Per Gessle talks about Marie Fredriksson and Roxette
Written by Lars-Erik_Olson on December 30, 2002 to Roxette.
HALMSTAD (UPDATED) - 
Radio Halland’s Pelle Hörmander tells The Daily Roxette today that he has known Per Gessle for most of his professional life… going all the way back to the days of Gyllene Tider. He feels he knows Per well enough to deeply understand that “the situation with Marie has really ’rocked’ him… it’s really shaken him.”
Every year around Christmas, Hörmander conducts an interview with Per that is broadcast on this regional radio station. The tradition continued this year, when Per visited the Radio Halland studio on December 23rd.
“Per says that the treatment Marie is receiving for the cancer is “rough”… but he is optimistic about the future, even mentioning the possibility of touring again.” But, of course, Roxette’s future is dependent upon Marie’s health. He also repeated that when a family member or friend suffers from something like that, it’s clearly obvious that it’s a shock for everyone.
Per speaks with an open heart about his feelings concerning Marie’s sickness in this interview — sound clips of which are now available (see link below).
As previously reported, Per says that Marie was able to add her vocal track to the the new single which will come out early next year.
- SR’s Radio Halland Interview with Per (In Swedish)
Here, translated by TDR News Editor Thomas Evensson, are excerpts from the interview (as most of our readers are already familiar with the story of how Per first heard about Marie’s situation, we’re excluding that):
- Have you been able to help Marie?
I don’t know. Not much more than to fulfill what we had agreed on beforehand… like releasing this album and such. We agreed together on these releases. A cool thing is that Marie added her vocals to our new single last month!
- How is she today?
It’s up and down, she has good days and not so good days. On a scale, she is pretty bad… but she’s a strong and tuff gal so she will be back!
- What can the fans do?
Marie is very thankful for all her mail and greetings from the fans. Keep that up!
- How does this affect Roxette? Any future plans?
Not much really. Apart from the Ballad Hits and the Pop Hits, we have no future plans. The only thing that we canceled was the tour. I’m sure this thing in itself won’t affect Roxette’s being or not being. It may affect how we work in the future though.
“This same week when Marie fell ill we had two more serious happenings in our family — in our circle of friends — so I was sort of prepared,” Per continued.
Other articles with the same topic
- Roxette earns mention, no placement on Billboard chart (September 23, 2008)
- Another "Million-Air" award for Listen to Your Heart (August 18, 2008)
- 20 year old song enters chart in Australia (August 11, 2008)
- She's got The Look (May 22, 2008)
- And the best Roxette song EVER is... (March 16, 2008)
73 comments
big-little-girl said on December 25, 2002 00:02:
I really hope that everything’s gonna be all right!!!!
Otherwise, I don’t know what to do!!!
... Merry Christmas and a HAPPPY HEALTHY GREAT new year to all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
beate said on December 25, 2002 08:42:
Marie!!!!! Get well soon .We´re thinking of you all the time . A Merry christmas and a happy new year to you , Per and all of the crazy ROX Freaks out there.
Can‘t wait to hear Maries voice again !!!
Love and peace
tove said on December 25, 2002 11:35:
you can also read an article on expressen.se about this ... it´s not saying exactly the same thing though ... “Per says Marie is really not feeling very well”, or something ..
Kiwein1 said on December 25, 2002 12:18:
I finally really don’t know what to believe right now!
IS MARIE FINE OR ISN’T SHE!?!?!
Can someone tell us please!
Expressen does not seem to be the most reliable source! I really don’t know what to think about the whole thing.
Still confused and praying for Marie!
MERRY X-MAS EVERYONE!
CRIZ said on December 25, 2002 13:24:
Arrgh..wanna have the intervju now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to work on Friday!
Per...do us a favour......say something positive...(but the truth!!!!!!!!!)
Resi said on December 26, 2002 00:22:
Expressen are so talented to make us panic. I hate them.
If Marie is in a chemo and so on she OF COURSE does not feel very well.
MARIE YOU‘LL MAKE IT!!!!
Fernandinha said on December 26, 2002 00:44:
Ok, I guess it’s time to put fire on Expressen editorial staff. I think they are insane to say this things about Marie.
Stupid newspaper (if we can call it as a newspaper)
Fernanda - Brazil
Anarem said on December 26, 2002 14:33:
All these pessimistic *anonymous* messages annoy me. While I feel terribly that people have lost loved ones to cancer, one has to remember that everyone is different! Because one person goes through one thing, doesn’t mean that everybody will be the same.
One has to have hope.
Yashar said on December 26, 2002 18:24:
No one will tell us the exact news,even Per.We will only know the result , not the detalis or process of treatment.
Santi said on December 26, 2002 20:32:
7:30 AM?? Swedish time?? 19:30 New York Time?? I’d like to hear it live thru the internet, can you be more accurate?
Resi said on December 27, 2002 00:55:
Peace, please!!!!
I´m sure Anarem is simply only afraid, like all of us. Nobody loves hearing sad stories of people experiencing the same or similar things as Marie at the moment... Which does not mean that Anarem or anybody else does not respect or believe them. Reading such things simply hurts endlessly in this situation!!! The imagination that the same could happen to Marie is simply horrible.
Of course the world is not as pretty as we wish it to be, and if Marie or other persons who we love die from cancer or another illness, nobody can change it.
However, I´d like to be all of us IN PEACE and try to ENCOURAGE EACHOTHER - at least encourage MARIE!!!
SHE WILL MAKE IT!!!!! SHE SIMPLY MUST MAKE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Anarem said on December 27, 2002 02:43:
I know that perhaps English isn’t the first language for some of you, and some of you are letting your anger and emotions overwhelm you, but all I said was that we shouldn’t be so negative. I too have lost loved ones, some suddenly, some slowly. It all hurts!
And when I said that people have different experiences and that the same might not be for Marie, it wasn’t meant to belittle the person who lost their father. To that person, I say, I feel terrible for you, I wasn’t dismissing your feelings. I know you would give anything for a few more moments with him– I know that emotion all too well.
However I also know that just because my friend died of brain cancer, doesn’t mean that the same thing will happen to Marie. Yes, the odds are against her, just as it had been for my friend. I’m not kidding myself about that. I know the rage and grief when you’re hoping for the best and in the end, your loved one passes on anyway, despite the chemo and the radiation and the hope that your friend will live long enough to see her godchildren get married. But you still have to hope; what else is there? Throwing stones at those people who would rather not give into despair isn’t very constructive.
pietROxette said on December 27, 2002 10:25:
Has the inteview been broadcast? Was anyone able to listen to it? Or that 7:30 means 19:30???
Anarem said on December 27, 2002 11:16:
My choice of words were poor. I’m sorry. “Annoy” was a bad choice of word. I shouldn’t have used it. Maybe I should have said “upset” and maybe I should have talked about my own experiences with loss then.
pietROxette said on December 27, 2002 12:13:
Good question. I don’t speak Swedish. Could someone maybe translate that article or give a transscript of the interview?
daniel_alv said on December 27, 2002 13:13:
they talked about room service.... is this an old interciew?
Lurifax said on December 27, 2002 13:23:
Yes it’s old - I think I found it already last year!
ted_roxette said on December 27, 2002 13:48:
its denfently an old interwiew but he didnt say so much new we already have read all about it in Expressen some days ago
sofiab said on December 27, 2002 15:08:
this is the last year’s interview... (the link) I’ve heard it before...
Lars-Erik_Olson (moderator) said on December 27, 2002 16:57:
Yes, as indicated in the updated article above... the interview was broadcast this morning... but the links to the new interview will not be available until Monday. What’s there now are links to last year’s interview.
pietROxette said on December 27, 2002 17:17:
Does this mean that there is no one who was able to catch the interview and tell us what was it about?
Resi said on December 28, 2002 01:17:
I was not up - but I could not have listened to it anyway... I´m so curious!!
Toddzoom said on December 29, 2002 00:07:
Warm Wishes To A Speedy Recovery, Marie, You Have One Of The Best Female Voices In Music. I Pray For You, Get Well Soon..........Love ya
Roxfever said on December 30, 2002 11:05:
It’s Monday! Thanks to the person who will translate it!
tevensso (moderator) said on December 30, 2002 22:01:
You’re right, those few answers aren’t the full interview, but it’s more or less the most interesting things Per says. The rest is a re-hash of old news.
eva_roxer said on December 30, 2002 23:16:
A big Thank you to TDR for their work, keeping us updated whatever happens around the Rox/PG/MF/GT world.
A happy New Year for everyone and specially to Marie and her family/friends and also to Per, who is having a tough time; lots of hugs and kisses to both of them.
IceAngel said on December 24, 2002 17:19:
Thank you Per for breaking the silence. ’Somebody’ is answering our prayers for Marie. Prayer and positive thinking is obviously very powerful! Thinking of you always Marie xx
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