MDM drinks water with Ben (from band Fancy Boys, ex-Knaw, cum halfheads)..
Hi Ben, since the Fancy Boys are on an extended vacation what has been keeping you busy lately?
I have been working a mostly shitty job teaching the English to the foreigners. This year I also started up a Masters by Research in Education that might even turn into a PHD before next year is over. It has been interesting so far.
You lived and studied in Guangzhou, China for a couple of years, any plans to return?
I'd love to go back to China one day and maybe even to Guangzhou. It's a really tropical, beautiful city with a rather seedy underbelly. If by my forties I happen to lose my job, girlfriend, (remaining) hair and (remaining) self-respect I will definitely move back there and find a nice little apartment in the bar district.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressful was looking after the Fancy Boys on their China Tour (jan/feb2008)?
Before Adam's passport went missing, not stressful at all, wonderful, a dream come true. After it went missing, head through glass pane stressful
You have friends in some Chinese bands, tell us a bit about those bands?
A friend of mine named Liu Hong Wei plays guitar in Joyside. I haven't spoken to him for ages but I love that guy. We payed in a band together in Guangzhou called Dabaizi which I is some kind of disease or short hand for retard or something. The drummer and singer from Dabaizi also play in a band now but I don't remember what that's called. Dabaizi only ever played two shows but one of them was with a really awesome band called Rebuilding the Rights of Statues.
Do you have any shows coming up with your new band 'h a l f h e a d s' ?
Yes. We are playing at the Townie sometime in November. The townie is my favorite all weather bar in Melbourne.
What's your tip for this summer?
Cider, Stones Ginger, Pineapple and Malibu. Afternoon drinking. Hump day rehearsals plus smoking weed. Tennis and cricket on the weekends.
What was the last album purchased? Please rate this out of 5.0 ?
The Chocolate Watchband - The inner mystique. 4 for the cover. 2 for the record, with 5 being some mystical perfect record and 0 being a Muse album, a 2 is a pretty reasonable record.
Thanks Ben! Catch H A L F H E A D S debut show with Sweet Dreams (Brisbane) on Friday 20 November at the Town Hall, North Melbourne
