Eve Graham from The New Seekers – the band who 'inspired' ABBA – weighs in on their tour

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    EXCLUSIVE: ‘They’re using holograms to hide their flaws!’ Eve Graham from The New Seekers – the band who ‘inspired’ ABBA – weighs in on their tour and rules out her own reunion

    • Eve Graham from Perthshire, now 78, shared vocals with Lyn Paul, now 72, in The New Seekers – also comprising Peter Doyle, Paul Layton and Marty Kristian 
    • The band came second in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest in Edinburgh
    • They are said to have provided inspiration for ABBA 
    • Eve spoke to MailOnline on the back on ABBA’s announcement that they will be releasing new music and embarking on a tour – using holograms 


    One of the two female lead singers of the British pop group said to have inspired ABBA is not herself seeking a reunion and discussed the band’s upcoming tour.

    Eve Graham from Perthshire, now 78, shared vocals with Lyn Paul, now 72, in The New Seekers – also comprising Peter Doyle, Paul Layton and Marty Kristian – who had a string of international hits in the early 1970s. 

    The band came second in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest in Edinburgh.

    Eve left the band in 1978, having helped them sell more than 25 million records worldwide. They continue to this day, but with only Paul Layton left from the hit-making line-up.

    Nope: One of the two female lead singers of the British pop group said to have inspired ABBA is not herself seeking a reunion

    Nope: One of the two female lead singers of the British pop group said to have inspired ABBA is not herself seeking a reunion

    Eve spoke to MailOnline on the back on ABBA’s announcement that they will be releasing new music and embarking on a tour – using holograms.  

    She says of Swedish supergroup Abba, whose global career began when they won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and have recently released their first recordings for 40 years: ‘ABBA came along just after our heyday….   

    ‘And like Lyn and I in The New Seekers they had one blonde female lead singer and the other brunette…

    ‘They filled the hole that we left and many people compared them to us but they were much more talented, writing and producing their own songs, whereas we sang other people’s songs.

    ‘When people talk about The New Seekers, they talk about the line-up with me, Lyn, Peter, Paul and Marty…

    Back again: She says of Swedish supergroup Abba, whose global career began when they won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and have recently released their first recordings for 40 years: ‘ABBA came along just after our heyday'

    Back again: She says of Swedish supergroup Abba, whose global career began when they won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and have recently released their first recordings for 40 years: ‘ABBA came along just after our heyday’

    ‘People have often asked if we’d get back together, but the answer is “absolutely no”. Peter is no longer with us, The New Seekers still exist in a different form, and anyway it wouldn’t be the same…

    ‘I last released a solo album in 2018 and you can tell from that I no longer have the vocal power I had all those years ago. My singing voice is still recognisable but I have to choose the songs more carefully…

    ‘On Facebook, the fans show photos of how we looked back in the day and tell me I look beautiful, and I have to remind them I’m an old withered lady now! They don’t want to know that. They like to picture me the way I was…

    The gang: Eve Graham from Perthshire, now 78, shared vocals with Lyn Paul, now 72, in The New Seekers - also comprising Peter Doyle, Paul Layton and Marty Kristian - who had a string of international hits in the early 1970s

    The gang: Eve Graham from Perthshire, now 78, shared vocals with Lyn Paul, now 72, in The New Seekers – also comprising Peter Doyle, Paul Layton and Marty Kristian – who had a string of international hits in the early 1970s

    ‘That’s what ABBA are doing by touring as holograms of their young selves. They’re not going to really disclose the flaws that will inevitably be there…

    ‘If they actually dressed up and played live, it would only be a disappointment because they won’t be able to perform as well as they used to….

    ‘So they’re doing something clever instead so as not to expose their shortcomings now. I wouldn’t want to do it because The New Seekers’ old music is still available, so why bring out something new now? ABBA can’t be doing it for the money….

    Eve is pictured with Lyn Paul

    Eve is pictured with Lyn Paul

    ‘They’re not broke. They can only be doing it because they want to make people happy. I don’t think ABBA are risking their reputation by doing this because they’ve got such a strong following that any criticism is going to be drowned out by the amount of applause they’re going to get….

    ‘I certainly like the new tracks I’ve heard – they’re really well done and well-produced, and their age doesn’t really show…

    ‘ABBA are complete within themselves that they remain 100% ABBA. The New Seekers reunited would just be a watered-down version of what we were back then…

    ‘I doubt I’ll release any more solo albums because they cost a lot to make and don’t sell anymore – people download them and share them for free.’

    No more: 'I doubt I’ll release any more solo albums because they cost a lot to make and don’t sell anymore - people download them and share them for free'

    No more: ‘I doubt I’ll release any more solo albums because they cost a lot to make and don’t sell anymore – people download them and share them for free’

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