TV

Roxette documentary series and 1991 concert film

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SVT opens the Roxette archive – and it’s a real treat for everyone who grew up with The Look and Joyride! In the new documentary series Per och Marie – historien om Roxette we follow the duo’s journey from Halmstad to the world’s biggest arenas, and the same day sees the release of a brand new concert film from 1991.

It is hard to imagine a Swedish pop fairytale that beats Roxette’s. Two friends from Halmstad who together wrote themselves into music history, with songs that are still played on the radio, at parties and through headphones around the world. Now SVT is inviting viewers to a proper Roxette celebration, with both a new documentary series and a concert film from the band’s heyday. Both premiere on 19 November on SVT Play, according to SVT.

Per and Marie – the story of Roxette

The documentary series Per och Marie – historien om Roxette consists of three parts and tells the story of Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, two artists who together created one of Sweden’s biggest international music successes. The series takes its starting point in their friendship in Halmstad and follows the journey via the first Roxette single in 1986 to the international breakthrough and the major world tours. It also portrays Marie’s comeback after her illness – a chapter that many fans carry with them.

What makes the series extra special is the material. The documentary is built on an extensive private archive of films and images, much of which has rarely been shown before – some of it has never been shown at all. We get to follow along into the studio and onto the tour bus, and relive music videos, TV appearances and the moments behind the international success.

Marie can be heard through previous interviews

Marie Fredriksson, who passed away in 2019, features through interviews recorded previously. Per Gessle appears in newly recorded interviews in which he talks about their shared journey – from the dreams in Halmstad to the sold-out arenas.

Around them gathers a number of people who have been close to the duo over the years. Among those taking part are Åsa Gessle, Marie Dimberg, Eva Dahlgren, Efva Attling, Jonas Åkerlund, Clarence Öfwerman, Anders Herrlin, Kjell Andersson, Christoffer Lundquist, Mikael Bolyos and Marie Fredriksson’s sister Tina. In other words, it becomes a portrait seen through the eyes of family, friends, musicians and colleagues.

The executive producer is Martin Vårdstedt and the project manager is Marion Jernråda at SVT.

Concert film from the 1991 Joyride tour

But SVT’s Roxette venture doesn’t stop there. On the same day as the documentary series premieres, the new concert film Roxette – Live in Sydney is released, which takes us straight back to the time when Roxette were one of the hottest bands in the world.

At the end of 1991, the duo found themselves in the midst of the great Join the Joyride World Tour, playing at large arenas across Australia, including in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Now, SVT has gained access to extensive and rarely seen raw footage from three of the concerts.

And it is no small treasure trove. The material comprises around 85 hours of film spread across approximately 100 reels, recorded on both 35 mm and 16 mm, together with multi-channel sound. After restoration and re-editing, it has become a brand new concert film where we get to experience Roxette live right in the midst of their international heyday.

More than Live-Ism

Those familiar with Roxette’s history may recall that the concert at Sydney Entertainment Centre on 13 December 1991 was recorded back then, and that parts of the material were released on the video Live-Ism in 1992. The new concert film, however, draws on considerably more material from three concerts – and offers a unique chance to relive Roxette on stage during one of the band’s most successful periods.

The TV version will be approximately one hour long and will feature around 14–15 songs. In addition, a longer cinema version is being produced – so anyone dreaming of seeing Roxette on the big screen can start hoping.

The concert film is directed by Henrik Burman at SVT and produced by PINE, with Marion Jernråda as executive producer and project manager.

Source: metromode.se

Per Gessle shows his Ferrari collection on Antikrundan

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In the January 16th episode of Antikrundan, SVT, there was a 4-minute-long reportage with Per Gessle. Antikrundan is the Swedish version of the original BBC format Antiques Roadshow. The show visits different locations in Sweden and lets people bring their antiques to be valued by experts. The show is hosted by Anne Lundberg.

Watch it HERE!

The recordings took place in August 2024 at Hotel Tylösand when Anne visited Per in Halmstad. Per’s part starts 23:40 into the program. After greeting Anne outside, with a view to the sea, they enter the hotel and walk into the area where The Joyride Car Collection is exhibited. Anne explains Per is a collector of both art and musical instruments, but today it’s about something else. Per enthusiastically says they are going to talk about cars. He thinks it smells so good in there, it smells like cars. If you also love cars, you should know how important it is to maintain your vehicle with the help of an auto repair mechanic.

Anne is curious how Per’s interest in cars started. He thinks it was when he was a kid and watched Formula 1 with Ronnie Peterson and Jackie Stewart. Then he got completely hooked on Ferrari when he saw The Persuaders! with Tony Curtis and Roger Moore. Roger Moore drove an Aston Martin, but the Ferrari Dino Tony Curtis was driving was Per’s dream car. He is not the type who has to drive his cars so fast at all costs. He loves looking at them and he loves the romance around it. It’s Italy, la dolce vita. He thinks older cars in particular are fantastic, but they are so incredibly expensive and difficult to find. If you have a classic car that you want to customize, consider a car wrapping service.

Anne wants to know what the oldest car in the collection is. Per shows the one from 1962. It was bought new by Ragnar Åhlén, who started Åhlén & Holm which later became Tempo and then Åhléns, a chain of Swedish department stores. Per says this car is a 250 GTE. Anne asks PG how he knows that it is the one that Ragnar Åhlén had. Mr. G explains that there is a fantastic sign inside. He allows Anne to sit in the car and she finds the sign that says Åhlén & Holm AB, Ringvägen 100, Stockholm. Considering that the car is 60 years old, it is in fantastic condition in every detail, Anne says. Per says there are a few flaws though, a little patina that is. Anne says they like it like that in Antikrundan.

The next car is the Dino. Per asks Anne if she has seen anything more beautiful. He draws Anne’s attention to the taillights. PG loves them. Anne likes the shape of the car and says it could have been a super exclusive piece of furniture. It’s from 1971. Per lets Anne sit in the Dino. Anne says she has never sat in a car like this, it’s the first time. She hits her head while getting into the car and they are both laughing. Anne notes that you must not be too tall, if you have a car like this. She says Per probably didn’t know it when he was sitting at home watching The Persuaders! that one day he would own a car like this. Per says it’s fantastic. It’s the classic Rosso Corsa. Anne says it’s the color that people associate with Ferrari. Per confirms. Anne has heard that Per even got his own color. It’s Gessle gray (Gessle-grå). He points at the car next to them to show the color. It’s a ’60s color called Grigio Ferro. Many of their cars are in this color, so at the factory they call them Gessle gray (Gessle-grå). Per says they have learnt the Swedish word. And if you encounter any issues with your car while driving, there are mobile auto repair shops that can get you back on the road in no time.

They jump into the Gessle gray Ferrari and Anne asks Per if there are still any dream cars left when he has such a fantastic collection. PG says not really, but of course, there are cars that you would like to have. He loves Ferrari California Spyders from the late ’50s, but they are almost unobtainable. They are extremely expensive and there aren’t that many of them. But it’s always fun to have a dream or two left, Per adds. You have to keep on dreaming. Car owners who keep their vehicles inside a garage are advised to hire a garage door repair technician to maintain or repair their garage door. This will help secure the cars inside. Those who park their vehicles on a parking lot should look for a secure, well-lit space. If any of the lights in the parking area is not working, it must be fixed or replaced immediately by a parking lot light repair contractor.

Stills are from the program.

Per Gessle, a fan of order on Sverige!

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Per Gessle was a guest of Farah Abadi on Sverige! on SVT. Farah starts the show by introducing Per as one of Sweden’s greatest pop legends. Right now he is in a period when a lot of exciting, unexpected things are happening around both Gyllene Tider and Roxette. This episode also contains a meeting with photographer Anders Roos, who for many years followed Per Gessle’s career closely and the electric guitar maker in the Scanian countryside, from whom musicians from all over the world buy guitars.

Farah welcomes Per and says it’s nice to have him in Malmö. Per says it’s nice to be here.

It was a bit difficult to get him on the program, because he is always so busy. Per says it’s a bit much right now, even for him. There is a lot going on. Farah asks him to tell us more. PG doesn’t know where to start. The Gyllene Tider movie premieres this summer. The Roxette musical has its world premiere in September in Malmö. There is a new album coming this autumn called Sällskapssjuk, off which Per has started releasing singles already. Then there is a Roxette tour that starts in the spring in South Africa. All these are completely different things. The Gyllene Tider film was probably a bit unexpected, because such movies are usually made when you have died.

Here they watch a short part of the movie where Per and his father are talking inside a car and when it ends, Farah asks Per if this is how it happened. Per says, no, not really. He always had quite a lot of support from his parents. Unfortunately, his father passed away in 1978, but he still felt supported to do what he wanted. He wanted to be in this pop bubble. It was a much nicer world than the real world.

Farah asks Per if he always has a song on his mind. PG says he usually jokes that he writes as little as possible. There is no reason for him to sit down at the piano between nine and five and try to write songs. He doesn’t work like that. He has to have an idea, usually a text idea or a temperature as he calls it. He is trying to find what he wants to say with the song. The best songs are the ones where music and lyrics are written basically at the same time.

Farah is curious what Per means by temperature. PG tries to explain that it can be sadness, joy, curiosity, loneliness or whatever it is about. It sets the temperature of the song. It also characterizes the melodies and the choice of chords and eventually how it should be arranged and produced.

Farah wants to know if Per feels like a song he has written is going to be hit. If he feels it right away. Per says he can feel that he likes it a lot, but if it becomes a hit, that time is long gone. He has always been a super bad hit picker. He was the one who didn’t want to include Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång) on the Mazarin album. He thought it was a bit of a ’50s pastiche and it didn’t belong there. But everyone else was nagging about it, so it was pure luck that he bowed to it in the end.

Farah says in Per’s music there is a lot of love. PG reacts „sometimes”. Farah asks him if it comes naturally. PG says it’s often quite lonely, melancholy and a little dark blue in the lyrics, at least in the past few decades. When you get older, it’s more difficult to write about what these songs in the Gyllene Tider movie are about, (Kom så ska vi) Leva livet and all these tjoho songs. They are very difficult to write now when you are 65.

Farah knows Per has a great interest in rock photography. She is curious how a good rock photo is when it’s really good. Per thinks it’s when you see that the artist or musician is really inside their own world. There are great pictures of David Bowie and Springsteen. All of these classic images have captured the moments where there is something special going on in the room.

Farah says they met photographer Ander Roos and she wants to know if he is the one who has photographed Per the most. Per thinks it could be. He has been around the last few years a lot. In recent years PG has been very active with touring. Farah asks what their relationship looks like. Per says Anders is very easy to work with. He has become a bit of a fly on the wall. He is around in the dressing rooms and backstage, but Per doesn’t mind. Plus Anders doesn’t publish anything without asking first, which is a good trait. Haha.

Sverige! visited Anders in his studio. He says he has been photographing music since the ’80s. He listened to a lot of music and went to concerts. He wanted to take nice pictures of music and artists. The artist he has photographed the most is by far Per. Anders shows his all access passes from different tours.

Anders explains it’s like being a bit of a sports photographer in a way, especially when taking photos of what happens on stage. It’s very much about capturing a moment. He shows one of his favourite photos on his mobile. It’s from Brottet in Halmstad. It was raining cats and dogs at the concert and he thinks it’s beautiful how the audience stands there in their raincoats and cheers. It captures something special. The raindrops almost look like icicles against the black sky.

Anders is asked what he looks for when taking rock photos. He wants to get as close as possible and capture the feeling and expression that he feels the artist has. Being it joy or anything else, on stage, backstage or in the dressing rooms. To be able to depict and tell what you can’t see.

Anders documents and photographs everything not only on stage, but at the studio recordings and takes press photos and photographs book covers as well. The first time he met Per was in 1986 when Roxette recorded their first album. It was in Stockholm and Anders and journalist Jan-Owe Wikström made a report with Roxette. A lot of things have happened since then. Since 2013 Anders has been around and actively photographed what Per does. PG didn’t remember him from 1986. A good friend asked Anders if he wanted to join Gyllene Tider on tour and take photos and of course Anders said yes. Then he got to know Per and the others in the band. He has the most contact with Per, through all the different projects they do. He is wonderful to work with, just like all the other band members. PG likes to do different projects. It’s a lot of fun working with them.

Anders has done many photo books as well. Nine books since 2013. He opens the Hux Flux book and explains some camera angles by showing some of his photos inside the book. The reporter asks Anders what he thinks those people will see who flip through these books 50 or 100 years later. Anders says they will see Swedish music history. These books can help tell a little of it. Then he feels proud.

Farah asks Per how it felt to see this report. PG says it was awesome, fun to watch. He has seen this picture from 1986 of Marie and him, but he never knew that it was Anders who took it until much later. So they met back in 1986.

Farah is curious if Per thinks it’s hard to be in so many pictures. Mr. G says, it depends. Not when you are on tour. He thinks it’s wonderful. It is usually his initiative that they become books. It is a memory of a specific tour and a specific project. He wishes there were more photos of recording Look Sharp! and Joyride and those amazing tours. There are videos, but there are quite a few. You can never take too many photos, he thinks.

Farah switches the topic and asks Per about Lena Philipsson and the new Roxette tour. She wants to know how this collaboration came about. Per recorded a new album that contains many duets. One of the duets is with Lena. Per has known Lena for decades. He co-wrote her breakthrough song in the ’80s, Kärleken är evig. PG had a song that suited Lena and she came to the studio in Halmstad. There and then Per was once again reminded of how good she is. Per has been thinking about what to do with the Roxette songs. He wrote almost all of them and he has been thinking for years how he could manage the catalogue in a good way. When Lena came to the studio, Per thought shit, maybe she could sing the Roxette songs with him. He chewed on the idea a little, then he contacted Lena a few weeks later in Stockholm. She was terrified when Per told her the idea. Farah asks if she said yes right away. PG says, no, she was rather shocked. She wanted time to think about it, but then she came back and thought it was a good idea. That is a damn good idea, Per thinks. Farah thinks so too.

Farah says Marie was the other half of Roxette and she is curious how it feels now that Lena will be standing by Per’s side. PG says it’s special, of course, but at the same time, it’s a different thing. It’s not like he has started a new band or a new duo with Lena. This is a journey that they are going to do to manage the Roxette song catalogue. Lena is hired to do that job. When Per puts that cap on, he sees it in a different way. It has never been relevant for him to start a new Roxette. With a new partner that way. Farah asks why not. PG replies it is something that Marie and he had together. It was a long journey, which had a very tragic end with Marie passing away. She got sick in 2002. It’s been a very long time. Now they are managing these songs. There is a huge world out there that still loves these songs. That alone is fantastic, Per thinks.

Farah asks Per whether it will be calmer or messier now than when it started. Per asks if she means in the dressing rooms or on stage. Farah means both. Per says they were quite calm before too. But it will probably be even calmer now. Farah says they are super professional. Per says they have become professionals along the way. Farah thought it was a bit messy back in the days, playing cards and drinking beer. Per says alcohol and he doesn’t work before a concert. Experience has taught him that. He is a control freak, so he likes when things are orderly. He needs order in his head too. Farah asks if Per has always been like this. PG says he was one of those people who had the records in alphabetical order already at the age of six.

Farah wants to know how Per and Åsa met. When it really kicked in, Per was on a date with another girl. They were supposed to meet secretly and the date took place in Åsa’s apartment, because they were friends. Then it turned out that Per fell a little in love with the hostess instead. He thinks it was in 1984. It’s been a long time. It was 40 years ago. Shit, now he realizes he has to celebrate that. Haha. Farah is surprised Per hasn’t thought about it. PG says he thinks it will be in autumn. Good that Farah reminded him. Farah says she wants to see picture evidence later. Haha.

40 years is a long time. Farah is curious if they are arguing. PG says they do. Farah is wondering if it is because Åsa puts the things in the dishwasher higgledy-piggledy and Per wants them in order. PG confirms it’s a constant dilemma. Farah thinks it doesn’t really matter, but Per says it does. Farah asks why and Per replies because you want the dishwasher to be in order. Farah is curious if Per is freaking out when Åsa has filled the dishwasher and he opens it. PG says he doesn’t get pissed because he is used to it. He knows it is like that. Farah supposes Per takes a deep breath before he opens the dishwasher. PG confirms and demonstrates „now it’s time again. Oh shit…”

Farah says a friend once told her that the best things in life are absolutely free. Love and having kids, for example. But the next best things are insanely expensive. PG agrees with that. He doesn’t come from a particularly rich family. They didn’t have much money when he was growing up. It’s clearly more fun if you have grown up and can afford to buy what you are interested in.

Farah has heard that Per is a rank collector. PG doesn’t consider himself a rank collector at all. He doesn’t really collect anything. It’s just lots of things that end up there. Haha. Farah asks how many guitars he has. Per says maybe a hundred. But he doesn’t collect them. He says if you collect guitars, you think „I have to have a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Special”, but he is not like that. They just end up there. You test them and you think it was nice and then you buy it.

Here comes a report with one of Sweden’s most skilled guitar builders, Johan Gustavsson. Most of his very high quality guitars are bought by musicians and collectors in the US. He thinks a good guitar should inspire you to play better. Per hasn’t bought any guitars from him, he doesn’t know why, but he repaired some guitars for him.

While Per is playing air guitar, he says it was lovely to see this report, Johan is a lovely guy. Farah asks PG if he gets guitars for free. Per says he doesn’t, not these days. But in the ’90s on the Joyride tour they were promoting Rickenbacker guitars and they got some custom-made Rickenbackers that they ordered. Marie got a white one and Per got a black one.

Farah is curious what Per does in his spare time. He watches a lot of movies. He is interested in movies, but he also watches them to get ideas and angles on life and stories. Films are great. He usually likes slender films from the past.

Farah is wondering if she calls Per on a Tuesday he is sitting at home in his pyjamas watching movies. PG says he is not in pyjamas, but he probably watches movies in the evening. Farah is surprised Per is not wearing pyjamas. She asks if he wears soft pants at home. Per laughs and says no. He doesn’t own sweatpants. He is probably sitting like he is sitting here now in the TV studio. Farah is even more surprised that Per is wearing jeans at home. PG says he is going strong in his jeans.

Farah asks Mr. G if he goes to the grocery store and sees an offer, slippers for 99 bucks, and decides to buy 2. Per laughs and says he almost never goes to the grocery store. Farah thinks a lot of people would stop him. Per tries to avoid it. He thinks when you have to do things like going to the post office or the grocery store, you have to be in a special mood. You have to be prepared for selfie time and stuff like that. That’s perfectly fine, but most of the time you might not feel like it that particular day.

Farah understands that Per has a great life, but she also feels a little sorry that Per can never be ordinary. He can’t just sit in a café or on an outdoor terrace or lie on a beach or just be. Per says he can do that if he wants. It’s not as dangerous as it sounds, but he is always on his guard. He has a good life and he is super proud of what he has accomplished. He is also grateful for that, so he is not complaining at all.

Farah says it’s almost time for school graduations. Sommartider is a song that is definitely sung there. She wants to know how it feels. It’s like many other things with his music, Per has to pinch his arm. It is amazing that there will be new generations who will embrace this music and love it. It gets a place in their new life somehow. When he is in Stockholm, they live in a street where a lot of student vans come and then they often sing Sommartider. When he is there and hears it, he usually runs and hides. He certainly doesn’t want to be found there when they sing Sommartider.

Farah thanks Per for coming and PG thanks for the invitation.

Stills are from the program.

Per Gessle talks about Roxette In Concert 2025 on Efter fem

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TV4 invited Per Gessle on Efter fem to ask him about the world tour, Roxette In Concert 2025. Watch it HERE! The program starts with showing a short part of the video to Sällskapssjuk, the duet single of Per and Lena Philipsson.

Program leader Tilde de Paula Eby likes the song very much, she says it’s a new collaboration between two giant artists that she really likes and it is released today. Tilde adds there is something else happening to Per and Lena, they are also going on a world tour. Per confirms and says at least they are going to South Africa and Australia. Tilde says it’s a world tour then. Per laughs and says it’s a big world out there. They were thinking of doing that at the beginning of next year and it’s quite exciting, under the name Roxette.

Tilde says it must be pretty emotional for Per to do this tour with someone other than Marie. PG says it is, of course. He has been toying with this idea for years, how to manage the Roxette catalogue in a good way. The great thing about the Roxette songs is that they still live on and there will be new people who like them. When you start thinking about it, there are really only two ways to go. Either you leave it at that or you move on. Per needed time to himself and also needed to find the right voice. When he recorded Sällskapssjuk with Lena – it’s a song from the duet album that will come out in the fall – then he realized that „shit, there it is”. He thought Lena would fit the Roxette songs perfectly. Per knows Lena is a big Roxette fan. Besides that, he has worked with her. Per has co-written her breakthrough song, Kärleken är evig in 1986. PG contacted Lena after the recordings of Sällskapssjuk and asked if she was interested. She was a little shocked, of course.

Tilde says she can imagine that one can react to such a question both with total jubilation and also a little panic. She says they will talk further about how it was, but before that, she asks her colleague, Henrik Alsterdal to tell a little background info about Roxette.

Henrik shows pictures from the good old days and talks about the numbers: 80 million albums sold, 4 Billboard No. 1 hits, 19 songs on the UK Top 40 and over 600 concerts. Henrik also talks a bit about PG Roxette and the upcoming Swedish album and finishes by stating that Per goes on tour with Lena under the name Roxette and the first gig is planned to be in Cape Town next February. In Cape Town, where Per played his last Roxette concert with Marie in 2016.

Tilde says, when you listen to these songs, it’s like decades are flowing through your whole body. She can’t even imagine what it’s like for Per. PG says they had a fantastic journey with Roxette. The eight years between 1988 and 1995 were fantastic. They were on the US charts for almost four years without falling off. They just changed the song. It was simply an amazing time. He still has to pinch his arm. Tilde says it’s funny that Per, who has done so incredibly much, can still appreciate these things and feel that he has to pinch his arm. It’s unreal. Per says it’s unreal indeed. Their whole journey, coming from such a small country like Sweden at the time. Their record company marketed them as an American band in England, because they couldn’t say they were from Sweden. To succeed was incredibly difficult.

Tilde asks Per if it is on purpose that he and Lena will play the first concert in Cape Town. Per says it was not intentional, it just happened that way and it’s actually strange that it turned out that way. Maybe that’s a sign, PG says.

Tilde is curious if Per has mixed feelings about doing this. PG says, not at all. If Marie would still be here, they would have been out on tour all the time for sure. But she is no longer there. Like Mr. G said before, you either leave it at that or you move on and start a new chapter in the book.

Tilde wants to know how he asked Lena Philipsson. She realized that it must have been mixed feelings for Lena, wonderful and scary at the same time. Per says it was absolutely like that. She asked how she could replace Marie, but Per said it’s not the idea that she should replace Marie, but Lena should do it her way. This is about managing the song catalogue. Per understands that Lena was stressed about it. At the same time, he thinks she has a lot to gain from this. She is a superstar in Sweden, but she has never played in Australia, in South Africa, in South America or in the USA. For her, it’s also a big challenge. Per is sure that if you have never seen Lena Philipsson and don’t know who she is and see her on stage for the first time, you will be shocked. According to Tilde, Lena is incredible on stage. It’s like a persona stepping out of her. She has body language and an absolutely phenomenal voice.

Per says they tested some Roxette songs at home at his grand piano and it sounds magical when she sings Queen Of Rain, Spending My Time and Listen To Your Heart. Per thinks this could be amazing.

Tilde says Per talked about South America, Australia, South Africa, but what about Sweden. PG says, oh, he forgot about Sweden. Haha. There are no plans for Sweden yet, but it will surely come, if it works. They see the Australia and South Africa tour as a small pilot tour. They see how it feels and how it works. PG brings the old classic Roxette band with him. If it works, it would of course be a lot of fun to play in Sweden too.

Tilde is incredibly impressed by Per’s driving force and is wondering where it comes from. Per says he loves his work. He loves to write, to be in the studio, to be on stage. He loves to play his songs and to feel the positive energy that comes from the audience. You get so much back, he says. PG thinks he has the best job in the world, after Tilde. Tilde smiles and says they probably share the first place.

According to Tilde, besides being a lot of fun, it’s a lot of work and it’s quite tough to travel around. Per agrees, touring is a lot of waiting at airports and in traffic jams and all that. But the reward is when you are on stage. It’s fantastic. That one minute, 30 seconds before you go on stage and 30 seconds into the first song, it’s the magic minute. You travel to another universe then. It’s a great charge up and a fantastic blast. That’s wonderful. When Tilde hears how Per describes it, she wants to experience it.

Tilde finishes the interview by mentioning Per’s upcoming album, Sällskapssjuk that is released in fall and the title song that has been released today with Lena Philipsson. She thanks Per for coming on the show and Per thanks for the invitation.

 

 

 

Stills are from the interview.

Per Gessle at the Pugh Rogefeldt tribute gala

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On 18th October, Sweden’s artist elite gathered at Cirkus in Stockholm to pay tribute to Swedish rock icon Pugh Rogefeldt, who passed away on 1st May 2023. Per Gessle also performed at the gala “De va dä, dä”. SVT recorded the event and decided to broadcast it on the first anniversary of loss. Watch it HERE!

Per said in October:

I’m very proud and grateful to be involved. Pugh has meant a lot to me and my generation. I understand that everyone wants to join. He was unique, a forerunner. I learned so much about how you can stretch languages. That’s what Pugh did. I learned that there are no rules and norms to follow.

In 2004, Pugh Rogefeldt toured together with Gyllene Tider. Per continued:

He asked me to help choose songs. It was a super big moment for me. I chose songs from the records I loved, “Stinsen i Bro” from the record “Pughish”. He was an amazing man. It will be wonderful to pay tribute to him.

Also in October last year, Per released a single, Vandrar i ett regn, a cover of Pugh’s song. Mr. G recorded it in April 2023.

“Vandrar i ett regn” was released on Pugh Rogefeldt’s live album “Ett steg till” in 1975. An album that – besides other places – was recorded at Halmstad Theatre in December 1974. I was then fifteen years old and there, of course. Since then I have always loved this song and now that I had the honor to be at a tribute gala for dear Pugh, it felt natural to record and release my own version.

I worked together with pure Halmstad musicians; MP from Gyllene Tider on mandolin, Gicken Johansson on bass and lap steel, Magnus Helgesson on drums and Linnea Olsson on vocals. As icing on the cake, Ola Gustafsson from Norrland has added his fine guitar loops here and there.

I know Pugh heard my version before he passed away and of course it feels fantastic and big. He was a unique artist with exciting and high ambitions where he did not always take the easiest path. Thanks Pugh.

Per performed this song at the gala together with Linnea Olsson and Ola Gustafsson, Andreas Dahlbäck, David Nyström, Martin Tronsson, as well as Anders Pettersson in the band.

Screenshots are from the tribute concert broadcast on SVT.