Second Edition is here!

Hi all! I’ve been on the road over the past few months, and have just returned from a short promotional visit to Melbourne, where I appeared on Radio 94.9 JOY FM for an extended interview on the “Been There Done That” morning show. Hosts Brian, Gordon and Chris made me very welcome, and we spent a stimulating hour discussing the finer details of ABBA’s music and playing selected tracks, the most unusual being a country-and-western cover version of “Dancing Queen”!

While in town I also visited the Readings Books Music & Film shops, which now stock my book. Readings is the Australian Independent Bookseller of the Year for 2009, as well as the official bookseller at the 2009 Melbourne Writers Festival, so it’s great to see my book on the shelves there in one of Australia’s most cultural cities. My book is now also available in Sydney at The Bookshop in Darlinghurst, and in Brisbane, at Riverbend Books, Bulimba and The Avid Reader, West End.

“ABBA: Let The Music Speak” is now in its second printing, with only a few boxes of the first edition remaining. The book’s recommended retail price has been reduced to AU$39.95 to celebrate the arrival of the updated second edition.

To those who tuned in regularly to my daily ABBA album-by-album track-by-track sessions with breakfast radio host Spencer Howson on 612 ABC Brisbane from January to June … thanks for listening! It was an amazing six months on air. It has inspired other ABC networks across Australia to join the happy band of hosts and listeners who can’t get enough of ABBA! 891 ABC Adelaide invited me on for a week’s worth of guest hosting back in May, and I have another week’s worth coming up on 1233 ABC Newcastle later this month. A few weeks ago I was on 91.7 ABC Coast FM discussing the book and a musical ‘investigation’ of the song “SOS”. The extended session of 17 minutes enabled me to delve into the wonders of one of ABBA’s greatest songs in more detail.

I’m returning to Melbourne very soon to join 94.9 JOY FM host Alan Ross on his popular “Café Latte” Sunday afternoon show. I’ll post dates and details of this and other upcoming interviews as they come to hand.

Very pleased to hear the news that “Mamma Mia!” (The Musical) is set for a return Australian season later this year, commencing in Sydney in October and moving to Melbourne and Brisbane in 2010. Looking forward also to following the global journey of the new ABBA World Touring Exhibition being launched in September.

More updates soon!

Cheers,
Chris Patrick