The Daily Roxette

Roxette World Tour 2011 schedule

The Daily Roxette meets Per at Night of the Proms

Written by colinvdbel on November 15, 2009 to , and .

ARNHEM (Updated) -

On Friday the 13th of November, the Daily Roxette joined Roxette at the Gelredome in Arnhem for a wonderful night. During the first half of the Night of the Proms, a Swedish symphony called ‘Midsommarvaka’ magically changed into the first string arrangements of ‘Wish I Could Fly’. After the stunning synergy between Roxette and Il Novecento, the presenter of the evening promised more Roxette during the second half. In the intermission, The Daily Roxette had an exclusive interview with the Man himself.

Update: click here for a fullscreen slideshow

First of all, welcome back in Holland Per! How does it feel to be back so soon after the concert in Amsterdam earlier this year?

It was a different story. But it was great, of course, coming here with Marie, Jonas and everything else - it’s cool, yeah. And we look forward to having these seven nights in a row in Rotterdam. I remember playing in Ahoy before. It’s a great crowd.

So what are your feelings about the Proms, since it’s such a bizarre thing on its own?

It is. Very much so. It’s impossible to understand, unless you see it for yourself. You have to really be a part of it to understand it. It’s really hard to describe to friends at home what we are actually doing - it’s fun, it’s great! It’s also a great step. I think it’s a very clever move of Marie, instead of doing a full tour or a full concert. She’s not ready to do those things. With Night of the Proms you share the responsibility with other artists, and you're just doing your four or five songs. And we're doing lots of shows, so she's getting back into the concert mode.

To the delight of many fans you have regularly been posting videos on roxette.se and youtube – will we see more of those?

Yeah. The only problem is you have to find new angles all the time. Because it's easy to tell Oskar to show ‘Listen to Your Heart’, but it looks the same every night. You have to find new angles and new funny stuff to do. But we're working on it. My plan is to do like three or four a day. Sometimes it becomes eight, sometimes it becomes nothing. I enjoyed them too myself. I love those on the ‘Gessle Over Europe’ dvd. It becomes a tour document for us as well - that's how we remember the tour, much more than the concerts themselves.

 

Will you continue making videos after the tour?

Well, only if there is anything to show. We have started working on a new record, that's the plan. I'm filming a lot of the recordings. But on the other hand, I can't publish them, because I don't want people to hear those songs. So it's like a dead end. But I think it's fun, it's a fun way of communicating and the Internet has made everything so much easier. From a fan's point of view I think it's just fantastic to be able to see what's going on in the studio, backstage or in the tour bus.

So how are those recordings going?

Well, we only just started, but I wrote a lot of songs this year after the tour with Roxette in mind. We have started on two songs, but we have like 13. We have a pretty good idea of what we want to do, which is the hardest thing. So far so good.

Will you continue recording during the tour?

In Rotterdam, yes. But then we will be travelling so much in Germany that we won't have the time. After that we are going to start late January. We're recording in Christopher's studio and then we're doing Marie's vocals in Stockholm.

 

Besides a new record, what do you see in the future for Roxette?

I wish I knew. I think time will tell. I think Marie will decide what she wants to do when this tour is over. It depends on how she feels and what the response is. Obviously the next step should be to ask if there is going to be a concert, but I don't know. Maybe she feels it's a bit too much.

Will we be seeing more of your other projects in the future?

After Night of the Proms I'm going to work on the Roxette album. And then - I don't know. I'm sure there will be another Gyllene Tider tour, and I'm sure there will be another Per Gessle tour in Europe, as well as another Per Gessle album. You know, I'm just writing. Like this summer: we knew that Night of the Proms was going to happen and then I told Marie "let's try to do an album". Then I started working on songs, that's how I work. After that album, who knows? Maybe if we think the time is right for Gyllene Tider to do something, and  then I will start working on Gyllene Tider songs. Maybe a summer tour.

What about Party Crasher? Will there be a release in the States?

The problem that I have with the Party Crasher project is that I have a non-working record company. EMI is really not working anymore. Nowhere. A little bit in England, but in England I'm with Sony. Sony is much better in England. I’ve walked my head into a wall so many times regarding that album. It was the same with Son of a Plumber when that album came out. The response I was getting from the record company was nothing. So I have to find another way. You know, it's a contract thing as well. I have to sort all these business things out. But, of course, I'm very disappointed that there hasn't been a proper American release for Son of a Plumber or Party Crasher. On the other hand, both albums are quite timeless, so eventually something could happen. Maybe if a song from Party Crasher would be in a commercial, then the whole album could happen I think. I'm not really in charge of that, but you know me - my plan is always to dominate the world. It's a tough one, though. In the music industry you’re in between chairs, so to speak. It's really hard to know what's going on and how you're going to work. There's always an opportunity to do an American tour, like I did in Europe, but that costs so much money. Someone has to pay for it, someone has to pay guys like him (Per points at Oskar, the tour manager and tech guy who laughs out loud). But I'd love to do it. The Over Europe tour, the Party Crasher tour, was one of the most fun tours ever made for me. The same goes for the band. Those were great shows, and I love that album. That's why I released a live album. Normally, when you come back from a tour, you feel like: "Yeah, well, that was the tour."  But in this case it actually gave some songs new life and it just is a great testament of my catalogue of songs. I just feel very comfortable.

 

You mentioned demos would be plentiful, “trust me” – any news regarding that?

About the demos? Well, I have a plan for the future but it also has a lot to do with the recording contracts. I thought about something like putting my demos on iTunes or whatever. Basically because I think that if you're interested in my music, it's interesting to listen to my demos. And there are so many of them. For up until the Son of a Plumber album, there are demos for basically every song I have written. Of course some of them have been released, I did this Bad Hair Day thing and some Christmas things as well. But there are so many songs, I don't really know what to do with them, so the idea is probably to make some sort of an archive. Like I said, I have to sort out all this with the record company. I do know there's a big interest. I've been doing this for over 30 years now. When you are my age and you have this - I have written more than 1000 songs in my life - I think it's great to be able to have an archive, one that if you're interested you can listen to it. It's the same with the reason why I wanted Sven Lindström to do that book: because it's been a long career. If you wait too long, people are going to forget. Maybe you will even forget it yourself, or the ones you're working with. It's fun to do it when you're still around and you have the motivation to do it.

The intermission was over and it was time to get back downstairs. Thanks for the interview Per! During the second half of the show Roxette played Their second set: ‘The Look’, ‘Must Have Been Love’ (with a fabulous acoustic intro), ‘Joyride’ and finally ‘Listen To Your Heart’. Marie sounded great and really seemed to enjoy the show.

After the show, Pelle, Clarence and Chris appeared outside on the red carpet to meet a handful of fans who were waiting there, eager to spot one of their idols. Per came outside to accept a special gift by a fan – a homemade Roxette Monopoly - Roxopoly - game. Per and Chris assured the fans they would play the game – who knows if this’ll pop up in a video on roxette.se?

More pictures in higher quality coming soon!

60 comments

ncurran said on :

Great interview! Nice to hear that it sounds definite that a Rox album is the next project. From the sounds of it though, Marie will be taking a backseat role in the recordings though, only being present to record her vocals in stockholm. Totally understandable of course, but at the same time a shame that it wont be recorded like a traditional Rox record with all of them there in the studio. I do hope that at least one song written by her ends up on the record though

ettexor said on :

very interesting interview!!
also the photos are beautiful and show a Marie in perfect shape, really cool!
and then the news of a new Roxette album, this is really the best thing for all fans.
It does not matter if there will be another tour (though it would be nice), but what matters most is the fact that Roxette are back together and come back to give us other cool songs.

rossyrox said on :

More UK shows I say!

Kiwein1 said on :

Thanks Colin for the interview. :-) Very well done.

@ncurran: Hm, they have recorded songs like that for years, so I don’t care much. Most important is that both of them want this album - if yes you will definitely hear it on the album I think.

I fully agree with Per’s statement about a concert or a whole Roxette tour. I can see that it’s maybe a bit too much for Marie and it’s better to keep it easy and take one step at a time. I totally enjoy this tour and I also agree about the fact that Roxette don’t have the full responsibility now - they are singing five songs and have fun but don’t have to fill 90 or 100 minutes every night. If I could make a wish I’d go for an unplugged tour (club tour, of course) . Little venues and a nice set of songs.

Per says they already have an idea where to go with the album - I am really eager to hear what Roxette 2010 does sound like!

And I love the YouTube videos, makes everything so personal for us. Keep that, Per! It’s really funny and perceived. Would have liked to see Marie sitting on that terrible chair in Arnhem, too, though. ;-) Where is she when you guys go crazy? ;-) Getting dressed for success?

——————————–
www.marie-fredriksson.com
www.planet-roxette.com

Pascal said on :

Thanx for the interview!

bloempje666 said on :

Thanx fot the interview!!!
I was there at the 14th november and I truly loved the show!!!
Goosebumps @ it must have been love!!!
I hope to see Roxette again soon...

CRIZ said on :

Yeah, thanks for this interview!! Lovely pictures too!! Wow!!
I’m so thankful for all this....I ’ve never thought that this (Rox live on stage again and a new album) will happen again...the joyride actually continues. Thank you!

...and..I agree with Kiwein here...Marie is the lady and is in a hurry to escape from this boyish crazyness backstage..haha..I really love the videos...

Roxerally said on :

A possible summer tour for Gyllene Tider next year would be fantastic since after September 2010 I can’t do anything for three years so a final tour for me with GT would be fantastic! :)

Jud (moderator) said on :

Per seemed to love the Roxopoly ;)
He wrote on Twitter: “Wonderful show. Arnhem #2. Had a blast. Thanx for singing along. And thanx for the mighty Roxopoly-game we got yesterday. Unbelievable.”

http://twitter.com/PartyPleaser/status/5721698577

This smells like they played with it, or had a closer look at it at least ;)

Great interview, looking forward to whatever the future will bring!

___________________________
Marie Fredriksson Online
Be strong, speak true

ettexor said on :

you think the new album from Roxette, when it might arrive? May June 2010?

gyllene_tjej said on :

OMG! Thanks a lot for taking the time to chat with PG! So much that we learn from this interview... the fact that there IS going to be a brand new Rox album is indeed beyond my wildest dreams...and well, it really is true!

I also love the idea of the demo archive, I am sooo eager to give a lia
sten to what Per has come up with so far in his career. Nice, thanks, keep making music Per!

————
Gessle: Det spelar ingen roll vad som skrivs, bara bilden är bra :D

kokoroxette said on :

The best news ever ,i cant believe it my dreams come true go roxette go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tevensso (moderator) said on :

Probably rather September-November.

colinvdbel (moderator) said on :

Knowing EMI maybe even a bit longer?

Roxryder said on :

So a new album is in the cards let’s hope for a winning hand :)

And to sound original Great Interview!!!

Such long answers - really only the intermission!? - Looks like the guy was really into talking that night and even sharing bits..

The future looks promising

Thanx for the interview welldone job!! (like always)

————————————————————————–
like magic and love lots of forgotten words
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmA-ar3wNFw

abysmo said on :

Yeah, great interview and very nice pics.
I also think that new album will be released somewhere during autumn 2009. It takes around 10 months to make an album and if they just started, then November looks like likeliest date. I’m really curious about new sound.
______________

RoxRoom.wz.cz

Sascha said on :

Thanks for this interview and the nice photos! Very good!

It really feels “almost unreal” to have Roxette back on stage and recording. Let’s enjoy this as much as we can! As for the record I hope for some sort of “band sound” including cool Jonas riffs. Looking forward to the making-of videos as well. By the traditional rox timeframe I wouldn’t expect the record before winter 2010/2011 but maybe studio work has speeded up through the solo albums... Yes, the joyride continues! :D

CoyRoy said on :

I just pray that Roxette won’t just make ONE album, but a couple of them.
I think Per and Marie still has so much to share with us, so I really hope they make more albums in the future!

roxtexanet said on :

What a difference just one three-letter word can make: “After Night of the Proms I’m going to work on *the* Roxette album.” Not “a”, hypothetical, possible Roxette album - THE Roxette album, a real, actual thing! It’s unbelievable, amazing, exciting and what we’ve all waited to hear for so long!! What a day!

RoxAnna1978 said on :

Such a great Interview and full of good intentions concernig the plans for Roxette!

I’st understandable, that Per cannot see what the future will bring (and what many of us woul like to know) and that it depends on the things he has mentioned, but it makes me happy to hear, that Marie grows more and more ino the stage life and feels so good again, so I think that everything can only get better and better.

@CoyRoy
Yes I agree with you, because it would breake my heart to lose Roxette once again...:**(
I wish they could stay with us forever.. Just take as long time as they need to work over new matarial and other things, but please don’t leave us and remain Roxette. We love you :)

coyboyusa said on :

so emi basically derailed not on a remastered box set but also a demos compilation? tell me why again they singed such a long contract with emi? I mean domestically in sweden i can understand but internationally? should we blame dimberg?

so say we all

Oscarbcn said on :

Thanx for the interview!!! A new Rox album on the way!!! Yeahhhh!

rfdl said on :

Thanks for the interview, really loved it.
I am getting in the mood for friday.

where should they stay for the Proms in Ahoy ?
Hilton Rotterdam???

johnbruins said on :

IT WAS SO GREAT AND THEY ARE STILL THE BEST

Roxette-atic said on :

New Roxettealbum comming!!!!! =D

clohe sullivan said on :

Wowwwwwwww!!!!!
a new roxette album, this is the best news of the year!
i can’t wait!

Thank’s for this great interview, really great work!

harriej said on :

Saturday I was in Arnhem and it was great to see Roxette on stage.
Especially great to see Marie back on the stage.
I think it is still taking a lot of energy from her, but this concept of TNOTP, with 5 songs instead of a complete concert is just good for her to do.
Like someone else here said: goosebumps!!

And Colin, thanks for the great interview!
A lot of news in it, a new Roxette-album, a GT-tour, to much to mention!!
Thanks a lot!!!

I am happy!!

roxtexanet said on :

We don’t have SmallTalk anymore, so I’ll have to post this link to a very positive review of “Party Crasher” here under the pretext that part of the interview is about the possibility of PC getting a release in the US.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hvfwxz8kldfe

And, to go even further off-topic, “Party Crasher” (and “TWATG” - without bonus tracks) is FINALLY available on iTunes in Canada (even though PC was released here physically in June, and “TWATG” came out in 1998!). The “Have a Nice Day” and “Room Service” remasters, however, are nowhere to be found.

I miss “Small Talk” :-D

stormen said on :

But this interview doesn’t reveal any new information. Per has already said that they’re recording a new Roxette album and he is planning a GT tour in the future.
We have known it for almost a month!

He also mentioned a Roxette winter tour dream before. This time he didn’t, I wonder why.

roxtexanet said on :

@stormen: I disagree! He mentioned previously that he was working on new songs, but always with a big veil of secrecy - “we’ll see what happens” etc. When NOTP was first announced, all that was said was that they would record a new track or two. Then he mentioned that they brought some equipment along on tour “just in case”. It wasn’t clear whether the recordings made during NOTP would be for a whole new album, a compilation, or some kind of “Tourism” sequel... before today, at least. Now the road ahead is clear - they have a direction in mind for the album, studio time booked at the end of January, and a plan for recording Marie’s vocals. Today is the first time I’ve heard anything that made me think a whole new studio album is on its way!

stormen said on :

For me it was obvious that a complete new album is on the way, before this interview..

Jud (moderator) said on :

Per talked about the new album in an interview in a Belgian newspaper when NOTP started (http://www2.dailyroxette.com/node/18723). Per explained about the room becoming a studio and that they’d record in Holland too. But he wasn’t as sure as in this interview, so it is actually a confirmation that there will be one :)

Is this a one-time pleasure or is it a real comeback?

Per: “We will decide around Christmas time, when the Proms are behind us. But we’d love to pick things up again. One room at our hotel in Antwerp is fully equipped as a recording studio, and on stage we are accompanied by fellow Roxette musicians, so they could come over to the hotel to jam and perform. Chances are big a new album is coming. During my career I finished every album I started working on. I think it will be same this time again.”

:)

___________________________
Marie Fredriksson Online
Be strong, speak true

RobS said on :

Thanks for the interview.

I wonder what direction they are taking this new album? I think it’s going to feel amazing when the time comes to finally hear it.

Kiwein1 said on :

For me it’s a miracle! Whatever sound it has - I will love it just because it exists. I am usually not THAT kind of fan but this time I will love whatever they bring. (Ok, there are some exceptions like too much synthesizers or songs like One Wish)

——————————–
www.marie-fredriksson.com
www.planet-roxette.com

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

New Roxette album sounds good! A little unbelievable really considering. I reckon Rox-2010 will sound a cross between Have A Nice Day, Room Service & Party Crasher. Doesn’t that sound great?!?!

Doctor said on :

New Rox album sounds like Heaven! )
Thanx for the interview and those extremely nice pics!

mareo said on :

Awesome news! How many times have we talked about that, wondered about that, dreamed about that... A new Roxette album.

I would love to hear how does Rox sound well into the new millennium - I’d prefer it closer to “Opportunity Nox” than to “One wish”. Or maybe like Party Crasher, actually, uptempos like “Gut feeling” and ballads like “Sing along” seem perfect to me. Anyway, if they have fun, it’ll sound great.

Kiwein1 said on :

“Anyway, if they have fun, it’ll sound great.”

I second that. I think that’s the secret.

——————————–
www.marie-fredriksson.com
www.planet-roxette.com

SouthernBeatBox said on :

I would call this a ’Teaser Japeneser!’...Gotta love Per for always giving us those butterflies when he mentions new music...I thought at first he mentioned something in regards to an EP and not a full length album...whatever is the final result...I’m buying it!!!

bunny2 said on :

I guess I will love everything what Roxette will do this time! It is a real miracle that we really will get another Roxette album! I am sooo happy! Hopefully Marie will sing most of the stuff or both together like in the past. Of course I would prefer the music style like “Tourism”, but actually it does not matter as long as it is MARIE & PER together! :-)
Thank you Marie & Per! I will always love you!!!!

Hotblooded said on :

As long as they do something organic & not over produced i’ll be happy :-) Actually i’m happy that this is even happening! I mean who would have thought this was possible 5 years ago?!

CoyRoy said on :

Well, I have only one wish for a new Roxette album - MUCH more drums and guitars. I think they should make the album more like a “live” performance, like they do on stage. More ROCK!! Please don’t follow in the footsteps of Room Service again. I think “A Thing About You” and “Opportunity Nox” was 2 great directions to go in!! Keep that up!

tomos85 said on :

But wasn’t it Per who said that it wasn’t a clever idea to record “One wish” / “Reveal” with Marie in Chris’ studio in Scania? And now he seems to make the same mistake. Hope Marie will have something to say about the sound and the direction.

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

@tomos85 - They’re going to record Marie’s vocals in Stockholm...

tomos85 said on :

Paul, I know that, but still - I thought that the next album will be recorded in the full-mode with Marie as a co-producer. I guess Marie doesn’t want to do so, that’s why they record her vocals in Stockholm.

Anyway - hope they know what they do! :)

Sascha said on :

Don’t forget the hotel room studio! Per took his 16 (13) to the Proms and they already did some pre-recordings, decided the general direction. Maybe they even brainstormed about the possible style for every song..? So in the winter Per and C&C can do the dirty work (producer work which per definition doesn’t involve the artist) and Marie can bring in her additions at the end. I don’t think that workflow differs much from the previous albums. And nobody said M&P don’t co-ordinate in between. ;)

pwbbounce (moderator) said on :

Maybe demo’s etc are being recorded in Skåne and then the full recordings in Stockholm? I’m sure Marie will be involved rather than just turning up to sing some songs and then going home...that’s hardly Roxette. It’ll be more like Per Gessle feat Marie Fredriksson.

I guess time will tell though...

(I don’t know anything more than you do, I’m just giving my personal thoughts...)

alexandru. said on :

Per, please no more PC sounds. Look, only 40000 copies sealed.

abysmo said on :

Modern synth sound with driving guitar/bass guitar riffs, catchy melodies and it all overproduced like in good old days. And more duets, their voices works best together. And little bit longer songs with more arrangies and more changes in the melody (compare to flat and ordinary Room Service album). So - modern driving sound and old Roxette arrangies. Less middle-tempo songs replaced with more big dark ballads aka Wish I Could Fly (all time top track!). This is what I’ll would be happy for.
Opportunity Nox is great track with fantastic middle-8, I really love One Wish too, Little Miss Sorrow is pearl and I also love Breathe and A Thing About You. Don’t like Reveal, it’s the most shoddy Roxette song. That’s my point of view.
______________

RoxRoom.wz.cz

davidc4 said on :

I think a good move after the tour would be to get a new single or 2 out just to keep Roxette in the spotlight until the new album is ready.

Even another megamix released to the clubs could get them some much needed publicity.

As for a new album? Well I suppose we can all keep guessing what it will sound like until the cows come home, but when has any Roxette album ever had the exact same sound as the previous one?

Personally I think a good direction would be a cross between Tourism, Crash! Boom! Bang! and 2010 (maybe a bit Party Pleaser/ Thai With A Twist sounding)

RoxAnna1978 said on :

Everybody has some different preferences and Per isn’t able to please you all!

If I would tell my favorite songs and albums, it would go direction “Look Sharp”, “Joyride” or even many songs from “POP”...(no one ever mentions some songs from it!- I call your name, So far away, Voices!!!, Surrender, ...)
Further songs?-LTYH, Shadow of a Doubt, Chances, Twings will never be the same, A thing about you- most of them never mentioned, except by me. (Ok, “I’m Sorry” and “What’s she like” were included in mentioning C!B!B!..)

But it dooesn’t help anyway to do this: I guess, they know themselves best what they are doing and don’t need “advices”, because as someone has written, even if every album they have released until know, was different from all the others, in the most cases it was a good one, and that is what really counts.

mareo said on :

Yeah, we all have our preferences, but we are already “pleased”, ’cos there will be a new album. So, we’re not advising Per & Marie, we’re just entertaining ourselves with this new and positive thought

abysmo said on :

Exactly mareo. They are authors so the’re masters of their own music. But we are fans and we’re expressing our feelings about how we like to be new album sounds.
______________

RoxRoom.wz.cz

fridapeeples said on :

It’s going to be a long winter/spring/summer ;-)

jag vill känna tro

RobS said on :

alexandru. said: “Look, only 40000 copies sealed.”

But look at where PC was released, mostly just Europe, compared pretty much world wide for all of the Roxette albums.

the big D. said on :

I’m in a good mood. Hopefully they don’t try to follow the actual trends. they should try to be the modern pop heart of music they were back in the 90’s. without pressure. if they CAN record an album without huge expectations they could create trends on their own...

(but when you ask me: they should go back to the roots recording songs in the “june afternoon”/”she doesn’t live here anymore”/”sleeping in my car”-style. per is very rocking these days...hopefully roxette will be it,too...)

carbon_boy said on :

There’s even a mention about Roxette’s NOTP on the gossip queen of LA’s blog today! Check it out and leave a comment!

http://perezhilton.com/2009-11-19-roxette-still-going-at-it

andiW said on :

Great to see them are back...

What do you think of Roxette playing at Princess Victorias wedding next year? Like ABBA did on her parents wedding 1976. Would be a huge promotion.

nixas said on :

Roxette participating in NOTP concerts is a great event that means progress to their future career.
It is so pleasing for me to see them as huge stars at last!
Go on Roxette!

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