Ola Brunkert, ABBA Drummer, Dead at 62

ABBA, the Swedish band named for the band members, Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, has lost a friend.

Though I had never known the name Ola Brunkert until today, I was familiar with his work. He had performed with ABBA as their drummer on numerous occasions. I have always had an appreciation for a wide variety of music. I would have to include ABBA under the 'like' column.

For me, this means that I do not actively seek to listen to ABBA songs, though I do tend to sing along when I hear them. ABBA was played often in my house when I was growing up as my mother was a big fan (and still is). I got to know the songs well. With songs like 'Dancing Queen' and 'Take a Chance on Me,' you can easily be caught up. Their music just has an enjoyable quality to it. I appreciate Ola Brunkert's contribution to my enjoyment of ABBA's music, and it is sad to learn of his death. While an investigation is underway, his death has been ruled as accidental.

A couple of years after ABBA disbanded, a song made its way up the charts - "One Night in Bangkok." This song was written by Benny, Bjorn, and Tim Rice and sung by Murray Head ('Judas' of Jesus Christ Superstar fame). The song was part of "Chess," a musical in London and, later on, Broadway. I was first exposed to the London recording, which is excellent. Sadly, the Broadway version is not as good and the show never took off in America.

More recently, Benny and Bjorn teamed up again, this time with writer Catherine Johnson, to convert a number of ABBA tunes into a musical, "Mamma Mia." This concept is not foreign to musical theater. The musical "Anything Goes" is really a collection of Cole Porter's greatest hits tied together with an extremely contrived story. While the music of "Anything Goes" is enjoyable, the story leaves a lot to be desired.

This is not the case with "Mamma Mia."

When "Mamma Mia" came to the nearby Bushnell Theatre a few years ago, my family and I went to see the show. My parents had raved about the show and suggested that we go see it. I had my doubts, mind you. I had a feeling that I would enjoy the music but dislike the story. I was wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed both. As well, my children became "Mamma Mia" fans and, subsequently, ABBA fans. We now own the soundtrack to "Mamma Mia," marking the first ABBA-related album that I have personally owned.