Star Observer: Roxette still blooming like a flower

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

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

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.”

SWISS interview with Per Gessle

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.

Per Gessle interviewed on the Israeli TV2 channel

As we informed yesterday, Roxette is the biggest selling artist in Israel at the moment. As one of promotional activities for the coming Tel Aviv concert, Per Gessle was interviewed by Israeli TV2 – you don’t have to practice your Hebrew this time as the interview is in English, only subtitled 🙂

Thanks to Shelly Frida Paker.