Roxette

The making of “Roxette 2011” – the story so far

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It all started around 18 months ago. It was almost like a little miracle. First the big comeback news, then a tour with an orchestra, a summer tour and now a world tour starting in a few months. But probably the most interesting thing is the brand new album, the first one since “Room Service” in 2001. Now the waiting is almost over. So here are some highlights from this 18 months long journey of making the (yet unnamed) new “Roxette 2011” album.

2009-05-05 Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson announce on a press conference in Antwerp that Roxette is back for real and will participate on the Night Of The Proms tour this autumn.

2009-05-28 Per says that they plan to go back to the studio this summer and want to release a new song until Christmas.

2009-07-17 Per writes on Twitter that he just recorded the first two new demos at the Aerosol Grey Machine studio in Vallarum.

2009-08-07 Per is back at the Tits’n’Ass studio in Halmstad with Mats MP Persson, working on new demos.

2009-09-23 Per says in an interview that some new demos are finished. Only acoustic versions, no arrangements, no intros, no solos, no backing vocals. The start of recording a brand new album.

2009-10-23 The plan is to continue with recording during Night Of The Proms. A hotel room will be used as a mobile recording studio. Marie is eager to record a whole new album.

2009-10-26 Per says in an interview that an additional room is booked for Antwerp and Rotterdam.

2009-11-15 Per says that he has around 13 songs written and now 2 of them are almost finished. The plan is to continue with recordings in professional studios after the Night Of The Proms tour finishes.

2009-11-28 Roxette have some 14 demos ready for full recording. Marie says that they sound fantastic and when she heard Per’s demos for the first time, she was really enthusiastic. Now it sounds very roxettish, but the plan is to update the sound a little bit.

2009-12-06 Per says that Roxette booked Atlantis studio for recording session in the spring. But recordings will start in January at Christoffer’s Aerosol Grey Machine in Vallarum. Marie will try to sing several vocals to each song to pick up the best one. The new songs sound like a modern version of their “Look Sharp!” so far.

2009-12-10 Antwerp, Rotterdam and now also Munich are places where Roxette are recording for the new album.

2009-12-15 And Bremen.

2009-12-17 And also Hannover.

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Roxette to perform in Stockholm?

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According to a Swedish TV ad found on a Bulgarian (!) website by Evgeny Perekopskiy, Roxette is going to perform at Sjöhistoriska Museet (National Maritime Museum) in Stockholm on July 20th, 2011 – 4 days before another Swedish concert in Gothenburg. The place is known among the fans as Marie’s Äntligen tour from 2000 and Per’s En händig man på turne 2007 gig were recorded there.

Source: Bnt.bg

Update November 16: Stockholm has not been confirmed by Roxette’s management.

Per Gessle: “Clarence considers the new album the best since Joyride”

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Per Gessle is back in Stockholm from mixing the album in New York and has taken some time to answer some of your questions.

Roxetteblog: Hi Per! We have collected some questions from our readers this time. As you can imagine, many or, ok, most, turn around the new album and the world tour.

Per Gessle: Hello folks, thanks for all these questions, I’ll do my best to answer them.

RXB: So let’s start with the world tour 2011. What was the moment you knew: Now Roxette is back – we can conquer the world again, we will go on a worldwide tour? Was it after a concert this summer? If so, which one? (Chrissie R)

PG: Well, when we moved into Germany with the Night Of The Proms-Tour I could tell that Marie was almost ready. She was focused, she sang well and she finally got back her selfconfidence that means so much when you’re trying to make sense on stage. The last part of that tour was pure joy as well as working with her in the studio this year. And the summer concerts, of course, was a treat. Especially St P was a highlight in my book. And guys and dolls, don’t forget that the feedback Marie got from you during all those concerts is what made it happen for her. And me.

RXB: Your had been touring the world about 15 years ago, the music scene and the world have changed significantly, how does it feel to be on the road today? What are your expectations about this long tour? (honky tonk)

PG: Honky Tonk, hello! You know what, when you’ve been doing this for such a long time (I jumped on this train over 30 years ago) you don’t think that much anymore, you just do your thing. I’m not trying to compete with anybody, I just try to enjoy myself, challenge myself and do the best I can with my writing, recording and performing. I love being on stage much more today than I did in the 90’s, don’t ask me why…. Also, knowing what Marie has gone through it’s really a blessing that this upcoming tour exists at all. And, of course, in the end of the day I’m honoured and grateful that our music still means something to a lot of people around the world. That can never be taken for granted.

RXB: “Back with their greatest hits” – that’s what is written on Roxette tour posters and apparently the tour name. Is there a chance you will play more than just a few of songs from the upcoming album or will it be more like a 25th anniversary tour? You know, we are working on a setlist suggestion again…

PG: Yaheeyaaaa, that’s not the tour name, someone just made that up! Things like that happen all the time!! But of course the show will be based on the obvious hits, that’s what most fans want to hear and you know us, we aim to please!!! However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t play the odd album track or your semi-forgotten, hidden favourite gem. February is the rehearsing month, we’ll decide these issues then. I hope. By the way, let us know your thoughts on the setlist. We’re known to pay attention. Not Pelle, though.

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Roxette in Bulgaria and Romania in May

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Another 2 dates on Roxette 2011 World Tour.

This time it’s Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, which gets a Roxette concert on May 29th and Bucharest, Romania, on May 30th (Marie’s birthday!!!). It seems like new concert dates will be available very soon.

Tickets for Bulgaria will be sold via www.ticketpro.bg from November 15.

Source: bTV | Livenation

Thanks to Emil Ivanov and Evgeny Perekopskiy for this information.