Abba drummer Ola Brunkert dies in freak accident

R.I.P.

For those who want the details, Fiona Govan's story in today's Telegraph.co.uk has them, and follows.

Abba drummer Ola Brunkert dies in Spain

The drummer for the Swedish pop group Abba was found dead on Sunday with his throat cut after he accidentally walked through a glass door.

Ola Brunkert, 61, crashed head first through the door in his kitchen at his home on Majorca, wounding his neck on a shard of glass.

He managed to wrap a towel around his neck and left the house to seek help, but collapsed in the garden and bled to death.

His body was discovered in the garden of his villa in Arta on the island's northeastern coast by a neighbour on Sunday evening.

Police said an autopsy confirmed that Mr Brunkert's death had been an accident. Mr Brunkert lived alone and there was no sign of a break in, police said.

Members of the band yesterday paid tribute to their onetime drummer.

Bjorn Ulvaeus, one of the four lead singers who leapt to fame after performing their song Waterloo in the 1974 Eurovision song contest, said that Mr Brunkert had been "one of the best".

"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," he said.

Benny Andersson spoke of his sadness at the drummer's death, describing it as "tragic".

Mr Brunkert, who was originally from Stockholm, was a session musician who was in Abba's original line-up in the 1970s, continuing to work with the band into the 1980s.

He worked on all the group's albums and performed on tour with them. He moved to Majorca about 20 years ago and was a member of a local jazz band.

Mr Brunkert, who was a widower, is survived by a son, who also lives on the island.