Joanna: So what's your name, and what do you do in The (International) Noise Conspiracy?

Lars: My name is Lars, and I'm one of the guitar players. I'm the one who doesn't play the keyboards.

Joanna: How long have you guys been a band for?

Lars: Almost 6 years.

Joanna: So I mentioned to someone that I wanted to interview you guys, and they said, "I don't think they'll do it--they're really political."

Lars: Well, we are political.

Joanna: What does being a "political band" really mean?

Lars: Um, well a political band is basically a band that isn't afraid to take shit for what they believe in.

Joanna: So what is it that you guys believe in that you're not afraid to take shit for?

Lars: We're revolutionaries. We don't believe that this capitalist system that we live in benefits anyone except rich people. Basically, we want our fans to know that there are other options and alternatives to capitalism.

Joanna: So do you think you've been successful in spreading your belief? Or do you think people just listen to your music because it's fun to dance to?

Lars: Well, it's a mix. (silence) OK, I know a lot of people just come and see us play because they like to dance. We have the outfits, and we have the guitar riffs, but we do that on purpose. Basically we take what's familiar to people so they'll listen to the music, and then eventually they'll understand what they're singing along to.

Joanna: It's like you kind of trick people into learning something.

Lars: Not really, we just put our radical ideas into a different context. Politics don't have to be so stern and complicated; they should be fun.

Joanna: So I can assume that English wasn't your first language� correct?

Lars: No, it wasn't.

Joanna: So when you guys first started playing together, why did you decide to write songs in English?

Lars: Well there's a lot of good Rock N' Roll bands in Sweden who never get to play out of the country, and we knew we wanted to tour America at some point. English is just the common Rock N' Roll language, and we knew this because we grew up on American Rock N' Roll, on bands like The Beatles.

Joanna: So I notice you guys exude this sexual energy in your performance, far more than anyone else who played on the bill with you today. Like, a lot of thrusting, ass shaking, and at one point Dennis even grabbed his balls. Does this have anything to do with not growing up in a capitalist system?

Lars: Yes, that's definitely a cultural thing. People here get so shocked by nudity, like if a girl is laying out in the sun topless it's a really big deal whereas in Sweden, it�s not.

Joanna: So Swedish people are used to being around topless girls and Americans aren't?

Lars: No, that's not it. I think we're just more in tune with our bodies and our sexuality.

Joanna: Does that have anything to do with Capitalism?

Lars: Well yes, I mean in a capitalist system, everything sells, so our bodies have to sell, too. I mean it's all very hypocritical because at the same time we're supposed to be really in tune with our bodies because sex is so marketable, but we're also supposed to be ashamed of it if it doesn't amount to what it should be.

Joanna: Are you in tune with your body?

Lars: Well, (silence) I feel alright about it I guess.

Joanna: That's good.

Lars: You know, it's not like Sweden is entirely liberated either. While nudity isn't as taboo as it is here, it's still a very closed-off sort of culture. People aren't very outgoing, and it's just a cultural sort of thing.

Joanna: Do you watch porn?

Lars: No, not really. I've just never been into that sort of thing.

Joanna: Do you have any sex-related tour stories you can tell from being on the road?

Lars: I mean, I've always been in these long-term relationships. I�m sure if any of us had tried to pursue it, it could have happened. I mean, lots of people in the crowd are into sex and lots of people in the band are into sex so like if people want to have a good time they know how to find each other. I'm not opposed to anything like that going on, as long as you don't act like some kind of Rock N' Roll pig.

Joanna: Do you guys ever go to strip clubs or anything?

Lars: No, it's just not our kind of thing.

Joanna: So you guys just kinda play and go to bed?

Lars: No, we definitely hang out. We talk a lot on stage about a lot of different issues, and after the show, we try and talk to as many people as we can about these issues.

Joanna: I think that's what Punk Rock was supposed to be all about, unfortunately, a lot of that has been lost once the music got so big. A lot of times its really hard to talk to a band when they play these big venues, with so many bouncers, barriers, and security guards separating you from the band.

Lars: Yeah, we deal with that, too, being on a major label and everything, but when someone approaches us and wants to talk, we�ll find a way to do it because we really do enjoy hearing people share their ideas. One of the major contradictions of our band is that we really want to have that intimate energy in the crowd, but we also want to play bigger and bigger shows to get our ideas out to more people. The bigger the shows we play, the more people hear us, but the harder it is to talk to people on a one-on-one basis.

Joanna: I think a lot of bands now share a similar feeling, it�s like, you wanna be able to play music and do what you believe in, but if you want to do it full time you�ll have to listen to what your major label tells you to do. Unless you're like Marilyn Manson or something.

Lars: Yeah, it is a hard contradiction.

Joanna: Yeah, but at the same time you�re doing a lot more than you would be doing if you were working some corporate job.

Lars: This is true.

Joanna: How do you feel about this upcoming election in America?

Lars: We feel that if you guys as Americans elect George Bush as president again, we�re not going to come back and play here.

Joanna: (laughs) I think that's fair.

Lars: Well that�s not true, we'll come back. It will just give us more fuel to talk shit.

Joanna: Being that election time is getting closer, do you think you should be telling your fans to vote, and try to work with what we have, rather than preaching to "smash the capitalist system?"

Lars: Well I think that people should strive beyond the vote. I mean, we need a system that isn't just based on voting once every four years, particularly for a person you couldn't talk to on the street about anything. I think we need to decentralize everything and vote on things more locally. Things like workers' councils make perfect sense if you think about it, having some huge centralized government doesn't, because this one establishment can't be in touch with everyone in the country, or in the world.

Joanna: I see what you're saying, but I think if we really want to get Bush out of office, everyone has to vote, regardless of whether you believe in a centralized government or not.

Lars: Yeah, but having a two-party system is just totally fucked. The parliamentary system is just a system where individual people don't have any say in what's going on. I mean, unfortunately there is no way to really live outside of capitalism right now unless you�re the next Unabomber or something.

Joanna: Have you ever considered being the next Unabomber? I think we all have at some point.

Lars: (laughs) No, I don't think so. I don't think that's really a good way to change people's perception of the current political structure. There just has to be a more efficient way of making people think about things.

Joanna: Do you think you're doing that by playing music?

Lars: Yes, definitely. I think music strikes an emotional chord with people and it really can make people think about things. I think politics have to be more emotional, and more in tune with life itself so people can relate to it.