Shrimptech Enterprises: How to Sound like Viagra Boys
A different kind of punk band...
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The Stockholm-based punk outfit known as Viagra Boys has had a resounding international impact with their take on punk rock. Since the band’s formation in 2015, they’ve certainly been through some ups and downs.
From losing guitarist and founding member Benjamin Vallé in 2021 to touring with Queens Of The Stone Age in 2023 this band has done it all while continuing to put out great music and wow crowds at festivals worldwide.
The Viagra Boys Sound
When you’re listening to the Viagras’ tunes or checking out their hilarious videos, you’ll notice immediately that authenticity is the focus rather than virtuosity.
From their artwork – which early on was created by vocalist and tattoo artist, Sebastian Murphy – to their uncompromising stage presence, there is a cohesive thread that is undeniably unpretentious.
Fender American Ultra Telecaster
Benjamin’s blinding Arctic Pearl Fender American Ultra Telecaster was hard to miss in the early Viagra Boys performances. Customized with a Jazzmaster bridge and Fender CuNiFe Wide Range Humbuckers, this guitar build pays homage to the late 1970s punk era when the last Telecaster Custom was produced with CuNiFe magnet pickups.
The jangly bell-like tone produced by CuNiFe Humbuckers is certainly a part of the early Viagra Boys sound as you can hear on their debut album Street Worms. The clear, screaming sound of these pickups is really effective on songs like Sports where there’s a minimalistic use of guitar.
With the right choice of amp and distortion pedals, you can probably get a similar sound with the American Vintage II 75 Telecaster Deluxe. Or you can simply install CuNiFe Wide-Range Humbuckers on your Tele.
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Fender Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass
The bass guitar tone of Henrik Höckert is a hallmark of the Viagra sonic landscape, so it’s not surprising that he wields a Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass.
Instead of the usual tone controls found on a traditional Jazz Bass, the Marcus Miller Signature features a 2-band active EQ so you can create a wide range of bass sounds.
Also, it has an active/passive toggle switch to suit different applications, and the vintage-style single-coil pickups ensure a bright and punchy tone and character.
With the American Ultra Jazz Bass, you get a similar configuration, or you can simply outfit your J-Bass with the same Ultra Noiseless Vintage Single-Coil pickups.
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Moog Little Phatty
Synthesizers might not carry the melody or drive most Viagra Boys tunes, but they do add a great deal to the overall aesthetic of the band’s unique sound.
From their first EP, Consistency Of Energy, songs like Research Chemicals were laced with stark industrial synth lead parts created with the Little Phatty’s Oscillator Sync function. Although this can be achieved with a virtual analogue or software synth, it doesn’t have quite the same character.
The screaming, raspy, often atonal nature of these sounds is bolstered with the warmth of the Moog ladder filter. Remember that when creating these sounds, you can balance the 2 oscillator levels for the effect you want.
Based on the Phatty series synth engine, which was designed by Bob Moog, the Subsequent 25 has a similar feature set with a more knob-per-function approach to the interface design.
- More from Moog Music
Tenor Saxophone
As with Elias’ synth parts, Oscar’s approach to the saxophone is very different from what you’d expect in a punk band. Instead of drawing focus with melodic lead parts, his sax simply adds to the madness, becoming more of a primitive rhythmic instrument.
Its sound is down to the type of embouchure and playing technique Oscar uses, which gives the music a wild and unhinged overall feel at times. Songs like Ain’t Nice are a perfect example of this.
Here, the tone of the saxophone forms an intense and chaotic soundscape when combined with the swarm of detuned synth sounds.
Although as a skilled player, Oscar could probably create these sounds on virtually any tenor sax, it’s unlikely that he’d be touring without a professional quality instrument like the Schagerl Superior Tenor Sax.
Gretsch Drums
The drum sound and mechanics of Tor Sjödén’s playing style are essential aspects of the Viagra Boys sonic landscape. While extremely technical phrasing is not necessarily required, the focus relies on a rock-solid sense of timing and dynamics instead.
Besides his Gretsch kit, Tor also uses a Roland SPD-SX for playing back claps, snares, and other samples. In Just Like You, for example, he triggers a Linn-style snare that gives the song a unique, electronic feel.
Natural ambience is also an important part of the drum sound which sounds natural for the most part. The kit may not have been tracked in the largest room, but there’s still a healthy dose of overheads in the mix.
Luckily Gretsch kits like the Catalina Club Studio are relatively affordable, but the key will be to find a decent-sounding room where you can record drums.
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Which of your favourite artists would you like to see in our Sound-alike series? Please let us know in the comments below!
More about Viagra Boys:
- Official Band Page
- More Sound-Alikes
Video:
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- Fender American Ultra Telecaster: Fender
- Fender Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass: Guitar Auctions
- Moog Little Phatty Stage II: Moog Music
- Gretsch Drums: Equipboard
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