PG Roxette

PG Roxette – “The Craziest Thing” single with “Just Perfect” as B side is out!

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The Craziest Thing was originally released on PG Roxette’s debut album Pop-Up Dynamo! It was written by Per Gessle and Eddie Jonsson. In connection with the European Table Tennis Championship in Malmö 10th-17th September 2023, a new version of the song, The Craziest Thing (Lost Boy Remix) has been produced and it’s the official song of the EC.

Peter Johansson, project manager for the European Table Tennis Championship says:

It feels incredibly fun that Per Gessle is once again making a song for a major table tennis championship. It was a success last time in connection with the World Championship in Halmstad. This song is pompous and happy and will do perfectly in Malmö Arena. I’m also convinced that it will work excellently as a boost for our Swedish players in the hunt for the medals at home.

Per Gessle says:

I feel incredibly honored to once again be responsible for the official table tennis song in the context of the EC and WC. In 2018 it was the WC in jolly Halmstad and then it was “Name You Beautiful”, this time at the European Table Tennis Championship in Malmö my contribution is called “The Craziest Thing”. Filled with twisted energy and as effective and fast as a diagonal forehand smash.

The B side of the single is a previously unreleased song, Just Perfect. Per says:

“Just Perfect” was written in October 2014 for the “Pretty Woman”-musical. I was in touch with Jonathan Lawton (who wrote the script to PW, both movie + musical) and the basic idea was to create a “bookend” to “It Must Have Been Love”. “IMHBL” would appear at the end of the musical and “Just Perfect” in the beginning.

The lyrics told the story about the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles where some important parts of PW took place. Btw, Elvis Presley stayed at that particular hotel for six months during his heydays, hence the Elvis-reference in my lyric.

Jonathan loved the song but it all went nowhere when director Garry Marshall decided that Bryan Adams was going to write all the songs to the PW-musical instead. Not even “It Must Have Been Love” got included. Shit happens and no worries. Personally, I think Bryan did an amazing job with all his new stuff.

So here’s “Just Perfect”. I re-used the idea for the chorus in Roxette’s “This One” a few months later if it sounds familiar. That’s the way I am.

Listen to the single HERE and don’t forget to order the physical copy, a limited edition vinyl 7″ HERE!

The Craziest Thing (Lost Boy Remix)

I know you’re trying to please
You make me weak in the knees
When you come around, aha
I love hanging out with you
Love the things that you do
To find higher ground, aha
But baby, my mind is drifting
My focus keeps on shifting
Baby, my mind is drifting

In a certain light you tend to look just like her
It’s the craziest thing
In a certain light you tend to look just like her
It’s the weirdest thing

I know you want this to last
To make me wipe out the past
And go to Square One
I don’t know what to do
Hey, I haven’t got a clue
How to unblock the sun, aha
Got a reason my mind is drifting
The attention keeps on shifting
Got a reason my mind is drifting

In a certain light you tend to look just like her
It’s the craziest thing
In a certain light you tend to look just like her
It’s the weirdest thing

Words by Per Gessle
Music by Per Gessle + Eddie Jonsson
Published by Jimmy Fun Music
Original recording produced by Magnus Börjeson + Clarence Öfwerman + Per Gessle
Remix produced by Lost Boy at Lost Boy Studios, Umeå
Programming: Lost Boy
Vocals: Per Gessle + Helena Josefsson + Dea Norberg

Just Perfect

I wanna welcome you to treasure
Magnificent rooms of joy and pleasure
Where anything is possible
We’re workin’ so hard to make things happen
Elvis is gone but not forgotten
We’re still makin’ dreams wishable
And doable
Even things unthinkable
Can happen right here in this hotel
In gold with roses watching

This is perfect
Just perfect
It’s just perfect – oh oh oh
Just perfect – oh oh oh

We can be truly entertaining
Delightfully sharp and so persuading
Nothing less than wonderful
Offering pearls and shiny diamonds
Fine chandeliers and striking tables
We make your life so powerful
And colourful
Even things incredible
Will happen right here in this hotel
In gold with roses watching

This is perfect
Just perfect
It’s just perfect – oh oh oh
Just perfect – oh oh oh

Words + music by Per Gessle
Published by Jimmy Fun Music
Produced by Per Gessle
Recorded at Tits & Ass, Halmstad October 2014
Engineer: Mats Persson
Programming + keyboards: Per Gessle + Mats Persson
Vocals: Per Gessle

Observations by Fredrik Etoall – Roxette, Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Gyllene Tider

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An art book including photos of Roxette, Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle and Gyllene Tider taken by the amazing photographer Fredrik Etoall will be published on 30th June. Observations by Fredrik Etoall – Roxette, Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Gyllene Tider comes in two versions, one standard textile bound book with 176 pages. The second version is the same book delivered in a nice box including a signed art print by both Fredrik Etoall and Per Gessle. The signed and numbered box set is a limited edition of 500 copies, covered with Fancy Linen.

Mr. G says:

I first met Fredrik during a photo session with Roxette at the Scandic Grand Central in Stockholm in January 2012. Marie understandably was very tired and impatient, but that didn’t stop Fredrik from taking some of the finest and most personal pictures ever taken of our band.

I’ve had the privilege to continue working with him on various projects, and nowadays regard him as a good friend. He’s the kind of guy who’s fun to bounce ideas with. And he always speaks his mind. A good quality.

During our two-day session to nail the visual identity for the PG Roxette album ”Pop-Up Dynamo!”, the idea of a photo book with Fredrik’s fabulous images of Roxette, Marie, Gyllene Tider, and myself took shape. I loved it immediately. Fredrik’s craftmanship, artistry, and sensibility hits you on every page. If I could only use two words to describe his work, it would be “timeless quality”. I’m pretty sure you’ll agree.

You can pre-order the book at Bengans. HERE you can see details of the standard book and HERE the box set. The weight is appr. 1 kg. Dimensions: 230 x 320 mm.

The book is published by Tres Hombres Art that will also organize an exhibition of Fredrik Etoall’s photos at Hotel Tylösand from 30th June.

PG Roxette’s Incognito EP is out!

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PG Roxette’s debut album, Pop-Up Dynamo! was released in October last year and now half year later, a new EP, Incognito with four songs is out. Read more about the EP and some words from Per in the press release we shared a couple of days ago HERE!

Tracklist

Side A

Incognito (Single Version)
Jelly Moon

Side B

When She Needed Me The Most
Incognito (Lost Boys Remix)

Listen to the EP on any streaming service (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, YouTube, etc.) and don’t forget to order the limited edition 7” vinyl (Bengans)!

The official video to Incognito premieres at 15:00 CET on 28th April HERE!

Here are the lyrics for you to be able to sing along!

INCOGNITO

I gotta run
I’m going back to my place
To the centre of things to a setting
That brings me some more space

You wanna come?
It’s a game of now or never
No one will never know about it, we’re the only ones

Come on come on you got it
Come on come on you’ll love it
Come on come on you want it
Cos it’s so oh oh oh oh oh wow!

Get up and go
You go incognito nito
Wanna stay in mono oh no
You grab it all night all right

So get up and go
We go incognito nito
Baby, when we’re dancin’ so close
We grab it all night all right

Oh yea
You need this information
You just follow the lights
When you pass in the night by the station

You wanna come?
It’s a game to keep on playin’
No one will never know about it, we’re the chosen ones

Come on come on you got it
Come on come on you’ll love it
Come on come on you want it
Cos it’s so oh oh oh oh oh wow!

Get up and go
You go incognito nito
Wanna stay in mono oh no
You grab it all night all right

So get up and go
We go incognito nito
Baby, when we’re dancin’ so close
We grab it all night all right

Words by Per Gessle

Music by Per Gessle + David Guetta + Giorgio Tuinfort + Marcus van Wattum + Jason Evigan

Published by Jimmy Fun Music + What a Publishing Ltd + New Classic + Nicky Romero Music/BMG Talpa Music + Bad Robot Music/BMG Platinum Songs
Produced by Magnus Börjeson + Clarence Öfwerman + Per Gessle. Co-produced by Christoffer Lundquist
Recorded at Farozon, Malmö + Aerosol Grey Machine, Vallarum + T&A, Halmstad March + April 2021
Engineers: Magnus Börjeson (Farozon) + Christoffer Lundquist (AGM) + Mats Persson (T&A)
Mixed + mastered by Peppe Folliero at Musicology Studio, Naples, Italy

Vocals: Per Gessle + Helena Josefsson + Dea Norberg
Programming + synthesizers + electric guitars: Magnus Börjeson + Clarence Öfwerman
Electric guitar: Christoffer Lundquist

JELLY MOON

You try to crack the sky
You try to melt the earth
I’m not really sure
What that’s worth
What it’s worth

I’ve been hangin’ outside your door
I got my pretty face glued to the floor
There must be something you want me for
Real soon

Under the yellow moon
Jelly moon
Under the jelly moon

Well you got the means
The designer jeans
You could play it safe
And be for real
Stay for real

I keep hangin’ outside your door
If you try me you want me more
Hold your breath an’ count 2 3 4
Or you’re ruined

Under the yellow moon
Jelly moon
Under the jelly moon

I’ve been hangin’ outside your door
You know my head’n heart need you for
The tune

Under the yellow moon
Jelly moon
Under the jelly moon

Words by Per Gessle

Music by Per Gessle + Sebastian Atas

Published by Jimmy Fun Music + Kobalt Music
Produced by Magnus Börjeson + Per Gessle

Recorded at Farozon, Malmö + T&A, Halmstad Sep + Oct 2021
Engineers: Magnus Börjeson + Mats Persson
Mixed by Ronny Lahti

Vocals: Per Gessle + Helena Josefsson
Programming + synthesizers + bass: Magnus Börjeson

WHEN SHE NEEDED ME THE MOST

She was born one summer morning
I was a winter’s child
The sunset met the dawning
The balance met the wild

Hey that’s the way my love goes
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me the most
That’s the way that I chose
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me

Now I wish I’d done things better
And as a payment for my fine
I wrote this song, this letter
She’s always on my mind

Hey that’s the way my love goes
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me the most
That’s a chapter I closed
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me

Hey that’s the way my love goes
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me the most
That’s the way that I chose
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me

Hey that’s the way my life goes
I wasn’t there for her when she needed me the most
That’s the road that I closed
I was never there when she needed me the most

Words + music by Per Gessle

Published by Jimmy Fun Music
Produced by Andreas Broberger + Per Gessle
Recorded at Bridge & Mountain Paradise, Umeå + T&A, Halmstad Sep + Oct + Nov 2022
Engineers: Andreas Broberger + Mats Persson
Mixed by Andreas Broberger + Anton Ekström

Vocals: Per Gessle + Helena Josefsson + Malin-My Wall
Keyboards: Per Gessle
Programming + synthesizers: Andreas Broberger

INCOGNITO (LOST BOYS REMIX)

Remix by Andreas Broberger + Anton Ekström at Lost Boys Studios, Umeå January 2023

Design by Pär Wickholm, Wickholm Formavd., Stockholm

Photo by Important Pete

PG Roxette to release a 4-track EP

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Six months after the album Pop-Up Dynamo! now comes PG Roxette with a new EP with four songs which is the fruit of a series of exciting collaborations.

Per says:

The idea of PG Roxette is to manage the legacy of Roxette in different ways – partly to build on our classic sound, but also to test collaborations with new voices, artists, songwriters and producers who can add exciting ideas.

One example is Incognito, the first track on the new EP, and the result of a collaboration with star producers and songwriters David Guetta and Giorgio Tuinfort.

The first time I met David and Giorgio was in Stockholm in 2014 and since then we have been in contact a little from time to time and worked together. Mono Mind did “Save Me A Place”, which was number one for six weeks on the US dance chart a few years ago, while “You Hurt The One You Love The Most” made it onto “Pop-Up Dynamo!”.

I met Giorgio in Holland just before the pandemic broke out in February 2020, and then I heard some ideas that he and David Guetta were working on. I got stuck on a sketch with the working title “8th Storm”, which became the starting point for “Incognito”.

Clarence Öfwerman and Magnus Börjeson produced it and together with Dea Norberg and Helena Josefsson on vocals we made “Incognito” a bit magical in the studio. We recorded it for “Pop-Up Dynamo!”, but I thought it stood out a bit from the overall feel of the album and decided to save it. This past winter, Peppe Folliero and Giorgio Tuinfort made a brand new fantastic mix of the song and that became the starting point for this EP.

Per realized that he had two other songs with interesting collaborations that fit in. Jelly Moon was written with Sebastian Atas from Jubël and is a duet with Helena Josefsson, while When She Needed Me The Most is a production collaboration with Andreas Broberger, and among others, has Malin-My Wall on vocals. The EP ends with a remix of Incognito, made by the hot production team The Lost Boys from Umeå.

In short: four songs that pull PG Roxette in interesting new directions on a vinyl-scented EP that hits the stores on 28th April. Miss it at your own risk!

You can pre-order the limited edition vinyl 7″ HERE! You will be able to listen to the EP on all streaming sites this Friday!

Hallandsposten talked to Per Gessle about the table tennis EC

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As you already know, PG Roxette makes the official song for the Table Tennis EC in Malmö. Jan-Owe Wikström from Hallandsposten talked to Per about the song and table tennis.

PG says:

Fun and flattering to be asked again. I was still going to release the song as a single in a new version in the fall and when the association got in touch, it was killing two birds with one stone, a win-win situation for both.

The Craziest Thing will be released on 18th August.

It will be a cooler version where I have worked with Andreas Broberger. The song is slightly rewritten, but it’s not a completely new text or a new title like “The Craziest Ping Pong” or something.

Table tennis has always had a special place in Per’s heart:

Yes, it has always been around. It’s just like padel – anyone can play it. After all, Halmstad and ping-pong belong together, even if this time the EC is in Malmö.

Per remembers:

I remember when the Swedish Open Championships (SOC) were played in Halmstad and I was there. There I got my first autograph, from Bengt Grive, the TV commentator. Then I got some Chinese autographs too, which I couldn’t decipher.

The funny thing was that many years later, when Roxette had made a breakthrough, we ended up on the same flight. And when Grive found out I had his autograph, he wanted mine. So there it was 1–1. Haha.

Regarding who is the best at ping pong in PG Roxette, Mr. G says:

I was good for a while and I’m so old that I still count to 21. The worst is in any case Christoffer (Lundquist). So I have to say Magnus (Börjeson), the bass player, who is a real expert.

PG photo by Fredrik Etoall.