The piano was made by Swedish musical instrument designer Georg Bolin for the US jazz pianist Bill Evans. It was bought by Stockholm's Metronome Studios in 1967 and appeared on nearly all of ABBA's recordings between 1973 and 1977.The group's pianist Benny Andersson said, "The Bolin Grand is one of a kind and was a great source of inspiration while working in the recording studio during the ABBA sessions." In 2000, John Lennon's Steinway upright piano, on which he composed Imagine, was bought for £1.67m by George Michael.
Every Little Helps - Tesco is hoping to cash in on the nostalgia for vinyl records by stocking Iron Maiden's new limited edition triple LP, Book Of Souls. The album, the first studio offering from the British rockers in five years, will be on sale in 55 of the largest Tesco Extra stores, priced at £24. There will also be a special price on Trooper beer, developed by Iron Maiden's vocalist Bruce Dickinson. The grocer, which has been bedevilled by a multi-million-pound black hole in its accounts, started selling record decks last year.
Homeward Bound - Pink Floyd are to re-home the 12m (40ft) inflatable pig which featured on the cover of their 1977 album Animals. The helium pig, known as Algie, famously caused air traffic chaos after it floated free from Battersea Power Station in 1976, eventually coming to rest in a field in Kent. It had been listed for sale by Durrants auctioneers next month, alongside a number of items of memorabilia from Suffolk-based inflatable maker Air Artists. But Air Artists' owner Robin Harries, who was given the pig by Pink Floyd, said Algie would now be returned to the band's management and has withdrawn it from the sale.
Who's Sorry Now? - The BBC's director of television Danny Cohen has said he is "truly sorry" Tom Jones was upset by the way he was axed from talent show The Voice. Sir Tom said he was given "no idea" and "no warning" he would not be returning to the BBC One talent show. "I've got huge respect for Tom and I'm truly sorry he's upset, because I am a big fan of his," said Cohen. "I think he's a gentleman, I think he's an extraordinary figure in music and you'll have seen the huge respect that all of the artists have had for him on The Voice throughout." Cohen added he was "excited" about the new-look panel, which will feature Boy George and Paloma Faith alongside Ricky Wilson and will.i.am when the show returns in September.
Motown Magic - BBC1 has commissioned a new musical drama featuring songs from Motown, which its creator claims will be "completely different" from any other show on TV. Stop! In the Name of Love is a four-part series created by Tony Jordan and co-produced by his production company, Red Planet Pictures. The BBC said it would reflect the "diversity of modern Britain" by focusing on "six smart 30-something women's complicated lives". The music of Berry Gordon Jr's Motown record label will be woven into each drama, with characters singing songs at key moments within the narrative.
Jordan Airs - Lionel Bart's Oliver! is to be staged in Arabic for the first time, featuring a cast of 36 Syrian refugees. Updated so that it is based in a modern Arab city, the musical will open in Amman in Jordan this week and will also feature under-privileged children in the cast. It is being staged in a community centre by Refuge Drama Productions, and ov
