LaFetts at The Burrow Ipswich 19 09 26

LaFètts started life as the FITS. The Fits formed in 1980 from the ashes of earlier bands Bondage Cowboys and Immortal Corpses in the fertile punk scene of Goodna, a working class suburb between Brisbane and Ipswich. Largely made up of migrant kids who had come through the nearby Wacol Immigration Centre, the lively scene was based around local pubs including the Redbank Tavern, The Cecil and The Royal Mail. The Fits were a central part of this poorly documented scene. Not financial enough to release their own records, and largely ignored by the broader music scene, whose interest in punk had been fleeting, the scene thrived on D.I.Y. shows and self released demo tapes. The Fits were Budge Page, George Seymour, Gary Haines and Peter Bosgra. Due to a few other punk bands called The Fits, the band changed their name to La Fetts around 1983. Dean Marsh was second guitar 82/83 but left to pursue his passion for Haiku: A short, three-line Japanese poetic form following a strict 5-7-5 syllable count, usually focused on nature. George Seymour moved to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast because he hated Haiku. Dean Marsh moved to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast. Then came 'SEQEB Scabs and the story of that song and its journey is well worth telling. That same year Peter de Hesse joined the band on guitar. Pete was an electrician for the South East Queensland Electricity Board (SEQEB). This job would soon see him and the band involved in one of the most notorious industrial conflicts in Australian history. Early in 1985, a dispute between the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) and SEQEB over contract labour lead to strike action. The state government intervened, sacking 1002 striking ETU members, including Peter de Hesse. This escalated into one of Queensland’s largest, most bitter industrial disputes, resulting in further strikes, blackouts, more mass sackings, protests and eventually a government declared state of emergency. At the time of Peter’s dismissal, LaFetts had an hour or two of studio time available. They went almost immediately into the studio and, channeling anger over the sackings, re-worded one of their existing live tracks ‘We Hate Relatives’ into ‘SEQEB Scabs’: one minute, thirty seconds of rage against injustice. Such was the fear of repercussions under the government's SEQEB anti-harassment laws, the studio time was only given on the condition that the studio's identity was not disclosed. As was the done thing in those days, the band took the tape straight up to 4ZZZ and it was dubbed off onto a reel for airplay. 'SEQEB Scabs' became the theme song of the 1985 strikes and with constant rotation on Triple Zed, it was soon a local underground classic. The master tape had to be returned to 4ZZZ a couple of times to run off new dubs as the station played them until they wore out. Within a week or two the band were asked to play at the 'Festival of Electric Lights' rally at King George Square in support of the sacked workers. Cautious of the police reaction to 'SEQEB Scabs', they saved it to the end of the set. (By R. Hillier - Librarian, State Library of Queensland | 17 March 2017) 83 The FITS record 3 tracks at Dreamtime Studios. 83-86 LaFètts record in all 11 tracks, 4 at Idiot, 6 at Suite16 and 1 at Pyramid Studios. In the year 2000, community radio station 4ZZZ celebrated 25 years by releasing a 2xCD compilation – ‘Behind the Banana Curtain' documenting the musical highlights of these tumultuous two and a half decades. This compilation includes LaFetts 'SEQEB Scabs', 2011 Budge and Pete write and record - Fuck Face - at home. Played at the Prince of Wales Nundah for Budge's 50th. 2019 Noel Howe from the Toy Watches was drafted to play bass. 2020 LaFètts record 3 tracks at Blackbox Studios 2021 LaFètts record "Unkind" in the jam rooms at Neon Studios for the Sonny Michaels show for Khamal's fight against ism's special, but it never aired. Peter retired 2021 to raise Miniature Silky Fainting Goats. 2022 Darrin Worsley from Mouthguard was drafted to play guitar. 2024 LaFètts record "Asylum" 12 tracks at Recordworks, available on limited edition 12" clear red vinyl with double sided lyrics poster. Also available on Spotify Apple and all other streaming services. The Dreamtime Studios recordings were played on high rotation on 4ZZZ. As were the Idiot, Suite 16 and Pyramid recordings. With some remastering, Budge hopes they may be able to release all the early sessions plus some live tracks on 12" Vinyl, stay tuned. Today, 23/09/2026, LaFetts are still going strong and still performing with the same Punk Rock energy and intensity as they always have. Although Budge's leaps aren't quite as high as they once were and the font size on the set lists is getting pretty LARGE. . Bands of Brisbane respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which our music is now performed and celebrates the fact that music and dance has been created and performed here for thousands of years.