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THE WORLD ACCORDING TO... Roxette or Gessle???
40 replies
gessleism said on April 15, 2003 15:48:
I love TWATG. I always thought it had to be a Rox -album and not a Gessle - album. It has a lot of good songs (kix, i´ll be alright, stupid, wish you the best, etc...)
So, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO... Roxette or Gessle? What do you say?
rox-kuryliw said on April 15, 2003 16:08:
NO WAY , what an insult to marie !!!, without marie mostly singing on a rox album, it just per’s enhanced s****y vocals. it will NEVER be a roxette album.
gessleism said on April 15, 2003 17:28:
Rox-kuryliw – Of course, sung by marie too. Then, what do you think now?
Some time ago, i read in a roxette review (#32 i think) an interview to Per. There he said this:
“When Marie listened to TWATG the first time she said: AH, I WISH THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A ROXETTE ALBUM”
steven said on April 15, 2003 19:18:
Roxette = Polished Power Pop and Emotive Sweeping Ballads...
TWANG = Raw Guitars, a touch of the 70’s Glam Rock and probably the kitching sink.
The World According to Gessle is definately not a Roxette sounding album.
Jackeill said on April 15, 2003 19:34:
@steven: i agree. you’re right. twatg only gessle and always gessle. telling the truth, i’d like to lsiten to another gessle english solo than to new roxette material...
wendy said on April 15, 2003 19:40:
The world according to Gessle!!!
...GessleGessleGessleGessleGessleGessleGessle...
Santi said on April 15, 2003 20:01:
@Gessleism: “It has a lot of good songs”
So what, a Per Gessle’s record has to be “bad” or what?
I think that not being Roxette’s is actually the reason that has so many good songs. Cuz there’s no Marie, no Clarence or no Ilbert saying “change this, do that, I don’t like this, I would prefer that”. It’s the composer/producer/performer Per. That is why it’s so good, it’s right from his mind into our headphones... not so many fiilters...
And I actually think that he doesn’t need Marie’s vocals at all. Just take Sweden as example. Gyllene Tider is still much more popular than Roxette (and also than Marie), even if it hasn’t existed for so many years... and the vocalist was Per...
tove said on April 15, 2003 20:04:
TWATG is really great as it is .. It really shouldn´t be a Roxette album, even though I think it would have been very good then as well.
rox-kuryliw said on April 15, 2003 21:30:
I was hoping for more people to agree with me
. :-s
Roxette = Power Pop / sweeping ballads. ;-)
Roxoholic said on April 15, 2003 22:15:
I think that TWATG is a good album but I think that some songs should have been kept for Roxette (such as Lay Down Your Arms, I Want You To Know, T-T-T-Take It, Wish You The Best and I´ll Be Alright). Also I´m happy that Roxette did a version of Stupid since it´s such a great song. The rest of the songs are much more Per than Roxette I think.
powerpoplarry said on April 16, 2003 04:05:
No offense to Marie, but TWATG is better off as a Per Gessle solo album, and I actually wish ALL the Roxette albums were done as Per Gessle solo albums, in his raw, loud, live, garagey/glam powerpop style of production, or at least the upbeat material, with him singing all of them as he WROTE all of them!! I actually prefer Per’s voice and style over Marie’s, so, as wonderful as Marie is as a singer, she doesn’t belong except on the ballads, although she is a capable rocker, if a bit awkward. Sooo really, it would be cool to split the Rox albums up, make the upbeat material Gessle solo albums, and include the Marie-sung ballads on English-language solo albums. Plus if I’m not mistaken, Marie doesn’t write everything on her solo albums, most but not all, so she can include some Per-written tunes as well.
No offense to Marie fans, but I prefer Per’s style, more raw, ultra-catchy, loud, glam + new-wave-influenced Power Pop/Rock + Roll, preferably recorded in his garage, live, with minimal overdubs. As much as I dig Roxette’s records, they’re a bit too slick sometimes. I prefer a rawer, live feel, and TWATG provides that in spades, as do tunes like SDLHA, and JA is wonderful as well.
If it were up to me, Marie would just be utilized as a harmony singer on Per solo albums, as their voices blend beautifully, and her voice would be spotlighted on her own solo albums.
Sascha said on April 16, 2003 07:23:
Without Marie Roxette wouldn’t sell any records at all, she’s the frontgirl!
I Love TWATG, although I miss Marie on it (Ex. Alright).
imazombieinthem... said on April 16, 2003 08:33:
Yea Rox albums have slowed down too much. TWATG is a brilliant album, you can’t call it a Roxette album as I also think it doesn’t sound like Roxette, its too uptempo and too loud. The Roxette version of ’Stupid’ sounds really watered down compared to the original. Thats Roxette.
Jackeill said on April 16, 2003 10:07:
@powerpoplarry: totally agree!!! that was exactly what i wanted to say but i didn’t have time to write it :D
Th_Th said on April 16, 2003 12:10:
No, I think every single Roxette Album is much better than TWATG...
powerpoplarry said on April 17, 2003 05:23:
OK, I still stand by what I posted earlier, cool that you agree Jackeill!!
Sascha, to me, sales do not matter, quality of the tunes and production does, and TWATG is leagues BEYOND all Roxette records, but based on RS and ON, it seems Rox records are headed in the direction of TWATG, which shoulda been the style all along!! And I will add this, yes, the name Roxette alone sells more records than Per Gessle, so the best idea is this: have the name Roxette be a PSEUDONYM for Per Gessle’s solo career!! Brilliant idea!! We have made-up group names like Five For Fighting representing one person, so why not Roxette?? Have Per sing all the songs, as he writes them all, and just have Marie on as a harmony/occasional duet singer!! ALL future Rox records should be just Per really, he’s the brain and the powerpop tunesmith genius!! Marie could just be ear + eye candy, enhancing Per’s brilliant tunes!! Have ON be a basis for all future Rox records!! Per’s better as the frontman, not Marie as the frontgirl!! No offense to Marie fans, but TWATG is perfect as-is, and I didn’t miss Marie at all, sorry...
EXACTLY, TWATG is perfect loud and raw, the way ALL of Rox’s records shoulda been dfrom the getgo, straight outta the garage!! No more slickness!! “Stupid” on TWATG is perfect, no need to water it down, that ruins the song!!
Sorry Th_Th, Rox is better without Marie, except on occasional harmony or semi-duet, aka “Fingertips’93”. Skip the radio-friendliness, that ruins the best powerpop records!!
clerk said on April 17, 2003 07:07:
@powerpoplarry Are you high, or what...?! Didn’t your mama ever tell drugs aren’t good for you!
Rox better without Marie...hahaha...get out of my way, get out of my sight..!!
coyboyusa said on April 17, 2003 09:57:
ever notice once they disbanded the band how their rock pop element died...if per can put away his misgivings and bring back anders roxette would ROCK again..which is what they reallly need
wendy said on April 17, 2003 20:20:
Yeah.........if i understand it well,i think i have to agree with CBUSA.....
: If they take away Per,there’s no power,if they take away Marie,there are no touching ballads anymore....
I like TWATG the way it is,and,i don’t think it has to be a Rox-album,it’s too much powerfull for that
powerpoplarry said on April 18, 2003 04:18:
Sorry antz + Clerk, I mean what I said. To me, Per has always been the dominant force, as he’s the songwriter and his style of singing fits the tunes better. As wonderful a singer as Marie is, she’s better doing solo records, and guesting on Per’s songs as harmony or semi-duet singer. I always thought people thinking Marie being Roxette was wrong and misguided, she’s NOT the focus, Per is!! Soooo, with Roxette being a better name for Per’s solo records, as they would sell better due to Roxette having name marquee value, and Rox being ONLY Per, then people would less likely be confused as who Roxette really is: PER!! All of Rox’s record should ALL sound like ON and TWATG in the future, proof that ON was a single under the Rox name, and it’s basically a Per solo tune, as well as all the other new tunes like LMS being like Per songs, so this IS the case!! And no Clerk, I don’t take drugs, LOL!!
Per fired Anders?? Why?? Yes, bring him back!! Rox needs to rock live, like TWATG!! And SDLHA!! I agree with Coy, for once, LOL, and of course dear Wen!! :-) Keep the powerpop, chuck the bland, boring powerballads...TWATG is one of the greatest albums ever made, in any genre, and definitely in the Top 10 of alltime great powerpop albums, without a doubt, powerpop doesn’t get better than that disc!!
Stormkeeper said on April 18, 2003 05:27:
what was the highest position for this album in the charts?
Sascha said on April 18, 2003 07:32:
powerpoplarry: The 20th explanation of your wishes get’s boring, every second thread here is full of it... Realize that Roxette’s focus for most people and the media is clearly Marie! Per is the man in the back. The mix between Marie and Per is exactly what Roxette is all about!
Jackeill said on April 18, 2003 16:14:
once again agree with powerpoplarry :))
@stormkeeper: who cares about charts ??? charts are not important to me! i only demand great music, which is great to me, not to the whole fucking world. and you guys, mostly, do not feel the power of twatg and per’s solo work. if there were marie on twatg and it were rox album, it wouldn’t be so great to me. when i bought twatg back then in 1997, i though “oh what a pity it’s not rox album” but when i put the radio on, put the cassette in [yes i bought it on mc] it was the biggest shock in my life, lol per on the best powerpop tune like stupid! unpolished great garage sound what a great thing there is no marie in it! oh maybe i’ll slow down..... nobody feels the same.... nobody but powerpoplarry i think.......
i see there are no real powerpop fans within the group of you :(
LoneGunman said on April 18, 2003 19:01:
Hi
I agree with powerpoplarry and Jackeill... I mean, I preffer Per’s voice, Per’s songs, Per’s guitarrs, everything made by him in his solo works.
I do LOVE Marie’s voice, but Roxette is getting slower and slower day after day and I don’t like it.
TWATG was one of the BEST ALBUNS EVER... it rocks... “Stupid”, “T-T-T-Take It!”, “Kix”, oh boy, only GREAT AMAZING ROCK SONGS !!
I wish Roxette would sound like this... Uptempo, Loud, Guitarrs !!
Charts ? Who cares to the charts ? If you do go buy a Britney Spears album instead (she’s always on the top).
GESSLE IS KING !!! GO GESSLE GO !!! Give us a TWATG 2, please !! :)
All the best
LoneGunman
powerpoplarry said on April 19, 2003 08:34:
Sascha, you are correct in that the media’s and most people’s depiction of Roxette is Marie, BUT, I hate to say it, you and all those people are dead WRONG!! PER is the focus!! He’s the songwriter, and main musical talent, and LEAD SINGER on more than 50% of their whole repertoire!! He even sang lead on their breakout #1 hit, “The Look”, remember that?? I think you forgot... Per is NOT the man in the back, he’s the man UP FRONT, sorry, but it is the truth, and espesh now, with Per singing lead on most of their new songs, like ON and LMS...this must continue!! Yes, per and Marie blend well, BUT when it comes to either one singing lead, Per’s sung tunes are always better, more exciting powerpop. Marie’s are good too, but only cuz Per wrote them. She is a great singer, don’t get me wrong, but her writing style doesn’t fit Rox all that well, plus she can’t write in English. I’d prefer to buy all of Per’s work over Marie’s, it’s more in the style I love most, powerpop over ballads. The mass public doesn’t really understand real powerpop, that’s why KILLER tunes like ON, SDLHA, June Afternoon, Fingertips ’93 were all basically flops, a crime!! To be honest, I never cared what the mass public and the media think, I never agreed with them. Plus, the best powerpop is not geared towards the mass public, it’s not watered down, it’s sincere, and uncalculated, uncliched, unformulaic, totally pure!! Radio lives by calculated cliche. Per’s best work transcends this, and is better suited towards a cult audience who really GETS it, NOT the mass public or radio, he’s too smart for them.
COOL Jackeill you agree with me, you seem to crave real powerpop!! You actually GET what I am saying, Sascha clearly does not. And yes, Storm, who cares about charts?? Most of the stuff that charts is all crap anyway!! Yes, Jackeill, TWATG is REAL powerpop done incredibly well, one of my Top 10 DIDs by a LOOOOONG shot!! Per IS better without Marie, she waters down his sound!! Yes, if that was a Rox album, it wouldn’t have been NEARLY as great as it is!! The production is KILLER, a perfect mix of loud, raw guitars and tuneful, catchy songs, undiluted in power. Yes, Marie sings harmony on 1 song, but if she was there more, it woulda been ruined. Correct Jack, seems there are VERY few people here who GET real powerpop and what really goes on in Per’s head!! Me, you Jack, LoneGunman, Santi and Wen, anyone else?? Yes, from now on, ALL future Rox records must be in this style, TWATG, the rocking tracks on RS, JA, SDLHA, ON...loud, rocking guitars, UNPOLISHED production str8 outta the garage, NO ballads (1 or 2 would be OK), Per singing lead on all the songs, with Marie on harmony or semi-duet vocals only.
GESSLE IS KING, halle-fucking-lujah!! TWATG2 would be heavenly, but ON came mighty close!! Most of these chart acts all suck!! Britney suxx, and so do all these cookie-cutter Avril wannabes!! Gesssle is unique, oneofakind, songwriter on top, powerpop master!!
infofarmer said on April 19, 2003 09:35:
Hey! It’s so strange that the bulk of you are unipolar Rox-fans. I mean, there’s Roxette, Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, and the three things are quite different not to say separate.
As for me I like Per, but I cannot deny that Marie is just amazing, when I listen to her solo albums. Maybe Per’s music is really better off without her, but Marie surely makes a nice touch to all Roxette music.
Do we have to discuss who’s better? At least not at TDR, cuz we’re here for Roxette, and not against PG or MF.
By the way, did you notice that some fragments of “I Want You To Know” video were shown at the Room Service Tour concerts?
Jackeill said on April 19, 2003 12:06:
telling the truth i was always a fan of per not whole roxette. i don’t like marie’s songs. maybe flaf or hotblooded, nothing else. eh if i were per i would record twatg 2, just to make my fans happy!!! don’t care about money, care about people you could make fucking happy with that album!!!!!!!
siggi27 said on April 19, 2003 19:14:
TWATG 2 would be great but a Lonely Boys album would be great to. IT REALY ROCKS!!! I think that Roxette lost a lot of quality with too much technic. I miss the sound of the Red Fender Stratocaster. :-D
ovelha3 said on April 19, 2003 19:35:
Ooooh, I like this thread...
First of all, I am a big Roxette fan, for sure. But it’s a fact that their latest works weren’t at all what I expected (when I first listened to HAND, I definately thought I had bought the wrong record...). But TWATG is like, MY album of all times! It’s just perfect! Have you ever noticed it only has 4 ballads in 13 tracks? It’s absolute heaven. And in my humble opinion, it is like that cos it’s Gessle’s. Roxette would never sound like that again (yea, again, cos Hotblooded and I Remember You sounded like that somehow)....
And Marie fans all over the world, don’t be mad at me, but her solo stuff makes me wanna “Go To Sleep”, know what I mean? ;P
bbrox said on April 20, 2003 09:41:
When there´s only one thing I noticed by reading this discusion, I just realized that most of you are not really Roxette Fans! I love all the Rox songs, especially the songs by Marie! Without Marie Per would never have that success they have all over the years!!!
Th_Th said on April 23, 2003 08:17:
Strange... very strange...
Roxette is Per AND MARIE!! I do agree that Roxette is more Per than Marie, as Per writes about 95 Percent of the songs etc... I think, Marie is the most beneficial Roxette Success Factor though, I think, she adds the needed success into Roxette. Only when she joined the Band they started to be successfull, we saw what happened when she wasn’t in the Band with Pers TWATG, the Album didn’t get any recognision at all outside sweden.
I do agree though, that Marie is much better when she does her solo stuff, I think her solo stuf is much more grown up music, it is inteligent music and you never get tired of hearing it. I just love everything about her, I think she is the successfactor in the band and I think Per knows that and feels so too. I am a fan of pers too, don’t give me wrong, I love his stuff, but if I would have to choose between the both of them, my choice wouod most definately be MARIE! But lets not forget, Roxette is Marie and Per, or Per and Marie and lets not let Marie be unrecognized, after all, she wrote some of the best Roxette songs, such as Beautiful things, Watercolours, Waiting for the Rain or Every Day...
goetz said on April 23, 2003 13:55:
Remember: The Songs for POP were written for per‘s third Solo album. What do you notice?
Yep! Per didn‘t think that his Songwriting had to change for international succes. But he knew he needed Marie for it because sex sells and look at the Roxette videos. It‘s not Per in a muscleshirt, it‘s marie in tight clothes. The success depends on Marie but the quality depends on Per who lately tended to be too marieorientated in his Songwriting.
Without Marie, he could concentrate more on powerpop again, knowing he wouldn‘t be succesful anyway, so why trying. Marie isn‘t sexy anymore and Roxette is being kept alive artificially. I am for euthanasie to rescue the aspects that are worth being continued: Per Gessle‘s Powerpop.
I‘ve always been a Gessle-Fan and would apreciate a successless but honest Solorecord more than a 1,5-2 mio selling “Probably-we-can-make-it-again-as-we-try-this”-produced Roxette record.
Don‘t kill me!
Sascha said on April 23, 2003 14:59:
Kill you! ;-)
Marie not sexy anymore? LOL, I’m sure you didn’t join any Roxette gig only 1,5 years ago and never saw the MATAH video... She’s got the look!
Kiwein1 said on April 23, 2003 15:26:
Per won’t ever sell more records with a solo album than with any Roxette record I think.
harriej said on April 23, 2003 18:05:
TWATG is a great album.
But it is different from Roxette.
That is also why I don’t like it that Stupid has been put on the EP of TPH; it is NOT a Roxette-song, it is a Gessle Song. The version on TWATG is much better, because that is the way it was supposed to be.
Roxette = Per & Marie, not just one of them!
Without Per Roxette doesn’t exist anymore, but without Marie Roxette doesn’t exist either!
Kiwein1 said on April 23, 2003 18:41:
Without Per Roxette doesn’t exist anymore, but without Marie Roxette doesn’t exist either!
Couldn’t have said it any better.
Roxette-atic said on April 23, 2003 18:50:
i think its good that its not a Roxette album. Its to rocky and dirty for Roxette. Off course I love it (esp. Kix) ,but its better off as a Gessle-album.
Pascal said on April 15, 2003 16:06:
Yeah, it should have been a Roxette album.