Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad published the following article today, including a new picture of Per in it's print edition.

By Stefan Raatgever

AMSTERDAM - With Roxette collegue Marie Fredriksson having recovered from a brain tumor, singer Per Gessle prepares for a reunion of the Swedish pop duo However, he is presently occupied with his nostalgic solo project "Son of a Plumber."

  The metamorphosis of his appearance is noticeable, especially for people who haven't seen Per Gessle in a long while. His 'coupe-de-exploded hairdryer', with which Gessle and his colleague Marie Fredriksson gave their hits "Joyride," "It Must Have Been Love" and "Listen To Your Heart" some extra volume in the nineties, has disappeared. Gessle has a hip haircut now, wears Prada shoes and looks a lot younger than his age of 47.

  Roxette has been on hold since Fredriksson's (48) brain tumor, but this will soon change according to Gessle. The two will record a few songs this summer for a new sampler that will be released near the end of 2006.
It has been four years since Roxette worked together.
Fredriksson's disease made Roxette's future insecure.

  "There have been times when no one believed Marie was going to survive. She has been in a bad condition," says Gessle. "Now she's free of cancer and off her medications, but she has become a different person."

  Fredriksson avoids publicity, spends a lot of time with her husband and two children and records now and then in her home studio. "That's why it surprised me when Marie asked me on my birthday if there would be a need for new songs during Roxette's 20th anniversary year."

  Gessle considers the future existence of Roxette to solely depend on Fredriksson. "No, it's not hard. I've accepted it. The decisions are up to her. I'm up for anything – a tour, a new album – but I don't expect anything. Every small step forward is good news to me."

  In the meanwhile he concentrates on other projects, such as the solo double-album Son of a Plumber, on which Gessle (the son of a plumber) wrote numbers in the style of the era in which he got to know music: the early seventies. The songs which are full of atmosphere still rely heavily on melody, but differ greatly from Roxette's well-produced pop.

  All of this placed Gessle in a new situation, receiving positive reviews for the first time. "All my life I've been 'accused' of making commercial music. Though many people bought my records which received a lot of airplay, the press never was enthusiastic. Now a serious magazine like Rolling Stone gives nothing but praise. I can only laugh about that, since this is probably going to be my worst-selling record ever."

  The album Son of a Plumber is released [in the Netherlands] today.

Harriej contributed to this article. Translation by Colin van der Bel.

• Algemeen Dagblad article (in Dutch)
• Scan of photo appearing in print edition