STOCKHOLM - Tobias Lindner, a reporter from the Swedish tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet, was at yesterday's press conference in Spain and heard TDR's reporter, Peter Mills, ask about the US release of "The Ballad Hits" in February. Picking up on that, he filed this report in today's edition:



Now they try the USA – again


Hits compilation should give Roxette revenge

  Now the land in the west will be conquered. Again.

  Roxette´s compilation The Ballad Hits" will be released in the USA.


  "It's the simplest way to come back there," says Per Gessle.

  About 10 years ago USA capitulated totally. Per and Marie conquered the big country with hit after hit.


  Just as an example, "It Must Have Been Love" has been played over 3 million times on American radio while the album Joyride from 1991, has sold about 9 million copies in the US.

• Aftonbladet's article

  But in 1994 the honeymoon was over. Roxette's American record company released a shortered version of the album "Crash! Boom! Bang!" that was only available in McDonalds..


Oh well!



"Big songs in USA"

  Now it's time for a comeback. Revenge.

  The compilation "The Ballad Hits," in Swedish shops on Monday, should be released in the US in February.


  "It's the only compilation where most of the songs have been really big hits in the US. There's a link here, at least more than if we released a brand new album," says Per Gessle.

  Aftonbladet reached him in Madrid, where he gave interviews to promote the album.


  His friend and collegue Marie Fredriksson continues to rest at home after the operation earlier this Autumn, when the doctors removed the tumor she had.


  "Of course it feels weird to be here alone, Roxette is so very much us," says Per Gessle.



Waiting for Marie

  Now he hopes that Marie recovers soon - Roxette waits.

  And the USA.


  "There are eight, nine songs in the album that have been great hits there. This is the simplest way to come back in the US," he says.

  Parallel to his work with Roxette, he tries to write songs - even in Swedish.



Gyllene Tider - Meeting


  But nothing is going to happen with GT. Even if the band members did meet in Stockholm last weekend.


  "We had a meeting about a concert that we could have done. But we decided not to," he says


  Roxette is still his first choice


  Now we have to wait and see if the US thinks the same.