Per: “Marie and I are the biggest fans of Roxette”
Written by roxeteer on August 4, 2003 to Per Gessle.
HELSINKI - Per was interviewed this evening on Finnish TV in a weekly series called Popsmart where popular musicians are interviewed for a half an hour. During Per’s interview they also showed clips from Gyllene Tider movie “Parkliv” and from many Roxette videos, as well as the full “A Thing About You” video.
Per was interviewed in an EMI Sweden conference room that had the walls covered with Roxette gold and platinum records. Per feels himself uneasy in that room. “I don’t have any gold records or MTV Awards at my home,” says Per. “I don’t want to be stuck with the past. I want to look forward.”
According to Per, it’s hard to make good songs, but it helps to love your work. “Marie and I are the biggest fans of Roxette,” he says quoting ABBA’s Benny Andersson, who once said he’s the biggest fan of his own music. “Marie and I love Roxette and the music we make.” But it doesn’t come easy: Per says he writes maybe one good song a month and 50 bad ones.
“It’s hard for me to listen to Top 40 music, the same music I write myself,” says Per. “I start to think about it too technically; ’this singing is too anemic’, ’this echo is strange’. At home I often listen to jazz. John Coltrane, Norah Jones… and I love Alison Krauss’ country music.”
“I would love to make film music. There’s an almost instrumental song on the new album that would make good film score,” says Per. “People have asked me to write a musical, but I won’t. I hate musicals!”
Other articles with the same topic
- Happy birthday, Per (January 12, 2011)
- Per tells TDR that he and Marie are "thrilled" with what's to come in 2011 (January 3, 2011)
- Radio Halland’s annual interview with Per Gessle today (December 28, 2010)
- Macca at the Apollo (December 14, 2010)
- Per Gessle one of Sweden's most played songwriters (October 8, 2010)
23 comments
rox-kuryliw said on August 4, 2003 21:44:
soo does taht mean on a couple of years we are going to get a roxette album full of wonderful hits. sounds good :)
Mfan28179-Jason said on August 4, 2003 23:51:
Makes me wonder how many of these “bad” songs are really good. I have yet to hear a Per song that is absolutely bad.
Ferdan said on August 4, 2003 23:52:
Well, obviously you can’t cheat yourself Per...
Make Roxette a non-topforty music band, and that’s it...
it’s gonna be as good or better than ever, cos it’s gonna be relaxed and not forced, and it will be honest music, from part of both, you and Marie...
and you got the proof with Mazarin, it sounds like an “honest” album... and you see the results.
And the top forty is just teen bands or hiphop...
if you want Roxette to sound like that...... oh well... ;)
Mari said on August 5, 2003 04:46:
Yeah gyllene tjej. Rest of the songs never seen light. Per told that if song is bad, he doesen’t even make a demo. He told that if he makes a demo, it will be published as a b-side or something like that.
bobi said on August 6, 2003 03:19:
I bet Per’s worst song is still better than anything most people could come up with :)
As for Roxette, I hope that Per and Marie sneak off and record an album with as much heart and soul as “Mazarin” seems to have, I love Per’s first single. The lyrics ( and I have only read translations) just strike a chord in me. Roxette fans dont care about #1 singles and gold records, we just love the music that Per and Marie create. If they choose to do more solo albums before another Roxette one, I hope that the duo will grace us with solo albums in English, so all their fans can enjoy.
CRIZ said on August 6, 2003 15:40:
Maybe Per should NOT tell EMI when he and Marie start to work for a new Roxette-Album...and than..just do what you want...like he did with Mazarin...you know what happened: DOUBLE-PLATIN!!!
Why does record companies always tell the artists what they have to do and what not....
..but please don’t give the next album any food-name....I’m getting fat....;) But if so..than take KÖTTBULLAR..eller...hmmm...mjukglass med chocklad?? Tylö-Burger...hihihi..
(Thank God I found an IKEA in Germany who sells Mazarin!!!!! Hallelujaaaaaaah)
(Kram till gyllene_tjej!!!!)
coyboyusa said on August 6, 2003 16:06:
the way their contract with emi is in regards to rocxxette it would be very hard for them to just sneak away and record an album under the roxette moniker
bobi said on August 8, 2003 02:27:
why is there such hatred among Roxette “fans” towards HAND and RS.....I loved them! The blend of acoustic, orchestra and electronic elements mixed with Per and Marie’s beautiful words......I dont get why a lot of people here seem to slam these albums constantly....its getting repetitive and rather old.
What do people want? Do they all secretly wish that Roxette GOT stuck in the 80’s? Do they want Roxette to continue to record the same album time and time again? That’s what all this crap pop in North America does....all the Backstreet boys, N*Syncs and Britneys of the world continue to sing the same songs with the same beats and sounds album after album. We should all be GLAD that Roxette (and Per and Marie) , with all their sucess continue to even make music and to experiment with music...Per could just as easily take off to the countryside in one of his fab cars with a suitcase or two full of cash and never look back.....
I just hope that Per and Marie creativity for Roxette hasn’t been squashed by all this HAND and RS bashing......I must suck to have your last two big projects get picked apart constantly.....
And just for the record Per and Marie: I loved HAND and RS and even Tourism :) Every album has been great :)
thank you for the music.
Marc-Bergwerk said on August 10, 2003 00:41:
You see? Marie, Per and I have something very much in common: The three os us are THE biggest Roxette fans. Cheers!
Nati80 said on August 10, 2003 19:42:
50 bad songs from Roxette? I’m sorry but, what is a bad song from Roxette? I haven’t heard one in my life. I love all Roxette songs.
Roxette doesn’t need awards. They have one big award: their fans. I have listened to their music for 12 years and I’m almost 23 so I spent half my life listening to their music. Many of us have been listening to them for many years. Isn’t that the biggest award?
I’m sorry, Per but, I’M THE BIGGEST FAN OF ROXETTE!!!! :)
Nati80 said on August 10, 2003 19:51:
Bobi, you are right! All these modern singers are succesful now, but as they always sing the same songs, people will soon forget them. Why don’t we forget Roxette? Beacuse they change. They always surprise us with a wonderful new song so they are not always the same.
If they change their music, people criticize them because they change. If the don’t, people criticize them as well. So what do they want?
akinak said on August 24, 2003 00:10:
bobi, you right.
I agree with everything you said.
Also, how can I put microphone to the Per’s studio to listen all “bad” songs - people - can you ever imagine - 50 NEW songs per WEEK - no year or five- just week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gyllene_tjej said on August 4, 2003 21:09:
1 good song among 50 bad ones?? ;) ehm, ehm, I couldn’t find 50 bad ones even if I wanted to... or do you mean these songs never see the light?
Anyway, give us en kaka till :o)