Roger Palm Dies

Roger Palm, a Swedish drummer best known for his work with ABBA, was a key figure behind the band’s signature sound. His musical journey started long before his involvement with ABBA, tracing a path through Sweden’s vibrant pop and rock scene. Palm, born on March 31, 1949, in Kyrktåsjö, a small village in Strömsunds municipality,

Jämtland County, Sweden, grew up in this remote and naturally beautiful part of northern Sweden. His interest in music was nurtured through exposure to Sweden’s diverse music landscape, ranging from jazz to rock and classical. To hone his craft, Palm pursued formal music education in Stockholm, where he studied drumming and percussion with an emphasis on rhythm and versatility.

Palm’s first forays into the professional music scene began in the 1960s when he joined local Stockholm bands. Some of his early bands included Gimmicks and Plommons, both of which played a mixture of rock, pop, and jazz fusion. His experience with these groups helped Palm refine his drumming style, giving him the adaptability to work across genres.

He gained a reputation in the Stockholm music circuit as a dynamic and reliable drummer. It was during this time that Palm began working as a session drummer, often collaborating with Swedish artists and producers. His precision, creativity, and ability to adapt to various styles made him an in-demand musician in Sweden’s recording studios.

His early session work included playing for acts like The Skymen, Banger & Erstrand Trio, Hasse Roséns Orkester, Lars O. Carlssons Kör & Orkester, Nashville Train, and The Spacemen, which further established his credentials in the industry. Roger Palm’s breakthrough came when he caught the attention of ABBA’s producers Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.

Palm had worked with other Swedish artists in the early 1970s, which led to him being recommended to ABBA’s production team. By the mid-1970s, ABBA was looking for a versatile session drummer to help bring their increasingly intricate pop compositions to life in the studio. Palm’s reputation as a steady, creative drummer made him the perfect fit.

Palm first worked with ABBA on the recording of their 1975 ABBA album, contributing to several tracks. On their 1976 Arrival album his drumming was crucial to hits like “Dancing Queen”, where he played drums, tambourine, and hi-hat percussion. Palm quickly became one of ABBA’s go-to drummers,

providing the steady backbeat on many of their iconic tracks across albums such as The Album (1977), and Voulez-Vous (1979). After ABBA disbanded in the early 1980s, Roger Palm continued his career as a highly sought-after session musician. He worked with various artists, both in Sweden and internationally,

Roger Palm died of a complication of Alzheimer’s disease, on Saturday, September 21, 2024. He was 75. “He was a warm and humble guy who was always protective of friends and family. He will be sorely missed and he leaves behind a huge void. We will all remember him with a warm heart, “in a a statement from his family.