Abba stars hint at reunion

Millions of Abba fans around the world have a reason to smile – the legendary Swedish pop group has hinted at a reunion for a one-off performance.

But in an interview with The Times today, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the male half of the Swedish group, offer a beguiling change of tone.

When asked by The Times if they were willing to give a performance – perhaps with an orchestra – that could be aired across the globe, Benny Andersson replied: “Yeah, why not?”

“I don”t know if the girls sing anything any more. I know Frida [Anni-Frid Lyngstad] was in the studio.” Then a little later: “It’’s not a bad idea, actually,” he added.

Björn Ulvaeus suggested the band could croon their record Super Trouper’’s last track.

He said: “We could sing The Way Old Folks Do.”

The pair’’s comments may offer little more than a glimmer of hope, but they are in contrast to previous statements by the band members, who split in 1982.

Only two years ago Ulvaeus said: “We will never appear on stage again. There is simply no motivation to regroup. Money is not a factor and we would like people to remember us as we were – young, exuberant, full of energy and ambition.

“I remember Robert Plant saying Led Zeppelin were a cover band now because they cover all their own stuff. I think that hit the nail on the head.”

Andersson has also previously derided talk of a reunion. “We”d need a good reason to re-form and I just don”t see one. We could never recreate the old days. I”d rather be remembered for the way we were 30 years ago,” he said.

Abba have enjoyed a renaissance. One in four British households owns the DVD of a film version of the Mamma Mia!, the musical inspired by their works. They have sold 370 million records, and sell about three million each year.

Abba had consistently topped the music charts between 1972 and 1982 and even inspired the musical Mamma Mia!

In 2000, quite famously, they turned down a 1 billion dollar deal to reunite for a 100-date tour.

At the time Ulvaeus had said: “This is the budget of a small country so we had to give it some thought. In the end we decided that, whatever offer was on the table, it would be stupid to re-form and utterly ludicrous to change the images people all over the world have of us.”