Benny in new 40-minute radio interview

Last updated: September 02, 2010

Benny in new 40-minute radio interview
March 01, 2010

CelebrityRadio.co.uk has a new interview with Benny Andersson, recorded at Mono Music. Benny answers questions posed by Alex Belfield for UK local radio, thankfully mainly about music and the creative process and draws comment on Eurovision, The Beatles, Mamma Mia!, and Kristina, and includes really nice mentions for Michael Tretow, Agnetha and Frida.
There are also wonderful Benny Andersson renditions of Thank You For The Music and Slipping Through My Fingers (in the "wrong key") on the piano. Oh - and we get a slice of Benny's view on religion. It's a shame the interviewer sounds like he's saying "Momma" Mia all the time but we know what he means!
- Set aside 40 minutes or so and listen to the interview.
Posted in: Benny News
Comments
- Posted by Philsafan, March 02, 2010 00:32:
  Great interview but I never heard Benny comment about Kristina - did I miss something? Roll on 14th April, can't wait!
- Posted by Jim in San Francisco, March 02, 2010 02:55:
  What a great interview! Benny is a true legend. His piano playing gets you right in the heart. WHY, oh WHY didn't the interviewer bring up the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2 weeks?
- Posted by Martin Bolton, March 02, 2010 08:13:
  It might be because the interview was for UK radio and most people here wouldn't know what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is, and probably wouldn't care either!
- Posted by Ice, March 02, 2010 13:33:
  @Philsafan - you're right! Although it got a mention, it wasn't really commented on. I've removed Kristina from the article. Apologies - it was way past my bedtime when I was posting!
  
  Ice
- Posted by Jim in San Francisco, March 03, 2010 20:23:
  @Martin; I thought a true ABBA fan wouldn't care where in the world there was great ABBA news coming from.
- Posted by Sara Russell, March 03, 2010 21:07:
  I thought that was a great interview - interesting questions and relaxed answers. But the piano pieces at the end ... oh my. I shut my eyes and just listened. I had tears! Top of my realistic wish list is a CD (4 CD box set naturally!) of just Benny and his piano playing his greatest hits.
- Posted by Martin Bolton, March 04, 2010 07:01:
  @Jim - I think you misunderstand. I am a "true ABBA fan" and I am thrilled about ABBA's induction into the R&RHoF. It's absolutely fantastic news.
  
  My point was simply that not many people in the the UK (among the general population to whom the interviews will be broadcast) will have heard of it and so therefore I can understand why it wasn't mentioned by the interviewer.
- Posted by Tony, March 04, 2010 09:34:
  I also agree that the interview was good.
  
  Sara... I agree with you too. It would be lovely if we could have an album of just Benny playing his greatest hits on piano, like these examples from the radio. Including as far back as 'Sunny Girl'. The tunes that we've heard him play in this solo manner have always sounded magnificent... he always decorates his playing so beautifully, with soft flourishes, and so on. Indeed, I think that such an album would be a great relaxation/meditation tool too. How about it Benny :o)
  
  (Ice... if you ever meet up again with Benny, could you suggest this to him? There'd be so many happy fans to buy such an album. Perhaps it could be a special release for charity? :o)
  
  Cheers for now, Tony.
- Posted by Nick Hardy, March 04, 2010 11:02:
  Since we now very firmly live in the digital age and, in the UK for example, only 2% of record sales are now 'hard copies', why can't Benny release some tracks via download for us? It must be an extremely easy and cheap way of allowing us access to his playing without the need to go the whole hog and release a CD.
  
  Don't get me wrong, I'd love a proper album to hold and notes to read and pictures to look at but a downloaded version is quick and easy. Benny doing it for a charity would be nice and might spur him on. In the UK it could be the RSPB! ;o)
- Posted by Sapphie, March 04, 2010 13:00:
  Oh my, you all beat me to it. I was listening to Benny's interview yesterday and when that piano playing started, I too had a tear or two welling in my eyes. Especially with Slipping Through My Fingers. What a wonderful song that is.
  
  Then my thoughts turned to the possibility of some solo piano music from Benny. I seem to remember that this idea was mentioned in one of Benny's many interviews last year; it may have even have been Benny that suggested that he would like to do a piano rendering of Kristina. I may just be imagining this of course!
  
  Anyhow, I agree, more please. Benny did also do a piano 'turn' on Jonathan Ross last year.
  
  Great interview. Bjorn's was OK too :-)
  
  Question: why were they interviewed separately?
  
  Lee
- Posted by Jos Willems, March 04, 2010 16:05:
  Truly a great musician and wonderful person! Benny rules!
- Posted by Jim in San Francisco, March 04, 2010 17:57:
  @ Martin: Thanks for the reply...I'm just overly excited because I'm attending the RNR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in a couple of weeks...I'm so looking forward to seeing them. I'm sure BB&F will show up....I'm holding my breath that Agnetha will be there. It will be a dream come true to be in the same room! I'll keep you posted and take lots of pics. :)
- Posted by john bernhardt, March 07, 2010 00:49:
  Like many others, I would love a Benny Andersson album but I get the feeling that Benny is perhaps too modest about his playing to put such a album out. I was annoyed that interviewer did not talk about Chess or Kristina, instead the interviewer dwelled on the usual subjects of bad clothes, Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen. Still it was thoughtful interview with lots of subtly. I did learn one thing-that Benny does not believe in God.
- Posted by Peter James, March 11, 2010 00:05:
  Since Benny & Frida have confirmed an appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, would icethesite know if they are also booked on any talk shows or entertainment shows in the US to coincide with the induction? Do any members here know of any pending interviews/scheduled appearances on TV?
- Posted by Russell, March 11, 2010 16:08:
  I'm sure I've also said the same before, but would agree with everyone else anyway. Yes, please someone suggest to Benny that an album of his songs and with only him playing the piano, would be FAB. I would love to hear those songs played by the man himself, by himself. How fantastic would that be!
- Posted by Russell, March 11, 2010 16:59:
  Well, I just listened to the interview. On my own. A real treat - I don't often get time to myself. Slipping through my fingers, played like this, sounded like a piece of classical music - Debussy, or something.Beautiful Thank you for the music? I cried. Breathtaking. Bring on the Benny Andersson Songs cd, with Mr. Andersson only, at the piano.
- Posted by bedicou, March 17, 2010 22:36:
  Interview site seems down. Can anybody help, i.e post the mp3 file elsewhere online ?
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