Melancholy UndercoverThe Book About ABBA

Jan Gradvall

A new music biography based on openhearted interviews with all four members of ABBA over the past decade. Unusual by form with a personal narrative, this book goes beyond previously known facts about one of the world’s most famous and secretive bands.

ABBA remains one of the world’s most famous and loved bands of all time. It doesn’t matter that 41 years have passed since their infamous breakup. Somewhere in the world, there is always an ABBA song playing.

With unique access to the four secretive members of ABBA for the past decade, Jan Gradvall has written an unusual biography about the band. Based on openhearted interviews with all members, he shares new light on some of the most memorable moments for the band and lets us know what happened off-stage.

With ABBA’s music as focal point, Jan Gradvall also widens the narrative of ABBA by sharing what influenced their music and success, as well as showing how ABBA in turn, influenced and reshaped the universe of music.

ABBA’s impact cannot be overestimated. They have influenced musicians in all genres since their international breakthrough in 1974 with ‘Waterloo’. But what shaped the lives of the members of ABBA and influenced some of the most loved songs in the world? How did the unlikely reunion, “ABBA Voyage”, come about? What impact has ABBA had throughout modern history, across the world?

Inspired by Craig Brown’s biography about The Beatles, One Two Three Four, Jan Gradvall places ABBA at the centre of music history and through him we are allowed to get closer to one of the world’s most private bands than ever before.

The title comes from a quote by Benny Andersson, commenting on ABBA’s music:

“Even the happiest songs have a melancholic base. We made melancholy undercover.”