Hey everyone, welcome to Schecky’s Jam Bands, where we cut through the noise and dig into the stories behind the bands lighting up stages across the globe. I’m Rob Scheckman, and today we're taking a deep dive into the soulful scorcher band called the Blues Pills.

Formed in 2011 in Örebro, Sweden, Blues Pills sprang from a transatlantic meeting between stepbrothers Zack Anderson (bass) and Cory Berry (drums), they were veterans of Radio Moscow, and they met powerhouse vocalist Elin Larsson on tour in California. They recorded two demos, posted them on YouTube, and instantly attracted attention. The name “Blues Pills”? That came from a friend’s music blog, BluesPillz, centered on buried gems from the ’60s and ’70s underground blues and psych sounds—an aesthetic that perfectly fits their sonic ethos.

Their sound is a heady potion of psychedelic blues rock, led by Elin's Janis Joplin-caliber vocals—raw, soulful, and larger-than-life. Songs like Devil Man put them on the map with their Bliss EP in 2012, and they quickly gained traction touring Europe—playing festivals from Desertfest to Crossroads to Rockpalast’s Live at Rockpalast EP.