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Roxette World Tour 2011 schedule

“It’s amazing that Marie has recovered,” says Per

Written by Cicci_ on October 14, 2006 to .

STOCKHOLM - 45 milllion albums later.

  Now Roxette starts over again. With a new style, new songs and a new Marie Fredriksson.

  “The lively Marie is gone. Of course she’s a different person today,” Per Gessle says.



By Anders Nunstedt, Expressen



  It’s 20 years ago this year that Roxette made its single debut in Sweden. The rest is pop history, now with a happy ending.

  It could have ended considerably worse. When Marie Fredriksson in the fall of 2002 was struck by a brain tumor, it was a shock not only for the Roxette singer but also for everyone close to her.



“It was scary”

  “It was scary. There are different grades of cancer and of course one lived in suspense. I don’t even think the chance was 50/50 for her to make it,” Per Gessle says.

  “It’s amazing that Marie has recovered. Now Roxette is back, even if on a different premise.

  Per Gessle, who has been amazingly productive during the 2000s, explains that the initiative to Roxette’s comeback came from Marie. “When the compilation became viable it was she who suggested that we should record a new song.”

  It became more than that. On the “Greatest Hits” record released on Wednesday there is, in addition to the single “One Wish,” the ballad “Reveal.”

  “Actually we haven’t discussed if we are going to do something more. I don’t know what I want to do. On the one hand it’s fun, of course, but I have no idea if there’s a point in continuing. It doesn’t feel so tempting to go on promotion trips and sing playback in Vienna, Hamburg and Madrid,” Gessle says.

  The question is also if Marie Fredriksson wants to, and can manage, a full commitment to Roxette.



“One reconsiders everything”

  “It’s naturally a different Marie today. When something like this happens one reconsiders everything. It doesn’t help how many gold records you have hanging on the wall when you get ill,” says Gessle.

  Per explains that “the singing voice is back at full strength, but there are other circumstances. She has a problem reading fast and trouble remembering things. Everything goes a little slower. Maybe it can be worked on, but it takes time.”

  Roxette’s participation in the “Världens barn” (Children of the World) gala tomorrow is a comeback against all odds.

  But there’s no doubt they’re back. “One Wish” immediately swooshed up to second place of the Swedish single chart and has also started to climb internationally.

  Today Per goes to New York to prepare Roxette’s upcoming U.S. release.

  “Who would’ve thought that,” Gessle says with a laugh. “Now we’re actually back, and have really no idea where it’s gonna end.”



English translation by Cecilia Isvén

28 comments

Marlene said on :

Great interview. Thanks for translating. :-)

sille-rox said on :

Hope we can it see!!!

Roxryder-V2002 said on :

Is that a pic from the gala? They look so Roxette!!

Hope we get to see theirs participation soon.

Roxrider_USA said on :

Nice interview.

Glad Marie is fine under the circunstances.

And of course, really exicted about the US release.

Take care!
Carlos E., New York

copperpot said on :

“Actually we haven’t discussed if we are going to do something more. I don’t know what I want to do. On one hand it’s fun, of course, but I have no idea if there’s a point in continuing. It doesn’t feel so tempting to go on promotion trips and sing playback in Wien, Hamburg and Madrid,”

That makes me want to cry!! =(
I hope that we can get more Roxette!! It was awesome that for my birthday and for my marriage I can have two new Roxette songs... but it’s very sad to know that maybe the 20 years celebration is the end =((((

Marieangel said on :

I love you Marie!!!

vecchigia said on :

we need more music!!!!
a new cd without tour is the same.
reveal is wonderful... one wish too.
yesterday was a fantastic journey, with two new rox’s songs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we love you but we don’t want other greatest hits!!!!!
kiss.

rox-kuryliw said on :

I think this is a great article. I think alot of fans forget or dont know/understand what having a brain tumour is/does and that it can leave people with varies of problems after most of the time for the rest of there lives, i think marie has done this for the fans and well should all be greatful to her.

Roxetteboy said on :

It was nice to see roxette again on TV even if it was playback......One wish will be a new hit for roxette all over the world.....

whateveriam said on :

Oh, thats a sweet article...

billykix said on :

i hope to see more news here... i think roxette will be great on stage as well! thanx for this message

iseggie said on :

Hmmm, I don’t believe it’s an end. We all felt that when the news came in Fall 2002 about Marie. And look where we’re at now. Per and Marie are still young and I think there’s more to come. Not like it was before, but as this article says, a new Roxette. We just celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada last weekend, and Rox 20 is something to be thankfull for. Have a great weekend.

Ian

RobS said on :

Nice article. Seems that they don’t wanna do the whole promo for weeks on end thing anymore. But seems if Marie is up to working with Roxette then Per is more than happy to continue.

Still it’s great to see them back together after all that’s happend over the past years.

Rox-Van said on :

It was very exciting to see again “Roxette in Tv” ... (really I cried of happiness), Marie is the most wonderful person of the world!!! :D

karendeville said on :

Good to see a ’live’ picture of them for this article ...
ANDDDDDDDDDDDD for all those in Australia ... The RoxBox will be available (according to Sanity) with the full five discs ... on November 4!
BRING IT ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! Can’t wait!!!

KM

Krischan said on :

Considering the facts revealed in the article and Marie’s performance at Världens Barn, one should be extremely grateful for her standing on the stage again at all. As we learned chances for her to barely survive were poor. Problems with reading, writing, calculating, remembering, obviously speaking and moving, too, it is far out of the question whether there’ll ever be a tour. Definetely not. I’m stunned by her strength and stamina, her will to return.

Perhaps they should’ve made an approach to the fans at one time in clearly stating in honest words on Marie’s condition. I think they could’ve slipped much trouble and anger by directly destroying too high expectations among the fans.

secrets_that_sh... said on :

Sad as it sounds Roxette will never be the band we used to know.

They are no longer young, and of course, we also have to consider Marie’s condition.

I feel truly grateful for the many years of great music and for the effort put on the two new songs.

Perhaps we, fans, have been hasling them a bit too much.

There is a time for everything, and it is probably time for Roxette to say farewell and rest.

There is a brighter future ahead and i’m sure Roxette will be the inspiration for many new bands.

We all have to move on, that’s what life is all about.

LittleSpooky said on :

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday about what had happened to Marie. I told her of how things came down (what the information given to us was), and the nature of the illness and recovery process. My friend was stunned: “You mean she survived?!?!” It seems that a close friend of her and her husband lost his mother to a similar condition, that resulted in a stroke, coma, and death 72 hours later.

The Gods kept track of Marie. There’s more for her to do in her life.

Fernanda-Brasil said on :

I’m sooooooo happy with this news.
What about Per? He’s so affectionate with Marie.....they are perfect.
Wonderful video..I’m really felling sooo happy now :D
LOve you Per and Marie!!!
Fernanda

Wojtek said on :

How nice to read it! It’s truly amazing. I wish her, Per and all their families members and friends all the best in life and lots of strength to carry on!!!

AURYTE said on :

Somehow I feel both sad and happy after reading this article. I’m just grateful for every little thing they do.

AARYN said on :

wait... did that say U.S. Release?

am I trippin?

tr1dy said on :

x’cuse me, what in the world is the guitar for in Per’s hands? In the end of the song there is a guitar sound though :P. Doooong.

the_first_boy_o... said on :

I cried, as simple as that!!!!

tevensso (moderator) said on :

There’s guitar in the song!

Kiwein1 said on :

And the guitar really rocks!!

unreal said on :

thankyou for translating.!!!

it a great news to see them together on stage again!!!!

marie take your time, gorgeuos!!! , we will wait all the necesary time ... and if you just don’t feel like coming back it ok, although my deep wish it‘s other I ’ll understand , and will keep thanking you for all the happiness you bring me day by day with your music!!! ...

i could see the video...i am going to break into tears...i think...marie is absolutely marvelous...

please guys the woman was at the edge of dead and now we have her back ...

she is beautifull and her performance is excelent!!!!

i start to breath again!!!

no more words to describe how i feel..

thanks marie!!!

and of course i was delighted by per performance...a lot of energy there!!!

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