Big Boy Phone Interview: Wednesday, 11/12/08

MT: How would you describe your music to someone not familiar with it?

BB: Well we always say it is like anal sex, you love it or hate it. 

MT: How did the band get together?

BB: It is funny. We don’t really see ourselves as musicians and we have never really been in this whole music scene really. We all have this total boring middle class average family background and kind of like all have dreamed to escape from that so that was really the driving force behind the band and I think it was just luck when we actually met each other.

MT: How did you come up with the band name?

BB: Actually that is what I am and we are…we are not really…we never grew up, we are just still boys. It just suits us. 

MT: Give me one word to describe you.

BB: Humble…just kidding. ;-)

MT: Your worst habit and your best quality?

BB: The worst habit is that I really have no patience and maybe that is a quality too you know because I think when you actually try to do something, whatever it is, the first hurdle you are confronted with is that you depend on other people and they always make you wait and when we started the band you are waiting and waiting and waiting so at some point I guess we just lost our patience and decided to do everything on our own.

MT: I understand. I am the same way. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?

BB: Actually doing all this, coming from the background we come from, our lives are pretty much pre-decided you know? When you are really poor, that gives you a certain energy and drive because you don’t really have anything to lose. When you are settled and rich and don’t have any problems really, life might also be pretty easy for you, but actually our lives were pretty much planned and at the same time we did not have any resources or anything and we gave up all that to be in the band. So that was definitely the craziest thing to give up the salary and be in a band.

MT: What are your personal musical influences?

BB: Actually the biggest influence was Queen. I remember when I was a teenager and that was all I listened to was Queen. I was so uncool back then. Everyone was either into hip hop or Heavy Metal and no in between. You were into metal or a rapper, I discovered Queen and Freddy Mercury and that was enough. I didn’t listen to anything else in my youth and that was a huge, huge influence. Actually, personally the only band still that really, really matters is Turbonegro.

MT: Tell me about the US plans for next month?

BB: For us it came out of nowhere and was totally unexpected. One morning I got this email from our friend asking us to come to the US. That has always been the big dream of course to actually play in the states and that is so difficult for European bands to do since there is so much money involved and all the Visa stuff and everything. Most bands never get that chance and we were offered that chance so it is going to be a big adventure. We don’t know what to expect. We don’t even know where we will stay and we don’t even have our equipment together, but it is a huge adventure and we are looking forward to it.

MT: So are you staying for about a month?

BB: Yes, pretty much exactly a month.

MT: What do you get most out of being a musician?

BB: Playing live is the best thing. There are so many disadvantages being a musician. If you go to your bank and fill out a form and write down musician or artist you have so many disadvantages. You invest so much…no money, you drive eight hours, you build up all your stuff and then that one hour makes it all worth it. There is nothing in this world that you can compare it to when people enjoy your music. You can party with your friends and your fans and play music. That is the best thing. Even recording feels like work, but performing is like a dream really.

MT: What is the meaning of the Big Boy sleeping mask?

BB: The Big Boy sleeping mask has no meaning. Meaning is not always the origin of things. For us its more inspiration. I just felt like wearing a sleeping mask.
It can be quite useful on tour though when you wake up next to someone shocking. :-)
 

MT: If you could be invisible, fly or stop time which would you choose and why?

BB: Definitely being invisible.

MT: Why?

BB: Doesn’t everybody say that? (laughs)

MT: No. Believe it or not they don’t. I am finding that this tells a lot about someone’s personality. Obviously I am not a doctor, but…

BB: Really?

MT: I haven’t gotten stop time yet, but a lot of the other two. Why would you want to be invisible?

BB: You can do anything invisible you know. I dunno...I would probably sneak in some Swedish female volley ball team locker room.

MT: Yea exactly, that seems to be the answer for invisible. You can go where you don’t belong. I found that a lot of people that want to fly want to get somewhere really fast.

BB: Or to actually be able to fly invisibly would be cool.

MT: If you could switch places with someone for a day who would it be and why?

BB: A few years ago I would have said George Bush and I would have killed myself really quick.

MT: That’s a good one! What do you want your fans to get out of your music?

BB: I hope it somehow inspires them when they come from a similar background and to connect with the social element. We really would like those middle class kids to be inspired and break out of their life and fill their dreams. If we can do that, they can do it too.

MT: If you could put the ultimate tour together who would it be?

BB: Just us and Turbonegro.

MT: Your plans in general for 2009?

BB: Our new album is done and it really has to be released pretty soon. Like Spring 2009. Then we hope to play all the big festivals again as we did in 2008 and hopefully play headliner tour again next autumn and then of course Trash Fest is the highlight of course.

MT: Message for your fans?

BB: I hope you guys keep faithful to us and we keep faithful to you. I hope we can continue to keep doing what we do and like meet as many of you as possible.

Big Boy Fast Facts

DOB: 8/26/77

Location: Sweden

Height: 188 cm = 6 foot 2 inches

Shoe Size: 44 = 11

Fave Food: Oh man, so many! Actually eating is my favorite thing. I just eat the entire day! I can’t pick a favorite I like steak, burgers, Italian, Thai, Sushi…

Fave Color: Really depends…black for cars & clothes and for makeup I like pink

Fave Scent: the sea

Fave Drink: Absolute vodka

Fave Movie: Mulholland Drive

Fave Place: Swedish West Coast

Fave Band: Queen & Turbonegro

Fave Indulgence: Self indulgence

I would like to thank Big Boy for taking the time out of his busy schedule for this interview! Be sure to check out the Big Boy promo contest!

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