The Drug

The Drugs were a five-piece Australian alternative rock band from Sydney. Formed by Ian Baddley in 1999, they released their first single, "Pop Song", in 2000. Their debut album, Music's in Trouble, was released in 2002. Their second album, The Very Next Of, was released in 2004.
They disbanded in 2005, but reunited in 2008 for a national tour before disbanding again in 2009. A documentary about the band, Masking Agents, has been made and was released in November 2011.
They appear as guest vocalists on Jewish punk rock band Yidcore's album Fiddlin on Ya Roof.
Their back catalogue, except for The Very Next Of and "Burger King", was released in 2006 on iTunes.
Their members' names are pseudonyms as revealed in the documentary Masking Agents.
History

The drugs formed in 1999. Their first single, Pop Song, was released in 2000, with an EP, The Only Way is Up, being released some months later. In 2002, the Drugs won an ARIA for the Only Way is Up and recorded two singles, The Bold and the Beautiful and Metal vs. Hip Hop. The Bold and the Beautiful was performed on Rove Live with a Bold and the Beautiful cast member pretending to play the bass. Their debut album, Music's in Trouble, was released on October 18 to positive acclaim. The album consists of the two singles, 10 new tracks, two bonus tracks from the Only Way is Up EP and four filler tracks. The third single, "Burger King", was released for free on the internet.
In 2003, the Drugs released the Was Sport Better in the 70's? single, their final single. Shortly after, a war broke out between the Drugs and rival rap metal band 28 Days over the song "Metal VS Hip Hop" when 28 Days fans threw cigarette butts at the Drugs, slashed the tyres on their van and destroyed their equipment. Ian Baddley then posted a letter to 28 Days lead singer Jay Dunne on the Drugs' website accusing him of being homophobic and using hateful slurs. He also accused Dunne of being a hypocrite because Dunne had accused Rammstein of being Nazis because they sung in German.[1] Later that year, the Drugs went back into the studio to record their second album.
In 2004, the Drugs released the track "I Was a Teenage Voter" on Rock Against Howard. Two weeks later, the album "The Very Next Of" was released, which included "Teenage Voter", two then-radio-only tracks (Rogue States and Appease Your God), 15 new tracks and 7 filler tracks. This turned out to be their last album. In 2005, they played their final concert at the Metro in Sydney.
In 2007, Myspace pages in the names of Clifford Campbell and Cheque Records were created. Vimeo accounts in the name of Cheque Films and Bang the Gong Productions were created soon after. Clifford's page had a blog and the page of Cheque Records had two songs, Clifford's "I Can Dress Myself" and "Prison Love Song" by a fictionalised version of the Drugs.
In 2008, the Drugs got back together for the Osama Holiday tour.
In 2010, the trailer for the Masking Agents movie was uploaded. The Drugs were signed to Nibbles Music soon after. In 2011, the Masking Agents Movie was released and was screened in Sydney and Melbourne.