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INTERVIEW Famous ABBA Fans Talk: Getty Kaspers (Teach-In)

The year after ABBA’s victory, the Song Contest (ESC) held its 20th event in . For the second time in the history of the song festival, the victory went to a pop group, more precisely the Dutch band Teach- In who won with Ding-A-Dong. I caught up with lead singer Getty in Utrecht one sunny afternoon in November, after she had fulfilled an ‘acte de présence’ at a Seventies event.

When Teach-In won the ESC in 1975, your performance had a big impact on me. This was even before I fully discovered ABBA. Really? That’s funny. But look, you can’t compare ABBA to any of the other artists that have won the ESC, that includes Teach-In. ABBA themselves were responsible for their own music and lyrics, they had a whopper of a manager in , who also invested their money at that time but, most importantly, they turned up exactly at the right moment with a follow-up to vocal arrangement ourselves, we were quite Waterloo [Honey, Honey]. Personally, I find that convinced this could be a winning song for the Waterloo, although it’s clearly a winner when you big contest although we had to perform first as hear it, is not that exceptional compared to their a result of the draw. We had such a good song, other songs. But they rightly won, because the we were sure it would come through, and the two boys are outstanding composers and the audience would remember it. The enthusiasm girls great singers. When they won, you really felt was obviously there. It turned out we were right. that they were a world class act. You can’t deny Just like ABBA and many other acts, the that. The biggest success of the song festival. It look of Teach-In was also clearly embedded doesn’t matter who your favourite artist is, ABBA in that Seventies style. will always stand out. They are just so fantastic. The clothes of those days! They were Their music is real music. completely bonkers when you look at them Do you have a favourite ABBA song? now [laughs]. Unfortunately, I lost my beautiful, They have so many beautiful songs… but pristine song festival blouse and skirt. I have no if I had to choose one, it would be Thank You idea what happened to them, but I’ve still got For The Music because it represents everything my green dress that I wore in Utrecht [during the that music is about and depicts accurately what Dutch preselection]. emotions mean to people. That green dress is engraved in my With ABBA, the song festival drastically memory. It was great to see it for real after changed as it was the first time a genuine all those years at the ABBA Museum at the pop group won, and may I say this Good Evening exhibition. subsequently influenced the choice of Oh, you saw it there. I really regret that I winner the following year? didn’t see it at the exhibition, but we did bring That’s right. But this kind of influence on the the dress to ourselves, and I got a lot following year’s competition is quite common at of pictures from OGAE [General Organisation of Eurovision, it’s a constant factor. But we were Eurovision Fans] members. not ABBA, we were Teach-In with a very strong Could you describe how special it was to close harmony and only one lead singer. ABBA experience your ESC victory? had a different sound, but they were, of course, Well, after having been busy and preparing a very influential band. Having said that, I must for the performance for several months, making admit that an earlier hit of Teach-In, Tennessee sure everything is alright, the moment itself you Town, has a strong ABBA feel [winks]. don’t enjoy as much as when it’s all over. It all In hindsight, what were the decisive needed to sink in first [smiles]. factors for Teach-In’s victory? But it must have been a highlight of your It was mainly a matter of finding the right career? song. We had to wait a very long time before Of course, it was and the older you get, the the composer Dick Backer, who was also more you realise you can’t just win a song responsible for the wonderful arrangement, festival just like that. We were the last ones who came up with the right composition. The Dutch returned to the victoriously. preselection was quite relaxed, with Debbie and After Teach-In’s victory, did you meet Albert West as the other contestants who had ABBA, the previous year’s winners, a to perform the same song. After winning and common tradition at the ESC? finishing the recording, for which we did the No, that was very strange. They were not

28 Getty nowadays © Stany van Wymeersch artist? project. way toabuilding nature hastogive how that describes but sadsong the mostbeautiful together withEenBeetje Triest [A LittleBitSad], aperfect It’s of thealbum, blend. It is one ofthehighlights perfectly. melody Agnetha’s fits love first experiencing of feeling the about lyric selected bymy producer EddyOuwens. The fond ofthissongthatwas been particularly Very cleverthatyouknowthis.Ihave always . was recordedformyDutchlanguage That song, De EersteLiefdeIs Een Feest, went throughmyoldsongsearlierthisweek. Fältskog, originallycalledTheQueenOfHearts. version ofasongcomposedby Agnetha with ABBA. In1982yourecordedaDutch idea howblissfulthesilenceofaloois[laughs]. moments during that hectic period. You have no only place where I could be on my own for a few members shouted“Gettyyyyy!” The loowasthe I heardthedooropeningandoneofband back tomysenses.Oneday, Ievenfellasleep, I wouldclosethetoiletseatandsitstilltocome handle things anymore, I would go to the loo. the time,itwasawell-keptsecretthatifIcouldn’t Eurovision. Ifeltthatthiswasnotwhatwanted. At we weretouringalloverEuropeafterwinning I experiencedthesameonasmallerscalewhen being swallowedupbyeverythingandeveryone. tours and soon. You see thestressandthem experienced thelineofworkIwasalsoin, the cinema,Iwasinterestedtoseehowthey subsequent years? Leaving Teach-Inwas notwhatIwanted.felt theysimply droppedme. speed forawhile, at thesame continue When Icouldn’t a lemon. band togetherany longer. I felt squeezed like wanted tokeepthe became clearthatnobody new repertoire.However, tomygreatsorrowit a to learn month one and month torelax one us to have a much needed two-months holiday, busy, I was completelyexhausted and pushed for After How andwhendidyoubecomeasolo By we stumbled onit coincidence, when we Besides I rememberwatchingABBA—TheMovieat Eurovision, , you have another link Eurovision, youhaveanotherlink wehadbeenimmensely happen one. Itwasnotdestinedto we alsomissedoutonthat meet theminBerlin,but be anotheropportunityto There wassupposedto wasn’t verysporting. I thoughttheirabsence right then. To behonest, on holidayinSweden were they out figured we the that includedalldatesof partner] Cornoticedalist the ABBA Museum, [my there. Whenwewereat ABBA’sin the career Did you follow and that’s how ESC, and that’s how [sighs].

I’m stillhere! not expectingcrazythingsany more. Luckily, a long way,70, I’vecome I’m you think? don’t since Ding-A-Dong.In 1975, I was 27, now I’m crazier witheveryyear. Nextyear, itis 44years 40 yearsago. victory It with Hallelujah becomes Points. It’s a bigeventto celebrate ’s orchestra forasongfestivalshow called in to perform going Tel Aviva symphony with that it was notjustaboutme. Next January, I am always haveto explain that we werea real band, and, inallhonesty,asks fortheguys.I nobody I was inMadrid, , andBudapest me, and theywant to pose for photos. Recently toseeme,theycantouch happy very niceand is greatfun,bytheway. are All thesepeople Eurovision case today.to invited is being who I’mtheone stillisthe eyes wereconstantlyonme,which had abeer.cards and playing were the boys All on my When I shoulders. did the interviews, the frontwoman, allthe weight wasconstantly battery wasempty. I was thefaceof the group, your fanbase. is great to see you have reconnectedwith that you left ‘their’ up mymusicalcareeroncemore. since. It’sa journey only recentlythat I’ve picked years, I had tore-evaluatethings.I’vequite course, butI’dcompletelyhadit.Inthefollowing had put a lot of effort into the record. So had I, of he It wasnotfairtowardsEddybecause gone! I’m but yourselves, for out it find do, can all you direction, andthenI decided, youknowwhat felt that again things were goingin the wrong notwork.I situation,itcould was animpossible of the newline-up Teach-In underhiswings. This Eddy alsohad myproducer this albumbecause have done of songs.MaybeIshouldn’t selection to become a grown up woman,also with the another direction.Iwasturning30andlonged very nicely, but I would havepreferredto go in featured Agnetha’ssong? and Ibecameasoloartist. somehow. Anyway, it meant I had to move on, anger with me fills still it Talkingabout well. as a hitwithme that I’msurewouldhavebeen song a of stunner a line-up, new the of hit first was withtwoothergirls.UpsideDownthe stood upandwhen Teach-Inlater returned,it say,team,” butnobody awinning “neverchange the band. within potential enough They always new songafter those twomonths;therewas was that we couldhavecomebackwithagreat bands sinceI was 19yearsold. The sadthing with used toplaying like thatatall.Ihadbeen with tapes,butIdidn’t I performedforawhile these guys. And suddenlyyouareon your own. andwasveryattachedto hippy like ayoung The other guys didn’t understand that my understand The otherguysdidn’t It surelywasadisappointment to thefans The album andseveralsongsturnedout that album your with satisfied you Were TEXT: STANY VAN WYMEERSCH gatherings all over the place, which over theplace, all gatherings Eurovision group, but it Douze ESC 29