opportunity came regardless on the night of the last December 31st...
Chapter II: December 31, 2007, A Night with ABBA (Based on a True Story)
You should know that this year I spent New Year's Eve alone at home because work commitments prevented me from going to the mountains with friends...
I did have a few at home, but this year more than others, I didnāt particularly feel like mixing with the forced and forced merriment of others, so in the end, I decided to stay within my domestic walls...
After eating a frugal dinner of Kebab, French Fries, and Panettone, I started fiddling with my computer looking for some ideas to update my Blog, ultimately opting for a New Year's greeting message with a related video taken from YouTube...
...typing the classic words "Happy New Year" in the search, guess what popped up as the first option...
Well, this...
After posting this Wonderful Video on my Space, I began watching the others one after the other, not even noticing the Midnight, but since I was alone, it didn't really matter; I became captivated by the seductive and catchy Easy Listening of the Swedish quartet and ended up overindulging until the time (the next morning I had to go to work..) advised me to go to bed decidedly relaxed and hopeful for the New Year...
Chapter III: Waterloo? I was defeated, you won the war.
In 1974 (Great Year, I remember...) the ambitious ABBA was on their second attempt at the Eurovision Festival, having not passed the national selections the previous year with the song "Ring Ring," and since the event was on British soil (Brighton), they decided to present the piece, which they previously showcased in the pre-selection in Swedish, in English to make the most of the opportunity. The preparation for the event was very lengthy; in the months prior, the four toured all the musical shows in Northern Europe. The song was "Waterloo."
"Waterlo