Porn Sword Tobacco

- a interview in english and spanish -

Henrik Jonsson aka Porn Sword Tobacco from Göteborg, Sweden, is a new artist on City Centre Offices roster and from whom was recently released the album "Porn Sword Tobacco" that drink from Brian Eno's ambient and the cosmic trips of Tangerine Dream and the avant-garde parsimony of Eric Satie.
Sounds "soft" as Jonsson calls it, which are textures that draw certain nostalgia with a soundtrack character. But if this homonymous record its listened, improv also plays an important role, since our protagonist sits on the stool in front of the piano and simply plays it more by his inspiration than by virtuosity. More info. at city-centre-offices


The piano notes on 'Don't quit your dayjob' are gorgeous together with the guitar chords. It was something unexpected to read the liner notes where you say that you didn't know to play the piano.
"Well thank you. I just love the sound of a big piano and they have this big piano in the studio we went to so I just started punching notes and St: Redford my old friend who is a good guitar player played along. But now I am going once a week to a lady for some piano lessons I want to feel the force."

How did you get into producing?
"Producing is such a big word for me, but the first musical thing I bought was a Roland space echo and that was 9 years ago, back then I just made loops of feedback and recorded the sounds to tape. And I was going to an art school some years ago and I got some money for my art and then I bought my first sampler and from then on I have always been making music."

Noise, static and crackles are the kind of textures you explore on your latest album 'Porn Sword Tobacco'. Which are the aspects you consider in order to use these noises for a particular track?
"I LOVE soft noise, for example the background noise on 'Don't quit your day job' is the engine and tape spinning from my old Roland space echo. I feel free when I hear a good NOISE."

'Pinkys' has a strong influence from the 70's electronic music (Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd).
"There is something very, very funny with this sort of music, and I wanted to explore it. I used to listen to 'Rubycon' all the time back in the days."

Do you have any side-projects?
"No, Porn Sword Tobacco is everything...."

The last track 'Snake cake station' has an hypnotic guitar loop that could last over 10 minutes or so. It's a perfect piece for a soundtrack but last almost in three minutes. What's your opinion?
"I don't really have an opinion on that matter, I just made the song that way, it seemed right at the time and it still does. But if you have two copies of the record you could mix them for hours."


Text Guillermo Escudero May 2004
This article and the spanish version can be found at loop.cl