Editing Per Gessle

{{Short description|Swedish musician and songwriter (born 1959)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Per Gessle
| image            = Per Gessle-Roxette at Bospop festival The Netherlands 2011.jpg
| alt              = 
| caption          = Gessle performing in 2011
| image_upright    =
| birth_name       = Per Håkan Gessle
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1959|1|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place      = [[Halmstad]], Sweden
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| death_cause      = 
| other_names      = 
| occupation       = {{flatlist|
* Musician
* songwriter
}}
| years_active     = 1976–present
| spouse           = 
| partner          = 
| genre           = {{flatlist|
* [[Pop music|Pop]]
* [[Rock music|rock]]
* [[Dance music|dance]]
}}
| instrument      = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* guitar
}}
| label           = {{flatlist|
* [[EMI Records|EMI]]
* [[Sony BMG|Sony]]
* Fundamental
}}
| current_member_of = 
| past_member_of = {{flatlist|
* [[Roxette]]
* [[Gyllene Tider]]
}}
| website          = 
}}

'''Per Håkan Gessle''' ({{IPA|sv|ˈpæːr ˈhôːkan ˈɡɛ̂sːlɛ|-|sv-Per Gessle.ogg}}; born 12 January 1959) is a Swedish singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the male half and primary songwriter of the [[pop rock]] duo [[Roxette]], which he formed with [[Marie Fredriksson]] in 1986 and which was disbanded after her death in 2019. The duo achieved international success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with their albums ''[[Look Sharp! (Roxette album)|Look Sharp!]]'' (1988) and ''[[Joyride (Roxette album)|Joyride]]'' (1991), and topped the charts in the [[Billboard Hot 100|US]] four times, most notably with "[[It Must Have Been Love]]" which was featured in the film ''[[Pretty Woman]]''. Prior to the formation of Roxette, he had a successful career in his native Sweden as the frontman for [[Gyllene Tider]]. The band released three number-one albums during the early 1980s but disbanded shortly after their fourth album, ''[[The Heartland Café]]'' (1984).

In-between periods in Roxette and Gyllene Tider reunions, Gessle recorded numerous solo albums, both in Swedish and English. After Fredriksson's illness in 2002 he released ''[[Mazarin (album)|Mazarin]]'' (2003). The album was a critical and commercial success for Gessle and started the beginning of a long-term collaboration with the backing vocalist [[Helena Josefsson]]. With Fredriksson's continued treatment and recuperation he made three more albums, ''[[Son of a Plumber]]'' (2005), ''[[En händig man]]'' (''A handy man'', 2007) and ''[[Party Crasher (album)|Party Crasher]]'' (2008). After Roxette's [[The Neverending World Tour|Neverending World Tour]] finished in 2015 he produced another set of solo efforts, ''En vacker natt'' (2017), ''En vacker dag'' (2017) and ''Small Town Talk'' (2018). In 2016 he started using the pseudonym Mono Mind, first releasing a few singles before delivering a full album, ''Mind Control'', in 2019. Gessle was the main songwriter for both Roxette and Gyllene Tider.

==Career==
{{further|Gyllene Tider|Roxette}}
Per Gessle was a founding member of [[Gyllene Tider]], in 1976. They quickly became a popular group in Sweden, but after their fourth album, ''[[The Heartland Café]]'' (1984), sold poorly compared to their previous albums, the group disbanded. Gessle wrote. "We decided to put Gyllene Tider to rest... until further notice."<ref name=heartlandlinernotes>{{cite web |url=http://gyllenetider.eu/~gt/dgraphy/gta_thehe.php?PHPSESSID=f7f25uh9mmt6odjfbkqhc3o8d0 |title=''The Heartland Café'' 1990 re-release CD liner notes |publisher=gyllenetider.eu |access-date=10 February 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1982, Gessle released his first solo album, ''[[Per Gessle (album)|Per Gessle]]'' and after Gyllene Tider split-up his second album, ''[[Scener]]'', quickly appeared in 1985.

Gessle and [[Marie Fredriksson]] had been friends for a few years before they came together as Roxette in 1986. After the success of their first hit "[[Neverending Love]]", which was written by Gessle, they quickly recorded ''[[Pearls of Passion]]'' using material which was originally intended for Per's third solo album.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pergessle.net/pearls/roxette/bpopre.html |title=Pearls of Passion album re-release introduction by Gessle. |publisher=pergessle.net |access-date=6 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927023401/http://www.pergessle.net/pearls/roxette/bpopre.html |archive-date=27 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Roxette went on to achieve four U.S. #1's and two #2's, with their albums ''[[Look Sharp! (Roxette album)|Look Sharp!]]'' and ''[[Joyride (Roxette album)|Joyride]]'' attaining platinum status in a number of countries. After Roxette's early nineties success, Per released a demo compilation album in 1992, ''[[På väg, 1982–86]]''. After the release of ''[[Crash! Boom! Bang!]]'' and subsequent world tour, Roxette took a break.

In 1996, after a reunion and subsequent tour of Gyllene Tider, Gessle recorded his first English solo album, using [[Brainpool (band)|Brainpool]] and Gyllene Tider as backing musicians. [[Christoffer Lundquist]] from Brainpool would also come to collaborate with Gessle on later releases. ''[[The World According to Gessle]]'', released in 1997, produced three singles, "[[Do You Wanna Be My Baby?]]", "[[Kix (song)|Kix]]" and "[[I Want You to Know (Per Gessle song)|I Want You to Know]]". The videos to all three songs were directed by [[Jonas Åkerlund]]. The album was re-released in 2008, with extra bonus material and demos. In 1997 ''[[Hjärtats trakt – en samling]]'' was released as a best-of album.

[[File:Per Gessle and Helena Josefsson - En vacker kväll tour 2017 Grebbestad.jpg|thumb|Gessle with singer [[Helena Josefsson]] during his 2017 ''En vacker kväll'' tour of Sweden|left|upright=0.85]]
After Roxette released ''[[Have a Nice Day (Roxette album)|Have a Nice Day]]'' (1999) and ''[[Room Service (Roxette album)|Room Service]]'' (2001) to moderate success, Fredriksson collapsed and was diagnosed with a [[brain tumor]] in 2002. While Fredriksson received treatment for her illness, Gessle continued with his solo work. The subsequent album ''[[Mazarin (album)|Mazarin]]'' (2003),  was a critical and commercial success in [[Sweden]] and started the beginning of a long-term collaboration with the backing vocalist [[Helena Josefsson]].  Lundquist, now Gessle's producer was looking for a female singer and picked Josefsson.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressen.se/noje/sponsrad-av-gessle|title=Sponsrad av Gessle|trans-title=Sponsored by Gessle|newspaper=[[Expressen]]|date=22 February 2007|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> She first came to the attention of Lundquist after she and her band [[Sandy Mouche]] wanted to record at  Lundquist's Aerosol Grey Machine (AGM) studio.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.skd.se/2018/04/12/doldisarna-kliver-langst-fram/|title=Doldisarna kliver längst fram|trans-title=The hiders step forward|newspaper=[[Skånska Dagbladet]]|date=12 April 2018|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> "I remember driving a car between Lund and [[Lomma]] when Christoffer called and wondered if I was interested in starting singing with Per who wanted a girl for his solo projects.", recalled Josefsson.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hallandsposten.se/n%C3%B6je/musik/soloplatta-och-v%C3%A4rldsturn%C3%A9-med-roxette-1.1626276|trans-title=Solo album and world tour with Roxette|title=Soloplatta och världsturné med Roxette|author=Jan-Owe Wikström|date=5 March 2011|newspaper=[[Hallandsposten]]|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> ''Mazarin'' topped the charts in June that year,<ref name=swedishcharts>{{cite web|url=http://www.swedishcharts.com/search.asp?cat=a&search=per+gessle|title=Swedish charts archive – Gessle's albums listing|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> going five times [[music recording sales certification|platinum]] in 2004.<ref name="Sverigetopplistan–album2004">{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/54?dspy=2004&dspp=6 |publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]] |language=sv |title=Veckolista Album, vecka 6, 2004 |access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> The lead single from the album "[[Här kommer alla känslorna]] (på en och samma gång)" ("Here comes all the emotions (at the same time)"), is Gessle's most successful song in his home country, spending two months at No. 1 and was certified platinum.<ref name=swedishsingles>{{cite web|url=https://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&search=per+gessle|title=Swedish charts archive – Gessle's singles listing|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="Sverigetopplistan–single2003">{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/41?dspy=2003&dspp=42|publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]] |language=sv |title=Veckolista Singlar, vecka 42, 2003 |access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref>

Following the success of the album, Gessle won numerous awards; four [[Grammis]] awards: Best Artist, Best Male Pop Performer, Best Composer and Best Song,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/article192598.ab |title=Kung Gessle: Nu ska jag fira|trans-title=King Gessle: Now I'll celebrate|newspaper=Aftonbladet|date=10 February 2004|author=Linda Hjertén|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=grammis>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifpi.se/wp-content/uploads/Vinnare-1969-2014.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924033221/http://www.ifpi.se/wp-content/uploads/Vinnare-1969-2014.pdf |title=Grammis award winners list 1969–2014|archive-date=24 September 2015|publisher=[[IFPI]] Sweden|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> three [[Rockbjörnen]] awards: Best Swedish Male Artist, Best Swedish Album and Best Swedish Song,<ref name=Rockbjörnen>{{cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/rockbjornen/a/yvg9GA/tidigare-vinnare-i-rockbjornen|title=Tidigare vinnare I Rockbjörnen|trans-title=Previous winners of Rockbjörnen|newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]]|date=11 July 2018|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> and a Guldälgen (The Golden Moose) Award for Best Song.

Also in 2004, saw Gessle and [[Gyllene Tider]] reunite for a 25th-anniversary celebration that included the band's first album in 20 years, ''[[Finn 5 fel!]]'', and another very successful tour in Sweden. They beat the [[Ullevi]] stadium attendance record, which was later broken by fellow Swede [[Håkan Hellström]] in 2016 (70,144),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/musik/rockbjornen/a/Onm2gw/sa-manga-sag-bruce-pa-ullevi-i-kvall|title=Så många såg Bruce på Ullevi i kväll|trans-title=So many people saw Bruce at Ullevi tonight|author=Erik Åberg|newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]]|access-date=27 July 2016}}</ref> and the band played to almost half a million fans. As a result, the group was honoured with four awards in Sweden.<ref name=grammis/><ref name=Rockbjörnen/>

With ''[[Son of a Plumber]]'', he continued his association with other Swedish artists. Jens Jansson along with previous collaborators Josefsson and Lundquist, helped Gessle create his second English album. Released in November 2005, the album contains a song dedicated to Gessle's father who was a plumber, "Kurt – The Fastest Plumber in the West".<ref name=Gradval>{{cite web|url=http://gradvall.se/artiklar.asp?entry_id=49|title=I huvudet på Per Gessle|trans-title=In the head of Per Gessle|author=Jan Gradval|language=sv|date=21 December 2005|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> The album which was certified platinum,<ref name="Sverigetopplistan–album2005">{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/54?dspy=2005&dspp=50|publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]] |language=sv |title=Veckolista Album, vecka 50, 2005 |access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> was also released in several other European countries in April 2006. In June 2007, he released another solo album in Swedish with the name ''[[En händig man]]'', which shipped three times platinum.<ref name="Sverigetopplistan–album2007">{{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/54?dspy=2007&dspp=30|publisher=[[Sverigetopplistan]] |language=sv |title=Veckolista Album, vecka 30, 2007 |access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> A single of the same name was released; "[[En händig man (song)|En händig man]]". Later on October a book of "[[Att vara Per Gessle]]" was published, telling some of the unknown facts about Gessle and his 30-year career.

[[File:Roxette on stage in Amsterdam.jpg|thumb|Roxette onstage in Amsterdam, May 2009|upright=0.85]]
''[[Party Crasher (album)|Party Crasher]]'' his seventh solo album and third in English was released in late 2008. The first single "[[Silly Really]]" gave him his fourth No. 1 hit.<ref name=swedishsingles/> After that, Gessle started his ''[[Party Crasher Tour 2009|Party Crasher Tour]]'', where Fredriksson joined him on stage twice, in [[Amsterdam]] and [[Stockholm]]. This was eight years after their last live performance together during Roxette's ''Room Service Tour'' in 2001. Following Fredriksson's guest appearance in Amsterdam, Roxette started to perform live again. Initially this was during the [[Night of the Proms]] concert series in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany in 2009, later followed by extensive concert tours in 2010, 2011 and 2012, performing over 100 shows on all 6 continents. In the summer of 2013, Gessle reunited with Gyllene Tider once more, performing some 20 shows in Sweden.

After Roxette's [[The Neverending World Tour|Neverending World Tour]] finished in 2015 he produced another set of solo efforts, ''En vacker natt'' (2017), ''En vacker dag'' (2017) and ''Small Town Talk'' (2018). All three albums were recorded in [[Nashville]] after Gessle felt the need to do [[Studio recording|sessions]] abroad.<ref name=billboard>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8455151/per-gessle-nick-lowe-nashville|title=Roxette's Per Gessle on Working With 'Musical Hero' Nick Lowe & Heading to Nashville for Solo Album|author=Fred Bronson|magazine=Billboard|date=5 August 2018|access-date=8 February 2020}}</ref> The albums featured the use of local musicians, [[Dan Dugmore]], [[Stuart Duncan]] and [[Mickey Raphael]].<ref name=billboard/>

In 2016 he started using the pseudonym Mono Mind, first releasing a few singles before delivering a full album, ''Mind Control'', in 2019. In June 2022, Gessle released a single called "The Loneliest Girl In The World" under the name PG Roxette. The single previews an album Gessle has recorded with members of Roxette's live touring band called ''Pop-up Dynamo''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://popmuzik.se/134904/pg-roxette-the-loneliest-girl-in-the-world/ | title=PG Roxette - the loneliest girl in the world | date=3 June 2022 }}</ref>

===Collaborations===

In 1983 Gessle wrote the song 
”Stjärnhimmel” to [[Elisabeth Andreassen]]. 

He wrote the song [[Kärleken är evig]] which [[Lena Philipsson]] competed with in [[Melodifestivalen]] 1986, where the song finished in second place with 42 points. The song charted on the 6th place on the Swedish singles chart and became Philipsson's big breakthrough single.

In 1990, Gessle wrote a single, "The Sweet Hello, The Sad Goodbye", for [[Thomas Anders]] (of [[Modern Talking]] fame); Roxette would release their version as the B-side of their single "[[Spending My Time]]". The song was also used by [[Laura Branigan]] featuring on her ''[[Over My Heart]]'' album. He has also participated with the Swedish singer [[Nisse Hellberg]] in the project [[The Lonely Boys]]. In 1996 he worked with [[Belinda Carlisle]] and wrote two songs for her album, ''[[A Woman and a Man]]''; "[[Always Breaking My Heart]]" and "Love Doesn't Live Here". The former was released as a single, becoming a UK top 10 hit.

He sung duet with [[Nick Lowe]] on the title track for the ''Small Town Talk'' album.<ref name=billboard/>

Gessle was involved in the development of the Roxette [[jukebox musical]] ''[[Joyride the Musical]]'' which premiered at [[Malmö Opera]] in 2024.

==Personal life==
Gessle is the youngest son of plumber Kurt Gessle (1917–1978) and Elisabeth Gessle (1925-2013).<ref name=Gradval/><ref name=aftonbladet>{{cite news|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/a/78qko/per-gessle-jag-grater-ofta|title=Per Gessle: Jag gråter ofta|trans-title=Per Gessle: I often cry|author=Jan-Olov Andersson|date=17 April 2017|language=sv|newspaper=Aftonbladet|access-date=23 January 2020}}</ref> He had an older brother, Bengt (1950-2014) and older sister  Gunilla (1944-2016).<ref name=Gradval/><ref name=aftonbladet/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://grav.rotter.se/Gravsokview.php?g_id=129588|title= Gravstensinventeringen (Kurt Oskar Gessle)|accessdate=3 January 2022}}</ref> Gessle married his long-time girlfriend Åsa Nordin (born 1961) in 1993 at Västra Strö Church, Eslöv, Sweden. The wedding reception was held in nearby [[Trollenäs Castle]]. They have a son, Gabriel Titus,<ref name=aftonbladet/> born on 5 August 1997.

Along with Björn Nordstrand he also owns Hotel Tylösand on the Swedish westcoast, known for its vast art and photo collection as well as The Joyride Car Collection, Per Gessle's private collection of Ferrari cars.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/ekonomi/halmstads-affarskung/ |first=Bernt |last=Hermele |title=Halmstads affärskung|trans-title=Halmstads Business King |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |date=25 July 2004 |access-date=19 July 2012}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{about||a more comprehensive list|Per Gessle discography|Gessle's releases as part of Roxette|Roxette discography|Gessle's releases as part of Gyllene Tider|Gyllene Tider}}

* ''[[Per Gessle (album)|Per Gessle]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Scener]]'' (1985)
* ''[[The World According to Gessle]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Mazarin (album)|Mazarin]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Son of a Plumber]]'' (as '''Son of a Plumber''') (2005)
* ''[[En händig man]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Party Crasher (album)|Party Crasher]]'' (2008)
* ''En vacker natt'' (2017)
* ''En vacker dag'' (2017)
* ''Small Town Talk'' (2018)
* ''Mind Control'' (as '''Mono Mind''') (2019)
* ''Gammal kärlek rostar aldrig'' (2020)
* ''[[Pop-Up Dynamo!]]'' (as '''PG Roxette''') (2022)
* ''Sällskapssjuk'' (2024)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.gessle.com/}}
* {{MusicBrainz artist|id=843238f1-ecfa-4a26-9e47-ce52e4ea1e31|name=Per Gessle}}
* [http://www.roxette.se Official Roxette website] {{Flagicon|Sweden}}
* [http://dailyroxette.com dailyroxette.com]

{{Per Gessle}}
{{Roxette}}
{{Roxette singles}}
{{Gyllene Tider}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gessle, Per}}
[[Category:Per Gessle| ]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Swedish male singers]]
[[Category:Swedish pop guitarists]]
[[Category:Swedish harmonica players]]
[[Category:Swedish pop singers]]
[[Category:Swedish male songwriters]]
[[Category:Swedish pop musicians]]
[[Category:Singers from Halmstad]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Halmstad]]
[[Category:Guitarists from Halmstad]]
[[Category:English-language singers from Sweden]]
[[Category:Swedish-language singers]]
[[Category:Roxette members]]
[[Category:Swedish rock guitarists]]