Per Gessle on Nordic Rox – July 2026

Sven Lindström and Per Gessle presented their 550th Nordic Rox show in July. They shared their top 2000s songs from No. 25 to No. 21 in that episode.

The guys are ready to play the best sound from the Nordic countries and kick off with something really greasy, Grease Baby by Clutter, garage rock from Stockholm. A very cool song according to Per.

Then comes Mia Karlsson’s beautiful track, Breathe Now from 2024. PG loves this song and he thinks Mia has a great voice.

The next track is Let’s Go Parking Baby by Caesars from their Youth Is Wasted On The Young album from 1998. Excellent stuff, Sven thinks. He loves their sound.

The guys play two US No.1s in different versions. First of all, Björn Skifs who topped the US Billboard charts with Hooked On A Feeling. Per corrects Sven that he wasn’t called Björn Skifs those days, but Blue Swede and the song was a cover version of Hooked On A Feeling, the ooga chaka stuff in 1974. But the track they play is a Eurovision song from 1975, a big, big, big hit in Scandinavia: Michelangelo by Björn Skifs. It’s a cool song according to PG. It makes you smile.

Then there is an ABBA track in a different version by the group called Pale Honey, a cover version of Lay All Your Love On Me from the Super Trooper album 1980. The guys think it’s a great track and Pale Honey’s interpretation is an interesting, nice version.

No. 25 on the noughties list is a Danish song that travelled the world. It was the theme song for the TV series The Bridge. Hollow Talk by Choir Of Young Believers is a very special track. Per was pretty late watching the series. Everyone saw it around him, except him. He watched all the seasons, and then just before the three last episodes, they took it off Netflix or HBO, whatever it was. So PG hasn’t seen the ending yet and begs Sven not to tell him. Sven laughs and confirms no spoilers here.

Sven knows the next song is one of Per’s favourites. It’s by Lisa Miskovsky. Mr. G thinks she is a great singer, and this is one of her early hits, Driving One Of Your Cars. Per thinks it sounds amazing and he loves it. It’s an excellent track from 2001. It’s getting old. “Just like you”, Per turns to Sven. Haha.

No. 23 is a female singer called Titiyo. She broke through in 1989 with Talking To The Man In The Moon, but her biggest song is Come Along. It’s written by Peter Svensson from The Cardigans and Jocke Berg from Kent. Jocke wrote the lyrics. Kent was a massive band in Sweden, but has never broken through outside. Come Along has got a great sound, and it sounds a little bit like The Cardigans, Per thinks. It’s a very good song, and you can still hear it here and there.

Someone New by Eskobar feat. Heather Nova is next. It was a one-off collaboration between this band from Stockholm and Heather Nova from Bermuda in 2002. It was a big song in Europe, and it still sounds cool.

No. 21 is Wonderchild by Christian Walz, who is a great producer and writer, and he has been around for many years. This was a really big song for him. It’s from the album Paint By Numbers. He is also a very prolific writer for Swedish artist Veronica Maggio. He has written brilliant tracks for her in Swedish.

Sven introduces the next track, Bad Blood, as a song by the touring version of Roxette. Per says it’s not really a Roxette track. It’s sung by Per and Lena Philipsson, who is an amazing singer.

The next song played is Hey Princess by Popsicle. Then comes Fine by The Cardigans. It’s taken from The Cardigans’ second album, Live, which broke them big in Japan in 1995. Sven asks Per what he was doing in 1995. PG has to think about it. He came off a tour. If you can’t remember the ’90s, you weren’t there, Sven says. Per says they did a world tour with Roxette in 1994 and 1995. The Crash! Boom! Bang! tour, so they probably played some big shows in the summer of 1995. Then they recorded more music, because they made their first compilation album in 1996. Per says “it’s all coming back to me now”. Haha. Like Peter Sellers would say.

Sven and Per thank the listeners for joining them and they say goodbye. The show ends with Cigarettes by Anita Lindblom, as usual.

Still is from the Bag Of Trix talks recorded by Anders Roos.

Thanks for your support, Sven!

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Ekenäs, Finland – 15th August – #22

After almost two weeks off, Roxette played in Ekenäs, Finland last night, headlining Raseborg Summerfest. It was a fab Saturday night party with a hyped-up band and a loud crowd of more than 4,000 people.

This time there was no LED wall, just the silver backdrop with the lights.

Chris played Säkkijärven polkka the intro to Joyride.

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Church Of Your Heart
7. Stars
8. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
9. It Must Have Been Love
10. How Do You Do!
11. Dangerous

Band presentation

12. Joyride
13. Spending My Time
14. Listen To Your Heart
15. The Look

Next stop is Arbon, Switzerland on 28th August! Tour dates and links to ticket sales sites HERE! Only 2 shows left!

Photos in the article are taken by Patrícia Peres. More photos HERE!

Per after the gig:

Yea! Always a treat to play the Summer Fest in Ekenäs, Finland. Such a beautiful place with a huge lovely crowd! Love to come back anytime!

Lena after the show:

Tack Ekenäs/Finland för ett härligt gig igår med Roxette! Så vackert ställe och underbar publik!!

Roxette – Room Service – 25th Anniversary Edition

Roxette’s seventh studio album, Room Service, stands as a polished milestone in the Swedish duo’s catalogue. Originally released in the spring of 2001, the album served as the final studio effort of their original golden era before Marie Fredriksson’s tragic brain tumor diagnosis in 2002 forced an indefinite hiatus.

Room Service captures Roxette fully embracing the glossy, synth-driven landscape of early 2000s European pop. Tracks like the lead single The Centre Of The Heart and the upbeat Real Sugar showcased Gessle’s relentless hook-driven songwriting fused with disco-rock textures, while the enduring European hit Milk And Toast And Honey highlighted Fredriksson’s timeless, emotionally resonant vocal delivery.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Roxette’s Room Service, the 2001 album is being released on vinyl for the very first time. The tracklist has also been expanded with outtakes and demos, bringing the total to 24 tracks. At the same time, a deluxe double-CD edition will be released featuring no fewer than 26 tracks.

There will be two LP editions: a limited edition on marbled red/black vinyl and a standard black vinyl edition.

The 24-track gatefold vinyl editions come with an 8-page booklet, while the 26-track CD includes with a 20-page booklet.

Release date: 18th September.

Watch the promo video HERE!

Vinyl tracklist

LP 1 – Side A

  1. Real Sugar
  2. The Centre Of The Heart (Is A Suburb To The Brain)
  3. Milk And Toast And Honey
  4. Jefferson
  5. Little Girl
  6. Looking For Jane

LP 1 – Side B

  1. Bringing Me Down To My Knees
  2. Make My Head Go Pop
  3. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
  4. Fool
  5. It Takes You No Time To Get Here
  6. My World, My Love, My Life

LP 2 – Side A

  1. Entering Your Heart
  2. The Weight Of The World
  3. Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla (You Broke My Heart)
  4. Every Day
  5. Stupid
  6. Bringing Me Down To My Knees (Alternate Version)

LP 2 – Side B

  1. Entering Your Heart (T&A Demo – Feb 16, 2000 / MP Mix 2025)
  2. Milk And Toast And Honey (T&A Demo – Aug 3, 1999)
  3. Looking For Jane (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 2000)
  4. Fool (T&A Demo – Dec 27, 1999)
  5. My World, My Love, My Life (T&A Demo – Dec 28, 1999)
  6. Walk On, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999)

 

CD Tracklist

CD 1

  1. Real Sugar
  2. The Centre Of The Heart (Is A Suburb To The Brain)
  3. Milk And Toast And Honey
  4. Jefferson
  5. Little Girl
  6. Looking For Jane
  7. Bringing Me Down To My Knees
  8. Make My Head Go Pop
  9. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
  10. Fool
  11. It Takes You No Time To Get Here
  12. My World, My Love, My Life

CD 2

  1. Entering Your Heart
  2. The Weight Of The World
  3. Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla (You Broke My Heart)
  4. Every Day
  5. All I Ever Wanted
  6. Stupid
  7. Bringing Me Down To My Knees (Alternate Version)
  8. Entering Your Heart (T&A Demo – Feb 16, 2000 / MP Mix 2025)
  9. Milk And Toast And Honey (T&A Demo – Aug 3, 1999)
  10. Looking For Jane (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 2000)
  11. Fool (T&A Demo – Dec 27, 1999)
  12. My World, My Love, My Life (T&A Demo – Dec 28, 1999)
  13. Walk On, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999)
  14. Beautiful Girl (T&A Demo – Apr 19, 1999)

Pre-order HERE or HERE or check it out at your local music store, because it’s a worldwide release!

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Bonn, Germany – 3rd August – #21

Roxette played their final German show at KUNST!RASEN in Bonn last night. The weather was extremely hot and everyone was sweating like hell, but by now we have gotten used to it – hot weather means hot gigs. The band gave it their all on stage and we had an amazing time in the crowd.

As Beethoven was born in Bonn, Chris played Symphony No. 5 as the intro to Joyride.

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Opportunity Nox
7. Church Of Your Heart
8. Almost Unreal
9. Stars
10. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
11. It Must Have Been Love
12. How Do You Do!
13. Dangerous

Band presentation

14. Joyride

Encore

15. Spending My Time
16. Listen To Your Heart
17. The Look
18. Queen Of Rain

Next stop is Raseborg, Finland on 15th August! Tour dates and links to ticket sales sites HERE! Only 3 shows left!

Photos in the article are taken by Patrícia Peres. More photos HERE!

Per after the gig:

Fab gig in Bonn tonight. A very hot Monday evening indeed and a very hot crowd as well! This was the last gig in Germany for a while. Thanks for having us, always a treat to play here!

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Ringsted, Denmark – 1st August – #20

The 20th show of 2026 and the first concert of August took place at Ringsted Festival in Denmark. It was one big party, with a loud crowd and a hot Swedish band.

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Stars
7. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
8. It Must Have Been Love
9. How Do You Do!
10. Dangerous

Band presentation

11. Joyride
12. Spending My Time
13. Listen To Your Heart
14. The Look

Next stop is Bonn, Germany on 3rd August! Tour dates and links to ticket sales sites HERE!

Photos in the article are taken by Sandra Knospe. Reels from the gig by Sandra can be found HERE!

Ringsted Festival’s photos

Per after the gig:

Ringsted Festival! Wow! Amazing! 20.000+ in the crowd! Brilliant voices, fantastic vibe. Thx for a wonderful memory. Hope to come back anytime!

Lena after the show:

Tack Ringsted/Danmark för idag!!! Vilken kväll!!