Roxette - Charm School interview (EPK)

After 25 years as a world-famous act with 70 million albums sold, one of Sweden's biggest pop groups steps back into the spotlight, a decade after their last studio album "Room Service".

They do it with "Charm School", a new album with twelve songs in a style that's best described as "updated classic Roxette", from the initial power pop fireworks of "Way Out" to the bittersweet closer "Sitting On Top Of The World".

First Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle were reunited on stage to perform "It Must Have Been Love" and "The Look" during Per's "Party Crasher" tour in Amsterdam. And before the fans knew it, Roxette made a full-scale comeback as headliners during the "Night of the Proms" tour in front of more than 600,000 people in Holland, Belgium and Germany.

"By then we started to think ahead and plan for the possibility of making a new album -- an album that captured everything that's good about Roxette while still looking ahead," says Per Gessle. Said and done. During the tour, the band's hotel rooms were transformed into recording studios where a string of new Roxette songs took shape.

Back home in Sweden, the work continued during the spring and autumn of 2010. Just as when the band recorded during their heyday, there were lots of songs to choose from. The sensitive ballad "In My Own Way" for example, is a rediscovered gem from 1984, when the dream of international recognition was still just a dream.

The newest song is the extremely infectious groove-master "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)," written this autumn. In-between there's everything that has made Roxette one of the world's most radio-played pop groups; the clinging melodies, the passionate delivery, the humorous pop sense and the unique mix of Marie Fredriksson's and Per Gessle's voices. All wrapped up in a musical package that is unmistakably 2011.

"For me the starting point has always been to write songs for Marie's voice," Gessle says. "She's got this ability to make you believe every word she sings, and that's why she brings the stories to life. As a songwriter that's an incredible gift to be a part of."

The album was recorded in the south of Sweden and Stockholm with Clarence Öfwerman and Christoffer Lundqvist as producers (together with Per and Marie). "Charm School" is a magnificent return to form after ten years of trials and challenges. Or as Marie Fredriksson sings in one of the album's quintessential tracks: "No One Makes It On Her Own."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roxette
• Charm
• School
• Marie
• Fredriksson
• Per
• Gessle
• 2011
• album
• live
• interview
• EPK

[adiscloud]

1 million likes for them !!!!!

[cockcarioca]

I love Roxette!!! Keep on rocking guys, because we need your top-quality songs :)

[SCOTHROBERTSON]

i miss roxette,can't believe they are coming back..tks

[finallyonenick1]

they were in Buenos Aires (Argentina) two weeks ago and they were amazing... I want them back in Buenos Aires soon! We have a legendary band with many years ahead... and we are fans always waiting for their music!

[VIKINGOCATIRE]

AWESOMEEE god blessss you allllll, I LOVE ROXETTEEEEEEEEEEE

[JuvenileScamp]

The most complete & personal documentary about their comeback. The 2nd part was moving when they were talking about what happened to Marie but on the whole they made it complete. Very WELL DONE!!! I love it!! I can't wait to see you guys on stage in Hungary in June. :)

[AddictGessle]

The accent on the voiceover is American and they are doing well in South Africa, Canada and Australia. UK will have its dates, you'll see, there's plenty of time, the tour is really long.

[MrBlackDog00]

Ironic that it's an English accent on the voiceover. Considering that...

• all the UK has so far is a limited digital release of the first single...

• ...that Amazon said it had run out of (let that roll around your head for a bit)...

• ...two months' delay on the single and album...

• ... and NO TOUR DATES.

The way EMI UK neglects Per & Marie, you'd think they only sung in Swedish.

[tomnovolette]

glad they are back!

[meanttofly]

Great overview about their carreer and the story behind the comeback. No One Makes It On Her Own is by far the best song on the album. Meant to be a classic from the first two seconds. One of Marie´s most emotional performances ever. Thanks for coming back guys, we´ve been waiting!