Downey; a reformed alcoholic and passionate anti-drug ambassador, felt that a band called The Drugs would be resonant and controversial enough for a fresh and broad audience.
Having developed a general concept of political satire, silliness and pop culture references, he had many of the tunes, costume designs and characters; centred around drug-slang e'in', snow, track marks before approaching old friend and former bandmate Tim Paxton (David Live) who would operate as co-writer and co-frontman.
Paxton; himself well established in the Sydney music scene would offer a perfect observational critique to Downey's ignorance of more domestic cultural staples like Cricket and Rugby.
Vodicka had been keen to use producer Chris Dickie (Annie Lennox, Morrissey, The Pogues) for an upcoming Even record and thought the pairing of The Drugs and Dickie would be a good opportunity to both trial the producer and offer The Drugs a better than average chance, the session would yield "Pop Song", in April 2000.
[2] During 2003 the Drugs and Melbourne-based rap metal band, 28 Days, engaged in a "feud": it started with an "internet stoush", escalated into "a bar brawl" with "over $4,000 damage to equipment", and initiated a police investigation.
[4] According to Patrick Donovan of The Age, "Witnesses said cigarette butts were thrown at the Sydney satirical/indie rock band while they played, a drink was poured over their computer, an amplifier was damaged and the tyres on their hire car were slashed.
In 2010 the trailer for a heavily fictionalised mockumentary on the group, Masking Agents, was uploaded to YouTube - the film itself was released in the following year, on its own or in a boxset containing both the band's albums and a randomly-selected single.