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Discussions: :

Will Per ever came back with Roxette / TWATG sounded album?

105 replies

abysmo said on December 24, 2007 01:45:

Do you think Per will release some continuation of his masterpiece The World According To Gessle? Or he’ll never do songs with this fresh sound and driving arrangies? New english album with songs like Something In The System (demo), Little Miss Sorrow or Samma gamla vanliga visa (with more updated sound).
I think that for example Something In The System (demo) is really great song and with new new studio re-recording it could be a monster hit. Per killed this song completelly with SOAP sound in 2005. Roxette demo version of this song has great power, brilliant melody and fantastic driving arrangies, simply fresh, maximalistic and updated sound, and it’s only demo. It’s the most Gessleish song for some 10 years to me. Another Joyride hit potential song.

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whateveriam said on :

Will Per ever came back with Roxette / TWATG sounded album?

Um, no. Next!

sreky said on :

Yes, I think too. The World According To Gessle is best english album from Per. Something in the system was written for Roxette - Pop Hits, but Opportunity nox was better than this song. But on SOAP album is this version - shit.
SOAP and EHM are one project but first session is in enlish language and second is in swedish, no new sound from Per and it’s a mistake. Good idea for Per is a new fresh sound, no 60’s, 70’, 80’, guitars, drums, piano, melody from Clarance. Very good song is “you can’t put your amrs around what’s already gone”, that’s a fresh sound !!!

Roxette-atic said on :

Lets hope so....

imazombieinthem... said on :

I hope not, that’s all in past, it’s time to move on.

Roxette-atic said on :

The 60s sounds is also in the past.... I just hope he makes something more fresh and new than the sound from SOAP for instance...

first girl on t... said on :

Yes, its time to move on from the past 60s 70s to 2007. I wish Per returned to his best sound, come back to himself so to speak. Maybe it will happen one day. About Something in the system. You are so right, such a brilliant demo and what Per did to this song???What was he thinking???

whateveriam said on :

But what if he thinks his best sound is 60s, 70s stuff? What then? Answer = more like it.

Roxette-atic said on :

Off course. Im just saying what sound I wish to hear. My opinion.

whateveriam said on :

I know, all I’m saying is that if the sound Per wants to hear from his music, and the stuff you want to hear in his music are different, there ain’t really much you can do about it! There is no obligation for him to make something he doesn’t want to (OK, contractual stuff may tell us otherwise, but that’s another topic), you are also under no obligation to like or buy anything he does. If you don’t like the sound, you don’t have to listen to it, no one is going to glue headphones into your ears and stick SOAP on a loop, are they?

If he’s ordered to make a TWATG-type (always an unfortunate acronym, that) album, right NOW, a number of things could happen. Not saying it will though. My opinion. That’s all.

1- Per will either write stuff and junk it, just because it doesn’t ’fit’ the desired outcome, or worse, he writes stuff and has to alter it beyond all recognition to get the sound, therefore losing the original songs ’soul’ (if you will). And who knows what good stuff could have been lost?
2- Also, if he makes something that he lacks faith in (an album that’s not been made willingly), the lack of willingness will spread, so it will be poorly promoted, or underpromoted and certainly no tour will follow to back it up. TWATG was like HAND, an album to tour behind, but I think the lack of success coloured it so a tour was just thought to be a waste of time/money.
3- Doubt a release would even make it out of Scandinavia. In English or not. OK, it might make an import, but not a full-blown release. A solo career bombed (OK, not bombed, but wasn’t exactly a resounding success) before, and I don’t think the same mistake will be made twice.

Roxette-atic said on :

Yes, noone is forcing me to buy soap or en händig man, but what does that has to do with anything?? All I , and others, are saying is that we would like to hear more modern and fresher sound!. Thats not a demand, its just a wish.

Junkie said on :

no he won’t
mazarin rulez.... i wanna have mazarin3, -4, -5...... it fits his mood and the situation better...

whateveriam said on :

We’ll have to see what he does next. It may be a Mazarin 3, TWATG 2, or something new and different. I know which one I’m wishing for, but that’s not the one my money is on. :( Whatever happens, you can’t please everyone, especially those ’buy first, complain it’s not TWATG/Roxette/something else’ fans.

AURYTE said on :

I’m totally with whateveriam on this point. I don’t want to force Per to create something he doesn’t want to.

And by the way, I love both The World According To Gessle and En Händig Man equally. I guess, I’m easy to please :P

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Du borde sett hur underbart jag mår

first girl on t... said on :

2 whateveriam: If you think that I’m complaining you are really wrong. I can find smth for myself in each Gessle record. That’s why I’m his fan btw. I only say that for me TWATG has the best sound. My opinion. That’s all. If Per can feel nostalgia for Beatles sound, why can’t I feel nostalgia for Gessle sound. Is that a crime, like I’am saying Per what to do. And what about tour? RS sold worse than HAND and there was a tour. EHM was less successful than Mazarin and there was a tour. In one thing I agree, Per should like his music in the first place. Peace!!!

whateveriam said on :

*shrug* I never accused anyone in particular of complaining, and the ’ordering to make TWATG2’, in my mind, came from higher powers, not lowly fans. That was just a theory, and I don’t see fans having any creative input on anyone’s records! OK, that’s a lie, I can think of one. But that examples complicated.

You have every right to be nostalgic for the ’old sound’, there’s nothing wrong with wishing for it to return but if it was so good how come it didn’t last?

abysmo said on :

the first girl on the moon wrote:
“If Per can feel nostalgia for Beatles sound, why can’t I feel nostalgia for Gessle sound.”

Well said. ;-)

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CoyRoy said on :

Well...well...well.... I also think that the Demo version of Something In The System is one of the best songs recorded by Per - he totally f*cked up the song on his pointless SOAP album...

TWATG was a masterpiece - had it been a Roxette album, it would have been BIGGER than Joyride, I’m sure!!

I think the Roxette-chapter isn’t completely over yet... I think Marie and Per will surprise us someday soon, I pray to God! (Or at least if they don’t want to make music as Roxette anymore, for God’s sake... RELEASE SOME ROXETTE DVD’S!!!!!!!!!!! - why do we have to beg and lick asses clean??!!)

So, I think Per and Marie should take their 4 best albums, Look Sharp!, Joyride, CBB and TWATG and work from that on, making a new fresh ROCK album!

Roxette will return one day!

Roxette-atic said on :

Where did you all hear the Something in the system demo?? I have missed something...

whateveriam said on :

It was part of Bad Hair Day, wasn’t it?

@Coy Roy - Give up on the arse licking! You’ll have to prise those DVD’s out of their cold, dead hands! ;-) Nah...only kidding, I just don’t see any willingness to release the live stuff (I assume you mean LS! Live, etc). Who knows though?

And SOAP, pointless? ROFLMAO...

7-Twenty-7 said on :

I don’t know why some say the next “may be a Mazarin 3”. Why 3? It may be a Mazarin 2, because, in my opinion, ’En händig man’ has very little in common with ’Mazarin’. The latest album is less alive; all in all, a very flat record. It doesn’t flow as good as ’Mazarin’, I have to skip some tracks as well. I consider EHM more like a Swedish version of SOAP.

The demo of “Something In The System” is not that great, sounds very dated. The album version is not good either. The problem is in the song and its poor lyrics. I am sorry, but I don’t think the demo arrangement could save the song at all.

first girl on t... said on :

2 whateveriam: Sorry, I thought you were blaming me for smth. As for your question, who knows why Per changed his style. Let’s ask higher powers.

whateveriam said on :

Higher powers? I hope that it was Per changing his style by his own choice, and not by orders from on high.

(On high, EMI! sounds like a cheerleader chant *giggles*)

CoyRoy said on :

I also think EHM is a Swedish version of SOAP and a very, very bad follow-up.
I only listen track #3, then I take out the cd, it’s a bore getting through the rest of the album... Mazarin was good, I really love that album - Per’s voice isn’t even irritating on that cd!! LOL “Smakar Pa Et Regn” is a masterpiece!!!

I kinda love the lyrics on Something In The System - the demo does sound a little “dated” - but that’s good - we want Per to go back to his guitar/power-pop roots and get rid of all those shitty sounds from HAND and RS.... Roxette should NEVER have stepped foot in the techno/dance music. It made their last albums pointless and one can hear there’s no real effort on those albums to make something special and ever-lasting. I DO think Opportunity Nox was a step in a much better direction, though.

I say a prayer: “Please, dear God, can’t Roxette come back once or twice more! And if You were to answer this prayer...could we get some more Roxette dvds??”

(should I say this prayer for EMI??)

whateveriam said on :

CoyRoy said on December 28, 2007 07:03:

’we want Per to go back to his guitar/power-pop roots and get rid of all those shitty sounds from HAND and RS....’

That’s the royal we, as in you. Don’t assume everyone wants the same thing mate! ;-) That’s purely a question of opinion, cos I quite like HAND, and I know so do some other people. I’ll agree with you on RS though - couple of good songs, but can only be got through with judicious use of the ’skip’ button. RS stinks as an album, way too much filler, so much the good songs get lost.

I don’t mind what Rox do next, if anything. They could make a bloody ambient album for all I care! It’s up to them what they do, but I’m not sure the world needs the power pop back yet...

@Coy Roy - Skip the prayers. How about a sacrifice? Burn Lundquist at the stake or something as a peace offering? (kidding!)

AURYTE said on :

Talking about Roxette sound: my dad likes Roxette. He even takes a few Roxette CDs to the car. He likes every Roxette album, more or less. But one day he took Crash!Boom!Bang! and said: “That’s a good album.” By the way, my dad thinks that Pearls Of Passion was the most sincere Roxette album.

PS @whateveriam: you rock, girl!

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Roxette-atic said on :

@whateveriam: thank you for your email!! The link to the song however did not work, but thanx anyway!=)

William

whateveriam said on :

Did it not, damn, it worked for me!! Let me see what I can do...

@Auryte - so do you LOL ;-)

CoyRoy said on :

To “whateveriam” - you have friends and I have friends who like Roxette - so the “we” was referring to the group of Roxette fans I know - so don’t attack me - I’m NOT in the mood!!

And the power of prayer is VERY strong - it kept Marie alive!! So, there - so much for your so-called sacrifices... shame!

whateveriam said on :

Your friends may have different Roxette tastes to mine, fair enough. What does it matter? They’re all essentially on the same side as you, as am I and my friends. I’m sorry if I assumed the ’we’ refered to you alone, but really, belt up! We’re not all programmed to like the same things. Life would be a lot easier if that was the case. I agree with you that some more Roxette DVD’s would be a nice way to not eat (aka a way to spend hard earned money), but I don’t agree that HAND is a bad album. You see? Difference! Evidently you’re just looking for a fight, oh dear and I thought so highly of you, what a shame. And really, my ’so-called sacrifices’? Puh-lease! Humour seems to be lacking today, eh? Alright, I fully admit to not being religious in the slightest, hence the irreverent humour as to religion in any form. But, in my opinion, prayer in itself is only useful as a means of channeling willpower. Fans willed Marie to pull through, and the prayers they made, and the willpower and hope they gave helped her do that, but again that’s another (slightly philosophical) topic.

So....

back to TWATG. Question to you all - given the current market, and the current tastes in music, would TWATG be less successful, more successful or about the same if it was released next week as opposed to 10 years ago? This is done with the same level of promotion as 10 years ago for your information.

AURYTE said on :

Oh, I just love how you, Rachel, handle this discussion: you give your opinion, fight a bit and then go back to the topic :D

So back to The World According To Gessle. In my opinion, this album is timeless. So it would be successfull if released today. However, to achieve the success this album deserves, you have to make a “slight” correction, that is to translate the album to Swedish!

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CoyRoy said on :

Whateveriam: I’m not picking a fight with you, no way, girl! And the fact that you “thought” highly of me means a lot (don’t know why because we NEVER encountered each other...? have we?) I’m losing my memory for I’m drinking WAY too much Coke Light...LOL

Yes, everyone does have different tastes and that’s why there are so much different styles in music today.... so many beautiful songs and singers out there.

HAND is more “fussy” than RS - It sounds like Roxette experienced a lot into the dance music genre and lost their true identity and they found a part of their identity on RS. (I may think that RS is slightly better than HAND musically, but HAND’s songs had SUCH meaningful lyrics, don’t you think?....”I can barely remember my past / everything seems to disappear so fast....”) Crush On You was/is a KILLER song - one of Roxette’s BEST!! Am I the only one that thinks the ballads on RS sound demo-like??

TWATG is very much timeless, I think too. I still play it often and my non-Roxette friends keep asking me if it’s new....LOL. Per had a masterpiece in his hands with TWATG and giving some songs for Marie to sing, would have been CHART FIREWORKS!!! I still believe that if Roxette were to mix the styles of Joyride/CBB and TWATG into one album.... it would probably one of the BEST albums ever recorded by ANYONE EVER!!!!

whateveriam said on :

@Auryte - stop it girl! ;-) One can only try LOL

@CoyRoy - No, we haven’t ’encountered’ each other, as you put it, but I’ve read enough comments on here to know you handle stuff on here courteously. Make sense? And if Coke is causing memory loss, stop drinking it, eh?

RS ballads I agree do sound a bit ’demo-esque’ (Little Girl being the main offender). And OK...if no one will answer my success question, perhaps I should suggest another? Hmm...what about...if TWATG had been a Roxette album, which songs would Marie have sung lead instead of Per?

abysmo said on :

@CoyRoy
Yes, songs from RS sounds like demo versions. Some demos from RS, released last winter as a Bad Hair Day present, sounds better, rockier and more fresh then album versions. Strange but true.
And yes, COY is a KILLER song.

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first girl on t... said on :

I’ve got the impression I am the only one who likes RS, after HAND I was absolutely happy with RS sound. Not that HAND is bad, but it could have been much much better. Take for example the demo for 7twenty7 or Beautiful things, much better than album versions for me. It will take a long long time Modern rock version is better too. Stars album version is just awful in my opinion. But take concert rock version, OMG IT ROCKS!!! Ballad version is brilliant too. I don’t pay much attention to lyrics actually, when I started listening to Roxette I didn’t understand a single word (except maybe Hello You fool I love you) So I think with different arrangements HAND could have been just perfect. On the other hand I know a couple of people who like HAND just because there is not much guitars in it. Tastes differ indeed

2 CoyRoy: I always thought TWATG has pure Roxette sound. Yes it could have been great Roxette album and successful too.

2 whateveriam: You asked very interesting question, I guess I’ll be thinking about it whole night.

whateveriam said on :

Well, make sure you put up your opinions, cos I’m curious!

RobS said on :

If i’m not mistaken, Marie has mentioned once or twice that she thought it was a great album and would have loved for it to be a Rox album.

As far as what songs Marie would have sung maybe ’Lay down your arms’, ’I want you to know’, the chorus in ’Reporter’, only backing in T-T-T-Take it!! Add in ’Love doesn’t live here’ as a duet. Don’t know what else.

Although i think some songs wouldn’t work, ’B any1 U wanna B’ and ’Elvis in Germany’ for instance.

In repsponse to whateveriam’s other question. I can’t see it doing any better these days. Power-pop still doesn’t seem to be a major market at the moment. On the other hand, if it was released as a Rox album with the same promo back in 97, i think it would have done quite well.

Back to the original topic, who knows - Per does what he wants because he can. At the moment he doesn’t seem to be intrerested in that style of music and seems to want to broaden his music.

At the moment i’m just waiting patiently to see whats next.

CoyRoy said on :

@ Whateveriam.... Well, I think that if Marie were to sing some of the songs on TWATG, I think it should have been the following: I think they could have made SATURDAY like “One Wish” - a duo!!, Marie could have sung the chorus parts of KIX, solo on I WANT YOU TO KNOW, REPORTER, WISH YOU THE BEST, I’LL BE ALRIGHT and LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS. Then, just to make the album a bit longer, Per could have written one or two ballads with.

Hope this answers your question...... what do you think?

first girl on t... said on :

It proved to be harder than I thought. I’ve been thinking about it (though not the whole night as i promised) and I have to confess that my imagination is not creative at all. At first I thought about “I want you to know”. It could fit Marie’s voice perfectly. Maybe noone will share my opinion but I think that Marie performance of “Do you wanna be my baby” could kick ass. It could have been another “Sleeping in my car”. “Kix” would have been great with Marie singing refrain. It’s rather difficult to suggest what songs Marie would have sung, cos she is very unique as a singer. She can not only sing everything, she can change the songs completely and give them new life. For example I would had never thought that Marie could sing “Cinnamon street”, but when I heard her version I was really surprised, really cool version and different too. Well in one thing I’m absolutely sure, TWATG could have been great Roxette album, but I’m also sure it would have been totally different. This is my last post this year, thanks for discussion and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

whateveriam said on :

I agree, it’s hard, Kix is just a Per-song versewise, but I Wish You The Best could be done by Marie with ease. Do You Wanna Be My Baby? Hmm...as yet undecided.

KixGuy said on :

Well, I really think Per has done some really good things lately. A good example is “Shopping With Mother”. That’s a direction Per almost never goes through. At least not with Roxette. TWATG was a great album, indeed. Actually it was my favourite album ever for a long, long time! But TWATG is 10 years old already and, even though it’s a terrific album, it’s a bit dusty...

The interesting thing I think is that Per is trying new things, like he did on SOAP. That’s an awesome album! Songs like “C’mon”, The Junior Suite and “Burned Out Heart” are something new to me, coming from Per.

I’d really love to hear new Roxette songs like the ones made for the CBB album, but I really support Per’s new influences.

AURYTE said on :

This discussion is getting more and more interesting :)

I agree with firstgirlonthemoon that it’s quite hard to decide which songs would fit Marie better. And yes, Marie can totally change a song. We are used to Per’s voice in The World According To Gessle. But know knows, maybe Do You Wanna Be My Baby? or Reporter could have become another Sleeping In My Car? Besides, I think that when Per writes songs which he plans to use on Roxette albums, he kind of thinks that these songs will be sung by Marie. So the album The World According To Roxette could have sounded quite differently. In my opinion, The World According To Gessle sounds very masculine.

But if The World According To Roxette had been released in 1997-1999, it would have been a killer album!

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abysmo said on :

If you ask me, there are at least 4 songs better than Sleeping In My Car in my opition. Even without Marie. And with her it could be really KILLERS, especially back in 1997. I am talking about first 4 songs on the album.
And yes, Marie can vitalize every song.

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CoyRoy said on :

I think a Marie-version of “Do You Wanne Be My Baby” would KICK ASS!!!! She’s got a GOOD rocking voice!!

AURYTE said on :

I think, that up-tempo tracks are the best on The World According To Gessle, especially Saturday, Kix, Reporter and There Is My Baby.

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whateveriam said on :

Aye, I agree. The slower stuff, like Wish You The Best makes me wanna snooze heehee. I long for some hard, fast house-type remix of that, I wonder how it would sound...?

What would have sounded better as a title - TWAT Gessle and Fredriksson or TWAT Roxette?

abysmo said on :

Gessle Catalogue
- The World According To Gessle / EMI / 1997
- The Universe According To Gessle / EMI / 2008
;-D

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first girl on t... said on :

I think The world according to Roxette is really really cool title (at least better than HAND and RS). If Per&Marie will ever be thinking about new album they needn’t rack their brains about the title. They could add a couple of TWATG songs recorded by Marie as well. Would be great I think!!!

CoyRoy said on :

I think the album could have done with a more stereotypical title like: ROXETTE....According To The World...

The album does sound like songs and sounds of what the world (fans) would have expected from a Roxette album - rock/pop combination! Great idea?

first girl on t... said on :

Your idea is great indeed!!!I like it!!!But I have better idea for a title, what about Roxette according to CoyRoy, abysmo and first girl on the moon? If seriously, now I would appreciate any album with any title.

AURYTE said on :

By the looks of it Roxette even don’t need to record another absolutely new album. Just add more Marie vocals on most of The World According To Gessle songs. They even don’t have to think of another cool title. Here’s already one: The World According To Roxette.

Are we easy to please, or what? LOL

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whateveriam said on :

Yes, I am the highly suggestible type - no, wait...sorry, yes we’re easily pleased

CoyRoy said on :

ROXETTE ACCORDING TO COYROY???? Wow, I don’t know if you’re complimenting me or making fun of me..... :-)

BUT I don’t think that much of myself of being mentioned on a Roxette album.
I would LOVE to have a try in doing a Roxette cd cover one day.... I have this idea of drawing sketches of Per and Marie for a new album (like the ones I do for littlemarie.net)..... LOL

AURYTE said on :

While we are at the photo session thing, I’m wondering how The World According To Roxette booklet will look like? I adore Don’t Bore Us - Get To The Chorus! photo session :P

*goes and checks CoyRoy’s works for littlemarie.net*

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whateveriam said on :

I reckon something zany and off the wall. I don’t know, something out of the Kix video, or a Dali painting. Or a combination of both, now THAT would be weird.

abysmo said on :

I have one tip for Roxette album title: “Perfect Surprise” :-)

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whateveriam said on :

Heehee - accompanied with a cover of Per flicking the finger to all the ’non-believers’?

*sarcasm overload*

Lantartida said on :

One year later, I think it is interesting to take up again this topic. The original question was: “Will Per ever came back with Roxette / TWATG sounded album?”. We can change the question a bit:

Is “Party Crasher” a “Roxette / TWATG” sounded album? What do you think?

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

I think that the album has more Roxette/TWATG references than anything he has released since 2003, but it’s still not the ’old style’ Per which the original question was. I still think that Per will never go back to that style of music. It wouldn’t suit him anymore. I think if Roxette were to do a new album, it would be along the lines of Party Crasher

pym2ik said on :

I think the days of TWATG was made as a break from Roxette, no tour that time as they were planned to go to studio for HAND recording, maybe Marie was thinking her solo career as well- a break to have her family

abysmo said on :

Hehe, I forgot that I created this topis.
And what’s the answer? Yes, Party Crasher is TWATG / Roxette sounded album and I’m enjoing it. Sounds great.
BTW: Perfect Surprise >>> Perfect Excuse :-D

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tomos85 said on :

Don’t remember wher I’ve heard it but it was on PC radio promotion or other tv interview for sure. Per thinks it wouldn’t be so stupid to record another guitar-influenced album, so... we just have to wait one year at least ;-)

bigbigbig_love said on :

Per will create what he wants to create. He is an artist, his art comes from within...not what people think he should do. Just sit back and enjoy what he does, I do!!

abysmo said on :

Did anyone said that he can’t do what he want?

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bigbigbig_love said on :

No but plenty are saying what he should do! Leave it too him...lets just enjoy what comes!! Happy Christmas! :)

abysmo said on :

Happy Christmas!

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DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

The people that say Per can do what he likes is right BUT...

what they don’t get is the following:

Why play around when you can write awsome songs!, Imagine he got this playing around vibe when he was suppose to write the
Joyride Album, we would have missed out on a GREAT album, so now he is paying around and what are we missing out on now?

He can do what he wants, but it is stupid because he is much better than all these little projects he is bringing out now. reeaaalllyy.

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

@D_G Change the record, its getting boring now

CoyRoy said on :

Being dissapointed with Per’s last solo album, I really think it’s time Per wakes up and start working alone again. He should really get rid of Helena Josefsson and that Christoffer Lindquist - REALLY!!! They are holding you back, Per.

I miss Marie Fredriksson SO much!

alexandru. said on :

With Christoffer Lindquist - Room Service- was not so really good. Also Room Service Tour was not so good.
Helena is ok, but only for backing voice, no more!

coyboyusa said on :

i really wish people would pay attention to interviews he has said twice that the era of guitar based rocxette tracks is over. logistically writing pieces, getting experienced guitar players is a hassle for them. And frankly guitar based tracks were basically writtent with the basis of touring behind them, and lets all be realistic there will never be more than a short promotour behind another roxette album IF there ever is one again. I’m not going to chide helena anymore for not being a lead singer type person anymore, in fact it’s kinda obvious why per chose her, there’s no way she could ever sing over him. ANd lol she kinda looks like an 80’s throw back the more I see of her live. The only truly positive thing I’ve felt coming out of Party Crasher is writing wise per seems to be in a roxette song style mood again...wheter that means new rox songs who knows. I can safely say tho that like per I’ve finally kinda moved on. Like many eras in my life roxette is probably over, they went out on a very positive note as opposed to alot of groups who melt down or sell out.

and on the topic of the current market, there is no magic formula for success anymore. It took nicklebacks album all the right reasons 2 years to make top 10 placing, pinks last album was out for a year before anyone bothered to pay attention. Roxette always manages to place their albums at times when the market has become fickle with a current trend and they usually hit big. The last hits package was poorly timed. And the fans for better or worse ruined the boxed set by making it sound like non fans weren’t missing much when in fact lets be honest they were. TWATG, the more I listen to it, would have made an awful rox album, just listen to their re-tread of stupid...it was well stupid. I liked the direction they were going in with hand, and some elements of RS. Chad kroger of nickleback said it best, it’s your job to challenge your fans by giving them something new every time but still realizing what they expect to hear at the same time. Roxette’s whole base of influence is the 60-70-80 pool of great artists, why debase that by what having them sample tupac or try to imitate leona lewis? Per knows how to throw just enough new into the mix to keep it fresh I for one have faith

so say we all

CoyRoy said on :

Well...well - CoyboyUSA has a few very interesting point that he is making above here. Bravo!

The charts in the USA seems to be focussing on these awfully talentless R&B singers. I mean, do we really think that Mariah Carey deserves #1 hits when all her songs sound exactly the same?? Is she worthy? I’ve listened to David Archuleta’s (pop Idols 2008) new album - he is GREAT singer, but all the songs are this dead R&B/pop/electronic songs that sound the same..... I mean.... REALLY. It sounds like music has become SO much overproduced and talentless. There’s nothing interesting happening anymore. I’m not saying Roxette is the best band around, but I think that they had something to give to the world, and the world only payed attention for like 10 minutes. The world would rather listen to soulless music.

Although there’s some great singers out there (that rules out Britney Spears, LOL), music itself, is dead. All the songs on the American top 100 sound exactly the same. The world needs a duo like Roxette who can bring a little variety to a music scene. If only more pop artists would go back to their roots and explore themselves.

I still think the best music came out in the 70’s and the 90’s. These were the times when musicians were honost and true to their talents and themselves.

Nickelback’s lead singer makes an interesting point, Coyboyusa, but how can he challenge his fans when all their songs is exactly the same??? He has no variety in his own voice and their musicstyle leaves no space for alternative songs. He shouldn’t make statements he can’t back-up. I have all their albums - I know what I’m talking about. LOL

I think Roxette should come back once more - we need them still. They may not change the face of modern music, but they do know how to make us bounce with pleasure!!

DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

@pwbbounce

why should I change my record? Just because you don’t like it? Tell the people that thinks it is ok for Per to waste his time and one life
to write crap songs, those are they people you should say that to.

I am sorry that I don’t think Per is God and that everything he does is great, I am sorry that I don’t live in denial, OK. wake up
even Britney Circus is better than this and why? because they stick with what they know and what they are good at.

coyboyusa said on :

there’s a huge difference between being forumalic and having a style. Nickelback has a style, roxette has a style that for the most part few people can imitate, exception there being maybe savage garden. Archuletta caught my ear with crush, but then I realized why, it’s the EXACT song structure as nick lacheys hit sone what’s left of me. Archuletta’s album is arguably the worst idol album. Noone’s claming that gessle is god, hell for every silly really theres a clums myth. EVen abba has ALOT of horrible songs...if you actually got their ” albums” boxed set u’d spend half you’re time skipping stuff, I know I sure did. WHat makes roxette fresh is as I said before their timing, soon as we got tired of 80’s pop came joyride, soon as we got tired of grunge came CBB, soon as we got tired of boybands came HAND. With them it’s always been a matter of waiting for a trend to die. The only thing fueling Rap and r& b is basically ignorance of what music is. People pick up rock band or wii music and thing they are musicians. The artistry has taken a backseat to money and formula. It’s a shame, but what will arise out of this will be great.

so say we all

CoyRoy said on :

I totally agree with you, CoyBoyUSA - it seems music is NOT about talent anymore, but about greed and money. That’s a pity!!

whateveriam said on :

Perhaps that’s not a bad thing. Look at punk, that gained immense popularity at a time when the music industry was becoming stagnant. There’s good music out there, creativity hasn’t died. Either you can go and find it for yourself, or wait until there’s a new revolution.

CoyRoy said on :

I’ll wait for the revolution, LOL, as it seems hard to find good music out there.

Can someone tell me why Beyonce Knowles is so hot?? I’ve listened to her latest song, If I Were A Boy, and it is clear that she doesn’t have a good voice at all. It sounds rusty... Just a thought... You can’t say that she’s sexy, she has bigger hips than Jennifer Lopez.... LOL!!

DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

Listen to the Mazarin CD, it is AMAZING! that is Per at his best, good melodies, instruments and style he is fimiliar with, and it just jells.
I say it is good to play around but it is pointless because why waste good time on crappy songs.

emilio said on :

Some people thinks here that if the record is good should chart well and it’s not a rule.

Yes, TWATG was a great album and did not chart well anywhere.

PC, has some bit of rox and gessle TWATG and yes, the singer and composer is mr Gessle himself!

Those who thinks that Roxette isn’t a top5 worldwide becouse of Christoffer lindquist just pick the Brainpool worst seller album ever (you are here) and enjoy songs like: Here comes the weekend, walk on by or god bless the free radio. That bassist is not guilty guys maybe he’s overtalented for some of us!

Back to the topic, TWATG is one of the best albums i ever bought but i don´t wanna another, 2nd parts are not always good enough

DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

@emilio

We are not talking about second parts, we are talking about the style that made him so good that he has abandoned.

anyway the real reason I think that Pers songs are sounding the way they are recently is because of the lack of demos.
I truely believe he is giving Clarence and that other guy to much creative input to the songs and now the songs sound more like a clarence/per/christopher song
and not a per song

imazombieinthem... said on :

“anyway the real reason I think that Pers songs are sounding the way they are recently is because of the lack of demos.”

Exactly what I’ve been thinking lately. Going in barebones with PC and coming out with some very average, below par songs sounding worse than his own demos.
Even though EHM and PC haven’t been as good as previous releases, there are still signs from them that it’s still not all lost. I just hope his music doesn’t completely derail. The Mazarin demo cd shows what he wanted and then C&C polished it to perfection. EHM and PC sound lost where Marazin has a sound, warmth and direction.

emilio said on :

I do not agree with u. There are always demos, maybe on a diferent way. And to be true and leaving fanatism aside, i believe PC is one of the best english works of gessle. It’s Fresh, funny, contemporary and franky, really original.
Any song of the album could be a great single and played on tour so, whats better than that?

CoyRoy said on :

I agree with Emilio.... Party Crasher has some good ideas, and is indeed very fresh from Per, BUT it’s not at all good enough. It’s almost like there is something missing.... dunno...

In the CBB interview a few years back, Per and Marie said that the CBB album was them “getting back to their roots” - They should have stayed there and evolved from there instead of trying something new. I still think the CBB album is one of the BEST albums ever recorded by any artist/band!!

Just a thought.

DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

of course there is something missing. Per is missing!

Listen to all the good songs, they are the songs with demos that sounds almost like the original song.

Per’s music has gone downhill since he stopped recording proper demos and that has given TO MUCH CREATIVE CONTROL to the others in the band. Let me explain. When you hear something you have made yourself and someone else wants to change that it is difficult to let them do that. But when you don’t
have anything to compare it to you go with their input, not always, but certainly more times than when you had a demo.

Listen to ALL of Pers ALBUMS after MAZARIN. all albums without proper demos and compare those to his others, point made

ChrisWilliams said on :

You’re all trapped in the past, boys and girls.

ncurran said on :

Exactly Chris.....I also find it interesting that so many people list songs such as Gut Feeling and Thai With a Twist as their favourites on the album, as for me those are the least inspired songs on there...they sound just like per could have recorded them 15 years ago. This is Per’s best album in years, mainly because he is trying to push himself creatively and actually experiment with a new sound. There are some fantastic songs on there that I would never have expected him to record, despite them still having the classic elements of a Gessle song (simple lyrics, catchy choruses, etc)

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

I agree with Chris & Neil - but I do like Thai With A Twist! :-) Some people are never going to get over the 90’s. It’s 2009 people, 9 years since the 90s. Things change, you can either change with them or find something else that you like?

RoXoR said on :

Well, it might sound strange, but some of you forget that Roxette is not only Per but also Marie. None of their solo works would have been a good Roxette album,as the inspiration of the other part was missing. And in my oppinion, I don’t think that Per is one of the best song writers or singers, but he is writing enjoyable songs that keeps on turning in ones head. His talent of writing this kind of songs and Maries unique way to interprete and sing this songs were Roxette’s formula of success, at least for me. Helena has a cute voice and suits Per’s songs in the last few years. But just imagine her singing songs like It must have been love, Listen to your heart or Milk and Toast and Honey, it would not fit. Per knows what he is doing and writes the right lyrics and music for the right person. Once Per and Marie are in the mood for Roxette again, there will be a Roxette Album. But lets face it, ever since Chrash Boom Bang, fans are complaining about new Roxette cds (Hand, RS), even though Room Service was a modern version of Joyride in my oppinion. Complaining Roxette fans are part of the Roxette world like Per and Marie.... having said that, have great 2009 ;-p

ncurran said on :

You have a point Roxor, but i also have the feeling that some of these songs might have been written with roxette in mind anyway, as they are much more “Roxettish” than all of his recent solo work. I even think that Helena’s voice is different on this record....on a song like stuck here with me, her style is even reminiscent of Marie in parts in the way her voice is placed alongside Per. I could quite easily imagine Party Crasher being released by Roxette, and I dont think there would be any songs that would sound out of place.

....and Paul, I don’t mind Thai with a Twist either. It’s a very traditional style Per song, but I do think it sounds really dated, along with Gut Feeling.....they both could have been lifted straight off a Roxette record from the 90’s.

Of course I understand that quite a few fans dont really like the electronic style of music, and back in the day liked the more organic sound of the guitars, etc, but lets face it.....roxette never were a traditional rock band. Maybe live in concert they were, but the recording process of their albums (with the exception of PoP) relied heavily on drum machines and fake instruments. Occasionally there were the string sections and so on, but apart from that the guitar was one of the few live instruments. They are a pop band, and pop artists generally have to keep up with recent trends and experiment to make those modern sounds their own. I think for the first time since HAND this is exactly what Per has tried to do.....and I commend him for that....and speaking of HAND, yes a lot of people did moan at the time, as I think people were a bit surprised, but nowadays you can look back and put things in perspective and I think its an album you either love or hate. Personally, it’s probably my favourite Roxette album, and I know a lot of others who feel the same. It’s certainly stood the test of time more than some of their other records. In contrast, when they actually went back and tried to capture their old sound with RS, it was a failure. It’s not a terrible album, but probably their worst overall, and that was a consequence of trying to move back to a period that was over....an artist will never be creatively exciting when they are simply trying to copy something they’ve created before! I don’t think the moaning of fans is something unique to roxette/per/marie.....i see the exact same bickering on message boards for other artists who have been around for a long time. We all become fans of an artist for different reasons, and we have different expectations of which direction we would like them to go in, so it is to be expected.

ChrisWilliams said on :

“the recording process of their albums (with the exception of PoP) relied heavily on drum machines and fake instruments.”

...but Pearls of Passion is wall-to-wall synths!

ncurran said on :

but the songs were recorded live, and compare it to look sharp, which is almost a dance album in places as well, despite the guitars

CoyRoy said on :

Roxette may be a pop group, but I think they should make an album like they do their live shows. Live instruments and not “polishing” the songs too much in the studio. Record them totally live. I still think Roxette would be a perfect rock/grunge band - their live shows prove it.

They should have recorded WICF with those electric guitars instead of the bass guitar like on the album. The song sounds more sexy on the live shows.

stormen said on :

Before the HAND and RS albums there were live drums beside the drumloop machine in most of the songs. Especially on the Tourism album! This is what I have been missing the most since the C!B!B! area.The synth effects and the drumloop is not exactly the same, on POP there are live drums as well.

I think RS would be better with real drum playing. On RS there are only 4 songs in which there are live drums (from the 12 songs). I think too much programming and drumloop kill the Roxette sound.

ncurran said on :

Oh come on....you can’t use Tourism to back up that argument. It was a tour album and unique in that respect. Both Look Sharp and Joyride, which made them famous all around the world were heavily programmed. Look Sharp was very 80s, almost dancey in places. Joyride was more conventional pop/rock, but even the rockiest tracks such as Hotblooded used drum machines. I get the feeling a lot of fans wanted Roxette to be a rock band, as they sometimes thought this made them more trendy or something, but the truth is they never have been.

DEFAULT_GREEN said on :

It has got nothing to do with changing times, with Roxette, with Gyllene Tyder, with whoever what we are saying is the following and please read:

Per is not writing music the way he use to with proper demos, in other words, songs that has got Per written all over them, all of his latest cds has
got to much of Clarence and whoever in it because of the lack of proper demos from Per and therefore the songs are sounding not like a classic Per gessle song anymore.

We are also not saying that we want the 90s back, we are saying that we want PER GESSLE back. As times change does that mean you have to make remakes of 60s, 70s and 80s songs? because that is what some of the moderaters are saying in this forum, they say times has changed, roll with it. huh, per is not changing with time he is going back, have you not heard his last albums? It is 2009 so hopefully we will get a 2009 album this time around not a 60s,70s, 80s copy.

what we are saying is we want PER GESSLE back, who cares about what year it is just give is PER GESSLE back.

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

this IS Per in 2008/9! my comment was totally mid-understood. There are so many artists which change the way they work over the years. Maybe Per could do more demos, but he isn’t going to change the way he works for us just like it. If there was a new Rox album then demos would make a return

Anyway, I have other things in my life to worry about.

ncurran said on :

Just because you dont like the “new” sound, doesnt mean it is not Per. If you’d read Per talking about the new album, it was Clarence and Christoffer who took a while to get into the recording of this album, as he said it wasnt really their type of music....it was Per who had the idea and inspiration for the 80s/electro sound, not them.

Cicci_ said on :

On the discussion if songs made from demos are better than songs with “no” demos.

In my opinion, SOAP is one of Per’s best albums ever. An album where he didn’t work with demos in the sense of having almost a fully completed song when he came to C&C. Mazarin is also a wonderful album, where Per in fact had “the whole album” almost done when he started recording it.

As for whether Christoffer destroys everything Per is trying to do or not, I just find that a quite preposterous statement. As a multi-talented musician being able to bring out a laughter and a playful attitude towards recording and working in the studio, I think he plays an important part in Per’s work so far, and probably will continue to do so.

You who critizise Christoffer - does it ever cross your mind thet without him, the “bad” albums would not have been made at all? What do you choose? No more music whatsoever from Mr. Gessle, or music made the way he enjoys it, with the people he like, whenever he likes, with an outcome he is satisfied with?

Emil__BG said on :

Will Per ever came back with Roxette / TWATG sounded album?

Lets hope so.

Helena-cristofer kind of albums are not very good for him.
He lost his identity last years.

Lantartida said on :

Well, I took up this old topic three weeks ago and I have not given my opinion yet. I asked: Is “Party Crasher” a “Roxette / TWATG” sounded album? The discussion about Per Gessle’s style is very interesting. There are some poor ideas I can add here:

- In my opinion, Party Crasher is “eclectic”. It has songs that could have been recorded by Per in any of his projects: Gyllene Tider (“Gut feeling”), Roxette (“Silly Really”, “Party Pleaser”) and Per Gessle’s solo band (“Sing along”).

- I have been listening to the album these last weeks. “I’m in love with” some songs: “Sing along”, “Perfect excuse” and “Stuck here with me” are my favourite songs. Now I don’t like some songs I liked the first time I listen to them: I don’t like “Silly Really” or “Party Pleaser”. Why? Maybe they are too ... obvious?

- I’ve grown with Roxette music. Now I am 29 and I don’t like new “Roxette sounded” music anymore. I love “Look sharp”, “Joyride”, “Tourism” and “CBB!” album because it was the kind of music I listened when I was a teenager and I like to listen to these albums (and a few songs from HAND and RS) sometimes because I remember those days. From 1997-98 till 2005-06, I didn’t listen to many Roxette’s songs. Then, I listened to Son of a Plumber by chance and I had a surprise: SOAP (and also Mazarin, but I discover it later) was the kind of music I liked (and I still like it now). I loved pop in the early 90s, now I don’t like it so much.

- I love Roxette, but I don’t know if I am a “loyal fan” because I don’t want to listen to a new Roxette album (I hate last new songs, “One wish” and “Reveal”). I don’t want Per to record more “Roxette sounded” albums either. Well, obviously he is free to decide it and we are free to listen to it (or not)

- I have read articles about “Party crasher”. The songs I don’t like were added lately to the album. Firstly I felt a bit angry because it was not a 2nd SOAP album. Now I simply enjoy the songs I like and don’t listen to the others.

It seems Per wanted a new album with songs that could be liked by different fans. And he has got it.

PS: Sorry, too many words ... I didn’t want you to be bored. ;)

roxwho said on :

Must say as each year goes by i start to care less about what per is up to.. his last few albums I have found to be weak... I agree with what some people have said.. its gettin a bit boring having albums tryin to sound like the 60s,70s,80s.. cant we just have a normal pop record? to be honest the last decent thing that i think per has made was the “have a nice day” album... one wish and reveal are probly two of the worst roxette songs ever :(
i still listen to a song like it must of been love, listen to your heart and then hear a album like party crasher.. and think.. seriously is this the same guy? what happend...

chrisjankunas said on :

Well Roxwho
I listen to Reveal often and very rarely to It Must Have Been Love (Unless it’s the gorgeous Alternative version on the Tourism album !!!!!) Think Reveal is a fantastic song !!! So each to his/her own !!!

Hmm I do hope we have a bit of Roxette if possible this year ! 2006 is starting to fade backwards into the deep past !! But the I have other good albums to look forward to this year ... so if not then I’ll live !! But it would stillbe nice, ha ha.

CoyRoy said on :

Well, Per has written 3 songs for Roxette, and I’m sure him and Marie will get together to make a new album some time soon. I’m very sure it will happen, if all stays well and healthy. But I can assure you the promotion will be even more shitty than the last few years, and Marie won’t do things on a big scale again.

But I don’t mind - as long as I can get something fresh to listen to that has the name ROXETTE on it, I don’t care. They will be back.

Well, when I listen to their last few songs, and Party Crasher, I really have no idea what Per will come up with next. I just hope they leave mister Christoffer behind and go back to being their true self.

Times have changed a lot and so has music... So, I think it’s unfair to expect another CBB or Joyride album (god forbid another Room Service fiasco!).

I still think Roxette should go back to basics and just record in the way that is more fun and basic.

Lantartida said on :

Have you read the interview to Per Gessle in “Filter” magazine? You have it in www.marie-fredriksson.com and http://www.littlemarie.net/ - Per’s answers are very interesting:

“Marie is fine. She has days on which she is exactly like she’s ever been and other days on which she is very tired. We don’t meet each other very often, maybe once a month. Sometimes I miss the old Roxette times and the teamwork we had. At the same time Marie wasn’t too interested in Roxette the years before she got sick. When I think about the recording sessions in the studio I don’t want that part of Marie back. We love each other like brother and sister and we have a really huge child together - Roxette. At the same time I know that she lives a different life now. She works a lot with her art and music business is really tough. I don’t know if she is anxious enough to expose herself to this whole promotion and TV-stress again.(...) We have talked about the (last) songs we recorded. That was ok, not fantastic. We shouldn’t have done them down in Skåne with Christoffer and Clarence where I marked my territory since the Mazarin album. I believe that she felt a bit excluded there.”

What do you think about it? I feel that neither of them (Per and Marie) enjoy the recordings of the last two songs (One wish / Reveal). They don’t feel the magic of working together as Roxette anymore, they feel happier in their personal projects. It’s just my opinion but I would read Per’s words carefully before asking desperately for a new Rox album.

ncurran said on :

Thanks. That interview is really interesting actually....especially the bits about Marie not being interested in roxette in the years before she got sick. I knew that was the case for much of the 90s, but around Room Service I actually thought she had that enthusiasm back?! Maybe he is talking more promotion-wise? The bit about him thinking Marie felt excluded in Skane was very honest of him. It is understandable. If they do ever work together again, it needs to be their own creative environment, not just Per’s band with Marie’s voice. Apart from that the interview only tells us what we already knew. Per will work with Marie again if/when Marie wants to. I actually think it will happen at some point, but Roxette will be a very different beast than it was before

tobyD said on :

I agree with:

“So, I think Per and Marie should take their 4 best albums, Look Sharp!, Joyride, CBB and TWATG and work from that on, making a new fresh ROCK album!” (coyroy)

But I don’t like TWATG, because it is not a Roxette album

“Per to go back to his guitar/power-pop roots and get rid of all those shitty sounds from HAND and RS.... Roxette should NEVER have stepped foot in the techno/dance music.”

“Before the HAND and RS albums there were live drums beside the drumloop machine in most of the songs. Especially on the Tourism album! This is what I have been missing the most since the C!B!B! area” (stormen)

I like One Wish and Reveal. Those songs are better than most songs in HAND which was the last Roxette album I bought. By the time HAND was released I found Sarah Mclachlan and I said goodbye to Roxette. After meeting some friends from high school recently, I bought Ballad Hits from iTunes, and I have to say A Thing About You is really a good Roxette song. After that I bought One Wish and Reveal.

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