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Archive for category Interview

Marie Fredriksson for Aftonbladet: I would love to do something with my art abroad

Jan 22

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Marie Fredriksson | 1 Comment

In the series of interviews, Swedish stars talk about what turns their creativity. Who are their idols? Which albums, books, movies or events are the most important in their lives? What song has made them cry? Few days after the Tel-Aviv concert, one of the leading Swedish daily papers Aftonbladet‘s journalist Jens Peterson interviewed one and only Roxette’s singer – Marie Fredriksson. It’s a very rare occasion in the last years to see any interview with Marie – so we strongly recommend you to read it through.

How do you relax?

Sleeping. Sleep is absolutely essential. It is also important to do nothing. Take it easy. Eat well. Spend time with the closest ones. I’m so happy when Micke visits me during the tour. Not to mention when my children are with me. It means a lot. Now and then they travel along and then everything becomes more fun. This gives me strength.

Do you listen to music?

Now and then, but mostly I like when it’s quiet. Once you go on stage, it is such damn loud. It is such intense that when I leave the stage – I just want all to be quiet. For a long time. The whole next day. This is how I relax.

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Aftonbladet: Roxette to conquer the world again

Jan 21

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Roxette, Tour | 4 Comments

In the Friday’s paper and online editions of Aftonbladet – the great feature about Roxette’s forthcoming tour and album was published by Jens Peterson. He was Roxette’s guest during several concerts in 2011 – in Poland and Sweden – and last week he also visited Roxette in the Stockholm Atlantis Studio, where the last recording session for T2 album took place. Here are the most interesting quotes from Marie, Per and pieces of information they revealed.

Big thanks to Evgeny Perekopskiy for all his help.

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“Svarte Rudolf” sang by Gessle on P3

Dec 9

Posted by Tomasz in Gyllene Tider, Interview, Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Roxette | 3 Comments

Last week Swedish public radio P3 broadcasted programme “Livet är en fest” (Life is a party) with episode called “Halmstads pärlor, del 1” (Halmstad’s Pearls, part 1). Yesterday it was time for the second part with such pearls as “Svarte Rudolf” (accoustic song sang by Per Gessle) or “Farlig Terräng” (early Flickorna… demo by Gyllene Tider). The first 20 minutes of episode are dedicated to Roxette’s career including songs like “Neverending love”, “Listen to your hear” and extracts from interviews with Marie and Per in Swedish.

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Legendary “Parkens paviljong” on the Swedish Radio

Dec 2

Posted by Tomasz in Gyllene Tider, Interview, Marie Fredriksson | No Comments

As The Daily Roxette informs on its Facebook page Swedish public radio P3 broadcasted the 25th episode of “Livet är en fest” (Life is a party) programme called “Halmstads pärlor, del 1″ (Halmstad’s Pearls, part 1). This radio programme included some of early Gyllene Tider and Marie Fredriksson’s gems like “Parkens paviljong” recorded in 1977 and songs from Strul and MaMas Barn record in good quality. Old interviews with both Marie and Per were used, but nothing new – except great music cuts – were revealed.

Next Thursday at 9 pm CET – second part will be aired. The second part will be on the Roxette’s career.

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Another interviews with Per Gessle for Swedish papers

Nov 29

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Roxette, Tour | No Comments

Per Gessle has recently done two interviews for Swedish papers – one for Expressen in early November and the second one for his hometown magazine Hallandposten by well-known Jan-Owe Wikstrom. As we cannot really translate the whole piece due to copyright issue, so we picked up only those parts that we found extremly (or less extremly) interesting.

We have 70 concert scheduled for the next year so far, so as we finish this tour we will have done over 150 concerts and be seen of more than 1.5 million people. But you cannot be sure as the tour is constantly growing.

Well, I’m going to celebrate Christmas in Halmstad. But before and after we will working in the studio to complete the new album.

The tour will continue in the same great pace until October 2012! Guess it is 50-60 more gigs after Perth. Though these are not official yet. Logistics should be resolved, hairdos should be done etcetera.

Last years have made me a little calmer and I do not take my work so seriously anymore. For example I have hardly any great ambition to top the lists anymore, which was obvious to me 20 years ago. I just want to follow my gut feeling and have fun. Furthermore, the music industry is not as magical and exciting as it was when we started.

Should I mention a specific country, so it is probably Germany. We’ve been playing 15-16 gigs there this year and there seems to be an almost inexhaustible love between Roxette and Germany. Amazing response everywhere. But of course, nothing beats playing in South America! It is always noisy – 500-600 crazy Rox fans who meets us at the airport, TV crews everywhere and police who are trying to control everything. Feels like we were in a The Monkees episode. Lovely.

Without our fans all this would not be possible. They stand outside hotels everywhere and they are absolutely wonderful. Flowers, gifts, photographs and poems are given with love. And exchanged for autographs and quick snapshots with their mobile phones. There is never a problem.

After the tour’s end in October 2012 we certainly take a break. I think Marie would like to make her own album and I’m always busy with a thousand things at once. It would be fun, however, to keep the band. This is the best band I’ve ever played in, I long to every show!

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Swiss STAR TV interview with Per Gessle

Nov 18

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Roxette | 2 Comments

Thanks to Evgeny Perekopskiy for finding this out.

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Per Gessle for Livestage TV: this tour should last till October 2012

Nov 4

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Roxette, Tour, YouTube | 10 Comments

Livestage TV has had a chance to talk with the Man from Roxette just before yesterday’s Stockholm concert in Globen. Here is what Per said during the interview:

- hopefully 1.5 mil tickets will be sold once the tour ends
- this tour should last till September-October 2012
- there will be Gyllene Tider reunion in future
- the new album is called “Tourism II” and it will be released in March; this album will be finally mixed in January

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Star Observer: Roxette still blooming like a flower

Nov 2

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Roxette | No Comments

So it came as a surprise to many — even tour organisers themselves — when early ’90s hitmakers Roxette’s lone, toe-in-the-water Australian concert date sold out in half an hour earlier this year.

It’s surprising, but it’s been happening all over the world, so we’re on this neverending tour, Gessle told the Star Observer from his Stockholm home.

I’m so proud of the Roxette catalogue. We play to people of different ethnicities, different languages, different religions, in cities whose names I can’t even pronounce. And all of them are there because they love Listen To My Heart or Spending My Time or It Must Have Been Love. It’s just incredible, the power of music.

It’s the nature of the business that you have to die, commercially speaking, to let the next generation of artists come up. And of course the bigger you get, the harder the fall. We had almost four years where we always had a song in the hot 100 in the US.

More at starobserver.com.au

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South Africa, North and South America on Roxette’s radars

Oct 26

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Tour | 1 Comment

In the very recent English interview for World Radio Switzerland’s Alex Helmick – promoting 2 forthcoming Swiss shows – Per Gessle has admitted that Roxette is planning to come back to South America (it has been circulating for few months now here and there), South Africa and North America (Canada).

Have a listen!

Thanks to Arnaldo Mariano Suarez for sending this through.

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Per Gessle for The West Australian: I was a big Nirvana fan

Oct 21

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Roxette, Tour | No Comments

Simon Collins of The West Australian has written a very positive article about Roxette’s current tour and success the band has been experiencing in the last months. Have a look at the full interview and here below you find the most interesting quotes from the Man.

About Marie’s illness and her recovery

“I would compare it to when you have some trouble with your computer, you have to restart the computer from scratch, and that is exactly what she had to do with her life.”

About China concert back in 1995

“It was all students and it was just a fantastic feeling to be part of it, I remember, everyone was just crying afterwards because there were two guys in the audience and they had this banner for the last song, and it said ‘One world, one unity’. I’ll never forget that.”

About grunge wave

“I was a big Nirvana fan, I really loved that band but it sort of destroyed that whole thing that we were part of – Bryan Adams, Roxette, Phil Collins . . . all that kind of stuff. That’s the nature of the game. Trends come and go and, if you’re lucky, you have your years.”

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Exclusive RTL interview with Per Gessle in Hannover (October 13)

Oct 19

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Roxette | 1 Comment

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Skynet interview with Per Gessle

Oct 18

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Roxette | 3 Comments

Per Gessle will be interviewed tomorrow by Skynet about the tour. Click on the link below to go to the radio station website information.

Roxette over nieuwe wereldtour

18/10/2011 | 09:33

poweredby Skynet

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BRISANT interview with Per Gessle

Oct 13

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle | 1 Comment

German BRISANT TV-show had a chance to talk with Per Gessle just before the Munich concert. Have a look here for over 20-minute chat with The Man from Roxette.

Thanks to Evgeny Perekopskiy for sending this through.

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SWISS interview with Per Gessle

Sep 16

Posted by Tomasz in Interview, Per Gessle, Roxette | 1 Comment

If there is something you did not know about Per Gessle, so now you have a chance to get to know him a little better. Manuela Gretener, Manager Inflight Entertainment at SWISS International Airlines, had a chance to talk with the Man. Here are the most interesting answers.

Have you got any favourite locations where you love to perform?
Roxette have been very lucky to have super crowds all over the planet. There are no ‘bad’ places for us to perform. However, if I should pick one particular place it has to be South America. Those guys and dolls over there are very loud, most generous and totally crazy. Adorable.

What are your most favourite destinations?
I love the Maldives, I love St Tropez, I love New York. I love South Beach in Florida. I love Italy. There are more.

What do you always bring with you while travelling?
Obvious things. Credit cards, ID, cell phone, pictures of my family, a decent iPod and a smile on my face.

For full interview, go here.

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100,000 tickets sold Down-Under – two new shows, Perth dates rescheduled

Sep 15

Posted by Judith in Interview, Roxette, Tour | 6 Comments

Live Nation Australia & New Zealand has added two more shows in Australia on its website. In addition, the two shows in Perth have been rescheduled and are now end of February.

Per Gessle was interviewed by Cameron Adams for Herald Sun

Nobody really wanted to tour us in Australia, eventually we found someone who was interested. I think we’ve sold more than 100,000 tickets in Australia so far. We’re very surprised by the reception for this tour all over the world. Suddenly we’re playing big arenas all over again, it’s mindblowing.

With these additions and changes the Australian leg of the tour looks like this at the moment:

Feb 14, 2012 – Brisbane
Feb 16, 2012 – Sydney 1
Feb 17, 2012 – Sydney 2 – sold out
Feb 18, 2012 – Melbourne – sold out
Feb 20, 2012 – Adelaide
Feb 22, 2012 – Melbourne – Pre-sale start on Sept 19th, on sale from Sept 22nd (TV-ad)
Feb 24, 2012 – Brisbane – Pre-sale start on Sept 19th, on sale from Sept 22nd (TV-ad)
Feb 28, 2012 – Perth – moved
Feb 29, 2012 – Perth – moved

David Rezmann contributed to this article.

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