Roxette drummer Pelle Alsing has died at the age of 60.
Former bandmate Per Gessle, who was one half of the Swedish pop duo, confirmed the sad news on the band’s official Twitter account this evening.
He paid tribute to the ‘inventive’ drummer, who was one of the key figures behind the iconic sound of the band.
Roxette were best known for the 80s smash It Must Have Been Love.
A picture of Pelle smiling after one of the band’s gigs was also attached to a heartbreaking statement, reports the Mirror.
Per tweeted: “It is with sadness I inform you that our beloved Pelle Alsing has passed away.
“Pelle was not only an amazing and inventive drummer helping us to create the Rox sound since day one, he was also the best friend you can imagine - a kind a generous man with the biggest heart beating for everyone.
“He was always the funniest to be around, the one with the biggest smile on his face, the one who supported you the most when you were in doubt.
“He will be truly missed so much more than words can say. All my love goes out to his wife, family and friends.”
Pelle appeared on several of Roxette's albums and live shows from the 1980s until the 2010s.
He also played with the musicians Niklas Strömstedt, Lisa Nilsson and Ulf Lundell and was in the band Ratata.
Pelle's death comes a year after Roxette member Marie Fredriksson died aged 61 following a long illness.
The pop duo were huge in their time, selling more than 75million records around the world and scoring 19 Top 40 hits, which propelled them to the height of fame.
They were forced to stop touring in 2016 when doctors told Marie she was too ill to continue working.
She previously battled a brain tumour in 2002, having been diagnosed after fainting at home.
Doctors warned that she only had a 20% chance of survival, but she managed to recover after a long and gruelling course of treatment.
She died in December 2019.
