The Per Gessle Archives – Demos & Other Fun Stuff!, Vol. 2

We didn’t have to wait long for the tracklist of The Per Gessle Archives – Demos & Other Fun Stuff!, Vol. 2 after Vol. 1 appeared yesterday on iTunes for pre-order. The digital release of Vol. 1 on Spotify is 16th May and Vol. 2 is out on 23rd May. As iTunes announced it, the first 2 volumes of the total of 11 in the complete box-set will be available at them from 2nd June. Box-set is out on 24th September.

Vol. 1 includes 16 tracks (47:13) and 34m 01s conversation between Sven Lindström and Per; Vol. 2 includes 14 tracks (46:22) and 27m 39s talk.

iTunes price of Vol. 2 will surely be corrected just as Vol. 1’s price has been changed to 135 SEK (11.99 EUR). Very good price for a lot of goodies, right?

 

Tracklist:

1 Kvar i min bil (AGM – Apr 28, 2007)  2:37

2 Apple in the Mud (T&A Demo – Jul 4, 1995)  2:45

TPGA_Vol.23 Beautiful Girl (T&A Demo – Apr 19, 1999)  3:51

4 Stay (At Home, At Work, At Play) [T&A Demo – Jul 5, 1995]  4:00

5 When I Close My Eyes (No One Can See Me) [T&A Demo – Jul 20, 1999]  3:23

6 Heaven Is Just a Motion Away (T&A Demo – Jan 28, 2006)  2:42

7 Jo-Anna Says (T&A Demo – Jan 8, 2005)  3:15

8 Mannen med gitarr (T&A Demo – Nov 20, 2002)  3:11

9 Hold on My Heart (T&A Demo – Oct 6, 2012)  2:42

10 Västra sidan (T&A Demo – Nov 18, 1984)  2:57

11 Jag borde förstås vetat bättre (T&A Demo – Oct 28, 2003)  3:20

12 Being with You (T&A Demo – Sep 11, 1997)  4:00

13 Faller ner på knä (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 1996)  3:46

14 Gå & fiska! (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 1996)  3:53

 

1 Intro Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 2 (The Conversations with Sven Lindström)  3:23

2 Kvar i min bil (Agm – Apr 28, 2007 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:32

3 Apple in the Mud (T&A Demo – Jul 4, 1995 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:58

4 Beautiful Girl (T&A Demo – Apr 19, 1999 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  2:21

5 Stay (At Home, At Work, At Play) [T&A Demo – Jul 5, 1995 – Conversation with Sven Lindström]  2:07

6 When I Close My Eyes (No One Can See Me) [T&A Demo – Jul 20, 1999 – Conversation with Sven Lindström]  0:35

7 Heaven Is Just a Motion Away (T&A Demo – Jan 28, 2006 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  2:33

8 Jo-Anna Says (T&A Demo – Jan 8, 2005 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:35

9 Mannen med gitarr (T&A Demo – Nov 20, 2002 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  0:37

10 Hold on My Heart (T&A Demo – Oct 6, 2012 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  2:36

11 Västra sidan (T&A Demo – Nov 18, 1984 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  2:31

12 Jag borde förstås vetat bättre (T&A Demo – Oct 28, 2003 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:02

13 Being with You (T&A Demo – Sep 11, 1997 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:48

14 Faller ner på knä (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 1996 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:27

15 Gå & fiska! (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 1996 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)  1:34

 

I’m so glad to see my personal fave PG demo, Mannen med gitarr on the list! A pity that there is only a very short conversation about it (0:37). It’s not too easy to wait until the digital release of these 2 volumes and hear all the gems, as well as the story of all the songs. I bet it will be even harder to wait for the box-set release after we get to hear these 30 tracks and all the other fun stuff.

 

Tracklist of The Per Gessle Archives Volume 1 revealed

Vol1

iTunes revealed the tracklist of “Demos & Other Fun Stuff! – Vol. 1” that will included the “The Per Gessle Archives” box-set and released digitally on Spotify on May 16th. Volume 1 will contain 16 tracks plus additional comments by Per about each song in interviews done by Sven Lindström.

Volume 2 will be out one week later on May 23rd. The album will be released on iTunes on June 2.

The tracklist sounds promising, doesn’t it?

The cover of Volume 1, which is going to cost 135 SEK (11.99 EUR) (corrected price, Per let us know that the initial price set by iTunes was incorrect), was also added to the iTunes listing.

1 Walk on, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999)
2 Being with You (T&A Demo – Oct 22, 2004)
3 Loud Clothes (T&A Demo – Aug 30, 2002)
4 Cafe con leche (AGM – Apr 25, 2007)
5 Fish in a Bowl (T&A Demo – Apr 30, 2000)
6 Hjärta av glas (T&A Demo – Apr 2, 2006)
7 Something in the System (T&A Demo – Jan 3, 2002)
8 Black Sails (Studio 38 Demo – Summer 1982)
9 Always the Last to Know (T&A Demo – Nov 21, 2004)
10 Den tunna linjen (T&A Demo – May 15, 2010)
11 A Girl Like You (T&A Demo – Sep 25, 2004)
12 Byter bara blickar (T&A Demo – Nov 21, 1997)
13 Lägg din hand i min om du har lust (Hamilton Demo – Jun 12, 1978)
14 Kyss från en främling (T&A Demo – Oct 18, 1999)
15 What’s She Like? (T&A Demo – Dec 3, 2010)
16 Before You Go to Sleep (T&A Demo – Nov 23, 1992)

1 Intro Demos & Other Fun Stuff! Vol. 1 (The Conversations with Sven Lindström)
2 Walk on, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
3 Being with You (T&A Demo – Oct 22, 2004 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
4 Loud Clothes (T&A Demo – Aug 30, 2002 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
5 Cafe con leche (AGM – Apr 25, 2007 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
6 Fish in a Bowl (T&A Demo – Apr 30, 2000 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
7 Hjärta av glas (T&A Demo – Apr 2, 2006 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
8 Something in the System (T&A Demo – Jan 3, 2002 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
9 Black Sails (Studio 38 Demo – Summer 1982 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
10 Always the Last to Know (T&A Demo – Nov 21, 2004 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
11 Den tunna linjen (T&A Demo – May 15, 2010 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
12 A Girl Like You (T&A Demo – Sep 25, 2004 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
13 Byter bara blickar (T&A Demo – Nov 21, 1997 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
14 Lägg din hand i min om du har lust (Hamilton Demo – Jun 12, 1978 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
15 Kyss från en främling (T&A Demo – Oct 18, 1999 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
16 What’s She Like? (T&A Demo – Dec 3, 2010 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)
17 Before You Go to Sleep (T&A Demo – Nov 23, 1992 – Conversation with Sven Lindström)

2 books written by Per Gessle to be published in autumn

PG_SydsvenskanWe could already read about it in the press release of The Per Gessle Archives – A Lifetime Of Songwriting that there will also be two books related to the project. Now Sydsvenskan informs that both books will be quite fat.

One will be in Swedish, containing approximately 150 of Per Gessle’s Swedish songs with Gyllene Tider and from his solo career. This book is said to be 300 pages long and will probably have the title:Texter, klotter och funderingar”.

The other will be in English and is about the English songs, mainly from Roxette. Its title will probably be:Songs, Sketches and Reflections” and will be approximately 400 pages long.

There are books about Per, but now these two books are written by himself. He gathers his notes and thoughts on songwriting over the years. The books will be richly illustrated with Per’s notes and sketches, as well as with private and so far unpublished photos. Even the lyrics will be featured, some printed and some in the form of original notes Per had taken. As we know, Per is always doing sketches, drawing and takes many notes while writing songs. Now all these will be in the books next to his thoughts and stories related to the lyrics. How exciting is that!

And if it’s not enough, each book will contain an interview with Mr Gessle about songwriting. In the Swedish version it’s Tomas Andersson Wij who does the interview, in the English version it’s Sven Lindström.

The publisher of the books is Roos & Tegnér, the same company that published the fabulous book Alla tiders Gyllene Tider” last year. So, we can be sure that these two books will be of very high quality not just in terms of content, but also in their appearance.

According to the article, both books will be launched at the Gothenburg Book Fair during the last weekend of September 2014. It’s not yet known if Per will be there at the book fair, but looking back at the past book launches related to him – last time in 2013, one month after Sven’s Roxette – Den osannolika resan tur och retur” was published –, it’s quite predictable he’s going to be there.

September is going to be a fantastic month this year, isn’t it?

P.S.: The box-set “The Per Gessle Archives – A Lifetime Of Songwriting” is out on 24th September and as Per informed yesterday, the first two volumes are available digitally on Spotify in May. Vol. 1: 16th May, Vol. 2: 23rd May. This includes “The Conversations” (open hearted comments on each and every track = PG interviewed in English by Sven Lindström).

P.S. #2: Until September you can go and read Per’s thoughts about his songs here, on RXB. This is the collection of Mr G’s thoughts and info on demos, songs, videos, etc. he shares on Roxette Official.

 

Update: info from Per about the books:

P G B O O K S U P D A T E :

2014 is the Annus Mirabilis Overdose Year!
Two books on steroids will be released in September 2014.

1. 204 English lyrics + drawings + sketches + comments on most of the songs by me + excerpts from my studio-diaries + private pics + long interview (Sven L) about songwriting etc. This book is in English.
2. 153 Swedish lyrics + drawings + sketches + comments on most of the songs by me + excerpts from my studio-diaries + private pics + two long interviews about songwriting (different journalists…) etc. This book is in Swedish.

Both are, as expected, totally humour-free and will be available as two different items but together they will make a happy marriage. Especially with The PG Archives-box on your lap. /P.

 

 

Twelve Peaks of Nordic Rox

Screenshot is from the ”Gyllene Tider sommaren 2013” docu
Screenshot is from the ”Gyllene Tider sommaren 2013” docu

As we already heard it from Per, there is a new show on Nordic Rox called Twelve Peaks. The essence of it is Per Gessle choosing 12 songs according to the actual topic and he and Sven Lindström are discussing them. Sven made the first 2 shows available via Evgeny Perekopskiy. Huge thanx for that! You can check them out at the links below.

 

I encourage you to listen to these shows, it’s really worth it. I always love listening to Sven and Per talking to each other. They always have a very nice, relaxed conversation, a friend to friend discussion about music. All smiles and laughs and jokes and meaningfulness. You just have to love Mr G’s enthusiasm when he is talking about songs and music in general and Sven is a fab partner in that. Magnificent is the word.

 

 

 

Per Gessle’s 12 favourite Xmas tunes

The part with Per starts at 50:14, right after Church of Your Heart being played,  but because of all the gorgeous music you can hear on Nordic Rox, I suggest you listening to the complete, 3-hour-long programme.

 

  1. John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
  2. Wizzard: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
  3. Bob Dylan: Must Be Santa
  4. Slade: Merry Xmas Everybody
  5. Roxette: It Must Have Been Love (Christmas For The Broken Hearted)
  6. The Crystals: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
  7. Brainpool: The Last Christmas
  8. The Pogues: Fairytale of New York
  9. Elvis Presley: Blue Christmas
  10. Mud: Lonely This Christmas
  11. David Bowie & Bing Crosby: Little Drummer Boy
  12. Nick Lowe: Silent Night

 

At the Bob Dylan song Sven asked Per how it looks like when Mr G is dancing around the Xmas tree and he replied it’s exactly like what you can see in the hilariously good video of the song. So check it out! 😉

It’s impossible for Per to present a Xmas song list without It Must Have Been Love. Here he tells the well-known story of the song, starting out as a Christmas song, how it became the soundtrack to Pretty Woman, Billboard No. 1., etc.

Nice to see Brainpool’s latest single on the list. Per says it’s a cute little song and it’s very Swedish in a way.

About Elvis Mr G says he wasn’t really an Elvis fan, his sister was. His brother was a Beatles fan.

About Christmas in general Per says it’s nice to have a white Christmas. However, if he didn’t have a big family, he would probably leave for a mild climate place with lots of sunshine during Xmas time, to Miami or LA. But he likes it in Sweden. They are talking about Per not being a winter guy. We know he doesn’t ski, but now it turns out he doesn’t swim in the ocean, because there are fish there. So he prefers the pool. Fish-free pool. 🙂

 

12 songs Per Gessle wished he had written himself

Sven starts the whole show with telling that Per took his time off while recording his new album with Christoffer Lundquist and Clarence Öfwerman. The part with PG starts at 49:10, just after The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye being played. You, see? As I said, it’s worth listening to the complete, 3-hour-long programme.

To the questions how many songs he has written, he says he doesn’t count them, but he probably has 7-800 registered songs [according to an earlier article in Hallandsposten it’s rather 1000!!!], which means he is getting old, he says. Sven says: ”Or you’re writing fast!” Regarding the question that comes up very often during interviews (how can one write a hit?) he says you have to have the ability to make a good melody, but you have to write music that is appealing to yourself, but it’s always a happy accidence of the timing and luck for it becoming a hit.

Songs he listed are mostly the ones that inspired him when he was a kid, when he was just listening to these hits. Now he is listening to the songs as a professional and he is missing listening to songs as a non-pro. Songs are not in priority order, Mr G just listed these 12 hits. Picking only 12 songs wasn’t really easy for him, he says.

 

  1. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Refugee
  2. Buzzcocks: Ever Fallen In Love
  3. The Who: Substitute
  4. The Left Banke: Walk Away Renée
  5. The Zombies: Time of the Season
  6. Mott the Hoople: All the Young Dudes
  7. The Beatles: Dear Prudence
  8. The Nerves: Hanging on the Telephone
  9. Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: Summer Wine
  10. Paul McCartney: Too Many People
  11. The Turtles: Happy Together
  12. Dionne Warwick: I’ll Never Fall In Love Again

 

Regarding The Beatles Per says they released approximately 140 songs and he wished he had written 110-112 of them.

When they are talking about Summer Wine, he says you can do so many great things when you use a male and a female voice. It’s like talking to each other. It was the theory with Roxette, too.

 

As Per informed earlier, there are a zillion ”12 Peaks” shows to come, e.g. his 12 favourite pop drummers and his 12 favourite pop intros. At the end of the Xmas special he was even joking about an Easter special, with 12 songs about eggs. 🙂 Can’t wait to listen to the upcoming 12 peaks!

 

Per Gessle – Sven Lindström seminar

Thanks to TV4 Play we could see Per and Sven talking live about Sven’s book ”Roxette – Den osannolika resan tur och retur” at the book fair in Gothenburg. There was no new info during this seminar – we even knew Per has studio hours booked for October. He starts with them tomorrow, but still doesn’t know (of course… 😉 ) whether it is for solo or Roxette or anything else. They were discussing Roxette’s history, how they achieved their worldwide success, how it was with their comeback and how strong Marie is and always was. All what you can read in the book, too.

Funny part was when the moderator asked Per: ”OK. Marie had a great voice, but what about YOU?” 🙂

So no new info, but it was a great promotion for the book, taking into consideration that there were many people attending the book fair and that TV4 provided this live broadcast and surely makes the video available on their website later. We will provide you with a link to it as soon as it is up.

PG_SL_03

Screenshot is from the live broadcast.

 

Update 2nd October: Unfortunately, TV4 won’t upload the video to TV4 Play, but Chrissie Röhrs was shooting appr. 10 minutes from the whole 45-minute-long session. You can find her videos here: video 1, video 2, video 3

 

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