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ABBA Drummer Found Dead in Garden

Reuters

Posted: 2008-03-17 15:42:51

Filed Under: Star Obituaries, Music News

MADRID, Spain (March 17) - A former drummer for the Swedish pop band ABBA was found dead with cuts to his neck in the garden of his house on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Police said Monday an autopsy showed it was an accident.

A neighbor found the body of 62-year-old Ola Brunkert on Sunday evening at his house in a coastal area outside the eastern town of Arta, a Civil Guard spokesman told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

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He said an autopsy was carried out and confirmed initial investigations. "It was an accident," he said.

The spokesman said Brunkert hit his head against a glass door in his dining room, shattering the glass and cutting himself in the neck. He managed to wrap a towel around his neck and left the house to seek help, but collapsed in the garden.

Brunkert lived in the coastal apartment complex of Betlem in the municipality of Arta, in the eastern part of Mallorca.

Brunkert had lived in Arta for around 20 years. His wife, Inger. died less than a year ago, an Arta municipal official told the AP. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to discuss the case.

ABBA band member Benny Anderson told Swedish daily Expressen he was sad to hear of the drummer's death. "It is tragic," he said.

Band member Bjorn Ulvaeus added that Brunkert had been "one of the best."

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"I remember him as a good friend when we worked together in the mid-1970s. He was a very creative musician who contributed a lot when we toured together and worked in the studio," Ulvaeus told Expressen.

According to ABBA's official Web site, Brunkert and bass player Rutger Gunnarsson were the only musicians to appear on all ABBA albums.

Brunkert first played with ABBA on the group's first single, "People Need Love," and toured with the band in 1977, 1979 and 1980.

He had been a jazz drummer and a member of the blues band Slim's Blues Gang, before joining pop group Science Poption in the mid-1960s.

ABBA, with the four regular members Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Ulvaeus and Andersson, was one of the world's most successful bands, with album sales of more than 370 million. The group has not performed together since 1982, but continues to sell nearly 3 million records a year.

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2008-03-17 07:40:45

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willowvaderburg 09:24:54 AM Mar 24 2008

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What a shame...Sure loved this group

bostonbred111 04:44:03 PM Mar 19 2008

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It is difficult to see how this can be classified as an accident.
Many people have sliding or hinged glass door. You've got to hit them extremely hard for them to break. I think it was a suicide attempt and it will be knowm once we have results of a toxicolgy test.

MBubba222 04:38:44 PM Mar 19 2008

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Thank God how much of that s h i t t y band is left.

mrsfrogee 11:15:13 AM Mar 19 2008

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It's sad to learn of this tragic accident. He was a big part the the group.ABBA was the best group of it's times. It was a group you had to appreciate. My best goes out to the family and ABBA. GOD BLESS you all.

WIFEOFRUS 10:48:41 AM Mar 18 2008

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So sad...

littlesoftface05 10:19:58 AM Mar 18 2008

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I wish that people would keep their political view out of tragic situtations. What happened was just a plain, sad accident. No politician had anything to do with it. Brunkert just fell and went through a plate glass window.

Teseskee03 08:20:08 AM Mar 18 2008

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ABBA is a time tested good grope. It is sad to me.

AzelJn 07:03:24 AM Mar 18 2008

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I came to Abba Late. Dancing queen was not my favorite songs during the seventies or whenever it was popular. But during the eighties and ninities I began to appreciate it especially when that movie about someone's wedding came out. So now I really enjoy their music. As to the drummer, how did he ever managa such an accident. I hope the poor guy wasn't married...And he and I are or were the same age.
AJ

Num Num P 01:23:12 AM Mar 18 2008

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didn't know they had a dummer .......
thought that was a drum machine ...
what a bummer ........
not trying to be mean.....

beer999999 12:52:48 AM Mar 18 2008

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Me and My friend loved ABBA...I am so sorry for his passing...God Bless!

aleighcat 11:56:17 PM Mar 17 2008

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Wow........sorry to hear of this man's death. I loved ABBA then, and I still love their songs now. I can't imagine basically falling through a glass door and dying from it, how awful. My condolences to his family and friends, especially to the group that he helped to make famous. God rest his soul.