Erik Törnqvist from Blisterhead was so kind that he answered a bunch of questions from me for an interview and it had been a while since the last time. I think they have released their best record  Where we belong through all the years. This interview was conducted in March-2026  

 It was 25 years since I interviewed you last time, did you think that you would stay together and play for so long and above all that I would still be at it? 

-Gee, is it so long ago. I remember this.  We probably felt that we would stick together even then. Cool that you also keep going.   

Have there been many membership changes or how is it? 

-Me, Kim and Andreas have been involved from the start.  When we started, we had a guy named Carl Brandström on drums, but he dropped out pretty fast. I don't really remember why actually. He was replaced by Johan Karlsson who was with us until 2024 when he felt it was time to leave. Then Martin Svensson jumped in and it's the four of us who are playing now.   

You started in Skövde and Falköping, are you even more spread out now or how is it and what about rehearsals and the like? 

 -True, so it was. Then Kim and Johan moved to Gothenburg and then we rehearsed every other time there and every other time in Skövde. Martin also lives in Gothenburg so there was no major difference after Johan left.   

How do you think you have changed musically if you compare to how you sounded in the beginning until now? 

 -The foundation is the same, it's fast rock'n'roll punk on three chords. What has developed are the texts. You almost get drunk with laughter when you read texts you did as an 18-year-old. But it has it´s charm too. Now that you're older, you write about other things and express yourself in a different way.

By the way, tell me a little about each member, age, work, what you play, bands next to and bands before Blisterhead? 

-Erik Törnqvist – 45 years old.  

Bands before Blisterhead – The Agents and St. Mary's 

Band next to Blisterhead – The Left Fist and Stop the Thief   

Kim Nilsson – 45 years old 

Band before Blisterhead – Affray and Materia 

Band next to Blisterhead – KIM 

Andreas Emanuelsson – 43 years

old  Bands within Blisterhead – Acid Burn 

Band next to Blisterhead – Jangle Town   

Martin Svensson – 42 years old 

Band before Blisterhead – Fucking Werewolf and The Fume 

Band next to Blisterhead – nothing at the moment   

Did you have any other suggestions for names than Blisterhead....let me know? 

-The only thing I remember that we had as a suggestion was Army Brats. We probably had more but nothing I remember.   

You have been walking around on a lot of record labels, how come, is there no one who can cope with you in the long run? 

-Ha ha, so maybe it is... 

No, but we have always worked with several record companies before each release. This is good for getting as wide a spread as possible. It has usually been a little smaller companies and then it is common to do so. And it's always fun to work with new people and see what they can offer us.   

Now it's Sunny Bastards that counts, how does it seem? They have many Swedish bands there, was that what made you get a contract there? 

-Exactly, now it's Sunny Bastards. They have been great for us and we are very happy with that collaboration. They have believed in us from the very beginning and get our thing.  We know several of the bands that are there and it felt like a good record label for Blisterhead.   

What is it in the water around your home area because there have been so many good punkbands born there? 

-Ha ha, it's great water. Yes we have a long tradition of good (and bad) punkbands that come from Skaraborg. It's great fun.

Is there any really good bands there right now that play that you want to recommend? And in Sweden at all? 

-From Skaraborg, Bödel is very popular. They just released their new album and have gotten very good reviews. In Sweden in general, I think The Union Rag from Malmö is really good. We're going to play together with them this summer, it's going to be a lot of fun.   

What do you think about the political climate in Sweden, has it become tougher and what do you think about this autumn's election? 

-It is a very tough political climate right now, you can also see that if you read our texts.   The election this autumn will be interesting, there are a couple of parties that are actually at risk of falling out. If that is the case, it will be very interesting to see what happens. Then SD will unfortunately have a more significant role. That would be terrible. 

Ten favorite records of all time? 

-Oh oh oh oh... Hardest question ever.   It is not really possible to answer, but I will give it a try.  It may not necessarily be the 10 best records that have been made but at least some of the ones that have meant the most to me over the years. This is in no particular order.

Rancid – Let’s go 

Ramones – Road to ruin 

Johnny Cash – Live at Folsom Prison 

US Bombs – Back at the laundromat 

Magnus Uggla – 35-åringen 

Sex Pistols – Nevermind the bollocks 

The Clash – London Calling 

Madness – Divine Madness 

Rancid - …and out come the wolves 

The Pogues – Red roses for me 

Tell us a little about the following albums and what you think about it today. 
The first record you bought or got? 

-Oh, I remember that I collected Absolute Music when I was little. Should be one then. 

The album that changed your life? 

-It must have been Let's Go with Rancid. It knocked me out completely and after that I was completely sold. 

Last album you bought? 

-It was an LP with George Jones at a secondhand shop here in town. 
The album you're ashamed of? 

-I know that I have a Sha-Boom record somewhere. I don't listen to that. 

The album that makes Blisterhad sound like you do? 

-There is no specific album. It's everything from Eddie Cochran to Rancid. 

The album that always has to be on the tour bus? 

-Before, it was clearly Back at the laundromat with US Bombs. At that time, there was no Spotify, so it was physical albums that counted. Now it's usually a podcast or so. 
The album that you would have liked to have played on? 

 -There are many, but I must say Never mind the Bollocks. Insanely good guitar sound.    

If you could choose five bands to have a concert with you, which five would you choose if you could choose any band, dead or living band? Which is the dream band that you have played with already? 

Rancid, Ramones, US Bombs, Sex Pistols (1977), Johnny Cash 

Then it depends a bit on when this interview comes out.  In December we will play together with Sham 69, it is one of my favorite bands.  But at the time of writing, I'll probably have to say Toy Dolls   

What is the strangest band you have had a concert with that did not fit with your music at all? 

-We had a strange experience in Nottingham once. That club was divided into two premises. In one it was punk gig and in the other it was Cuban cigar club, it was a cool mix of people. But when it comes to a specific band, it's probably a German hard rock band called Karushi.

What is the strangest thing that has happened during your music career, I mean when you have played live, backstage or on your way to a gig or similar? 

-It is clearly the gig in St. Petersburg 2007. Then there were some Nazis who threw a bomb up on the stage while we played. Luckily, there was a stage guard who saw this and threw it out the window. Then came the St. Petersburg bomb squad running in with dogs and everything. We didn't really understand then what had happened but have now understood in retrospect how serious it actually was.   

What is the strangest thing that you have written a song about? 

-We are quite basic when it comes to topics we write about. But I did a song about the bomb attack in St. Petersburg. It might count as strange. Not many bands have been through that.   

Who writes the lyrics and what is the most common topic you cover? 

-It's me and Kim who write the lyrics. It is probably mostly classic topics such as injustice, corruption, abuse of power, etc.    

Is it difficult to write lyrics that don't sound like everything else? 

-Sometimes it can be difficult, the older you get you think that the lyrics have a more important role. In the past, it was more banal and youthful. Now, in some cases, the lyrics are more important than the music.   

Is there a lot of interviews, is it boring? 

-It will be a lot actually, but it's just fun.   

What is the most common and boring question? And the strangest question you've been asked? 

-It's probably how we started the band, that question we get in all interviews. But it is also a fairly relevant question. There have been many strange questions over the years, I can't think of any that stands out more than anyone else.

You have probably received some reviews over the years, you care about the reviews. Do you get sad if it's a bad one (which you probably didn't get) or was it worse at the beginning of your career? 

-Yes there have been a lot of reviews. Which we think is great. In the beginning, you probably took more offense if something bad was written, but now you don't care so much. Better a bad review than no review at all. Then it means that someone has taken the time to write about us.   

The weirdest review you've ever received? 

-Can't remember any really weird, but one review I remember was when we just started the band and sent in a demo to Close-Up Magazine. Then they wrote that we sounded like Bombshell Rock's cheeky little brothers. I thought that was fun.   

What are you most often compared to? Is it annoying to be compared to other bands or is it understandable? 

-For some reason which we ourselves don ́t really understand, Dropkick Murphys is usually a band we are often compared to. That you are compared to other bands is just the way it is, I do the same when I hear something new.   

Which band would you like to be compared if you have to choose one? 

-We have always said that we want to sound like a mix of The Clash, Ramones and Rancid. But if I have to choose one of them, it will probably be Rancid.   

Futureplans for the band? 

-Now in 2026, it's out and play as much as possible. It will be both in Sweden and abroad. We have some cool stuff going on but can't mention them right now as it's not official yet.   

Words of wisdom? 

-Oh, now I became an old man here... But make the most of every day and live your life the way you want. Don't take any shit.   

Something to add? 

 -Yes. Listen to Blisterhead.  And thank you for writing about us.