ABBA blog

A few days ago I took delivery of a rather impressive book by Czech singer and ABBA fan Richard Pachman, written in collaboration with journalist and writer Miroslav Graclík. Entitled ABBA za železnou oponou (ABBA Behind the Iron Curtain), this 464 page volume is in the Czech language. It tells, in the words of Pachman himself, "the story of the group through the eyes of a lifelong ABBA fan . [...] There are stories about absurd prohibitions of the socialist regime, withdrawal of the group's already pressed and delivered album The Visitors from the market, erasing ABBA from TV in the 1982 due to political reasons, humorously translated song titles on the Czechoslovak editions of their records, missing track Dancing Queen on the Slovak version of the Arrival...".

There are many, many illustrations throughout the book, not least facsimiles of vintage newspaper and magazine articles from those Iron Curtain days. This is clearly a labour of love from the first page to the last, and if you're a dedicated ABBA fan, you will enjoy flicking through the book even if you can't read Czech. Oh, and there's an interview with me in it.

Below is an English-language presentation of the book, provided to me by Richard Pachman, which also contains ordering information from outside the Czech Republic.

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ABBA Behind the Iron Curtain

a Czech book by Richard Pachman and Miroslav Graclík

ABBA had never performed in the former socialist Czechoslovakia. But ABBA was living with people behind the iron curtain. They loved their music, danced to it at discotheques, bought their records and cassettes (if they were lucky to get them in the stores or to buy them in Hungary or Poland), went to the cinema to see ABBA The Movie and had their posters and photos on the walls of their rooms. The story of the famous Swedish group has been connected with the stories of many people behind the iron wall and affected their lives. 

This narrative full-color book tells the story of the group through the eyes of a lifelong ABBA fan (Czech musician, composer, singer, painter and writer Richard Pachman). ABBA entered into his life in 1974 and accompanies him until now. There are stories about absurd prohibitions of the socialist regime, withdrawal of the group's already pressed and delivered album The Visitors from the market, erasing ABBA from TV in the 1982 due to political reasons, humorously translated song titles on the Czechoslovak editions of their records, missing track Dancing Queen on the Slovak version of the Arrival... And an unexpected meeting of the author with ABBA members in London during their stay in London in the May of 2022, exclusive material directly from some of the group members, interviews with Ingmarie Halling, family members of Astrid Lindgren and Carl Magnus Palm - that everything plus over 1500 photos, memories of dozens of Czech and Slovak singers about ABBA and story of the group and all four members can be found in this unique 464 pages book.

The book is now available only in the Czech version with some Slovak articles. (If the authors find a publisher for the English or other language versions, they are ready for it.) The book contains LP covers from various communist countries and 103 pages of articles about ABBA from communist era of Czechoslovakia and other former socialist countries. It also presents 704 single covers from the first solo projects of the members in 1964, through the ABBA era until Agnetha's last single. There are personal messages from Frida and Björn, who speaks also about his memories of the Cold War era and how the album The Visitors had been connected with stories of countries behind the iron curtain. 

You can find here also some ABBA related places in Stockholm, photos and memories from the BAO concerts, ABBA the Museum, from the premiere of the musical Pippi at the Circus and a lot of stories and photos from the Voyage premiere in London in May 2022.

The book is released also as an audiobook with the voice and music by Richard Pachman, whose face on the title page is hidden behind the cover of a Russian edition of the album ABBA.

ABBA Behind the Iron Curtain has been released for the 50th anniversary of the release of their first album Ring Ring in 1973 and especially the 50th anniversary of their victory at the Eurovision Grand Prix in April 1974.

"I wanted the book to be different from the other books about ABBA. It is very personal. It shows the world of communist countries until 1989, when ABBA was a ray of light from the ,forbidden' world on the brighter side of the iron curtain. ABBA has influenced, inspired and accompanied me almost all my life. Many thanks for it from the bottom of my heart. And I'm not alone who is saying out loud and with love what ABBA members have probably heard a million times: Thank you for the music.“

Richard Pachman

richardpachman.cz

pachman.cz

facebook.com/richardpachman

The book can be ordered internationally on www.richardpachman.cz in the section shop / obchod. The page is in Czech, but the e-shop is easy to understand. It costs 25 Eur plus postage.

Direct link: www.richardpachman.cz/obchod

international orders also at Richard's agency e-mail r.p.music@seznam.cz