Bass Teacher REACTS: ABBA - 'Voulez-Vous' | Live 1979

[@traceymcintire7754]

I saw them live on this tour in Boston. Absolutely incredible experience. Their plane was delayed so the concert started late but no one left. We knew it was a once in a lifetime chance to see them.

[@graphicmaterial5947]

"Lay all your love on me" has an even sicker bass line. Pure genious!

[@BassFreedom]

I wish there was a live track on that one! Soooo good!

[@thommy_kni]

Awesome and addictive video and analysis. Thanks so much!! Cool to see how pro musicians discover ABBA and their true talent.

[@ollep9142]

I've seen and heard them live, and it wasn't in one of their big tours but a public gig in the small Swedish town where I grew up. It was in 1973, before their international breakthrough and not long after the name change (from their earlier name Festfolket, a pun in Swedish). "Ring Ring" was their hit that year which they performed standing on the flatbed of a truck in the town square. I was almost four years old and realized that the event was something to remember...

[@Karl-Benny]

I have seen Benny perform in Eskilstuna Sweden with Hep stars when i was about 8 years old he was a neighbour to my Teacher

[@rasvanniekerk6297]

Thanks for your awesome reaction! ABBA rocks!

[@alexioverdo5225]

Thank You for doing Abba!Lots of great filmed Live stuff can also be found in their '77 Aussie tour btw.VV was from '79 Wembley.Six sold out nights in a row and according to their tour manager the demand was so high "they could have sold another 20" if they wanted to stay there for more.

[@MartyWilson100]

I am Swedish, I grew up with ABBA and this is one of their best songs. I have played this song and it's very fun to play, plus I did it on the same Hagström bass model that Rutger Gunnarsson used

[@eggy1962]

Keep them coming, really appreciate the abba musicians

[@steveblunkell1334]

Excellent synopsis of the incredible sound of ABBA ♥️😊

[@pcch7831]

It's a shame that there isn't more footage from their actual concerts, they were so good.

[@BassFreedom]

I agree! I wish there was more!!!

[@hackapump]

I think the issue is they didn't do many tours, unfortunately. The ones they did do are documented I believe. But yeah, would be nice to have more. They were obviously a killer act.

[@alexioverdo5225]

Apart from the precious monumental fan - saved amateur filmed footage they released 2 official filmed tours that are fantastic samples of their live performances.The explosive 1977 Australian tour and the '79 tour.Also some live 'bits and pieces' from tv studio performances are added such as the Dick Cavet show 1981 aa well as from the SVT 'Abbadabbadoo" 1976 special.

[@pcch7831]

@@hackapump They didn't go on many big tours but they did play a fair amount of concerts, there were quite a few in Sweden in the early years. There's a recording from one on youtube but the audio isn't great, still fun to hear though. Also, no footage or recordings from the Japan tour is a huge shame

[@pcch7831]

@@alexioverdo5225 yeah I have all of those

[@fivestring65ify]

This is another killer. I love this band. People wonder why, and it's simple. I'm a bass player. Disco was built around groove. And the groove is unbelievable in disco. Thanks for covering the band.

[@christianoazzuro6711]

Plus it had also real strings you could hear in disco music.

[@hackapump]

I don't view ABBA as a disco band. They dabbled in disco for a while, and Voulez Vous is really the only full-on disco album they made. I think they are regarded a disco outfit in the US because the few hits they had there were disco tracks. But really, they were all about pop songs, sometimes clad in the sound popular at the time. Waterloo (1974) for example is like a glam rock number. And their last album (1981) was a fireworks display of orchestrated synthesizers, (albeit over a traditional rhythm section). For me they were the perfect pop band, full stop.

[@christianoazzuro6711]

@@hackapump For me they were the perfect pop band, full stop" I second that.!VV was inspired by the Bee Gees and the general disco era soundscape and hype.Abba made it their own "Abba-way" and still brilliant.Despite the album's polished silvery blue "shinny wrapped package" and image,only 5 out of the 10 songs featured in the original vynil were into disco-funk music.

[@christianoazzuro6711]

...those were 'As good as New"/"'Voulez Vous"/"Angeleyes"/"If it wasn't for the nights"/"Lovers"(a more soulful-funky slow paced mid '70s disco vibed track.Rythym is more kinda '75 Silver Convention reminiscent stuff.Abba's world was never monochromatic.It was multicolourful always expiremental but without abandoning its pop/folksy solid foundation.Always exciting to me.

[@alexioverdo5225]

@@hackapumpAgree. The aspect of ABBA being regarded a disco band is not right ,is quite restrictive to ABBA's creative diversity and impulsive explorative expandable musical curioucity.And that aspect has its roots to an older US climax that unfairly progressed by the music medias there in the '70s.You can't call disco a band who has recorded tracks such as "Watch Out","Hey Helen",'Hole in your soul","Arrival","Ode to Freedom","Tropical Loveland,"Fernando" ,"Rock me","King Kong Song","Move On","I am A marionette","Eagle","The Piper",etc.

[@bohedlund7423]

Mr bass, Rutger the GREAT!

[@theresenydahl9531]

Thank you, the live clips show what a great stadium band they were!❤🇸🇪 A lot of ABBA's songs have great base lines and they always had the best musicians.

[@Davey7358]

Great reaction!! Voulez-Vous has an amazing bass line. And this live performance was phenomenal. My fave bass lines from ABBA are "Bang A Boomerang" and "If It Wasn't For The Nights." Two lesser known songs but both are just superior! And the best bass lines.

[@sensitivedogs]

Finally someone who analyzes ABBA properly. Why did people think I was a huge fan…duh? They are amazing that’s why! 😂

[@christianoazzuro6711]

The "Voulez Vous" album has more fantastic bass lines.Some intense moments are in the great opener "AS GOOD AS NEW" not to mention 'If it wasn't for the nights" and of course "Gimme!Gimme!Gimme!" regarding the CD edition.And of course the title track had imo a killer electric guitar riff that some rock-musicians i'm sure they 'envy".

[@MichaelNadin-b8k]

Great stuff thanks, i was actually at that concert

[@BassFreedom]

NO WAY!!!! THAT'S SO COOL!

[@Chihiro33333]

I’m not even a bass player, but this was great fun to watch! 😃 Excellent analysis and a well explained what ’drove that grove’. 😊

[@BassFreedom]

I love that non-bassists are enjoying! Thanks so much!

[@Bjorn9284]

the girls do a dance step in "Dancing Queen" where they rock side to side real fast like double time, then open the arm out. That back and forth A, G, thing, is in perfect time with that step. And do it every time I hear it. Thanks! I had no idea! Awesome video!

[@88mph28]

•••and no autotune .

[@ABBADiego]

06:47 Benny plays on piano what sounds like “house music” which didn’t appear until 1987.

[@nickbasslondon]

Great video, Andrew! Thank you for this! Another ABBA interesting bass line is Money, money, money! The bass plays the melody with the voices in the chorus,and it has some very interesting details on the B verses! Maybe it would be a good reaction video!!

[@nielsulriksrensen9818]

At the concerts, this track was longer. But it was cut short by a tv special from which this clip was taken. Great reaction, by the way!

[@marcodebrabander5751]

many songs from them contain incredible baselines. One of us is great also

[@alexandresousa338]

You should watch them more live from their live album "Wembley arena", the song 'if wasn't for the nights' is a great performance.

[@bedicou2003]

Abba are clearly second to none

[@sensitivedogs]

I saw ABBA LIVE on this tour in Montreal.

[@Carboggg]

They were past their best as a live act by the time of these gigs in 1979. In particular the girls were somewhat going through the motions. Personal tensions within the group were starting to fracture the joy they once had in abundance. By all accounts of those who saw them live (mainly Swedes and Scandis) they were at their best in 74/75 . Though there's no live footage there's plenty of pictures of those gigs and they, especially the girls, were much more loose, energetic and enjoying it more. Also helped by having a stripped down band giving them a raw and rocky sound.

[@fromchomleystreet]

Best way to get a immediate feel for what Phrygian dominant actually is, is to play a dominant seventh chord while “wiggling” each of the three notes in the basic triad (the root, the third and the fifth) one half-step to the right and back again, keeping the seventh unchanged throughout. THAT’s Phrygian dominant: a dominant seventh chord with semitonal wiggles.

[@nilsfearon1]

I was in the audience when this was filmed and you could feel the bass filling your stomach. I came out unable to hear from the music and the yelling 😅

[@jonasgustaf]

Wow. How old were you at the time? Please tell us more about how it sounded

[@chelseacharger]

I saw them at Wembley on the fourth night of their six consecutive concerts there. I know they released a live album and that was recorded on the last night and this film also comes from Wembley too but I'm not sure from which night. But nevertheless, ABBA were a excellent live band. Even the critics, couldn't question their musicianship. They mostly got jibbed for their somewhat stilted stage presence and interaction with the audience which was very unfair. They could all speak English well enough but it's sometimes not so easy to tap into the local humour and get your personality across..

[@christianoazzuro6711]

As far as i'm aware (according to Ludvig) the Live album was from one night from start to finnish.But the filmed "Abba in concert" SVT is combined from different nights.

[@jamesdignanmusic2765]

Amazingly, in this live vesion of this song, the bass and drums are reminding me of some of Talking Heads' live work ("Life During Wartime", "Girlfriend is Better") - I'd never made a connection between the two styles before. Between you and David Bennett Piano I get some great info on the scales and melodic/harmonic techniques of the songs, which is awesome - many thanks.

[@matcoffidis1135]

Those half steps sound so great. Nice tension.

[@moatl6945]

1:50 ABBA dressed on stage in a somehow ridiculous way on purpose, so that they could deduct the the costs from taxes. They argued, these dresses are for the job, not for private usage.

[@leolambeuk]

If you ever get to London, you MUST go to the ABBA voyage show! You have the 'ABBAtars' with the original vocals, BUT the music is played by a live band, chosen and rehearsed by Benny & Bjorn themselves. The live band are brilliant - think you'd love it!

[@evedavey2475]

React to Hole in your soul live version. It's the best .❤❤❤

[@christianoazzuro6711]

"One Of Us" also has a very dominant and brilliant bass.

[@bAgRiMoIrEsS.4]

The B phrygian dominant scale. Wow! Didn't think Abba had such great bass lines. Wow, funky!

[@BassFreedom]

I know, right? The bass lines are SO funky!

[@herrbonk3635]

But is it really *derived* from the harmonic minor scale? Or even named "phrygian dominant" in music or cultures where it is common. Isn't that a typical academic after-construct (as we say in my language).

[@bAgRiMoIrEsS.4]

@@herrbonk3635 That's a good question, sounds like music theory. I don't know, I'm sure Andrew knows!

[@larsjonsson3624]

Yngwie ripped them off…

[@PhilosophyForTheMops]

The composers had no formal classical schooling, but a background in traditional swedish music. Nothing is crazy if you don't know whats normal, but only what your instruments are capable of. Having mixed major and minor scales is noting weird, and the minor one sounds a lot like something from Björns neck of the woods(Dalarna).

[@cannabisstatics6193]

If you do an ABBA song again perhaps you can break down an explain to us One of Us. You could even with your expert ear tell us which of the bass covers on You Tube is the best 🙏

[@j_almond]

React to dirty loops, run away Amazing Bass player Henry Linden.

[@ztazon]

Arnold Paseiro is an awesome bass player (now he appears to be more into politics). It would be really cool if you take a dive into Foxy, one of my earliest influences, standing on the triple corner of rock, disco and funk, with a bit of latin infection, luscious! Check Foxy's Hot Number or Get Off

[@rojavida]

Ok, you need to look at “Shine a Little Love” by ELO this is the best “disco” song ever written.

[@waterkant999]

rudger did it all

[@mercuryboy6699]

Please do Knowing Me Knowing You! I'm loving your videos. I've been an abba fan since the beginning but vids like these blow my mind at how incredibly sophisticated their music actually was

[@ChrisHayworth100]

It sounds like a fretless, big brownie points if it is.

[@JibbarJabbar]

As a 13 year old in 79, no self-respecting young lad would admit to liking ABBA - not if they valued their health lol. I saw kids get beat-up for a lot less 😆

[@richardhall6034]

Hi 👋 you should definitely check the band , band maid for some epic bass playing especially the song hate Band maid hate live

[@catwmn2345]

About their stage costumes... for the band to be allowed to make tax write-offs for them, it had to be clothes you wouldn't expect anyone to wear as everyday clothes. Swedish tax laws 😂😂 not sure if that has changed since then.

[@markrice689]

what break me is the poeple whatchin the show there was not aload to get off there seats and dance all shows in the 70s in large areaers was banded you had gards on block arears stopping you that sucks abba now would be wild great vlogs

[@meukbox]

Don't dumb it down! Explain it! Educate us!

[@BassFreedom]

Will do! I won’t hold back!

[@wellstrung2]

I don't care how good the bass is, I've hated Abba for 50 years

[@Rhett-Christopher]

Your loss.

[@kristianmapage9742]

Indeed, 50 years and new generations are still talking, still listening, about Abba.

[@Lisa-M]

But nonetheless you are here...

[@wellstrung2]

@@Lisa-M just throwing my two cents in since it came across my feed

[@annelisundkvist]

50 years of hate, how does it feel?

[@blastingweevil2968]

from a time when artists could Actually play instruments and actually Sing with Real talent and not just auto tuned to death.

[@08ruben69]

Thanks for your awesome reaction! ABBA rocks!