Abba Greatest Hits Vol 1 set for CD reissue

100th post and some good news to boot (cause it may cut demand for the target version of this). Abba's Greatest Hits Vol 1 will be out in April, according to Abba: The site. They'll probably use the same remasters as the Complete Studio Recordings. It's a shame though they haven't popped in a bonus DVD of videos or something to make it better value.

The blurb follows below.

Ken


ABBA's Greatest Hits to be released on CD
30th anniversary edition of the classic album that stormed the world's charts in 1976.

April 2006 sees the release of the 30th anniversary edition of ABBA's classic Greatest Hits album from 1976. This re-release of the album is housed in a vinyl replica gatefold sleeve. The sleeve design features the surrealist painting that adorned the original Polar Music edition of the album. The tracklist mirrors the original 1975 Polar Music edition of the album, which was re-released in 1976 with Fernando added as the first track on side 1 of the vinyl album.

At this stage it is not known exactly which territories will pick up this limited edition release. Consult your local record dealer.

ABBA - Greatest Hits
Release date: April 24, 2006
Catalogue number: 987 715-6

 

I'm skeptical about the sound quality on this one. I love the old Atlantic CD.

 

Elektra? It was on Atlantic here in the U.S..

 

Get rerady for a very vampy-campy cover. The kissing in the park pic that most of us know was actually I believe, the inside spread.

 

Yeah. This edition will feature the ultra-camp original Swedish artwork, which was replaced with the kissing picture elsewhere in the world (BTW, the piano is Stig Anderson, their manager!!)

Here's the link...
http://www.abbasite.com/assets/1533_968.jpg

 

I can't imagine this new CD sounding better than the Atlantic CDs.

 

Neither can I, but it may reduce the demand for the targets, which means collectors can it cheaper. It will mean that Abba fans just seeking it out to complete their collections will probably buy the new one instead of competiting with the audiophiles on eBay (hopefully).

 

That was a typo on my part. I corrected my initial post.

 

To quote Sir John Gielgud in Arthur, how revolting.

 

Agreed. Very adolescent IMO.

 

That artwork is disgusting!

 

I like it! Doesn't fit in with the wholesome image I attribute to them, though.

 

Hi all,

I hope to get this one. Keep me posted. Ingrid and I each have the original Polar Records vinyl which is excellent. Volume 2 on Polar vinyl is also superb.

 

I just cherish my MORE ABBA GOLD laserdisc and wonder what might have been....

 

That's probably why it wasn't used outside Sweden!

 

The original cover of ABBA’s Greatest Hits was a foldout — the entire sleeve artwork looks like this. And yes, Napoleon peeking out of the piano is their shrewd manager Stikkan Anderson.

The painting was made by Swiss–Swedish artist Hans Arnold (born 1925), known for his weird horror-style illustrations populated by monstrous creatures from his own strange universe and scantily-clad women. He attributes his style partly to his strict Catholic upbringing in Switzerland.

Arnold’s own website contains a few picture galleries, where you can compare his style to that used on the ABBA sleeve.
(Guide to the galleries: sagor = ‘fairy tales’, skräck = ‘horror’, erotik = ‘erotica’, blandat = ‘misc.’, tomtar och troll = ‘gnomes and trolls’)

 

Does anyone else see the similarity between this and Elton John's "Captain Fantasic & The Brown Dirt Cowboy" cover art?

 

That was the first thing that came to mind...

 

Amazon UK now has this listed...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EPE6XI

My Atlantic CD has 14 tracks and Amazon is showing 15 on this one. I'm assuming the original European releases had the extra track ("Hasta Manana").

I think the original US cover for this is a classic. Maybe it will be in the booklet.

-Jag

 

Correct.

 

Is the mastering of these tracks the same as on their recent box set?

 

I have the Epic pressing of the LP, non-gatefold (sitting on front, kissing on back).
It dates from the early 1980s complete with cassette/crossbones home taping logo.

Hasta Manana is included.

 

Well, I can hardly believe it myself, but damned if they didn't find a way to get me to buy yet another ABBA compilation!

 

The cover used on the original US version is yet another reason to keep that one....Gawd, what an awful cover!!


Evan

 

ABBA's Greatest Hits (30th Anniversary Edition)

I picked up this release today at my local Borders. To answer some of your questions:

1. remastering was performed by Henrik Jonsson. This is the same gentlemen who did the mastering work on the recent Complete Studio Recordings (CSR) CD/DVD box set. If you like his work on the CSR box, I think you'll enjoy this as well (or would feel comfortable recommending it). Track times line up within one (1) second of those tracks on the box.

2. The packaging is a high-gloss LP-like gate-fold sleeve. The cardboard is extremely sturdy and thick. The printing is top notch.

3. The classic photo from the Greatest Hits (US Release) appears in the inside of the gate-fold. It almost takes up the entire inside cover.

4. No booklet with provocative Agnetha and/or Frida photos is provided

5. The CD is stored in a rather simple white butcher-paper sleeve. Linear notes (a brief blurb) are printed in plain black text on the sleeve.

6. The size of the mini-LP gate-fold is 5.25 x 5.25 inches square. It is not the same size as a standard jewel case.

7. The paper sleeve containing the CD fits quite snugly in the gate-fold mini-album cover. Some collectors may not appreciate this.

8. The disc was made in Germany.

9. A little, white round sticker stating "ABBA's Greatest Hits 30th Anniversary Edition" is affixed to the gate-fold mini-album cover, not the wrapping.

10. The disc itself is not silver (aluminum). Like the discs contained in the CSR box set, the disc is made to look like a record. The disc itself looks black (really dark red perhaps?)

O.K. folks; that's all I know.