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.