The Vietcong Pornsurfers, comprised of Tom K (lead vocals, guitar), W. Affe (bass), Rackarn (drums) and Teddy (lead guitar), prove once again that Sweden is the ultimate hotbed for Rock ‘N Roll. Playing in support with such acts as the Babylon Bombs, Vains Of Jenna, and Sister Sin, their unique mixture of straight ahead rock, with a bit of punk and glam thrown in, has gained the attention of fans around the world. Currently supporting their most recent release, “Restless, Young, Hungry and Free”, they come at you (in their words) “like having a dirty boot kick you in the groin.

What's the background on one of the BEST band names in Rock 'N Roll, The Vietcong Pornsurfers?
TOM: Vietcong was the nickname of a group of hated rebels, same as us, no one likes us...
AFFE: We had several name ideas for the band, but we simply ended up choosing the one most disliked by our mothers.

Were any of you in previous bands and how did The Vietcong Pornsurfers form?
AFFE: I played in a rock band called BLÖW…We sucked. Tom was in a hardcore punk band called Abnormal and Rackarn had just left his former band, Obsezzion, because the other guys wanted to play some kind of emo-rock. Tom and I spent a summer vacation doing nothing except writing un-serious songs sitting in a nearby playground. TOM: Affe and I decided that we needed a drummer to get some gigs therefore we asked the only drummer we knew, Rackarn. And Teddy just came along for his good looks.

Who are your main influences and what qualities did you take from each?
TOM: Eeh…Rock music and eeh…Cool Rock Riffs. I’d make a list of hundreds of bands I like or don’t like, but I guess they haven't improved my bass playing anyway.
AFFE: I think we all can agree on several influences and bands we like. When we started, we wanted to play something that was as hard and straight forward as Motörhead but still with those "WhooHoo" choruses of the early Misfits. I can only speak for myself now, but I think that is still the idea…Hard, pure, fucking rock without mercy but still with those silly dance-inviting melodies. But since Teddy came in to the band, and Tom started to learn how to play guitar, we've gotten more riffs and guitar stuff from bands such as the Hellacopters, I think (I’m not the guitarist. Ha!).

What's your process in writing songs? Do the lyrics or music come first?
AFFE: To our latest song, "Break My Heart"(Video on YouTube), we used the chorus, "bajskorv sex" until a few weeks before we recorded it, so the lyrics is definitely not the start.
TOM: We always start with the music. It's often Teddy and I that write a riff and then we put it together in our rehearsal or something.

Who's been your favorite tour mate (band) and why?
TOM: I've had some fun with Sister. Like when we raped the streets of Copenhagen.
AFFE: Yes…Sister is a lot of fun. But I wouldn’t recommend the combination porn + sister. It always goes too...far. We have actually only played together with Sister once, at The Rock in Copenhagen, Denmark, November last year. But since Sweden isn’t a big place, they use to come to a lot of our shows and we've visited several of theirs. And always there is a lot stuff happening round. Once we played at Pub Anchor in Stockholm, I don’t remember if the whole band was there or just Jamie. Anyway, Jamie shared some of his cool guitar skills for us backstage. For example…he showed us how to play several rock songs with only one chord. The only song I can remember now that he played was the Turbonegro tune, "All My Friends Are Dead", in only E-minor. I guess Jamie thought it sounded superb. Or maybe it was just his beer-brain lying to him. "(E) All my friends are dead. (E, E) all my friends are dea-eaad (E) got kicked in their head (E) all my friends are dead (E, E) etc…”

What's the most fucked up thing to happen to you guys during a live performance?
AFFE: Once there was a festival. Tom couldn’t find the microphone, and he broke all the strings on his guitar except the two thinnest, so he decided to skip the lyrics and chords and just play monster guitar solos. (This was in our really early days, and Tom still can’t/shouldn’t play any solos). I was very upset and walked away and slipped in the mud, broke the bass guitar, walked up on stage again and crashed straight in to the drums. Rackarns bass-drum fell apart, so it was 100% jungle drums that gig. After 4 songs of mayhem and a lot of guitar solos and no vocals, Rackarn hit the end note of the song and fell down behind the drums and passed out.
TOM: The funny part is that Alfred and I decided to play the gig naked. Thank God for alcohol.
AFFE: Actually…the best part is that we got it all on video and I can’t even recognize a single one of our songs. I have no idea what we were playing.

Your CD, "Restless, Young, Hungry and Free" has received numerous good reviews. Do any of the media comments affect how you'll go into recording your next CD?
TOM: Maybe we'll be in the studio more then just 5 days this time. Otherwise it will be the same. I think.
AFFE: I'm still hungry and restless and free…I don’t know, and I won’t be as young as last time, but almost (hopefully!). We'll do it better.

Do all of you socially network personally with your fans via Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.?
AFFE: Yes, except Teddy…he doesn't have an internet connection.

How do you feel about file-sharing and music in the digital age?
AFFE: I like it. Don't care, just like it. Arrest me.
TOM: Hell yeah! Revolution!

I like your answer. Do you feel that file-sharing has led to more people showing up at your gigs?
AFFE: I can’t tell if file-sharing has improved the size of our audiences or just made us poorer. Rock isn’t about money and I’m not doing it because I hope to get rich. I’m just spending money on it so far. But don’t think that a Facebook/Myspace/etc…message saying: "Hello, please pay to listen to our new song, you might like it." would make for good promotion. When you buy a CD, I think you do it equally for the artwork, booklet, etc…, not only because you want to hear the songs. There are millions of bands out there today. Yesterday there wasn’t. There are a million of different things you need or got to have today; Computer, iPod, Mobile Phone, X-Box. Yesterday there wasn’t. That’s why I think the music industry is going downwards. But has the music quality gotten worse? I don’t now, but I don’t think so.

Do you have big plans for the band the rest of 2011? Any hopes of getting to the States to tour?
TOM: I don't know…ask Affe.
AFFE: No, Belgium is a quite small I’ve heard? About the States…as long as there is life, there is hope! It would be awesome to get over the Atlantic and tour the United States, but to be honest; I don’t think that is something that we could do much about. None of us have ever been to the States, and we can’t possibly sit here and book our own tour on the other side of the world. But if someone is willing to help us...we would be as grateful as children on Christmas Eve! :D

RAPID FIRE: 1. Underwear or Commando?
Y-Fronts (also known as “Banana Hammocks” or “Grape Squeezers”).

2. Whiskey or Beer?
Beer

3. Slutty chicks or Proper?
Doesn't matter

4. Mobile Phones: Can't live with or Can't live without?
We definitely can live with 'em, so.

5. Comedy or Horror flicks?
ACTION!