Viagra Boys Stockholm gutter rats Viagra Boys are the best band in
To put it simply, we just wanted to make weird music.
the world. I think. Everyone seems utterly perplexed by the band, attempting to explain what they stand for, why
Your sound is quite hard to pin down, as you are ‘Punk’,
they exist- are they a true feminist punk band? Are they a
but also have a real groove to some of your songs that
comment on failed masculinity? Are they reactionary to the
maybe isn’t so ‘three chords by angry guys’. What are
rise of the neo-right in Sweden? Are they just fuckheads on
you trying to get across when writing or performing?
the wrong end of a few decades of drug taking? I think when we met we were taking a lot of drugs and Whilst seeing Viagra Boys live is undoubtedly where they
listening to a lot of techno, and we wanted to incorporate
will win most new fans, new album ‘Street Worms’ (oddly
that sort of thud-thud-thud monotone essence into what
released on Year0001, home of Yung Lean and Bladee) is
we were doing. The feeling isn’t necessarily something we
nonetheless a brilliant testament to the experiential wonders
go into the track trying to create, but more what happens
of self-loathing, as it flips from jaunty sardonicism (lead
through mixing different elements together, and seeing
single ‘Sports’) to pained introspection on tracks like ‘Just
whether we like what comes out.
Like You’. Reading other interviews with you guys, a lot is made of When talking to the band, what strikes is that despite
you subverting, and maybe taking the piss slightly, out
their rejection of all interpretations given as part of some
of traditional masculine roles- is this something you’ve
‘journalistic agenda’- the narrative is correct, though so
consciously adopted?
genuine, so unaffected, it’s almost impossible to believe. It’s a true imprint of low culture on high culture, serving
It’s not something we’re against, but we’re not ‘the feminist
to elevate itself beyond its sum parts through musical and
punk band’. I think people always tend to try and find an
social chaos. I think. Regardless, we met with them on a
explanation for why things are, when really we don’t have
chilly Dalston evening prior to their gig at Birthdays, to try
anything important to say, or questions to raise. We are
and at least get a glimpse of why Viagra Boys exist in the
feminists, but we’re also just ourselves, pieces of shit, who
manner they do.
just happen to be men!
You’ve exploded into wider consciousness on the back of
‘Street Worms’ is amazing. Could you tell me a bit about
the singles on your new album, but you’re in no way a
the inspiration and process that went into creating it?
new band, having put out a few EPs dating back to 2015. Could you tell me a bit about how you guys got started?
The past couple of years, due to the extensive travelling and drug taking, our brains have developed into this constantly
We knew each other beforehand, and when we got drunk
shifting mess of ideas about music, and what we want to
we’d always talk about forming a band, but then saw
do generally. We’re already over the album, we’re going to
Sebastian [Vocals] singing karaoke- ‘We Belong Together’
do something completely different for the next one. Might
by Mariah Carey, and it was amazing. We all wanted to do
make a jazz record, who knows? Got to keep them guessing.
something different to what we’d done before, as well as
You don’t get opportunities like this too often, so fuck it.
having listened to a lot of the same stuff, stuff that was still raw but had an element of weirdness to it.
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Words by Dan Pare, illustration by Alex Ram
