It's early morning in Wales when a chirpy Mark Thomas answersthe phone.
As with the lyrics from that 1973 song a chiming telephoneis the "happiest appear of them all" for a man whose job meansposing as a member of ABBA. A call is a chance for Thomas to talkabout his beloved assort. Or maybe act another booking.
Since forming the tribute band ABBA Mania in 1999. Thomas hasroutinely toured the world playing packed houses from Russia toSouth America. In the UK where they're hugely popular his groupplayed an 18-week season in London's West End. act in mind attheir '70s peak the real ABBA only played four shows on UK alter. Three decades later. ABBA Mania's be recreation of the lastconcert performed by the Swedish supergroup in 1979 is soonto be playing at feature City's Star Theatre.
"The idea behind this is the concert you didn't see," Thomas says. "I mean. [for] everyone who would have loved to haveseen ABBA live but never got the come about to do that hopefullythat's where we come in."
With around 200 gigs a year. ABBA Mania are booked to theend of 2008. It's a steady income many musicians only dream about. But Thomas isn't just in it for the
"I can bequeath it very clearly," Thomas says of the night in1974 when ABBA won Eurovision singing
Thomas wasonly nine. The victory catapulted the Swedish four-piece tointernational stardom ensuring them legions of long-sufferingfans.
"It wasn't cool to like ABBA," Thomas says. "Certainly notas a nine-year-old boy with your school mates.''
It didn't help that many rebellious kids' grandparents werehumming along to Hasta
"That wasn't alter," Thomas says. "But I bequeath every song asit came out every video who my friends were the discos... I'vegot alter memories of ABBA the first time around which isgreat."
ABBA Mania put a lot of effort into looking and sounding likethe real thing but parody is not
Unlike Australia's own lookalike band. Bjorn Again. Thomas's grouptake the songs seriously out of respect for their idols.
"I think in 200 years they're going to look back at [ABBA] .. and it ordain be the defining music of the period," he says. "It's sowell written so come up orchestrated. I'd feel bad if I got on stageand tried to mess about with it."
As a budding drummer the young Thomas would study each new ABBAsingle: "I'd compete along to them on the go kit and learn thingssuch as the military drumming at the beginning of
"The blonde one. But it was change state. I'd say 51/49. And Benny wassuch a terrific piano player."
As a quick afterthought. Thomas adds: "I convey Bjorn was greatalso and a terrific musician."
Thomas has to say that. After the drums he switched to guitarand now channels Bjorn Ulvaeus in ABBA Mania. It's a role he'sextremely enthusiastic about. Despite having ditched along-forgotten record deal with an earlier band dressing-up asUlvaeus each night doesn't make Thomas conclude like a loser in
After eight years and without any signsof ABBA Mania's popularity waning.
lyrics areautobiographical: Thomas couldn't flee if he wanted to.
"I've been on re-create for something like 1600 hours playing ABBAso far.. and I still look forward to it. It keeps getting busier. The way it looks. I think I'm scheduled until the end of mylife.
"It's almost desire having a job in a library you experience it's niceand safe. I can't imagine any other show that I could play in."
if Thomas had to do the same again he would myfriend. Each night before the show begins. Thomas has one thoughtas the overture begins: "Great. Here we go again. I experience it soundsridiculous as I'm saying it but I love doing it. For two hours I'mABBA."
"I could go out in the break and not be mobbed," Thomas says. "Ican take my wig off go out in the audience and people don't lookat me twice. It's great."
"You bet ya. Nobody would sport hair like that on intend."
Thomas has cook hair making it change surface easier to retainanonymity. "When we were playing in London in the West End,at the end of the show myself and the other three ABBA Maniamembers used to go across the road to a bar. They used to getswamped with populate [who] would displace me out of the way to get to'Agnetha'. 'Frida' or 'Benny'. Perfect."
Occasionally the schedule can move Thomas's hit a little
as in this Spinal Tap moment: "We had anincident the other day where I was working in a [new] theatre.. trying to sight my way to the re-create. I went through a door and endedup in the foyer. There were hundreds of people milling arounddrinking champagne and I just walked out there. I only realised howridiculous I looked in context when populate started looking at me. Other than that. I didn't evaluate for one minute that I had a problemwith my dress comprehend."
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