The Scent Of

Local punks The Flangipanis formed one drunken night at The Jubilee; so it makes sense they'd find their way back to the venue (alongside Sydney City Trash, Casino Rumblers, Checkered Fist and more) for the Sideshow Valley. Besides, who doesn't love the Ekka?

“We do like the Dodgem cars,” drummer (and self-appointed 'lead songwriter') Hayden admits. “And we're officially challenging the Casino Rumblers to a fairy floss eating contest. It'll be tough, but I think we can take them. We can definitely beat Checkered Fist, because they're smaller than us. But hey, it's not about fairness, it's about winning.”

Hayden scoffs at media speculation that the threat of swine flu may keep people away from this year's Ekka. He'll be urging his band mates to take part in the festivities, and can't see what the fuss is about.

“I think I've got it anyway, so I'm safe,” he laughs. “I reckon I can go. I think one of the guys I work with has taken this week off because he's apparently got it, and I've been feeling like shit the last few days. I'm not keen to go to the doctors and find out. But my mum's a nurse, and she told me it starts off with a scratchy throat and a bit of a fever, and it can just be that, that can be all you've got, but then it can just take over all of a sudden. My mum actually said to go to the doctor.”

Ignoring his mum's request to see a doctor is just the latest act of rebellion for the drummer, who played a pivotal role in the genesis of risqué tracks like 'My Period Is Late' and 'Get Your Boobies Out'.

“For 'Get Your Boobies Out',” he remembers, “I hit (front woman and actual lead songwriter) Jodie up and said, 'we have to have a really good song about boobs'. This was about a year and a half ago. Just a fun song about boobs, y’know, just to see how many boobs we could actually see. Jodie rocked up to my house one day with her acoustic guitar and said, 'listen to this song!'

“We still have it on video camera, it was hilarious. Ever since, at every show bar one, we've seen no less than three pairs of boobs. Guaranteed. So it worked quite well. It took us by surprise, even. We got to see Christian girls' boobs, too, which was even more impressive.”

The Flangipanis play Sideshow Valley with Sydney City Trash, Casino Rumblers, Checkered Fist, Jack Flash, Thirdgear Burnouts, Wheat Paste, The Wayne Keys Show and more at Jubilee Hotel on Saturday August 15.