Per spills the beans about plumbing
Written by tevensso on September 9, 2005 to Exclusive.
SAINT TROPEZ (UPDATED) - 
“Son Of A Plumber… are you nuts?” I say to Per over the phone. “Ha ha,” he says, “yes it feels like it.” Per is in Saint Tropez to finalize the mixing of his new album, and another tradition he has is to finish off in Saint Tropez. “But it’s been raining until ten minutes ago,” he reports.
The album title will indeed be “Son Of A Plumber” and will initially be released in Sweden only. If the record is well received, it may be delivered “worldwide” in January, with a European/Swedish club tour to follow.
Per & Company have recorded no less than 26 songs, and when this reporter asks for a double album Per seems intrigued, especially if there’s a vinyl edition. “Vinyl? Great idea! A double vinyl album? Son Of A Plumber’s white album! Ha ha!”
The album sounds very diversified; country, pop, ballads, instrumentals et cetera. “We’ve recorded three, four 50-second instrumentals that we want to include,” Per divulges. “Sort of like soundtracks to movies. We have pan flutes as well!”
There will be a single off the album out in the middle or end of October, but the single has yet to be decided. Per decides to share some info about some tracks:
- Substitute (For the Real Deal)
- I Have a Party in My Head (I Hope it Never Ends)
- Keep the Radio On (This is the Perfect Song) - “A newly recorded version taken from The Lonely Boys’ album.” Although it started out as an unreleased Gyllene Tider-song.
- Making Love Or Expecting Rain - “It is
a line from a Bob Dylan song, no need to speculate guys!” - Hey Mr DJ (Won’t You Play Another Love Song) - “A country duet with Helena.”
- A nine-minute medley including a falsetto blues and “Are You An Old Hippie, Sir?”
- I Never Quite Got Over the Fact that the Beatles Broke Up - “This one makes you happy, possibly an album closer, we have a few.”
- Drowning in Wonderful Thoughts About Her - “Probably the first track of the album”.
“My thoughts regarding this project was to sort of start a one man band, like Badly Drawn Boy. And also, we recorded no demos for this project. I played the songs for Christoffer and Clarence, and they were like the evil jury in [American] Idol. They then said if they liked the songs or not. If they didn’t - we didn’t record it.” Per tells TDR. He also mentions that they had somewhat strange recording techniques making this album. They would tell Helena to sing something and if she asked how or what, they would say “improvise.” This has given some strange, but great results, with lots of “la la la la la” but also other interesting effects.
Regarding the sleeve, Anton Corbijn took the pictures this time around, just like he did with Per’s previous solo album, “Mazarin.” Most of the pictures are taken in Christoffer’s garden and some in London, while the sleeve pic itself is taken in London.
The only thing Per didn’t tell us was how the guitars really were tuned after all…
Update Sept. 30: The album has been delayed one week due to technical issues. The new date is November 23.
Other articles with the same topic
- Merry Christmas from Roxette (December 21, 2008)
- Liberty for all (December 4, 2008)
- Marie Fredriksson: "It's great being on stage again" (December 2, 2008)
- Silly Really snippet now online! (October 23, 2008)
- Per talks about "Party Crasher" (October 9, 2008)
93 comments
purplemedusa said on September 9, 2005 13:23:
Thomas... I can kiss u right now!!! Thanx for asking the vinyl question!!!!!!!!
sofiab said on September 9, 2005 13:30:
Ahh... Sjysta nyheter!
Och jag som sitter fast i Indien i ett halvar framat, Per far vanta med att gora spelningar till jag kommer hem! :) Vill inte missa...
Varldens basta namn pa skivan ocksa.
Bunio said on September 9, 2005 13:42:
So the album will be called Son Of A plumber?? Or this is a new name of Per?:)
Bjurman said on September 9, 2005 13:47:
Ah great! But please, no europe-club tour, stay in sweden and do a tour instead!
He just can’t keep his fingers still can he?
Always something going on :)
Love you Per!
Roxryder-V2002 said on September 9, 2005 13:51:
This is going to be THE ALBUM!
BUT and a BIG but:
I’m starting to get really frightened of the idea of NO place for Marie in this album.
C’mon Mr. G a Gessle album is not a Gessle album unless HER voice shines in at least one of the songs!!!
Congrats anyway
Starrox said on September 9, 2005 13:52:
First HAND, now SOAP - hidden message, anyone? ;-)
Bunio said on September 9, 2005 13:55:
But the previous news is saying sth different- that Son Of A Plumber will be “his new name”!
Judith (moderator) said on September 9, 2005 13:56:
why should Marie be there if it’s HIS thing??
and why not a club tour ALSO outside Sweden? you too egoist to share him? ;)
As always, good one, Thomas! *thumbs up*
gyllene_tjej said on September 9, 2005 14:01:
the ttles sound really promising...hope we won’t have to wait all too long for the snippets.I’m getting hungry for his music again. :)
The SOAP thing is indeed intriguing, I’m sure he speaks the language of the devil ;);););)
Tobben said on September 9, 2005 14:03:
Judith: Yes, we are veery egoistic ;)
I don’t want a club tour... Maybe if the clubs doesn’t have age limits ;)
tevensso (moderator) said on September 9, 2005 14:04:
“Son of a Plumber” is the whole thing. The project. The name of the album is that and also the one man group. Marie is as far as I understood it not on the album at all.
Bjurman said on September 9, 2005 14:08:
Judith: Yes, Per is ours :) Besides, it feels more close and persional if it’s just in Sweden..
By the way, I like that he says: This is extreemly different from anything I´ve ever done
He said the same thing about Mazarin, and we all know how that came out :)
TheFriendlyMan said on September 9, 2005 14:09:
This is GREAT news! Not only for me but also for all Per-fans around the world! And please let it be a double-album...
gessleism said on September 9, 2005 14:10:
C´mon Per.. release it worldwide !! I can´t wait until January 2006.
Bunio said on September 9, 2005 14:12:
Now it is up to Swedes ! 500.000 copies sold there and Per will make european-club-tour :) Let us pray! :)
purplemedusa said on September 9, 2005 14:18:
Nope. This is unacceptable; Marie’s GOT to be in the new album. Unless Per wants to be called a son of something else!
ktoto said on September 9, 2005 14:24:
...and another article. Well done TDR!!!
The tour thing is really good news. I hope it is before I leave Sweden, otherwise I cannot imagine the nightmare that would be getting tickets for small venues by phoning ticnet... imagine if it was difficult for GT25 how would it be for this...
Let’s see how well does it sell, but I guess Per must come up with a really really good catchy tune to attract Swedish audience’s attention. Swedes may be quite tired of too much Gessle. Of course, we don’t (as long as it is new stuff :))
Edit: some misprints...
L00kSharp said on September 9, 2005 14:32:
Per is not obligated to have Marie on all his albums, but I would be surprised if he did not ask her.
I think the fact of the matter is that a lot of you people are still deluding yourself on Marie’s condition. It has been three years since her tumor was diagnosed, undisputed rumors in the press that the cancer had spread, continuing treatment, recovery at home... her husband doing most of the legwork for her album, which was heartfelt but certainly not up to her usual vocal quality... limited public appearance...
Don’t let your heart hide what your head is telling you. Marie is making the most of her time with her family, let’s not pester her to record for Per, do a club tour, etc. She is not up to it.
Roxryder-V2002 said on September 9, 2005 14:34:
@ Judith:
Because it’s like a rule: Per solo albums includes Marie in some way.
Bunio said on September 9, 2005 14:39:
The Titles seem to be quite long :) i like them :)
roxgirl_germany said on September 9, 2005 14:54:
Wonderful news! Thanks!!
*party*
Since anything else but “well received” isn’t possible, I’d kindly like to ask for the tour dates... I want to get started planning... :)
ktoto said on September 9, 2005 14:58:
yes! I agree, any hint about tour dates would be mostly welcomed :)
Judith (moderator) said on September 9, 2005 15:23:
:O you don’t have enough for today? :P
As always.. we will publish as soon as we know! :)
jorgeojeda2004 said on September 9, 2005 15:32:
WONDERFULL!! anew album in english!!so, you PER, now you will come to ARGENTINA, at least for promotion, won‘t you!? here we are waiting for you and marie ALWAYS!!! THANK YOU PER FOR THIS NEW ALBUM!!!!!contact me to: jor_o_78@hotmail.com bye, friends!!!
felicity-brown said on September 9, 2005 13:23:
Oi, Gessle ...nooo!! Can’t you sit still for just a minute?! ;)
Love ya really *mwuah*
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