by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Before my interview with Danish bombshell Patricia Day, bassist/singer of Horrorpops, their label rep warns me, "Whatever you do, don't call them psychobilly." Fair enough, but with Day's upright bass slappin' up a storm and the Gretsch guitar of Nekroman (formerly of psychobilly legends Nekromantix) twanging away, I have to admit, the tag does fit them well. That is, until you hear the spaghetti Western, new wave, ska, punk and pop touches on their debut Hell Yeah!

Within the first 10 minutes, you realize that there is a huge chasm between this band and the pompadour set giving the Duane Eddy songbook a half-assed Meteors treatment. "When we started Horrorpops, we all came from different backgrounds," says Day over the phone from a tour stop in Winnipeg. "We really wanted to start a band where there weren't all of these kinds of rules. We're a straight-up, good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll band, plain and simple, and we didn't want anybody to tell us any different."

The Horrorpops are still touring hard on the strength of the debut, which is quite something considering it was released a year and a half ago, but touring is what this band is all about. Originally formed in Copenhagen, the band soon found themselves with white line fever and nowhere to go, as there were only three clubs to play in their hometown. At their label Hellcat's urging, Horropops relocated to L.A. in order to keep the touring at a breakneck pace, and they haven't looked back since.

"People in Copenhagen are really conservative, and it's nice to get away from that. Because we look different from most other people, I've been beaten up, and Nekroman is like one big scar from being in so many fights. On the other hand, people in L.A. are really supportive, and seem genuinely impressed that we play music for a living, instead of looking down on us".

Day's buxom beauty is an added bonus, even landing the band in odd places like the pages of Vogue, but with two devilish go-go girls in tow and a penchant for sheer chaos onstage, they really can chalk up their success to their live show. "We just love playing live, and I get to tour with five of my best friends. Whenever the six of us get together, it's just crazy and unpredictable, like somebody getting a blowjob in the bathroom before the show or whatever. This is full-on rock 'n' roll and it's just fun. Whenever I hear bands whining about touring, I just want to tell them to shut the fuck up."

With Million Dollar Marxists and Axis of Evil at Foufounes Électriques on Friday, May 13, 8 p.m., $12

>> Music Listings