The Look

When Per Gessle sat down to experiment with his new Ensoniq ESQ-1 synthesizer, he probably didn't imagine that a song that would resonate worldwide would be born from that exercise. The starting point was a repetitive bass line, an A–G–D pattern that became the skeleton of The Look. The rhythmic inspiration came from ZZ Top, and that constant, almost hypnotic pulse is felt from the first second. The first phrases, those that speak of "walking like a man, hitting like a hammer," were born almost as a note to keep the rhythm, but they ended up staying, bringing that raw energy that, according to Gessle, had a "great groove" and a "pseudo-psychedelic" feel. He tried to rewrite them, but the magic was already there, and the key was to balance that intensity with the rest of the lyrics.

The recording of The Look, which took place between May and August 1988 at EMI Studios in Stockholm and Trident II Studios in London, aimed for a sound distinct from Roxette's debut. Instead of the "live band," the focus was on electronics. Anders Herrlin, bassist for Gessle's previous band, Gyllene Tider, was key in programming a digital drum kit with eight different kick drums just in the intro, as well as other sound effects. Guitarist Jonas Isacsson also left his mark, creating a main riff that, according to the story, he had already composed before and which, upon hearing it during the recording, made everyone in the studio—including producer Clarence Öfwerman and engineer Alar Suurna—enthusiastic immediately. The original idea was for Marie Fredriksson to sing this song; a demo was even recorded with that intention and the title "He's Got the Look," but Gessle felt it didn't quite fit her style, so he took the microphone himself. The result was a track with a "special energy" that, according to Gessle, "stood out" and that, despite him singing it, "everyone loved." This track, released in early 1989, became an international hit, reaching number one in 25 countries and being Roxette's first single to top the US Billboard Hot 100.