HALMSTAD (UPDATED) - The Daily Roxette has received a short statement from Per Gessle regarding Expressen’s article today: “It is not, and has never been, an option to replace Marie in what’s been called a ’new Roxette’. She is – of course – irreplaceable!!! I still hope, and believe, that there are great things in Roxette’s future.”

  Per continues to tell TDR that Helena’s involvement in his new solo album has been on the same level as with “Mazarin”.



Here’s the official press statement:

  On account of Expressen’s strange article today, I will hereby give you some information regarding my current musical project.

  I’ve been hyperactive in Christoffer Lundquist’s studio in Skåne off and on since December 2004 and recorded a whole bunch of songs both in Swedish and in English. Some make you dance, some make you smile, some are instrumentals while others have some lyrics in French. It’s very exciting and we have a very good time – eating and drinking well.


  The musicians I’ve been using are essentially the same as on ’Mazarin’; i.e., Clarence Öfwerman, Christoffer Lundqvist, Jens Jansson and Helena Josefsson. The album is recorded in stereo and is thought to be finished sometime this fall.


Not ever has it been my intention to try to create a ’new Roxette’, and Helena Josefsson is thus NOT IN THE CARDS as my “duo partner”. I still hope, and believe that Roxette will continue sometime in the future and I’m also of that opinion that Marie Fredriksson is IRREPLACEABLE!


  As soon as I get closer to a finish of the above mentioned project, I promise to reveal both song titles, sleeve ideas and how we tuned our guitars. Until then, all the best from



Per Gessle in Jolly Halmstad

August 2, 2005

Swedish tabloid Expressen writes today about how 27 year old Helena Josefsson will replace Marie Fredriksson in a new international music project planned by Per Gessle. Nothing of the above has been confirmed, however Helena says to Expressen “Yes, we’ve been in the studio recording some material, but I don’t want to talk about it at the moment.” Also Per’s manager, Marie Dimberg, claims that things are moving but that no direction is set yet.

  According to Expressen’s “deeply involved” source the supposed album will be released this winter or next spring, and a tour is almost certain to follow.

  Helena Josefsson sings normally in the band Sandy Mouche, but is known to the greater mass as the backup singer on Per’s successful album “Mazarin” and tour.

Helene2000 contributed to this article.

• Expressen’s article (In Swedish)
• Sandy Mouche

HALMSTAD - Hotel Tylösand (Tylöhus to the locals) made a nice profit of 20 million kronor (€2.2 million) last year. Owners Per Gessle and Björn Nordstrand bought the hotel ten years ago for a “very low price,” as it was close to going into bankruptcy.

  The odd business partners have plowed down about 200 million kronor (€22 million) into the hotel, and the latest plan is a glass-covered spa with an ocean view for 25 million kronor (€2.3 million).

• Aftonbladet (In Swedish)
• Tylöhus

GOTHENBURG - Per Gessle received the Lisbergsapplåd award yesterday in front of the first visitors to Gothenburg’s amusement park, which had just opened its doors for this year’s season.


  “It is a honor to receive this award. I actually didn’t know it existed,” Per said to Göteborgs Posten, “but when I saw the names of those who received the award previously, I felt very flattered.” Per also explained that Gothenburg has played an important role in his career with Gyllene Tider, Roxette and as a solo artist.

  Per is busy these days with various projects but he hesitates when it comes to revealing more. “I have a frame, an external skin that I try to fill with content. The feeling is similar to the one I had when I worked with Mazarin, something I do for my own, without compromises and much involvement. A feeling of freedom. We will see what it will result with,” he tells GP.


  Per had a bit more to say to the Official Roxette Fanclub. He explained that he’s writing in both Swedish and English and working with Clarence Öfwermann, Christoffer Lundquist (both producers of Mazarin), Jens Jansson and Helena Josefsson (who played on the Mazarin album and tour) in Christoffer’s studio, The Aerosol Grey Machine. What will this turn out to be? He doesn’t know yet.


  Per also explained that there’s nothing planned with Roxette right now and that Marie has recently bought a house in Spain, where she plans to spend a lot of her time.


  Last, but not least, there are plans to release the Gyllene Tider documentary on DVD this summer. The documentary was aired on TV4 in January and was supposed to have been released at the end of January. Per said that there will be additional material on the DVD – goodies for all Gyllene Tider fans: all the TV performances they have of GT in the ’80s, a concert from the ’80s, as well as the “Teaser Japanese” video.

• Article in Göteborgs Posten
• Article in ORFC
• Article in Göteborgs Posten II

GOTHENBURG (UPDATED) - This year’s “Lisebergsapplåden” [Liseberg’s Applause] award will go to Per Gessle “because he has made Sweden a happier place in the past 25 years with his sparkling pop-pearls” says Liseberg’s marketing manager Pelle Johannisson in a note published on the amusement park’s website today.


  Per is expected to receive his award in person – a bronze sculpture of two clapping hands first created by Astri Bergman Taube in 1978 – at the Stora Scenen on April 23, the day Liseberg opens its doors for this year’s season.

  “I’ll probably show up a few days early,” says Per to GT, “as my big idol Nick Lowe performs in Gothenburg and I want to see that”. Per also confirms that he’s working on new material. “I’ve been goofing around in the studio with Clarence Öfwerman and Christoffer Lundquist. Slowly but surely we’re putting new material together,” Per says without giving any more details.

  Other winners of this award include Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, Astrid Lindgren and Povel Ramel to name but a few.

• Liseberg Press release
• GT (In Swedish)

STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - As reported previously, Per will be featured on a TV series in which Swedish artists tell about the influences the 60s have had on their music. Tomorrow (Sunday) is the day when it’s Per’s turn to tell about his 60s favorites, such as The Byrds. That band’s former lead singer, Roger McGuinn, is also interviewed.

  The show will be broadcast at 8pm CET on SVT2 and SVT Europa. It will also be available (perhaps the next day) in streaming format on the SVT’s website.

• SVT program info (in Swedish)

GOTHENBURG - According to Expressen, Per paid 9,563,784 SEK (1,049,800 Euros) of taxes in 2003. With this figure he was the second biggest tax payer in Halmstad. Expressen’s Western Sweden edition listed 2003 tax figures in today’s paper.

• Expressen article (in Swedish)

STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - Last night Per Gessle and his band Mazarinerna played at fashion house Vero Moda’s secret company gig in Nacka Strand, Stockholm. The band consisted of MP Persson, Anders Herrlin, Clarence Öfwerman, Christoffer Lundqvist, Helena Josefsson and Jens Jansson according to TDR’s sources. The setlist was “Mazarin” and Gyllene Tider material mixed.

  About 1,200 people attended the “swell gig.” The band’s sound was super, according to Per. “Fun to play, my throat is hoarse today!” Per tells TDR.

  Also performing at this gig was Swedish group The Ark.
Read more…

STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - According to TT Spektra, Per Gessle will be one of the interviewees in Swedish national television’s new series “Sixties.” He will be one of the artists telling about the 60s influences in his music, especially The Byrds and The Troggs. Among the other guests will be the former ABBA member Benny Andersson who talks about their biggest rivals, a band called Tages.

  The series starts on February 13 at 20:00 CET on SVT1 and will be broadcast on Sundays. It’s not yet known in which of the eight episodes Per will appear. The series will be broadcast simultaneously on SVT Europa.

• Svenska Dagbladet article (in Swedish)

As one of the journalistic highlights of the century, Per Gessle tells Aftonbladet that “horses are not his thing.”

  “I have ridden a horse once. It was when I turned 30 and I had wished horseback riding as a present,” Per tells Aftonbladet’s horse sport reporter. “It didn’t go too well. I rode around the school’s indoor arena and the horse became so bored that it went back to stables and didn’t want to come out anymore.”

• Aftonbladet article (in Swedish)