Viagra Boys

Viagra Boys is a Swedish punk band formed in Stockholm in 2015.[1][2][3][4] The line-up currently consists of American lead singer Sebastian Murphy alongside Swedish musicians Linus Hillborg (guitar), Elias Jungqvist (keyboards), Henrik Höckert (bass), Tor Sjödén (drums), and Oscar Carls (saxophone). The band's lyrics are known for using satire and dark humour to criticise right-wing populism, hypermasculinity, and far-right conspiracy theories.[5][6]

Viagra Boys
Viagra Boys performing in March 2019
Viagra Boys performing in March 2019
Background information
OriginStockholm, Sweden
Genres
Years active2015–present
Labels
Members
  • Sebastian Murphy
  • Oskar Carls
  • Henrik Höckert
  • Tor Sjödén
  • Elias Jungqvist
  • Linus Hillborg
Past members
  • Benjamin Vallé
  • Martin Ehrencrona
  • Rasmus Booberg

History

The band was formed in Stockholm in 2015, with several members coming from existing bands such as Nine, Les Big Byrd, Pig Eyes, Nitad, and Neu-Ronz. Lead singer Sebastian Murphy is the only foreign-born member of the group, being an American from San Rafael, California, who moved to Stockholm to live with his aunt at the age of 17. His mother is from Sweden and he grew up speaking Swedish.[7] A heavy drug and alcohol addict at the time, Murphy worked as a tattoo artist and met the other band members while performing Mariah Carey's song "We Belong Together" at a karaoke night.[7] The band’s lyrics, for example in the song “ADD”, and lore surrounding the band, allude to Murphy’s use of speed. Murphy is the chief songwriter of the band.

In 2018, they released their first album, Street Worms. Nils Hansson of Dagens Nyheter described the band favorably, praising their musical style as well as their use of black humor and satire, and rated the album 5/5.[8] In 2019, the band won the Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) Album of the Year Award for Street Worms.[9] The band's second album, Welfare Jazz, was released in January 2021.

In October 2021, founding member and guitarist Benjamin Vallé died at the age of 47. While he played on Welfare Jazz, he was not an active member of the band at the time of his death.[10][11] The band played multiple festivals in 2022 including Coachella and Primavera Sound,[12][13] and Glastonbury in 2023.

Their third album, Cave World, was released in July 2022.[14][15] They won Rock of the Year at 2023 Grammis.[16] They supported Queens of the Stone Age's North American tour.[17]

The band's music videos incorporate surrealism and often feature Murphy as a disoriented, rambunctious intruder in settings incorporating athletics, modern life, a stodgy 1700’s manor house, religion, or pubs with a seedy, underground atmosphere.

Members

Current members
  • Sebastian Murphy – lead vocals (2015–present)
  • Henrik Höckert – bass guitar (2015–present), additional vocals (2021–present)
  • Tor Sjödén – drums (2015–present), additional vocals (2021–present)
  • Oscar Carls – saxophone, flute, guitar (2017–present)
  • Elias Jungqvist – keyboards (2019–present), additional vocals (2021–present)
  • Linus Hillborg – guitar, additional vocals (2021–present)

Past members
  • Benjamin Vallé – guitar (2015–2021; died 2021)
  • Martin Ehrencrona – synth (2015–2019)
  • Rasmus Booberg – guitar (2015–2017)

Timeline

Discography

Albums

Extended plays
  • Consistency of Energy (2016, Kosmos Recordings)
  • Call of the Wild (2017, Push My Buttons)
  • Common Sense (2020, Year0001)

Live-albums
  • Shrimp Sessions (2019, Year0001)
  • Shrimp Sessions 2 (2021, Year0001)

Singles
  • "Sports" (2018, Year0001)
  • "Just Like You" (2018, Year0001)
  • "Ain't Nice" (2020, Year0001)
  • "Creatures" (2020, Year0001)
  • "In Spite of Ourselves" (with Amy Taylor) (2020, Year0001)
  • "Girls & Boys" (2021, Year0001)
  • "Ain't No Thief" (2022, Year0001)
  • "Troglodyte" (2022, Year0001)
  • "Punk Rock Loser" (2022, Year0001)
  • “Big Boy” (with Jason Williamson) (2022, Year0001)

References
  1. Gaffe, Sasha (July 11, 2018). "Viagra Boys: "Sports" Track Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  2. Jones, Daisy (2 October 2018). "Viagra Boys might genuinely get you back into Post-Punk". Noisey. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  3. Corcoran, Nina (1 October 2018). "Viagra Boys: Street Worms Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  4. Palm, Erik Augustine (2 October 2018). "Viagra Boys: The hidden depths of Stockholm's gonzo-punk rockers". The Fader. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  5. "The hidden depths of Viagra Boys". The FADER. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  6. "Viagra Boys Talk Overcomplicating the Truth on New LP "Cave World"". FLOOD. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  7. "Viagra Boys Might Genuinely Get You Back Into Post Punk". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  8. Hansson, Nils (28 September 2018). "Dagen's words: Viagra Boys är mycket mer än bara enkelspåriga". Dagens Nyheter. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  9. "VIAGRA BOYS - Album of the Year WINNER 2019". IMPALA - Independent Music Companies Association. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  10. Demirian, Natalie (27 October 2021). "Viagra-Boys-gitarristen Benjamin Vallé död". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  11. Hussey, Allison (27 October 2021). "Viagra Boys' Benjamin Vallé Has Died at 47". Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  12. Pearis, Bill. "Viagra Boys touring around Coachella, releasing 'Welfare Jazz' deluxe edition". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  13. "Primavera Sound 2022 made up for lost time". The FADER. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  14. "Viagra Boys: Cave Story". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  15. "Viagra Boys: Welfare Jazz". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  16. "Grammisgalan". TV4 (in Swedish). Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  17. "Queens Of The Stone Age Announce North American Tour With Phantogram, Viagra Boys, The Armed, & Jehnny Beth". Stereogum. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
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