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Per Gessle doesn’t consider himself to be “romantic”

Written by PeterGm on November 19, 2002 to .

MADRID - The Spanish national weekly university newspaper, “Gaceta Universitaria”, published an interview this week with Per Gessle. The interview took place earlier this month when Per was visiting Spain to promote “The Ballad Hits”. They managed to avoid the usual questions and therefore it’s a very interesting interview:


 Roxette have just released “The Ballad Hits”. However, Per Gessle doesn’t consider himself a romantic person. “If you asked my wife, she would say ’No’.”


 When asked if he has changed his way of living, going now to the gym, he answers, with a laugh, “I try to go twice a week. No main target, I just do what I like. Not to show off muscle on the beach: just do it to relax myself. I never go to the hotel gyms.”


 Per thinks that Hotel Ritz in Paris has the best room service (as “Room Service” was Roxette’s previous album) he has ever seen, “I was there two years ago visiting a friend for his birthday.” But he also agrees that there are very good hotels in Asia, like Japan or Bangkok. Even if he likes this good service, he says he doesn’t ask for strange things, “but during promotion you do need swift and fast service.”

  Neither Per nor Marie Fredriksson have any superstitions before performing at a concert, like entering with the left foot or something, but Per reveals they have their own rituals, in the sense of getting all the band together before performing, and “Marie and I always go on stage last.”


  Per explains his life has totally changed since his son, Gabriel, was born, and one of the things he doesn’t have much time for is reading. “I’ve been trying to finish Nick Hornby’s ’About A Boy’ for two months,” he adds. He also stopped riding bikes, “I’ve got five cars: three Mercedes, two Ferraris and also three bikes. One of then is an Indian from 1946. It is in my office.” Although his wife and himself liked bikes a lot, they decided to quit riding when their child was born.


  But there will always be time for music and for buying new albums, “I like Eminem very much. I buy lots of Swedish artists and I’m willing to buy the George Harrison post-mortem album. Also, I bought the The Hives.”


  And of course, for an afternoon in the cinema with the family “I always go to the cinema with my son. Next stop: ’Harry Potter 2’. I like the popcorn business,” he adds jokingly.

49 comments

DaminehGessle said on :

It’s funny that he doesn’t consider himself to be romantic. As I was growing up, I used to look into his eyes and tell my mom that I will marry him cause he has the most romantic eyes hahaha. Well now when I watch my old videos and get excited over him, she asks me whether I’d still wanna marry him and I say oh well I dunno maybe :). Not that he’s waiting for me there but you know thinking of it is good. It’s good he’s humble.

bobi said on :

I think its cool that Per likes Eminem......as for being romantic....how many guys really are? :)

LittleSpooky said on :

*comes running into the room with socks on and slides across the hardwood floor* MY TURN! MY TURN! MY TURN! *grins* Sorry, I just had to comment on this:

Neither of them consider him to be romantic... WHAT ARE YOU KIDDING!!!!!!?????? Holy smokes!!!!! First of all, both of them are nuts in my crazy little onion. Not romantic. That’s like saying the sun is not yellow. Or the sky is not blue. Of course, this is just my onion in all of this. But I think he is. The music he writes is soulful... there’s a bit of romance behind a lot of the songs.

It varies in degrees. In the “traditional” sense, maybe he’s not. However, listen to the music. THAT speaks for itself. I’d say he’s a very romantic man. Of course, my idea of romance is a bit altered by who I am. I’m not into the traditional scene: Flowers, wine, dinner, dancing. I dig them on their own terms. I’m more into a night of paintball, good company, food, and whatever follows.

This is my onion... take it for how much it costs.

*slides back out of the room*

royalball said on :

Yeah. I’m a romantic myself surprisingly. I remember this chick from college told me she liked chocolates on Valentines. So I went to the store and got her Extra large ’Snickers’ bar.

Katuska said on :

I am surprised, shocked, that Per likes Eminem. OK, Eminem is a characteristic man, and does his style quite well, but... I’d never thought this!
Btw, I knew, he is not that romantic type, he mentioned that when he was asked, if he had a pet. His answer was: “I’ve got a wife”.
And my answer is: “Even if it hurts, it’s alright” :-) I love him!

vivien said on :

I like Eminen too.

Roberta said on :

Dear Katuska,
I don’t find so strange that Per likes Eminem (even if I cannot stand Eminem...):
you can like many different music genres, but when it comes to play, you may
prefer one genre (e.g. you can listen to heavy metal, but you could like singing
opera only...).
Regarding Per’s lack of romanticism. I think is rather normal: maybe he
puts what’s left of his romantic urge into his songs, but real life sometimes
is something else!

-Gee- said on :

Eminem is a kiddierapper ;)

Try German Hiphop like Feinkost Paranoia or Fischmob.

The Grand Cru of rap...uhm...as long as you understand their lyrics *g*

.oO( ...next thing bunny comes up with is Gabba or Schranz [hardcore techno]... *glp* )

Katuska:

hmmm me as Roxette Fan listens a.o. to...:
Funk, Triphop, German Hiphop, Metal, Thrashmetal, Speedmetal, Techno, House, Operas ....weird? Dun think so...

only stuff i dont like is produced pop [“popstars”, shitney etc.]

BigRoxfan said on :

Dear Cheeky Per!! I must say this...yeugh...Eminem...phoey!!!....but each one to his own!!!hhehehehehehehehe!

Your romance filters through in your music, babe, and yeah it is not a great characterisitic in men.....one in a million!!!!hehehehehhe.....!

i love you Per for who and what you are, outrageous, crazy, cheeky, creative, humble and sincere....absolutely PERfect!!!!!!! Gogogogogogo PER!!!!

pietROxette said on :

If Eminem was treated the way he treats people, he would most likely die the very next day.

-Gee- said on :

yup, pietRO!

i’d personally d’ like to stick something glowing hot up eminems [guess where]

...BTW... don’t u think that Eminem sounds like Enema??? *evil grin*

CRIZ said on :

Eminem?? You are joking Per (I hope!)

Harry Potter is a good choice.. Just watched it last Saturday with lots of popcorn..but if I remember right Per...you hate snakes?? Than you must close your eyes at the end a lot ;) ...and be careful not spitting snakes afterwards (insiderjoke..) But in the end I don’t think that this movie is right for 5 years old little Gessle-boys...but who am I to say ;)

pearl said on :

Not romantic?? Come on, I can’t believe that...:)

KixGuy said on :

Why on Earth people with Latin roots always translate the word “swedish” to “swiss”? This Spanish paper said that The Hives are Swiss!!
Also, Xuxa, a TV anchor from Brazil did that mistake twice (that I’ve seen). First time she said that Ace Of Base were Swiss. Then she did the same with Bosson. I don’t know how she did it right with Roxette!

Santi said on :

KixGuy: In Spanish:

Suecia -> Sweden
Suiza -> Switzerland.

It’s pronounced nearly the same :o

Lars-Erik_Olson (moderator) said on :

EDITOR’S NOTE: Realizing that The Hives are Swedish (they’re getting an enormous amount of press lately), we chose not to include that “mistake” in our published article.

Fernandinha said on :

Kixguy. I thing that’s because the name of the countries in portuguese Suécia(Sweden) and Suiça(Swiss). The way we spell it is almonst the same. I was watching the day Xuxa told Ace of Base was from Swiss. It was funny. But i’m sure if was Roxette she will not make a mistake =)

LittleSpooky said on :

Kachina!!!! Where you been!!!?? Yeah... sorry my onion makes your eyes water ;o) Better than my socks!!! They is clean!

DaminehGessle said on :

By the way you said Per loves his mom. Is she still alive? I always knew about his father but never his mother!

gyllene_tjej said on :

It was one of the most funny and interesting interview I have read in years :) Mmmm. he is so shy and humble! I don’t care bout Eminem but I am gonna see HP ;))) Hopefully the followup is gonna be as good as the first part!

vivien said on :

@Katuska

Åsa said about Per :I have a man , a pet and a child in one person. ( “Jag har man , husdjur och barn i ett. - brukar Åsa skämta.” )
She said it in´92 .
So she started this “pet thing”, not Per.

maRUSia said on :

!!!!!!!!!!Two Ferraris!!!!!!!!!!
I thought that he has only one GT345. Whats the second?

Katuska said on :

I am so sorry that I am just a pooooooor Hungarian girl, without possibility to live abroad and couldn’t read any newspaper from other coutries from the world in 1992.

pietROxette said on :

’...when he was asked, if he had a pet. His answer was: “I’ve got a wife”. ’
AND
’I have a man , a pet and a child in one person’
mean basically the same, depending on the translation.

mixella1 said on :

I love you Per, and i am so pleased that you have such a wonderfull family. Please come in the estern countries too. We also love you. Nice inteview. I consider you a role model for other artists, and you always keep your sence of humor. We are waiting. Romania is there with you and for you

Santi said on :

And I missed GU this week :(

vivien said on :

@MaRUSia

The second is a siver titan Barchetta Pininfarina.
And he wants to buy a 3rd Ferrari for 700 000 euros, which called Enzo .

overdog said on :

Harry Potter 2 kicks huge ass !!!!

Eliza said on :

Dear Per,
Find some time and read the book you started (“About A Boy”). I read it and it was really good.

questiongirl said on :

I woul like to see Per’s muscles on the beach, too ;)
Have a nice day!

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