Loading ...Swedish pop duo Roxette–whose Pretty Woman power ballad was covered at the Bamboozle this past weekend, thus securing their place in the nostalgia firmament–has decided to reunite for a little tour of its home continent this fall. It’ll be the duo’s first performance since 2001, and it’ll signal an amazing recovery for Marie Fredriksson, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002; it was removed, but she lost the sight in her right eye as a result. From a 2008 interview:
“I bump into things all the time, it takes a long time to get used to,” Marie says to Lasse. Marie also says that she finally got a clean bill of health last summer, and that’s when everything changed, she became a new person. When the cancer was at its worst Marie almost didn’t have the energy to get out of bed, let alone write! “The worst thing was that I didn’t even want to sing. It’s definitely a kick to be back.” However, these last years the singing and writing have been secondary to her new art form – drawing. Marie says it’s a world of difference. “I’ve been singing all my life, I did that part already. This is the total freedom.”
This time around Marie has used colors in her drawings, but confides in Lasse that she’s already sick of colors and that she constantly goes back to charcoal. “It’s different day to day” she giggles.
Much respect to Fredriksson and her partner Per Gessle, who I always thought were responsible for some of the early ’90s most sparkly pop songs. Like “Joyride”!
And “The Look”!
Really, the guitars on these tracks could cut through glass.
Roxette reunites for European tour dates [AP]
I didn’t know about the cancer stuff but I’m glad to see she’s recovered.
Roxette were one of my fave dad bands growing up. “Dangerous” was a fave.
And Dressed For Success! And Fading Like A Flower!
And the shameless, but freakishly effective, Heart ripoff “Listen to Your Heart”!
(They even worked the name of the band they were stealing from into the title of the song! How’s that for cheeky?)
Just last week Billboard reviewed a new, reportedly irresistible single from Per Gessle, who’s still recording and occasionally scores hits in Continental Europe. Good on him.
Roxette was the second show I had gone to, back when I was probably not any older than 12 or 13, so they’ll always occupy a very warm place in my heart.
I didn’t know about Marie’s cancer, either. What an amazing story. Thanks for sharing it Maura!
I’ve got an unironic and passionate love for Roxette’s run of singles. Didn’t know anything about the back story, but I’m glad to see that they’re performing again.
They’re greatest hits album is one of the few where I really like (or can even tolerate) the songs that don’t start with a nostalgia advantage.
@Chris Molanphy: He had a #1 in Sweden last fall with a song that’s pretty good, though I didn’t notice at first because the video distractingly had a Donnie Darko motif for no reason. He’s kinda cute these days, though. (Gessle, I mean, not Donnie.)
I saw Roxette in Oslo back in ‘91 or ‘92. It was a pretty great show. The year after, I was all about Metallica. I hope they come back; I feel I’m ready again.