In my Abba post, and the visit to the museum, I mentioned Rutger Gunnarsson, Abba's former bass player. For me, this man left a huge mark on Abba's music. With its amazing bass lines, the music is complex, recognizable and swings enormously. Actually, I'm selling him short with just a bit about him in Abba's post.
As the bass player of one of the greatest bands of all time, Rutger Gunnarsson makes a huge contribution to pop history.
Before Gunnarsson provided the bass in hits such as Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia, he was part of the Hootenanny Singers, Björn Ulvaeus' band. When he forms ABBA, he also asks if Rutger will come and play with Abba. He has been there since the band's first major success: winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with Waterloo.
In the years that followed, Gunnarsson continues to provide bass parts to ABBA's hits with his dynamic and energetic playing, with which he complements Ola Brunkert's relatively sober drum parts so excellently.
But the Swede does more than just add low notes; Gunnarsson is also responsible for the arrangements of the strings of all records (with the exception of 2021 reunion album Voyage). In this way he is largely responsible for the disco sound with which ABBA gets such high acclaim.
The proof of that, you can see in the video where Rutger demo's the bassline of one of the biggest hits of Abba, dancing queen. I really love this line. The way he plays on the last pickup, creates this awesome sound.
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After the band members went their separate ways in the 1980s, Gunnarsson remains involved in their music. He plays on the soundtrack of the movie Mamma Mia! and is part of the orchestra of the Swedish version of the musical.
Moreover, ABBA is not the only world-famous act Gunnarsson has collaborated with. After his years with the Swedish band, he also joins forces with big names such as Céline Dion, Elton John and Gwen Stefani.
Gunnarsson remained active as a musician and producer until his death. He passed away in 2015 at the age of 69.
Below is a video of a German (I think) bass player playing a number of Abba bass lines, you can clearly hear how well those bass lines are put together.
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Just listen to the first line she plays from "Gimme Gimme Gimme" , for me (excuse the language) that is real bassporn.
A great bassplayer whom meant a lot for modern pop/disco music.
Take care ,
Peter