Let there be no misunderstanding; we’re still overjoyed... and expecting GREAT things!
Written by administrator on August 29, 2006 to Editorial.
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Lest the chorus of voices raised to voice disappointment with the tracks being offered in the long-awaited RoxBox serve to cloud the bigger picture, let’s not overlook some core issues.
We suspect we’re not the only ones for whom Roxette has had an impact beyond the expected. In a myriad of different ways, Per and Marie… their music, their concerts, their personalities, and yes, even such details as their album covers, have affected our lives (many fans can’t help but think of Roxette whenever they see raspberries or a five-pointed star).
Friendships have been made directly because of Roxette. Some have been of a romantic nature, and led to marriage. We’ve always been impressed by groups of fans that get together periodically to share their enthusiasm for this band, but even the solo “joyriders” (Roxers if you prefer) who share their passion here in our SmallTalk section, feel a sense of community, at least on occasion.
One of those occasions came almost exactly four years ago. News quickly spread that our beloved Marie Fredriksson was in the hospital, and fans around the world came together to express their concern and offer “get well” wishes and prayers. TDR helped to collect and assemble these sentiments into not just one, but several books full of statement from fans… many of which spoke of how much Roxette’s music had meant to them up to this point in their lives, and gave specific examples.
We’d like to think, without getting too philosophical or theological, that all of our wishes and prayers were answered. Is it a miracle that Marie recovered?!? We’re not prepared to answer that, but we ARE certain that it’s a continuing cause for joy and celebration for the readers of this newspaper.
From our particular vantage point, we see sunny skies ahead. Marie is healthy again, and has returned to both the recording studio and – just this past week – the stage. Per continues to throw his heart and soul into creating new music, and the word is that both Per and Marie enjoyed their reunion as Roxette.
It’s now entirely within the realm of possibility that the phenonemon that is Roxette can continue after the candles on the 20th Anniversary cake have been blown out, and the cake has been cut and eaten. Another full-length album? A tour of some sort? We’ve been reluctant to report this before, for fear of somehow “jinxing” things, but both seem to be possibilities again.
We’ve all known Per long enough now to know that he’s the kind of guy that can take some good-natured constructive criticism. We hope that when he reads Neil’s commentary below, and all the other comments regarding the RoxBox, that he’ll keep in mind that “at the end of the day” (as he’s prone to say), that we’re all – like him – just a bunch of pop nerds. We haven’t lost our gratitude for the abundance of great music we’ve enjoyed in the past… and we look forward to what’s yet to come. – LEO
Other articles with the same topic
- Year in review 2007: Gessle on tour, Marie and husband in studio - but where was Roxette? (January 5, 2008)
- "Att vara Per Gessle" - a review (December 7, 2007)
- Mikael Bolyos gets reviewed (July 6, 2007)
- Happy birthday, Per! (January 12, 2007)
- Year in review 2006: Roxette turns 20, releases stir dispute (December 31, 2006)
100 comments
Rox-Van said on August 30, 2006 04:21:
*We hope that when he reads Neil’s commentary below, and all the other comments regarding the RoxBox, that he’ll keep in mind that “at the end of the day” (as he’s prone to say), that we’re all – like him – just a bunch of pop nerds. We haven’t lost our gratitude for the abundance of great music we’ve enjoyed in the past... and we look forward to what’s yet to come.*
“Exact, Per only takes the constructive critiques the rest... are meaningless words.
I’m happy for you and marie, rox are together again and I hope you think in Roxette to the future!!! “
All the best! from M.Vanesa N.
Ps Lonegunmen: don’t talk on behalf of the others fans, this is your opinion, the rox box is not an insult for me!, and I’m fan 15 years ago :)
Rox-Van said on August 30, 2006 04:40:
Ok ;P you have 99 % and I 1 % , I’m the only one neither in this forum nor in my country Argentina. The tracklist is the most awful, but the box bought it with or without your approval :) is my election and of other friend-fans.
Let me Live’
Krischan said on August 30, 2006 04:44:
For as far as I am concernend, “Roxette” is a closed chapter. Sorry, but I lost optimism and hope altogether. Personally I’m disappointed and will not build my dreams on vague hopes or clues anymore. Let there come what will come. I somehow have lost the passion and interest.
Room_service said on August 30, 2006 04:52:
If the tracklist is the most awful I wonder why you still have plans to buy it. You must be a masochist or extremely wealthy.
And let me live... please, avoid the drama at least for today. This is not the 4 o’clock soap-opera!
Sparvogamarie said on August 30, 2006 05:00:
Well said Lars-Erik, again, I’m just happy whenever Marie is able to do SOMETHING...a few years ago there was a big chance we’d never see her again.
DEFAULT_GREEN said on August 30, 2006 06:04:
Marie’s illness has NOTHING to do with fact that the tracklisting to the Rox box SUCK BIG TIME!!!!
DON’T TRY TO COVER IT UP!!!!
I already OWN (PAID FOR) AND I SAY IT AGAIN OWN. All of those songs except for the Unreased onces (which some of them I have by the way)
This is a disgrace............Now I have to Pay for all of these songs again to get like 3 songs I have never heard before in DEMO quality!!!!
Where is COY Remixes WHERE is all the other demos and remixes that will make it worth our money’s worth
I am saying this now: “If this tracklist does not change for the better I am DOWNLOADING it from a P2P server!” I refuse to pay for the same thing over and over and over and over
The only song I can see that the bothered to put on that was requisted by the FANS was MYTH...what about COY? Big L. Demo and the list goes on..................................................
Really disapointing
ally77 said on August 30, 2006 06:29:
Good article guys, and well done for printing Neils!
I’ll still buy the box, regardless of the content... but I do still think there is time to change the CD sleeve of the single and the GH!
japeke said on August 30, 2006 06:35:
hmm.... I’m not as positive as LEO.... but ok... nothing really wrong with the articel, so thanx anyway !
chrisjankunas said on August 30, 2006 06:45:
I can respect this opinion. It’s true - Marie is healthy again which is the most important thing on the grand scale of things. But this RoxBox is so disappointing !!! And I can’t even understand why. Per gave us all about 20 demos for FREE away on his site - why is he so tight with this release then????? What is this strange logic?? It makes my head hurt.
alchemiste said on August 30, 2006 06:56:
Well, I really do enjoy the fact that Marie is healthy again and is even recording and performing on stage ...
Nevertheless the new releases are crap ...
clerk said on August 30, 2006 07:04:
I still too pissed and dissapointed for such talk!
But I’m happy for you that you feel this way!
Sascha said on August 30, 2006 07:21:
Good article, again! Hope Roxette and EMI get a balanced picture about our reactions and can differentiate between our ongoing love for Roxette and the disappointment about RoxBox and cover.
Kiwein1 said on August 30, 2006 07:24:
What I don’t understand is why we need a “everything is fine”-article after a “we don’t like what you’re doing”-one. It is not necessary. Neil’s article is just a well-written critic addressed to those who should feel addressed. THere is no need to put sth. into perspective. TDR is an independent page and doesn’t need to do this. But: the article is of course as well a good one.
But NO - I am not expecting GREAT things. Where should they come from? If they’re releasing this stuff as it seems to be at the moment Roxette definitely is dead. It’s the farewell present for us and it’s a bad one. Thanks for nothing! I am still a fan but this Rox Box thing is just ridiculous and outrageous.
If this is what Roxette means - releasing one GH after the other and releasing a Rox Box for the loyal fans with the same stuff again - then I say: no, thanks. Please stop it, before you’re making yourself completely untrustworthy. In this case I prefer Marie’s and Per’s solo work!
And YES I am happy that Marie is back and decided to record songs again - but now we’re sitting here and complaining about it.
wilmpie_dimpie said on August 30, 2006 07:24:
>>DEFAULT_GREEN 8/30/2006 08:04 wrote :
Marie’s illness has NOTHING to do with fact that the tracklisting to the Rox box SUCK BIG TIME!!!!
pwbbounce said on August 30, 2006 07:36:
Everyone is blaming Per here about the tracklisting. What about Marie?? Or EMI?? Per is only one third of the “track list choosers” (as I’ll call them)
Maybe Per wanted more unreleased tracks on there, but EMI being EMI wanted more well known (or not unreleased) tracks in the hope of selling more.
I’m not saying that this is what happened, I’m just saying it may not be Per’s fault.
I know everyone is annoying/dissapointed/angry but there are other people to point the blame to.
Kiwein1 said on August 30, 2006 07:42:
pwbbounce: I answered this before. I think it’s because Per’s the one who is reading here. Therefore he gets blamed. Of course he is not the only one responsible for this “misunderstanding”. But at the moment he’s the only one who can change something or at least react somehow.
sonnie said on August 30, 2006 07:49:
was this article really necessary? people are angry and I don’t think that an article will change that. only talking for myself, but I don’t see many overjoyed people around...
pwbbounce said on August 30, 2006 08:06:
To blame Per just because he reads here is stupid. Maybe it’s too late to change things now. Who knows? I was just saying that there’s others that you could blame too.
I don’t think this is the end of Roxette (contrary to my shocked comment yesterday afternoon), there will be more things in the future, albeit on a smaller scale.
But yes, I agree the set is a waste of time really, but if you don’t want it, don’t get it. It’s as simple as that. I’ll probably be buying it because I want to and that’s my choice. Like numerous others have said here, its just good that there are two brand new songs coming up.
And I still think EMI had a lot of say into what went on the box, more than people think. That’s my guess anyway
Kiwein1 said on August 30, 2006 08:09:
Yes of course it’s also EMI’s fault. I can only speak for myself but I never blamed only Per for this. And I really don’t have a problem with the new GH - it’s ok to release that for an anniversary.
But the Rox Box is a BIG joke - just because it’s going to be expensive (maybe more than 50 or 60 Euro) and I pay so much money for only a few songs that I never heard and a (hopefully) colorful booklet. That’s a big rip-off in my opinion. If you want to buy it, do it - that’ exactly what they were hoping for: that there still are some fans who buy it and don’t care about content or price. No offense to you though.
ncurran said on August 30, 2006 08:21:
Paul, Although i can’t say this for sure, I very much doubt that Marie had much to do with the actual tracklist. I think this is very much Per’s baby. I’m sure that she has looked over the tracklist and per has asked her to use some of her own demos like ’All I’ve ever wanted’, etc, but Per has always really been the ’businessman’ in Roxette. I may be wrong of course.
I really do hope that there are bigger and better things to come. My article was not meant to cause offence to Per and Marie at all, but i do think that an article like it was needed for the front page because of the hundreds of comments that were made after the tracklist was announced. I doubt it will make much difference, as I am sure it is pretty much too late to change any of the tracklistings, but at least I hope that Per can read the article and the many responses and take some of the criticism on board.
Although if it was announced tomorrow that Rox are recording a new album next yr and going on tour then all would be forgiven...ha ha
rox-kuryliw said on August 30, 2006 08:33:
marie doesnt normally choose track listings etc and stuff like that , looking at the past. Fans all know what marie has gone through and how hard to work it is for her at mo etc so we expect per to be doing alot of the work aswell. neil your artical was spot on, per and marie dont know everything and need to listern to fans more sometimes. Shame cos i loved TPH and TBH and design for them so oringinal. thought this was gonna be perfect aswell.
I think thats why we are all disapponited cos we still expect great things and we havent got it at all :-( regarding the artical.
gyllene_tjej said on August 30, 2006 08:36:
yeah...easy to say. I don’t think this article will ease the pain :((((
purplemedusa said on August 30, 2006 08:43:
By the sounds of things, I don’t think Per had much say at the end of it; sure if he had his way he’d clear his drawers for us!!
I’m not giving up - there IS still time to change it for the better!!
DEFAULT_GREEN said on August 30, 2006 08:53:
If the Roxette Team can select the songs for a New Album and EMI has nothing to do with it why does most people say that EMI chose alot of these songs? doesn’t the rule of a “new” cd count here?
pwbbounce said on August 30, 2006 08:58:
I don’t think Neils article was meant numb the pain, he was just explaining what people have been saying, in a very well written article.
I didn’t think Marie had much say in the tracklisiting, either. My comment was badly written (as normal), just that she must’ve had a little say in the final one. Per has, and always will be, the business man out of the group. But EMI has had a lot of say in this i think.
GT_85 said on August 30, 2006 09:03:
This was the most silly peace of news EVER on TDR. Sorry to use such an expression, but, will you allways kiss Per’s ass?
And Marie’s illness?! What has that to do with the tracklist?!
I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars/euros/whatever on Per’s music, including concert tickets, travels, books, CD’s, DVD’s etc. And this is the way of saying “thank you”to the fans? Thank you Per! You “give” us something that we already have! In many cases more than twice! So, what we get is something we already have. And to be honest, that’s exactly what Per gets as well. What does he have that he’ll get more off? Exactly, money!
LoneGunman said on August 30, 2006 04:10:
Pfffff... please !!! Do we need this kind of comments already ? Trying to blow out the fire of our sorrow ? Don´t think it´s going to work Mr “We all will be happy at the end of Rox20”. At least not for me.
I mean, the future is the future... no need to look at the future now when we should be looking for the present releases that supposed to be a gift for us.
What we want to talk now is about the anniversary and how we were forgotten in this party.
It´s an insult for us, loyal fans.
Per, a song for your iPod: “Money Changes Everything” !
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