The beginning of Sandy Mouche's live sound (I): Lundakarnevalen, 2002

We will play on a tent at the Lund carnival - Lundkarnevalen. This big event is held every 4th year in the town of Lund. Be there, it´s really cool.

* Lundakarnevalen, Lund 2002 · 05 · 10

Once upon a time on a beach in a kingdom far away from the northern cold a name was created. The name was Sandy Mouche.

What the creators didn't know at the time was that Sandy Mouche was so much more than only a name. It became a person. A person who lives in every member of the band Sandy Mouche. She gives them comfort and advice when life seems pointless and grey. Together they are an unbreakable team with a mission: To help people learn how to love themselves. It is only then you truly can be happy.

With sand still between their toes Helena, Per and Martinique returned from paradise to complete the task. They needed someone who could master the art of playing the bass and together with drummerboy Per form a solid ground for the band to stand on. Per turned to his older brother Ola, a blond prince with a history of excellent string handling. He accepted the offer and the bass was handed to him.

The band was almost complete and a messege had to be made. A message that could give the people a taste of what they were about to experience from now on and many years to come.

• Helena Josefsson: Vocals and keyboards
  
• Martin Nilsson (a.k.a. Martinique Josefsson): Vocals and guitar
  
• Ola Blomgren: Bass
• Per Blomgren: Drums
  

If you're lucky enough to cross paths with the band the legend speaks of a rush of joy far beyond this world straight to your heart, right Sandy?

"Sandy" - Sandy Mouche

P, C & C wanna be Ramones' boyfriends (V): Night of the Proms

According to NOTP Official Website, Roxette will be the headline act this fall for “Night of the Proms,” an event that began as a student party and has evolved into a series of concerts performed in three countries: Belgium, Holland and Germany. Each year 3 international rock/pop acts, a classical and a local act per country are presented. The length of a show is approximately 3 hours including an interval. During this year's edition of the big event, which mixes classical music with pop and is therewith a time-ride through 200 years of popular music, Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle take up the gage to perform a selection of their many pop hits to the accompaniment of the symphonic orchestra Il Novecento and the choir Fine Fleur.

The band broke through in the late eighties with numerous hits in the top of the charts. Among them were worldwide hits like “The Look”, “Dressed for Success,” “Listen To Your Heart,” “It Must Have Been Love,” “Joyride,” “How Do You Do!,” “Sleeping In My Car,” “Run To You,” “Crash! Boom! Bang!,” and “Wish I Could Fly.” Sixteen years later the band can show impressive sales figures (more than 40 million albums and 15 million singles sold) and look back on some very successfull world tours. Their seductive mix of pop tunes full of irony and obvious “power ballads” today still sound as fresh and catchy as in those days, when their songs first started to get airplay.”

Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle will make their 'Night Of The Proms 2002'-playlist from the songs Joyride, Wish I could fly, Crash! Boom! Bang!, It must have been love, The Look and Dressed for success.

All the songs are composed by Gessle (some with MP Persson). It is the second time Per is involved in something related with Classical music. Don't forget the "View from the bridge" project with Clarence Öfwerman and Christoffer Lundquist. Per could be helped again by Clarence and Chris.

Christoffer Lundquist's band, Brainpool, keep on working in their rock opera since the first months of 2000. It's not finished yet. It seems David Birde, Jens Jansson and David Birde, the members of Brainpool, have no official plans of any kind of release this year.

LJdM

Once we were left alone, our creativity suddenly flourished. But it also led us down some strange paths that we probably wouldn’t have followed if we’d still been tied up with our record company and all their expectations of continuous releases and of us selling a certain number of records. With that sort of pressure the process would’ve been different. As it is, I haven’t had a clue what the hell we’re doing for the last few years!

As a band, we’ve laid low for a while. People haven’t heard from us apart from our close friends, who’ve known about us writing a rock opera. Occasionally people have asked us, “how is your rock opera coming along” and laughed condescendingly. And our answer has always been: “well, we’re struggling along!”. There are so many dedicated people out there, struggling with things they believe in, without anything ever coming of it! Does that mean it’s a failure? I don’t think so, I think it’s just as admirable as actually succeeding, against all odds. Because the author scan never make sure that their work’s a success. It’s always up to the public to decide on that. As an artist, you just do your bit and hope for the best!

David Birde - Junk Musik

P, C & C wanna be Ramones' boyfriends (IV): The Song - Ramones - The Same

According to Roxette Service and The Daily Roxette, on 15 April 2002, the tribute compilation "The Song Ramones The Same" was released in Scandinavia, in honour of Joey Ramone (from the legendary USA punk/rock band The Ramones). It features the song I wanna be your boyfriend covered by Per Gessle, with the help of Clarence Öfwerman, Christoffer Lundquist, Jens Jansson and MP Persson.

Calle von Schewen, director of the small independent record company White Jazz Records, has been working on the compilation for one and a half years. In fact, Gessle and his team recorded the song last July 2001.

A live Ramones tribute night in conjunction with the release of the compilation was held at Götakällare, Stockholm, Sweden on 15 April 2002.

Swedish critics already quoted Per Gessle's contribution as 'the only song on the album that has a entirely personal style, sounding very sweet'. According to Marcus Jurgen (Roxette Service), "punk exists because of the false assumption that the Ramones can be imitated and Per Gessle knows that the Ramones can't be imitated. However, he gives the classic song a nice treatment and makes it come to life in a new dimension of rock."

For perhaps the first time since 1996 when he gave Gyllene Tider 5 “+” symbols out of 5, Aftonbladet’s Per Bjurman, no fan of Roxette, has written something very complimentary about Per Gessle: “It’s Nice When Gessle Translates Ramones”

Anders Nunstedt, writing for Expressen, also had very positive things to say about the song. “The cover is sensational…” he writes, “…reminiscent of the summer Westcoast pop that Gessle created so charmingly at the beginning of (his) career.”

Following the reviews and after hearing the song, it's no surprise that Per Gessle's ultra radio friendly cover is to be released as the first single outtaken from the compilation. It could be the single of this summer.

On 20 April 2002, Per Gessle performed the song 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' playback at the TV-show 'Bingolotto' in Stockholm, where after he also did a small interview.

SVT4 Reporter: 'The front man of the Ramones, Joey Ramone, passed away because of cancer almost exactly one year ago. To honour this influential rock band, several Swedish artists have recorded a tribute album. Except Per Gessle you can also find Sahara Hotnights, Wilmer X, Hellacopters and Backyard Babies on the album.'

Per Gessle: 'Actually, I don't like this kind of tribute albums. There are 13 in a dozen of them. and only because you like a band it doesn't have to mean you are good at playing their songs. But it's different with the Ramones. They have been in leading quarters in my life. You know, I'm so old I had already started with music when the Ramones released their first album 'The Ramones'. I and MP (Mats MP Persson, ed.) had a little music project together, Grape Rock, which later became Gyllene Tider. We were incredibly influenced by the Ramones. The only album coming up to that level is the Beatles' 'Revolver'. Besides that, I immediately got an idea about how I wanted to perform this song: 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend'. It has such a nice summer feeling in it, which I want to keep. And really do it my own way, not try to imitate them.

SVT4 Reporter: 'Per is now 43 years old and has been working professionally with music since 1978 when he created Gyllene Tider. Since then he has had a great success, much thanks to Roxette which he started together with Marie Fredriksson 1986. no. 1's in the charts both in Sweden and worldwide, tours all over the world and millions of records sold maybe should have made them fed up with the success, but no. Today he and Marie finished a two weeks period of recording in the studio, where they are preparing for new records. This autumn, a collection of ballads will be released and this spring a collection of up-tempo songs.'

Per Gessle: 'Yes, We have so many hits by now. But there will be some new material also, on both records. I'm writing new songs all the time.'

SVT4 Reporter: 'But now after the Ramones there actually are some plans for a short break.'

Per Gessle: 'I'll stay on my couch watching Formula 1. and I have a son who turns five next August, so I think I will have things to do. But more than a week off is not very common.'

SVT4 Reporter: 'With this tempo and after so many years in the business, is it still fun?'

Per Gessle: 'It is still as funny as it used to be. Actually it's funnier because we are making the rules now. In the beginning we were tied up by a lot of contracts, now we don't have to care about that. We only do what we like now. Like this Ramones-record. It's so ridiculously fun to sing playback on Bingolotto, we are like little sunbeams on stage!'

Per Gessle played with all his band: Clarence Öfwerman (keyboards), Christoffer Lundquist (bass) and Jens Jansson (drum).

Ps: According to Official Roxette Fanclub’s roxettenews.com, Per’s Ramones cover “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” will be released as a single. No further details, such as release countries or dates, were given yet.


In January, Magnus Börjeson wrote in his website about working with Christoffer Lundquist. Read it.

LJdM

In January, me and David Birde (Brainpool) are writing together with the Norwegian artist Vibeke Saugestad. We did some gigs with her in Norway last year and had so much fun that we decided to try and write something together. It turned out really well so now we aim for a whole album. A couple of tracks were recorded and mixed. These attracted some "outside" attention so we've ended up writing stuff for others as well, which is what we are doing now.

I´m working on a Beagle's new album as well, but it will take longer to finish than I expected. Christoffer Lundquist also from Brainpool is helping me to produce the new Beagle-record. I am recording in both his studio in the countryside and in my own, "Free Electric Enterprises". One song, "Well it's only pain" was recently released on an American compilation. I got my own studio so that I can record whenever I feel like it. I don't have to wait for other bands to get finished before I can start recording.

There is a powerpop-crowd in LA. For a couple of years I've been getting emails from different people who would like me to come and play in the USA. I guess they got tired of waiting, because suddenly they called and said they wanted me at a popfestival, The International Pop Overthrow in LA, last year. Beagle's records seems to have achieved some kind of cult-status. I only understood this a couple of months ago.

(Malmö, January 30, 2002)

Magnus Börjeson

Sandy Mouche, born on a Greek beach, grown in Skåne (II): a new band from Lund

Crete Skåne

"Sandy Mouche was born on a beach on Crete, Greece, fall 2001. The Josefsson couple (Helena and Martin) and Per Blomgren with his girlfriend Hanna was on a holiday together as Martinique showed them a song, “A Year”, in his minidisc. They sat in a café on the beach, eating. The song was vibrating, with its thin sound. The melody, the voice of Martin and the chords were strong and told us to start a band. Down by the towels again, we started looking for a name. Per Blomgren and Helena Josefsson had already played together for six years in other groups (Jive with Clive, Plastic Soul), but Martinique had played in other constellations.

Per dug the hot sand and shouted: -”Sandy!” Helena watched her new family. All three had a mouche in their faces, on the left side. Sandy Mouche had then seen the light of day. It sounded like a woman´s name. We would lay there telling each other about who she was. Then the idea to sing in French and English was born. To this day, the band believes she is a young woman who lives in every band member making sure we stay on the right track. It didn´t take long before Pers big brother Ola was part of the band."

"Sandy" - Sandy Mouche

P, C & C wanna be Ramones' boyfriends (III): A new album in Swedish?

According to Aftonbladet and The Daily Roxette, Per Gessle is currently writing songs for a forthcoming Roxette album. So far, five or six songs are ready and more are coming. During Christmas, Per going to record demos in Halmstad and in the spring Marie will join him to record the final versions. Per talks about it.

But it is not his only project. Per could record soon a new Swedish album with his partners of Gyllene Tider (MP Persson, Anders Herrlin, Göran Fritzon and Micke Syd Andersson) or maybe with his new band (Clarence Öfwerman, Chris Lundquist and Jens Jansson). His friend Mats MP Persson, could be there anyway.

By the way, one of our favourite films this year in LJdM has got many international prizes in the last months.

Music for One Apartment
and Six Drummers
(2001; 9 min 31 s)

• Produced by: Kostr Film, SVT and Film i Skäne
• Directors: Ola Simonsson, Johannes Stjärne Nilsson
• Music: Ola Simonsson
• Music productor: Magnus Börjeson

PRIZES

• Capalbio Film Festival 2001: Best Film
• Napa Valley Film Festival 2001: Grand Prize
• Göteborg Film Festival 2001: Audience Award, Honorable Mention
• MECAL Film Festival Barcelona 2001: Audience Award
• Copenhagen Film Festival 2001: Honorable Mention
• Odense Film Festival 2001: Jury Special Prize
• Vila Do Conde Film Festival 2001: Audience Award
  

LJdM

After the recording of the demos, we’ll see. But I hope we would be able to release a new Roxette's album during the next year. A tour could continue in 2002. There are places we didn’t visit this year: Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Asia… it’s a big world.

I have so much Swedish material lying around. I haven’t recorded much of it, but there are a lot of songs. There will be a day when we choose to take a break from Roxette again. And I miss communicating in Swedish. So, there will certainly be an album.

My favourite songs ever? Difficult question. I like e.g. 'Love Grows' by Edison Lighthouse, 'Jeepster' by T-Rex and 'Stand By Me' by Ben E King.

Per Gessle

P, C & C wanna be Ramones' boyfriends (II): Goodbye, George

George Harrison (Liverpool, 1943), Beatles member, died on 29 November 2001. He was 58 years old and had a lung cancer.

One Harrison's song opened my blog in 1997. My sweet lord was the first song that Per Gessle oficially played with Brainpool. My sweet lord and George Harrison are also a symbol here.

Per Gessle was one of his fans. He has written an article in Aftonbladet about him. You can read the translation here.

LJdM

George Harrison played a big part in the fact that I became obsessed with pop music as a seven-year-old. And to be honest, it wasn’t because of the way he played guitar, or even the Beatle’s music. It was the cover picture on the jacket of “Rubber Soul.”

The tough suède leather jackets. The attitudes. The hairstyles. And for me there was no doubt about it, George was the coolest.

Since then, I’ve always liked George. His songs stood out on the Beatles albums. He ended up having to stand behind the giants Paul and John the whole time – which was unfortunate. You can hear [his talent] on ”All Things Must Pass” where several of the songs he wrote during the Beatles period, but were never included on albums, are collected. In my opinion, it’s his strongest solo album.

George was also the man who took the Beatles on their musical journey to India, and introduced them to world music. He was I think the man behind John – sort of the glue that held the Beatles together.

After the split up, he and John worked together. They were a little like a pair, a team. But I have the feeling that George never really took his own music as seriously as it deserved.

Maybe he preferred the role of being in the background.

There are probably not a lot of people who know that he was behind several of the comedy gang Monty Python’s biggest films… “Life of Brian” among others. He financed them. George – there also – but the whole time a step behind John Cleese and the others.

I never met George, but I have stood outside his gigantic villa in Henley-on-Thames together with Japanese tourists.

As a fan. P.G.

Per Gessle