Even before “The Ballad Hits” compilation’s official release date, there were early reports that the album’s controversial copy protection was a failure. While it’s true that you can’t play it with normal Windows CD player software, you can definitely make high quality MP3s from the songs on the album.

  On a PC, all you need is a copy of EasyCD Creator, a software program that is distributed with many CD burners. On a Mac it’s even easier: you can use iTunes which comes bundled with the operating system to either play the CD or encode MP3 files from it.

  The record label isn’t completely surprised. “We are aware the copy protection is still not 100 percent developed,” said Li Eriksson of EMI Capitol Records to The Daily Roxette. “We are also aware of other problems… for example some car stereos can’t play it, et cetera. However we are in constant contact with the developers of the copy protection system and there will be a new version available at the beginning of next year.”

  New Media Manager Anders Livag of EMI Capitol told TDR that “Cactus 200”, which was used on “Ballad Hits”, has been a success, even though the technology is only six months old. “Out of 200,000 units we’ve only got 50 complaints so far, mainly about car stereos.”

  “Cactus 300 will be finished next year and we have high hopes for that. The new version will hopefully include DRM, Digital Rights Management, which means that you can make one digital copy for yourself,” Livag says. “Cactus 300 will be incorporated to Roxette’s “Pop Hits” compilation, and it should be a lot better than 200, both problem wise and protecting wise.”

  EMI Capitol first wanted to use Sony’s copy protection scheme, but they were reluctant to license it and the record company chose Cactus Data Shield by Midbar Tech instead. Midbar Tech was recently aquired by Macrovision, a company which developed the industry standard protecting system to retail VHS cassettes and DVDs.

  TDR has also received reports that some high-end CD players have been unable to play the record without audio errors.

  Thomas Evensson and Lars-Erik Olson contributed to this article.

STOCKHOLM - Jonas Åkerlund’s first full-length movie, “SPUN,” will have its premiere in Sweden after the new year. There had been plans to begin screening the film on November 22nd.

  Åkerlund is in Los Angeles at the moment shooting a new video for Christina Aguilera.

  SPUN has already been premiered at the Las Vegas and Toronto film festivals, but distribution is still uncertain.

• Aftonbladet’s story

SWEDEN - Per is going to be a guest in Nyhetsmorgon (morning news) on Swedish TV 4 this Saturday. The program is going to be broadcast between 9.00-11.10.

• TV4’s website

STOCKHOLM - The Swedish tabloid Expressen publishes an article today where it states that Marie continues to feel better and better.

  Yesterday she even took a short walk together with her husband, Micke Boloys, in the nice fall weather near their home in Djursholm just outside Stockholm. During the walk, Micke held his arm protectively around Marie, who was wearing a warm coat and a knitted cap.

  And she has begun recording again! Marie Dimberg told the Swedish newspaper Expressen that Marie has been working on one of the new up-tempo songs for a week now.

  In their report, they referred to Marie as “the entire Swedish population’s songbird.” What everyone longed for, the paper reported, was for Marie to sing again.

  There is no date set for the new album yet.

  Always according to Expressen, Marie Dimberg refuses to talk about the tumor or about further treatment. “It’s too private, but Marie is on sick-leave until after Christmas,” she said.

• Expressen (In Swedish)
• Kristianstadsbladet (In Swedish)

LONDON - Stephan Malmstedt’s claim against Per Gessle and EMI Records UK was dismissed by the High Court today. The judge also dismissed Malmstedt’s immediate appeal.

  “I am of course very pleased with this judgement,” Per says. “It did not however, come as a surprise. Malmstedt has tried to pursue this matter for almost 10 years and has failed in Sweden. Now he has also failed in the UK. I trust this will be the end of this episode.”
 

BRUSSELS - Per visited the Belgian radio station Radio Donna this morning where he was interviewed on their morning program “Vrouwentongen.”


  Leen Demaré, the program host, welcomed Per with the already typical question, “How is Marie doing?”. Of course, Per repeated that Marie is doing fine and recovering from the surgery.

  As readers of The Daily Roxette are aware, the Night of the Proms tour was to take Roxette to Belgium, but it was cancelled due to Marie’s illness. Per hopes to join next years edition, “but we haven’t decided yet because of Marie; she doesn’t want to make any promises yet but we are looking forward to doing it.”


  Today “The Ballad Hits” compilation is released all over Europe. The decision to release an album with all their ballad singles was made last year during the “Room Service” tour. “We have already released about 40 singles, we are really getting old. We have had a lot of hits so this is like an statement to do this, to be able to release a ballad hits followed by a power-pop hits,” says Per.

• Belgian Roxette Fanclub (Download the video stream here)
• Radio Donna

Read more…

BRUSSELS - Continuing on with his promotion tour for the upcoming compilation album, Per Gessle will be in Belgium today, November 4th.


  While there won’t be a press conference, he will meet various reporters and visit the Belgian radio station Radio Donna’s program “Vrouwentongen.”


  The program – which is also shown on TV – runs between 10am and 12 noon CET and can be followed through the station’s webcast videostream.

• Radio Donna

STOCKHOLM - According to an article in today’s Dagens Nyheter, Hotel Tylösand is the best hotel in Sweden.

  The newspaper tested 42 hotels and Per Gessle’s Hotel Tylösand received 22 points out of a possible total of 25 – the best result ever!

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson is on her way back. Sometime before Christmas, she will sing for Roxette’s new single.


  “She feels better and better every day,” says Per Gessle.


  “She has to do some additional singing for one of the songs for the next album. And we will try to do that before Christmas. Marie has a studio in her home, so that makes things easier,” says Per.


  Last week Marie and her husband Micke invited the Gessle family for dinner.


  “It was great and just as always. What’s nice about Marie is that she is so positive and optimistic. This is a really hard thing that she has had to go through,” he says.


  According to him, the danger is over now.


  “Yes, as far as we know. It seems like they removed the entire tumor. What I feel is that there’s nobody that can stop the wheel from rolling now,” says Per.


  But for him this period has been hard.


  “This shock comes back all the time. One is reminded that something like this can actually happen. It’s been a very remarkable time,” he says. “But I’m glad that everything is going this good.”

• Aftonbladet’s article

Capitol Records has started to promote the new “Ballad Hits” album online. At least Aftonbladet.se is running a rich-media advertisement “Roxette Jukebox” which allows you to listen clips from 6 tracks on the album and from the 4 bonus EP tracks. You can also watch the a Swedish “Ballad Hits” TV spot by clicking a link in the advertisement (or by clicking the link below).

  As a side note, EMI Finland is also planning to show “Ballad Hits” TV spots before Christmas.

• Watch the TV spot (QuickTime required)
• Get QuickTime here