2005 was a year full of good news and exciting projects, thanks primarily to Per Gessle’s workaholic nature. But, without a doubt, the biggest news item of the year was the triumphant proclamation by Marie Fredriksson that she had survived her battle with cancer, and was able to declare herself “healthy again!”

  There are many internationally-known female recording artists, but few are as beloved as Marie Fredriksson. When the news spread of her condition back in September 2002, the outpouring of support, prayers and get-well wishes that followed – from around the world – served to prove this point. Thus, for many, Marie’s renewed health is seen as an answer to all those prayers. Marie’s victory over cancer is a personal one, but it’s a victory we all feel like celebrating.

  It was indeed a busy year. Per himself said in Roxette’s Christmas message to the fans: “2005 turned out to be a quite normal (= extremely busy) year with an art exhibition, a plumbing album and a few exciting live performances.”

  So what really happened?

Gyllene Tider awarded, Per plays secret gig



In January, Gyllene Tider received two Aftonbladet Rockbjörn awards for their outstanding performance in 2004. To keep the GT25 fever going a bit longer, they released their last single off “Finn 5 fel!” - “Jag borde förstås vetat bättre” - in February. A little while later, Per and Mazarinerna played a secret gig at the Vero Moda company party and a Belgian group named D.H.T. released their cover version of “Listen to Your Heart” in the USA. Little did we know at the time what that would result in…

  In March, Swedish artist Freddie Wadling released a Per-penned song called “Måla mitt minne” (a “Mazarin” left-over according to Per). The song was also included on the album “Jag är monstret.” We’re still in the calm before the storm, so in April Per received the Liseberg Award and TDR’s publisher Visa Kopu married fellow Roxette fan Tia. The happy couple received warm greetings from Per.

  As the year continued, in May Marie released a single called “A Table In The Sun,” taken from her album “The Change.” In June things start heating up with Brainpool releasing their Greatest Hits album, eagerly cheered on by Per. Brainpool stated that they would release the album only if Per wrote the liner notes, which he happily agreed to. TDR published an exclusive interview with Brainpool’s David Birde, and D.H.T.’s remix version of “Listen to Your Heart” hit the U.S. Billboard Top 40; #1 on the Dance Radio Airplay chart. More to come here…



Summer time is remix time



Summer came (although hardly in Sweden), cover mania started spreading, and a British band called Dancing DJs vs. Roxette released a remixed version of the 1992 hit “Fading Like A Flower” in the UK. At the same time D.H.T. hit Billboard’s Hot 100’s Top 20. And last, but definitely not least, Micke “Syd” Andersson got married down in Halmstad. There was a dispute regarding the wedding that was created by the media (Expressen) so Per issued a statement to TDR explaining his side of the “dispute.” Right, US rockers Bon Jovi borrowed Roxette’s title “Have a Nice Day” and released an album of their own.

  In August another remix hit the world, namely “Joyride 2005,” remixed by someone unknown. This remix was sadly never a hit. Not unsurprisingly Per got itchy guitar fingers and needed to air out the band, so he took them for a spin to Norway and played for Hydro in Bergen at their 100 year anniversary. D.H.T.’s “Listen to Your Heart” peaked at #8 on the important Billboard Hot 100, quite a feat. Secretly, Per had started recording his new album…

  The freely-distributed paper Metro celebrated their 10-year anniversary in September, and Per was there performing live. Per was voted the artist of the Decade.



Per makes his debut… again



Also in September, TDR published an extensive interview with Per in which he told us that a new album would be out soon (November.) This time it was a new project called “Son of a Plumber” to start over from scratch, so to speak. A debut album. Gyllene Tider’s old hit “Sommartider” from 1982 was voted best song ever by the Swedish people, and yet another remix hit the world, this time German Cascada recorded “How Do You Do,” also from 1992. D.H.T. released their major hit single in various European countries.

  October was an amazing month! Marie Fredriksson reappeared looking great! The Daily Roxette, along with Swedish newspapers like Dagens Nyheter, Svenska Dagbladet and Aftonbladet, was allowed an exclusive interview. Marie, as a visual artist, held her first ever gallery show called “After the Change.” Perhaps most exciting of all, Marie said she wanted to work with Roxette again!



Son of a Plumber starts big



November was a hard month waiting for the new album by Per, or rather, Son of a Plumber. First the double a-sided single “C’mon”/”Jo-Anna Says” was released in Sweden, where the radio stations quickly grabbed on to Jo-Anna. Then finally the album was released on November 23 along with a new website that incorporated Son of a Plumber, Per Gessle, Gyllene Tider and Roxette. The album has to date spent two weeks at #1, one week respectively at #2, #3 and #4 and reached platinum status the very first day (60,000 copies. By December 31, 2005 the album had sold 102,000 copies in Sweden.) But that wasn’t all by a long shot, “It Must Have Been Love” was awarded another BMI award, this time for being played over 4 million times on American radio, that’s more than 36 years uninterrupted playing time. “Listen to Your Heart” was also awarded “Dance Song of the Year,” who knew? Per’s company Elevator Entertainment was ranked 3rd most profitable company in Sweden.

  The year ended as good as it has been, Marie performed a song live at an AIDS gala at Café Opera, and D.H.T.’s “Listen to Your Heart” stumbled onto the UK Top 10.

  Both Per and Marie appear to want to work with Roxette again, and have almost promised something new when we enter into Roxette’s 20th anniversary year: 2006. We’ll also see how Son of a Plumber will do internationally, as the album will be released in selected European countries in March.



Thank you all for being there!



Visa, Lars-Erik, Judith and Thomas



We have published “Year in review” articles also in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.