Time for revenge
Per Gessle about the new Roxette record, the fight with EMI and the future about Gyllene Tiderlate on little Christmas Eve Per Gessle sits with Clarence Öfverman in the now legendary Tits 'n' Ass studio outside Halmstad. He's on the hunt for the hit single that will bring Roxette into the next century. He's in the environment where he has written some of his best and most successful songs. A former scout's house which has been made into Scandinavia's most successful pop factory.Roxette's comeback with "Have a nice day" has gone over expactations in some parts of the world. However it hasn't worked in England and the USA. Therefor is a revenge-seeking Gessle now ready to take Roxette towards a new time. At the same time as it right now looks like Gyllene Tider will get a new chance. And he has already had time to VDN-mark the new Roxette material. More pop on the new record- A positive popbomb. That's the thing I'm best at. It's been a too much ballads during Roxette's career and the latest album, "Have a nice day", had almost only ballad singles. This time it will be more uptempo songs, more pop and more guitars. Dangerous if it gets too much like Celine Dion, he says with some irony at himself.- I recently thought about bands that have come in our footsteps , like Savage Garden, they are totally stuck with ballads. Think it's time to break that trend now. Knows the businessPer Gessle has always managed to unite his artistic qualities with an impressing sense of business. He knows that today it's not enough with a good song, you got to have the right people behind you. When he looks back at "Have a nice day" he can also feel that something has happened to the music industry in the 90's.- I think I underestimated our absence when we took a break. There has happened a lot within the music industry while we were gone. I have never had so much fighting with my record company as during the last year. EMI is a record company in crisis, and they have even failed with big, reliable names like Tina Turner! The only positive thing Per has to say about EMI, the record company he's belonged to for 20 years, is its Swedish division. He doesn't want to leave the Swedish office but has during the past year negotiated with several big companies, Universal among others, to get a deal for the USA. - But we haven't been agreed. There's been too little money in the American deal. Most playedIt means that "Have a nice day" will probably never be realeased in the US. Ironic since Roxette is one of the most played groups on American radio in modern time. "It must have been love" is one of the most popular singles on American radio ever.- Now I'm waiting for a change of generations in the records business. Something has to happen, I understand that older, established artists today choose to distribute their records on the Net. The fight with EMI has anyhow not affected Per Gessle's creativity. He's already got eight new songs which he's very pleased with. While we talk Clarence is sitting in the other room and is mixing some of the raw material. The plan is that they shall continue with the work after the holidays in the Polar and Atlantis studio in Stockholm. They are not going to records abroad since Marie wants her daughter to still go to the preschool she's begun at. Make use of youngerLike on "Have a nice day" they pick younger abilities who help to find new ways, new sounds. Christoffer Lundquist from Brainpool and a new man of good ability named Jimmy, who's part of April Tears, are two gentlemen who will help Roxette into the future.- If you want to keep up with things in my age you need younger help from the outside. But he's also thinking of testing old, safe hit deliverers in the USA. - I'm planning to go over to Miami and write some with Desmond Child. After 14 years it's still going well for Roxette. Are there plans for once again dust Gyllene Tider? - It's not impossible at all. We will surely do something in the future. Why not try to get some life into the boring parks next summer... If everything goes well the plan may hold. The Roxette record is going to be ready to be delivered to the record company in July. After that Per is "free" until autumn when the PR-machine starts in connection with that the first single will be released. Chooses the Midsummer gangAny big millenium plans?- No, that whole thing is so hyped, just a commercial stunt, I will celebrate New Year's Eve with the same gang that meet every every midsummer. Will there be a tour with Roxette in the future? - If everything goes well with the new records we're planning a tour with start in January 2001. But if now the USA would wake up and we get a good record company where they maybe wants us to be available for radio and tv during that period, in that case we'll delay the tour a bit more. But in the old scout house there is no bustle. Here pop music is made which will echo in most parts of the world even next millenium. No matter what the mulitgiants in the USA thinks.
Olle Berggren |