Per Gessle will release his new album "En händig man" on June 13.

Satellite radio station Sirius has announced the addition of a new channel called "Nordic Rox" that, much like this website, will be devoted entirely to Scandinavian music. Sadly, the station will be programed with the assistance of Per Gessle and not yours truly, but it's okay. I'm not bitter. Read the full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060427/nyth027c.html?.v=1

Per Gessle (non-Swedes will know him better as one-half of Roxette) has started posting old demo tracks to his website for free download: http://www.sonofaplumber.com/

Son of a Plumber
s/t
Capitol

Son of a Plumber is no other than – hold your breath - Per Gessle from Roxette. You don't know who Roxette are? Well, you should count yourself lucky. Roxette were pretty big (especially in Germany) throughout the late 80s and early 90s. Their peak must have been when the monster hit "It must have been love" was featured on the "Pretty Woman" soundtrack. Per Gessle is always portrayed in the Swedish press as this dude with a massive – hold your breath, again - music collection and he seems to be totally in love with "Nuggets"-type music. Unfortunately, I don't think any of his compositions will ever be featured on one of the Nuggets compilations. This album is horrible and it reminds me of Roxette and the worst things about the 80s.
- Simon Tagestam

Aftonbladet reports that Per Gessle has set his sights on the US market: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,727347,00.html (in Swedish)

20 Questions: Sandy Mouche

I hear that Per Gessle and Brainpool will be doing an album together.

Swedish pop-star Per Gessle is enlisting the vocal talents of Helena Josefsson from Sandy Mouche to record a new album. Former duet partner, Roxette vocalist Marie Fredriksson, was sidelined by a brain tumor a few years back and while she can still sing (she has since released a solo record), she doesn't want to put herself through the stress of a big tour. So Per's got himself a new young lady and is getting ready to bring her to the world. We'll see what happens, I guess. Read more: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,680185,00.html (in Swedish)

Aftonbladet lists the top picks of the year from quite a few high-profile Swedish artists such as Marit Bergman, Per Gessle, Ola Salo, Magnus Uggla, Ebbot Lundberg, Nicke Andersson and so on: http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/noje/story/0,2789,578772,00.html (in Swedish)

The nominees for the 2004 Swedish Grammy awards have been announced. Here's most of em:

Best newcomer:
Ana Johnsson - "The Way I Am"
Anna Ternheim - "Somebody Outside""
Deportees - "All Prayed Up"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog"
Raymond & Maria - "Vi ska bara leva klart"

Best album:
Christian Walz - "Paint By Numbers"
Marit Bergman - "Baby Dry Your Eye"
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"
The Hives - "Tyrannosaurus Hives"
The Soundtrack of our Lives - "Origin Vol. 1"

Best artist:
Gyllene Tider - "Finn 5 Fel!"
Lena Philipsson - "Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan"
Marit Bergman - "Baby Dry Your Eye"
The Hives - "Tyrannosaurus Hives"
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - "Origin Vol. 1"

Best song:
Raymond & Maria - "Ingen vill veta vart du köpt din tröja"
Lena Philipsson - "Det gör ont"
Nic & The Family - "Hej Hej Monika"
Gyllene Tider - "Tuffa tider/Sten vid en sjö i en skog"
Shirley Clamp - "Min kärlek"

Best pop (female):
Anna Ternheim - "Somebody Outside"
Lena Philipsson - "Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan"
Marit Bergman - "Baby Dry Your Eye"
Sophie Zelmani - "Love Affair"
Stina Nordenstam - "The World Is Saved"

Best pop (male):
Christian Walz - "Paint By Numbers"
Di Leva - "Tiden faller"
Jens Lekman - "When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog"
Mattias Alkberg BD - "Tunaskolan"
Tomas Andersson Wij - "Stjärnorna i oss"

Best pop group:
Alcazar - "Dancefloor - Deluxe"
Deportees - "All Prayed Up"
Gyllene Tider - "Finn 5 Fel!"
Melody Club - "Face The Music"
Raymond & Maria - "Vi ska bara leva klart"

Best rock album (solo):
Kristofer Åström - "Loupita"
Lars Winnerbäck - "Vatten under broarna"
Nicolai Dunger - "Here's My Song You Can Have It..."
Stefan Sundström - "Hjärtats melodi"
Ulf Lundell - "Ok Baby Ok"

Best rock group:
Sahara Hotnights - "Kiss & Tell"
Silverbullit - "Arclight"
Teddybears Sthlm - "Fresh!"
The Hives - "Tyrannosaurus Hives"
The Soundtrack of Our Lives - "Origin Vol. 1"

Best songwriter:
Anna Ternheim
Christian Walz & Ollie Olson
Marit Bergman
Per Gessle
Stina Nordenstam

Best lyrics:
Anna Ternheim
Jens Lekman
Lars Winnerbäck
Marit Bergman
Tomas Andersson Wij

Best producer:
Christian Walz
Johan Forsman & The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Lars Halapi
Pelle Gunnerfeldt & The Hives
Teddybears Sthlm & Phat Fabe

Best hip-hop/soul:
Damn! - "Youth Style"
Embee - "Tellings From Solitaria"
Infinite Mass - "1991"
Ison & Fille - "Ison & Fille"
Promoe - "The Long Distance Runner"

Best hard-rock/metal:
Dismember - "Where Ironcrosses Grow"
Entombed - "Unreal Estate"
Europe - "Start From The Dark"
In Flames - "Soundtrack To Your Escape"
The Hellacopters - "Strikes Like Lightning"

Best club/dance:
Andreas Tilliander - "World Industries"
Da Buzz - "Dangerous - The Album"
Guidelines - Must Be The Music"
Hird - "Moving On"
Stonebridge - "Can't Get Enough"

Best jazz:
Goran Kajfes - "Headspin"
Kullrusk - "Kullrusk"
Putte Wickman & Jan Lundgren - "We Will Always Be Together"
Rigmor Gustafsson And The Jacky Terrasson Trio - "Close To You"
The Torbjörn Zetterberg Hot Five - "Förtjänar mer uppmärksamhet"

Open category:
Alice Babs & Nisse Linds Hottrio - "Alice Babs & Nisse Linds Hot-Trio"
Anders F Rönnblom - "F-Box"
Blacknuss - "Gold"
Stefan Nilsson - "Så som i himmelen"
Titiyo - "Best of Titiyo"

Check out the full list here: http://www.ifpi.se/02.images/01.top/02.subnav_pdf/08.grammis/pdf/Grammisnomineringar_2004.pdf

Per Gessle told Aftonbladet that Gyllene Tider is working on songs in both English and Swedish and has high hopes of conquering Europe. We shall see.

Nominees for the 2004 Musikförläggarnas Pris:

Best song:
Thomas "Orup" Eriksson - Det gör ont (BMG Music Publishing)
Staffan Lindfors, Johan Kindblom - Ingen vill veta var du köpt din tröja (Air Chrysalis)
Infinite Mass, Rodrigo Pencheff, Amir Chamdin - The Thief (Murlyn Songs)
Lisa Miskovsky, Jocke Berg - Lady Stardust (Universal Music Publishing, BMG Music Publishing)

Best lyrics/composition:
Lisa Miskovsky/Jocke Berg (Universal Music Publishing, BMG Music Publishing)
Marit Bergman (Air Chrysalis)
Per Gessle (Jimmy Fun)
Bo Sundström (Sony ATV Music Publishing)

Most important concert piece:
Daniel Börtz - Hans namn var Orestes (Gehrmans Musikförlag)
Anders Eliasson - Konsert för altsaxofon och orkester (Gehrmans Musikförlag)
Sven-David Sandström - Concert Pieces For Percussion And Orchestra (Gehrmans Musikförlag)
Carl Unander-Scharin - Byrgitta (Manus)

Best international success:
Anders Bagge (EMI Music Publishing/Murlyn Songs)
Andreas Carlsson (Warner/Chappell Music)
The Hives (Songs & Stories Publishing)
Christian Karlsson, Pontus Winnberg, Henrik Jonback (Toxic) (Murlyn Songs)

Best newcomer:
José González (Misty Music)
Kamera (BMG Music Publishing)
Sara Löfgren (Mariann)
Tobias Karlsson (Warner Chappell Music)

Awards will be handed out at a ceremony in Nalen on October 28.

Now that the summer doldrums are coming to an end, there's finally some action in this week's top 20 Swedish album chart:

01. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
02. Stefan Sundström - Hjärtats melodi
03. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
04. Alcazar - Dancefloor - Deluxe
05. Gyllene Tider - Finn 5 Fel
06. Melody Club - Face the Music
07. Raymond & Maria - Vi ska bara leva klart
08. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
09. Caj Karlsson - Gud straffar somliga med en gång
10. Vikingarna - Bästa Kramgoa Låtarna
11. Ted Gärdestad - Sol Vind & Vatten - Det Bästa
12. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
13. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
14. Günther & the Sunshine Girls - Pleasure Man
15. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
16. Christian Walz - Paint by Numbers
17. Europe - Rock The Night: The Very Best Of Europe
18. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
19. Per Gessle - Mazarin
20. Shirley Clamp - Den Långsamma Blomman

Head over to the new Impious website to download clips from their upcoming album "Hellucinate": http://www.impious.net/

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish albums:

01. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
02. Raymond & Maria - Vi ska bara leva klart
03. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
04. Gyllene Tider - Finn 5 Fel
05. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
06. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
07. Smalare än Thord - World Hockey Party
08. Vikingarna - Bästa Kramgoa Låtarna
09. Ted Gärdestad - Sol Vind & Vatten - Det Bästa
10. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
11. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
12. Günther & the Sunshine Girls - Pleasure Man
13. Europe - Rock The Night: The Very Best Of Europe
14. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
15. Per Gessle - Mazarin
16. Christian Walz - Paint by Numbers
17. Shirley Clamp - Den Långsamma Blomman
18. E-Type - Loud Pipes Save Lives
19. Pugh Rogefeldt - Bästa
20. Lisa Miskovsky - Fallingwater

Junip, the band that José González fronts when he is not playing solo, will be recording an EP for releaes sometime this fall.

Here's this week's top 20 Swedish albums:

01. Lena Philipsson - Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan
02. Benny Anderssons Orkester - Bao!
03. Gyllene Tider - Finn 5 Fel
04. The Hives - Tyrannosaurus Hives
05. Gyllene Tider - Gt 25 - Samtliga Hits!
06. Ted Gärdestad - Sol Vind & Vatten - Det Bästa
07. Robert Wells - Rhapsody In Rock Anniversary
08. Vikingarna - Bästa Kramgoa Låtarna
09. Günther & the Sunshine Girls - Pleasure Man
10. Teddybears Sthlm - Fresh
11. Agnetha Fältskog - My Colouring Book
12. Europe - Rock The Night: The Very Best Of Europe
13. Marit Bergman - Baby Dry Your Eye
14. Shirley Clamp - Den Långsamma Blomman
15. Peter Jöback - Det här är platsen
16. Per Gessle - Mazarin
17. Carola - Credo
18. Infinite Mass - 1991
19. Sahara Hotnights - Kiss & Tell
20. Pugh Rogefeldt - Bästa

Alarma Man confirms that they've finished recording their new album and it comes to a total time of 38:38. Look for it early next year on Carcrash Records.