P, C & C order room service (III): Don't bore (the) US

After eight years of absence from the US music market, Roxette finally found in May a suitable record company to release their material in the USA. Instead of choosing a giant like Sony or Warner, Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle have reached an agreement with the smaller label Edel America Records.

On 20^th September 2000, Roxette released in the USA the album Don’t bore us – Get to the Chorus, an updated version that includes Wish I could fly and Stars.

Per Gessle said to Aftonbladet:

Now we only hope that the USA fans will remember us. Thirteen of the sixteen songs on the album have been on the topcharts in the USA. That's a good platform to start from. All the time we've been played a lot on the radio.

In September and October 2000, Roxette had their first U.S. Promo Tour in eight cities. Clarence Öfwerman and Christoffer Lundquist (C & C) were also there.

• 22/09/2000 Suffolks Down Boston, MA the USA

Songs: Wish I could fly, It must have been love, Joyride, The Look and Listen to your heart.

Live in front of some 40,000 spectators at the sold out 'WBMX MixFest' festival with various artists.

• 22/09/2000 Suffolks Down Boston, MA the USA

Some songs live at a private after-party for the USA radio station WBMX's clients.

• 25/09/2000 Television Studios Boston, MA the USA

Some songs live at the TV-show 'WB In The Morning'.

Broadcasted live by the USA television station. Roxette started to perform at 7:45 AM.

• 27/09/2000 Virgin Megastore, Times Square New York City, NY the USA

Songs: Wish I could fly, It must have been love, Joyride, The Look and Listen to your heart

Live at a mini concert.

Arranged and broadcasted live by the USA radio station Retro Rewind.

• 28/09/2000 Planet Hollywood Baltimore, ML the USA

Songs: Wish I could fly, It must have been love, Joyride, The Look and Listen to your heart

Live during an mini concert.

Arranged by the USA radio station WWMX.

• 29/09/2000 328 Performance Hall Nashville, TN the USA

Songs: Wish I could fly, It must have been love, Joyride, The Look, Listen to your heart and Perfect day

Live in front of some 1.800 spectators at a special concert with various artists.

Arranged and broadcasted live by the USA radio station WQZQ.

• 30/09/2000 unknown Charlotte, NC the USA

Some songs live at a mini concert.

Arranged and broadcasted live by the USA radio station WLNK.

• 01/10/2000 The Music Box Omaha, NB the USA

Some songs live in front of some 500 spectators at a mini concert.

Arranged and broadcasted live by the USA radio station KQKQ.

• 06/10/2000 Gallery Mall Roseville, CA the USA

Some songs live in front of some 1,000 spectators at a mini concert.

Arranged and broadcasted live by the USA radio station KDND Sacramento.

• 11/10/2000 Sky Church, EMP (Experimental Music Project) Seattle, WA the USA

Songs: Wish I could fly, It must have been love, Joyride, Perfect day, Church of your heart, Listen to your heart, The Look and Spending my

Live at a listener-appreciation concert.

Arranged by the USA radio station Star 101.5 (KLPZ).

After the mini-tour, Per said:

"Much better than we dared to anticipate."

Meanwhile, long-knwon Swedish poet and songwriter Ulf Lundell will release a new album, "I ett vinterland", on November 20th, 2000. The album is produced by Michael Ilbert, Ulf Lundell and Christoffer Lundquist and some songs were recorded in Christoffer's own studio, Aerosol Grey Machine, in Scania. In the album, Lundquist features as "co-producer, orkesterarrangemang, bas, kör, bassynth, Arp, elgitarr, spacegitarr, cittra, celeste, orgel, synth, Dulcimer and bouzouki". Wow! Brainpool's former member Jan Kask also features as guitarist.

LJdM

Helena Josefsson is a bandstarter too (XIII): Plastic Soul's 2000 effect

Plastic soul, the indie band of Lund with Helena Josefsson - singer-, Johan Duncanson - guitar-, Fredrick Whitling - leadguitar and keyboards -, Olof Martinsson - bass - and Per Blomgren - drums - has had a good year in Malmö.

On 21th January 2000, they played again at Klubb Indigo, the Friday club in Blekingska Nationen (Province of Blekinge student community in Lund). This time, they played with the band Eskobar.

This year 2000, Malmö was named the Swedish Pop City of the Year and Plastic Soul was called to play at the Popstad Festival. They played in the "Demoscenen" of Kulturbolaget (KB), Malmö, last 5th February 2000, with Colubrids and Amir. In the festival also played at the "Stora scenen" (Amiralen and Radio P3) groups as Brainpool, The Ark, Wilmer X, The Wannadies, Timbuktu or Prominent.

Finally, Plastic Soul have got a contract to release their debut album with the label Stockhouse. Love poems (2000), is their single, and can be heard at Radio P3.

Today we want to review one of the local bands that have played this month in Malmö Popstad 2000 (February 3-5), on "demoscenen", Kulturbolaget (KB), a well-known club in Malmö.

The Blimp is a band from Malmö, leaded by Danyal Taylan. They have been playing together for 2 years and a half. Their first big gigs were in Bröfestivalen 98 (June 5-6, 1998) and Malmö Festival 98 (August 14-21, 1998).

The band has been working in World Studios in Malmö with producer Johan Bejerholm.

• Danyal Taylan - vocals
• Jim Andersson - guitar
• Jens Bjerelius - guitar
• Peter Anderhagen - bass
• Christer Christensson - keyboards
• Frans Oddner - drums
  

Christoffer Kittel, from the magazine Revolver, interviewed Danyal and Peter on 20th February in Pelles Café in Malmö.

LJdM