Interview

Gessle for Aftonbladet: we must decide what to do with Roxette

by

While Roxette was in New York, Per Gessle met Per Bjurman, journalist of Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet. Gessle hasn’t revealed anything new, but there are some facts that we should take into consideration thinking about Roxette and Gyllene Tider’s future. Those are the most interesting quotes from him.

The tour has been the world’s weirdest rehab, Marie’s in a top form again. What we’ll do in the future depends on how she reacts for not playing.

It is a bit special with the US. Knowing how much radio airplay we still get over here, we should’ve sold out Madison Square Garden, but like twenty years ago, we play in a theater. People here recognize the songs very well, but not us as artists. They are constantly singing at our gigs.

We’ve talked about it [Gyllene Tider’s reunion] every year since 2009 and yes, we are “on speaking terms”. We have been there all the time, we just think differently.

But nothing is set, so I cannot confirm it. First we must decide what to do with this band [Roxette]. Above all, it is all about Marie. This tour has been the world’s weirdest rehab she’s started and the question is how it affects her to take two years off. Maybe it’s better for her that we continue to play, I do not know. These are difficult questions.

Travelling with Roxette – German TV report

by

Here’s the very latest report covering the only German concert in June this year. It tells the story of a German fan – Astrid Lenhard from Hanover, the 34-years-old sport-therapist, mother of two. You will see her travelling “with” Roxette all over the country and Europe.
Interview with Per Gessle is also included in this TV report.

If you don’t speak Goethe’s language, here below you will find English transcript of the whole interview.

Read more

Roxette to tour again in 2014?

by

In the very latest interview Per Gessle & Marie Fredriksson have done for Boston’s Patriot Ledger they gave us a hint about possible Roxette reunion in 2014.

We’re gonna have a break from Roxette after this U.S. tour. We will start touring again in early 2014. Hopefully we can return then!

We are totally surprised by the worldwide success. This tour has lasted for 19 months and we’ve played in front of 1.5 million people. Amazing.

When Marie got seriously ill back in 2002, we basically gave up the band. So, from that point of view, it’s a miracle we’re still able to tour at this level. We’re not touring to promote our new album or our latest single – we don’t think in those terms anymore. If people want to hear us, we’ll play. We try to enjoy ourselves and our fans to the max.

Romania gets ready for Roxette’s visit with interviews

by

Here are links to some interviews published today in Romanian websites and newspapers:

MagicFM (Romanian, use google translator)

Clujlife.com (English)

Most important from both is that he confirms there will be “more touring, more recording, more smiles!“, that they will “start again pretty soon. With the feedback we’re getting from Planet Earth, how can we ever stop?“. He doesn’t confirm with whom the touring and recording will be though 🙂

Peter Boström: “I was very enthusiastic to try my best to get people to hear this gem”

by

We had the chance to interview Peter “Bassflow” Boström, known in the Rox community mostly for his remixes of “Speak To Me” and “The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye”. Picture by Sverigesradio

Roxetteblog: Could you tell us how you got into music? What were/are your inspirations, idols?

Peter Boström: I was playing the violin as a kid. Not by choice, but I learnt the basics of melodies and patterns really fast. As a teen, growing up in Stockholm, you had to listen to either hard rock or synth to be somewhat accepted 😉

I always liked experimental stuff so I chose to be a loyal synth-fan. Besides, I didn’t really have the hair to listen to rock, haha!

My big idols were, and still are, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Nitzer Ebb, Jean Michel Jarre.

RXB: what is your favourite instrument / music effect?

Peter: My favorite instrument must be my old and damaged Korg Poly6. It is always out of tune but it sounds just wonderful. Dirty and noisy. Just what the doctor ordered in this digital era.

RXB: Where does your nickname “Bassflow” come from?

Peter: Bassflow is actually the name of my company. In 1992, I was sharing studio with a team called Time Bomb, a swedish Hip hop collective. Bassflow sounded phat and cool in regards of hip hop. I didn’t use the name until 2006 when I did a remake of 7milakliv by Martin Stenmarck and was asked what name I wanted to use as a remixer for the cover.

RXB: You have worked with many Swedish artists, how did you get to work with them?

I started my company in 1992, at the age of 21. From there it took a lot of effort and struggling to come to the point where I am today. Half way, that is. Back then I was writing and producing people I got to know, people who weren’t artist, but at least they could sing better than me.

In the end of the glorious 90’s, I got to know some pretty successful producers and got involved in various album project.

One thing led to another, and here I am!

RXB: You have done remakes/remixes of two Roxette songs, how did that happen?

Peter: I was contacted by Johan Olsson at EMI in Sweden. He and Per had heard some songs of mine and asked me if I would like to do a radio mix of “Speak to me”. Of course, I didn’t hesitate.

But how can you ever make a new version of a perfectly good song by Roxette without being questioned? Or question yourself? That was the hard part.

How do I walk on this holy ground without leaving ugly footprints? It’s a question of respect, but I think I am pretty ok at that, keeping the artists integrity somehow intact.

We have actually only communicated through the A&R at the record company. Per and Marie have been on tour quite a lot, so it was the most convenient way. I have met Per on a couple of occasions in the past, and he is a real gentleman.

RXB: “The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye” has always been one of those Roxette tracks that should have deserved better treatment, it’s a favourite for many fans and considered underrated. What did you have in mind when you did the remake? Did Per give you any directions?

Peter: After “Speak to me” I was contacted once again by EMI. Johan said that Per really wanted me to give this song a go. He said it was one of Per’s personal favorites. I must admit I had never heard the song before, so I was very enthusiastic to try my best to get people to hear this gem.

And by people I don’t mean the true Roxette fans. They have heard it a thousand times before. It is such a great song. But since the original version is almost 5 minutes long, I knew it would be hard to shorten it to a length that is accepted by the radio.

I didn’t really get any directions. I think Per had enough belief in me to do what I did with “Speak to me”. To re-think the production without damaging the song. You can never make something that is better than the original. You can just make it as good as possible in a different way.

RXB: And last but not least, what do you do when you are not working with music?

Peter: I spend all other time with my family, -my (soon to be) wife Evelina and my twin kids, Bastian and Milo. Well… except when there’s a Chelsea game on TV 🙂

RXB: Thanks for your time! We love the work you did with “Speak To Me” and “Sweet Hello”.

Picture by Sverigesradio.