Per Gessle

Per Gessle – En vacker bok – the tour photo book

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It seems there won’t be any tour without an official tour photo book being published after. And I love this fact! When Per Gessle’s En vacker kväll tour started we could already see photographer Anders Roos being around and I met him at several concerts, so it was quite obvious there would be hundreds of thousands of photos taken and I was already hoping for a fat photo book. Why I love when Anders is in charge of taking pictures is because, I think I already mentioned it in my RoXXXette On The Road review, is that he sees with the fans’ eyes. I mean Per and Co. appear in the pictures exactly how we see them. Anders grabs the perfect moments and provides all of us with an everlasting memory of a beloved tour.

The book comes in soft cover with folded tabs and it has 1 print-out picture inside, between the cover and the first page. There are 4 different print-outs existing. The book consists of 160 unnumbered pages and includes tons of cool shots. The only text appearing in the book is Per’s Gessleish intro in Swedish. He writes about how it all started with the rehearsals, about the band members and Anders Roos, as well as the lovely memory of the tour. The intro was written in November 2017.

The cover photo is an action pic taken in Grebbestad. Even if it was more of a ”ballads tour”, which is well reflected on the live CD, you’ll see quite some action pics in the book. I was a bit sad that Tittar på dej när du dansar didn’t make it many times on the setlist, but at least the dancing PG pic from the soundcheck in Dalhalla made it into the book. Woohoo!

My favourite pics in the book are especially the ones taken from above the stage and of course the backstage or travelling shots. Places where a fan can never really get access to. There is a good ratio of Mr. G photos, band members, crew, crowd, stage set, gear and also Good Harvest and Lars Winnerbäck were caught by Anders’ camera.

There is no PG book without PG drawings. As he says, those popping up in the book were drawn when it was raining. Among some new art and tussilagos, the ”fake guitarist in an 80’s band” drawing pops up here too.

A funny part of the book is a drawing of Per with a guide by make-up artist Åsa Elmgren of how to tape Mr. G’s in-ear system on the man himself. The one who has to do it doesn’t have an easy job, I must say. Haha.

How the photos and drawings appear in the book is designed by Pär Wickholm.

I must mention the paper quality of the book as well. The pages are not as shiny as in the RoXXXette On The Road or the Att vara Per Gessle books, so you don’t really need to wear gloves to turn the pages. Thank God! Haha.

All in all, just like the live CD, the tour photo book is also a great souvenir from this summer for all who were there at any of the gigs and there is also a lot to see for those who didn’t have the chance to attend the EVK tour.

If you pre-ordered or had the chance to go to NK in Stockholm today, you could get your copy signed. If not, then you can still order the book at Bengans (they still offer signed copies) or Bokus (signed copies are sold out there) or CDON (no signed copies there).

 

Vote for Per Gessle on GAFFA-Priset 2018

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It’s been a while since the last time we could vote, but now it’s time again. Since 2011, GAFFA has, with the help of readers, distributed prizes to the year’s most important artists. You can for a list of artists from 11th December to 14th January. The prizes are distributed on 10th February 2018.

For being able to vote, you have to register (you can do it with your Facebook profile even) and log in. In each category you can for 3 artists / bands. Your choices will be saved automatically. You don’t need to press any confirmation button.

The most important categories for all Gessleists are ”” ( = Solo Artist of the Year) and ”” ( = Live Act of the Year). Make sure you tick in the option ”” in both of these sections. 😉 Then keep your fingers crossed until the voting ends that it’s Mr. G who will be the winner in both categories!

Ready, steady, !

Pic by Patrícia Peres taken in Vaasa – 25th August 2017

 

Per Gessle – En vacker kväll – the live album

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Per’s live album from this year’s summer tour was released on 8th December. We could be sure about the live record being out soon when Christoffer shared a short video of mixing it at the end of October. When the news came out that the material is recorded in Borgå, Finland, I was a bit surprised that it was more of a Swedish summer tour and in the end they release an album recorded in Finland. But suddenly, it dawned on me that it was the very last show of the tour and being in the crowd, I remembered how awesome and emotional that last gig was on 26th August 2017. Now, listening to the album, I would say it was a PERfect choice. Fab PG, fab band, fab crowd, fab vibes!

Even if I would have loved to hear a real complete show on this live CD and most importantly, Ljudet av ett annat hjärta and Spegelboll, the 2 biggest party songs, I see why they’re not there. The album has its flow and even with only 13 tracks it feels like a whole show. I write 13 TRACKS and not 13 SONGS on purpose, because Segla på ett moln and Queen of Rain were played only as intros and Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång wasn’t a complete song either, but played after Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång) for a crowd sing-along.

On Första pris I can so see Malin-My rocking the violin, on Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång) I can see the crowd dancing together, 2 to the left, 2 to the right, the whole band’s acting on stage, Per’s Gessleish moves, his facial expressions while singing Tycker om när du tar på mig… Oh, the tour feeling is coming back!

I’m very happy that It Must Have Been Love has made it to the album. However, I think it was no question for anyone it would end up there after all. Angel-voice Helena makes it very special. Not only this song, but her voice is killer on Varmt igen and Tycker om när du tar på mig as well.

Honung och guld, being recorded in Borgå is this way the version where Per and the band performed it together with Good Harvest. Nice having them on the album too.

It’s a pity that the vinyl release didn’t work out in time, but I’m very sure that this CD is a wonderful tour souvenir for all who were there not only in Borgå, but at any of the shows on the EVK tour and also a lovely release for those who didn’t have the chance to hear these songs live in person.

As the Halmstad concert was fully recorded for SVT’s future program on TV, I just hope that we will get that later on a DVD. No matter how much time after the tour and how many new projects are in sight for next year. It can come hand in hand with the English release of Per’s Nashville project in spring 2018. We don’t mind! 😉

This is how the songs were in the setlist (leaving out the ones that didn’t make it to the album):

  1. På promenad genom stan
  2. Vilket håll du än går
  3. Segla på ett moln / Första pris
  4. Min plats
  5. It Must Have Been Love
  6. Honung och guld (together with Good Harvest)
  7. Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång) / Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång
  8. Varmt igen (with Queen of Rain as intro)
  9. Tycker om när du tar på mej
  10. Småstadsprat

And this is the live CD tracklist:

  1. På promenad genom stan – 3:35
  2. Vilket håll du än går – 3:17
  3. Segla på ett moln – 0:50
  4. Första pris – 4:47
  5. Min plats – 3:04
  6. It Must Have Been Love – 4:52
  7. Honung och guld – 4:16
  8. Här kommer alla känslorna (på en och samma gång) – 2:29
  9. Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång – 1:46
  10. Queen of Rain – 1:52
  11. Varmt igen – 4:39
  12. Tycker om när du tar på mig – 4:50
  13. Småstadsprat – 4:01

P.S.: For anyone else who is missing Spegelboll a bit, click HERE 1 and HERE 2, head to GessleHomeVids. Almost the complete song from Borgå is there. 😉

You can still order the live album and tour photo book at or and you’ll get your copies signed!

Pic by Patrícia Peres taken in Borgå – 26th August 2017

 

Per Gessle to sign tour photo book and live CD

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“En vacker bok” and “En vacker kväll” are to be released on 8th December. If you want them signed, you can meet Mr. G in Stockholm on 18th December (Monday) at 17.30 pm. He will be at the NK department store (Hamngatan 18-20, Stockholm) to sign the tour photo book and live CD.

In case you don’t have the chance to be there, you can pre-order the album and book at or and you’ll get your CD and photo book signed!

Per Gessle live in Gothenburg 2017 – photo by Anders Roos

 

 

Per Gessle on TV4 – Nyhetsmorgon

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Per appeared on TV4’s morning show, Nyhetsmorgon today. He was Jesper Börjesson’s guest together with Niklas Strömstedt. Mr. G entered the studio at 9:53 am and greeted Frederik Zäll (from Eskobar; Frederik is usually cooking on TV4 and he was in the kitchen now again). The 4 guys also took a picture together. They mentioned that they toured together 2 years ago, Roxette and Eskobar. Then Jesper mentioned that they would chat with Niklas and PG after the news in some minutes, about the documentary Niklas did with Per.

After the news they came back at 10:10 am and shortly talked about the fact that Per saw Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and he thinks it’s a very good show.

Then the guys were talking a bit about Niklas Strömstedt’s Christmas show and then about the documentary Niklas did with Per. It will be broadcast on TV4, December 18 & 19, ”Gessle enligt Gessle”. Jesper said Per is a bit mysterious, doesn’t talk too much about his private life. Per said it’s conscious. He wants to express himself through his music. He said, Niklas asked questions in the documentary as a friend, as another musician, so it’s a bit different.

 

Niklas and Per know each other since long. An old picture from EMI studio was shown, it was from the times when they recorded Gyllene Tider’s first record. Niklas was there and Lasse Lindbom as well. Jesper said it was before GT’s breakthrough and asked Niklas where he was in his career at that point. Niklas said he was making demos, actually, also with Per and MP and he almost was there to get a contract with EMI too and they recorded ”Glitter, glögg & rock’n’roll”, the album with various artists at EMI. A short part of the song ”Da’n före da’n” (Niklas Strömstedt & Gyllene Tider) off that album was played on the show and PG was ”dancing” to the rythm while stitting, as well as playing the air piano.

 

Jesper asked Per if his career is different in Sweden and abroad. Per said in Sweden it’s more about Gyllene Tider and Per Gessle, while internationally it’s more about Roxette. Jesper asked him if anyone abroad asks questions about Gyllene Tider. Per said no, they don’t even know anything about it. Except for hardcore fans. To journalists he often talks about how it all started with Gyllene Tider, because most of them abroad think ”The Look” was the first thing that happened in his career.

A tiny part from the upcoming documentary was shown. That’s about Per’s troubadour era and he is telling the story of waking up a man from coma with their music back then.

 

Niklas and Per met a lot during GT times, they toured and wrote songs together in the beginning of the ’80s. Niklas said he always liked PG’s songwriting and knew Per was capable of writing hits and if it worked in Sweden, why it wouldn’t work abroad. He thinks Per and Marie together were perfect, so he wasn’t surprised about their success.

Jesper asked PG what he sees when he looks back on the past 30 years. Per said he is of course very proud, but surprised at the same time that it all became so big, also in the US. Jesper asked Mr. G if he is still as eager to write songs as before. Per said he always tries to do what he really wants to. It’s also nice to cool down a bit, what he did via his Nashville project and try out new things. Niklas said they were thinking if they could come up with someone who wrote a real big hit after becoming 60 and they couldn’t find anyone. Niklas thinks in a songwriter’s life there is one period when he burns on top and then maybe other things come in the way. Per said pop always reflects its own time. When making pop music today, he can make it from his ’60s-’70s roots and producing it in a modern way. Working with young people maybe. His musicality is naturally not from today, it’s from the past.

They talk about Christmas songs and this way also a bit about 30-year-old ”It Must Have Been Love”. Per mentioned the text change from Christmas day to winter’s day and it becoming a soundtrack song to the movie, Pretty Woman.

Jesper said it was nice meeting PG again. Per said it’s always fun to be there.

Niklas performed ”Tänd ett ljus”, a very popular Christmas song he wrote together with Lasse Lindbom and Jesper asked Per after the song what he thought about it. PG said it was amazingly good.