Raunchy and raw. The Sore Losers play their balls-to-the-wall rock & roll as if they were the bastard children of Led Zeppelin and the Ramones, and when you ask them to describe their music, it really simply is “rock & roll.” No frills, no adjectives, no flowery adverbs. The Belgian band, made up of Jan Straetemans (vocals and rhythm guitar), Cedric Maes (lead guitar), Kevin Maenen (bass and backing vocals) and Alessio Di Turi (drums), has been playing totally fuzzed-out guitars chords to two-minute progressions since 2009. After the release of their third album, SKYDOGS, last November, the quartet played at SXSW for the first time in March and are now touring Japan. The Sore Losers answer Myspace’s questions with as much brevity as their songs — but so what? They were discovered on Myspace, so they pretty much owe us one.

Hometown and home base: Belgium

Why are you called The Sore Losers?

We're named after a 1997 B-movie from director John M. McCarthy, featuring Jack Oblivian and Guitarwolf.

How did you all meet?

[We were all] playing in different bands and running into each other in the scene.

Name your biggest musical influences.

'73-era Rolling Stones, The Band, Reigning Sound, Raconteurs, Faces, Ramones, mc5, Stooges ...

Does living in Belgium influence your music?

Boredom is a good source of inspiration and just wanting to break out.

What do you do for fun?

Watch documentaries of good movies, listen to podcasts, read, go out for a run and hang out with my wife and kids.

What's the craziest Sore Losers story so far?

I love hearing how our music affects fans, like this one guy in France who got in a fight with his neighbors because he couldn't stop playing our record very very loud.

Why is your album called SKYDOGS?

We got it from Duane Allman's nickname SKYDOG. We consider ourselves and the people we connect with to be skydogs. We’re all in on this big secret, sharing the same look on life, you're in it or you're out of it. This album is our calling to all SKYDOGS out there.

If you were a hashtag, what would you be?

#CONTROL, seems to be my thing, for better or worse

What was the first song you ever wrote?

It was about hating hippies.

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