He fancied himself the Nordic Colonel Tom Parker, brokering deal after deal to increase the band’s revenue (and ensure that they held on to it-not an easy task, considering Swedish tax policies), and he was good at his job! It takes more than great music to become the second highest-grossing pop group of all time after the Beatles. And, to be fair, their manager, Stig Anderson, was a remarkably shrewd businessman.
The influence is writ large on every one of their records, even their biggest ones, from “Waterloo” to “Take a Chance on Me” to “Super Trouper.” īut where the commercialism of The Beach Boys was rarely, if ever, held against them, ABBA would be dogged throughout their lifespan by the charge that they were cynical hucksters, always out for an easy buck. There has been no more successful Wilsonite than Benny Andersson of 70s Swedish megastars ABBA. Those who are interested in the craft of pop music-writing, production, arrangement-invariably find themselves in The Beach Boys’ tractor beam sooner or later. The Church of Wilson has drawn scores of worshippers over the years, including a disproportionate number of musicians. Inspired by Ben Self’s wonderful Bruce Cockburn playlist the other day (pts 2-3 coming soon!), here’s what I’ve affectionately been informed is “the toughest sell” in A Mess of Help.
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