“Turning 40 doesn’t mean me a shit”, says Per, 40. “The important thing is that your life has contents.” Per thinks that when one is tired and fed up everything’s lost. “I was about to become like that. I was fed up with the future and tired of the music business. I felt like Pete Sampras, burned-out and discouraged.” Fortunately, an angel saved him. The angel is called Gabriel and he’s the 17-month-old son of Per and Åsa. “Suddenly I noticed that I needed something to my life. After Gabriel was born I felt like a totally different person. I’ve got my purpose: a family.”

Per doesn’t think the new album would be a of test of Roxette’s popularity. “This is the best [album] we’ve done. […] Marie sings better than ever. I feel myself super cool, I don’t think anyone’s going to ask ’why did you still make an album?’ It’s just the opposite, I think we’re going towards a very intensive period.”

Per isn’t afraid of the criticism even though the new single hasn’t get very good reviews. “We have written 40 songs, recorded 19 and 14 are on the album. Five of them are strong single candidates. It’s entirely a matter of chance which will be the first single. You can’t know if it’ll be a hit, you can’t see it in advance.”

“[My singing voice] is an absolute disaster. But I have to admit that I sing quite well on the new album…”, says Per. He would like to have the voice of John Lennon or Otis Redding or Steve Marriot (Small Faces).
Per is asked on Aftonbladet how he’s going to spend his birthday. “Åsa has arranged something, I have no idea what it is going to be.”

Five questions to Per:

• Drugs
  
  “I’ve never been a teetotalist. But I’m also a little shy to try anything new. I’m the kind of person who likes to have the control. It can be useful in this business.”
  
• Abba
  
  “A definitive role model. They were naturally superb, I can see it now. But I didn’t like them when they were pop. I specially hated ’Waterloo’.”
  
• Picasso
  
  “The greatest artist of the 20th century. […] He gave the impulse for my interest in art.”
  
• Diapers
  
  “Changing diapers is overrated entertainment. But a Nobel prize to the one who invented the T-shaped diapers!”
  
• Plastic surgery
  
  “Hmm, I think it’s time for a liposuction soon.”
  

The “Picture of the Day” in Aftonbladet is a funny picture of Per and a champaigne bottle. (Maybe he does need a liposuction, what do you think? :-)

• Aftonbladet’s Swedish article
• Dagens bild