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ROXETTE celebrates classic period with two new collection boxes

By on September 11, 2018

With more than 80 million sold discs, four singles on the American Billboard List and a number of top 40 hits, Roxette is Sweden’s biggest music export after Abba. Everything began when the song “The Look” from the second album “Look Sharp!” in the spring of 1989 reached the top of the United States list and at one time changed the world for Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle. The United States breakthrough opened the international pop market for Roxette, which soon followed the success of an almost endless series of hit singles, million-selling albums and year-long world tours.

“It was a incredibly sound – just that kind of updated turbopop I had been looking for, but failed to explain. Today Sweden – tomorrow the rest of the world.”
Per Gessle

Two new collection boxes document this unique Swedish music story.

“Boxette” focuses on the live band Roxette during the first part of the career. “Boxette” contains four DVDs with five concerts from 1988 to 2001. Here are two concerts from the “Look Sharp!” tournaments 1988 and 1989, “Live-Ism” from Sydney 1991 (recorded under the “Join The Joyride Tournament”) and “Crash! Boom! Live!” from Johannesburg 1995.

In addition, there is a concert recorded at the end of the “Room Service” tour in November 2001. The movie streamed when it started and has never been officially available, but has now been remastrated and is released for the first time on DVD. “Boxette” also contains a booklet with unique pictures and interviews with band members.

“Look Sharp! – The 30th Anniversary Edition” celebrates a Swedish pop classic.

“Look Sharp!” contained two United States first places – “The Look” and “Listen To Your Heart” – plus the hit singles “Dangerous” and “Dressed For Success”, which were placed in positions 2 and 14, respectively, on the US list. After this colossal breakthrough, the world was open to Roxette. 30 years later, this Swedish pop classical player is packed in an LP box with the original album in 180 g of vinyl, a 21-piece CD of Per Gessle’s demos and rarities – plus 45 minutes of the highlights of Pers’s own video recordings in the studio. A richly illustrated booklet with track for track interviews presents memories and insights from all involved: Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Clarence Öfwerman, Anders Herrlin, Mats “MP” Persson and Alar Suurna.

“Boxette” and “Look Sharp! – The 30th Anniversary Edition” is released in limited numbers on October 5th.

Two additional “Look Sharp!” versions gives out in conjunction with the collection box; original LP in red vinyl in a limited edition as well as a double cd in digisleeve with original album plus demos.

Boxette

1. Roxette Sweden Live (1989) / Look Sharp Live (1989)
2. Roxette Live-Ism (1992)
3. Crash! Boom! Bang! Live! – The Johannesburg Concert (1996)
4. Roxette Live In Globen 2001

Look Sharp! – The 30th Anniversary Edition

LP (Original album)

Side 1

1. The Look
2. Dressed For Success
3. Sleeping Single
4. Paint
5. Dance Away
6. Cry

Side 2

1. Chances
2. Dangerous
3. Half A Woman, Half A Shadow
4. View From A Hill
5. Shadow Of A Doubt
6. Listen To Your Heart

CD Look Sharp! The Demos

1. The Look (T & A Demo – March 30, 1988)
2. Dressed For Success (T & A Demo – May 20, 1987)
3. Dressed For Success (EMI Demo – 26-30 May 1987) ***
4. Sleeping Single (T & A Demo – May 22, 1987)
5. Sleeping Single (EMI demo – 26-30 May 1987) ***
6. Paint (T & A Demo – April 28, 1988)
7. Dance Away (T & A Demo – Feb 9, 1988) ***
8. Cry (T & A Demo – Feb 9, 1988)
9. Chances (T & A Demo – Nov 24, 1987)
10. Dangerous (Acoustic Version) (T & A Demo – Feb 25, 1987) ***
11. Dangerous (EMI Demo – Sep 26 + 30, 1987) ***
12. View From A Hill (T & A Demo – Nov 17, 1987)
13. (I Could Never) Give You Up (T & A Demo – Dec 18, 1987)
14. Shadow Of A Doubt (T & A Demo – Feb 9, 1988)
15. Listen To Your Heart (T & A Demo – May 9, 1988)
16. From Head to Toe (EMI Demo – 26-30 May 1987) ***
17. Never Is A Long Time (EMI Demo – 26-30 May 1987) ***
18. (I Could Never) Give You Up (Bonus Track Look Sharp! -CD)
19. The Voice (B-side Dressed For Success-single
20. One Is Such A Lonely Number (B-side The Big L-Single)
21. Don’t Believe In Accidents (B-side Run To You-Single)

*** Previously unreleased

DVD: The Making of Look Sharp

Helena Olofsson, Culture & Music
MyGuide2Stockholm