Interviews

Aidan McDonald - Private Function 'Froth, Fury & Taking The Piss'

Dan Hill

Oct 14, 2025

8 min read

This summer, the annual Froth & Fury Festival cranks the volume to 11, bringing international heavyweights, Aussie icons, and fierce local talent to Perth and Adelaide for two massive dates of heavy and alternative music.

Among the Australian icons joining the lineup is Naarm/Melbourne punk outfit (and a personal favourite for this interviewer), Private Function. With a genre-bending discography of rock, thrash, metal, and everything in-between, the six-piece have continually gained notoriety in the Australian alternative scene. Their manic live performances are an experience to behold, and their creativity for physical releases has seen them gain global media attention. You may remember their recent ‘scratch and sniff’ vinyl, fragranced to smell like Gwyneth Paltrow's Vagina (scented candle), or their scratch-and-win record cover that saw it temporarily banned in South Australia.

Wall of Sound caught up with Private Function drummer and founding member, Aidan McDonald for a casual chat about Froth & Fury Festival, their reputation for ‘taking the piss’, and how a wild show involving a ladder in Adelaide, became the catalyst to a stadium support slot for Green Day.

With a musical recipe that is diverse, yet uniquely their own, I asked how he would describe Private Function to someone unfamiliar with the group.

‍“I guess I'll tell you what my dad always tells his mates,” He pre-empts the question with a grin, after some serious thought. “They like to ‘take the piss.’

‍“We're all pretty good at our instruments, but I think we're really good at having a sense of humour, without being a joke of a band. We are still a band at the end of the day… we just like to take the piss.”

Aidan’s ability to ‘take the piss’ along with his humble nature, sees him casually understate the outfit’s talent and artistry. What he neglects to mention is that along with a strong following of fans and ‘Privateers’, Private Function has also achieved industry recognition through ARIA nominations and a 2024 Air Award for Best Independent Punk Album for 370HSSV 0773H.

‍After some friendly banter (and a confession of my own fandom), Aidan dives straight into what has been happening in the chaotic world of Private Function.

‍“Pretty good. We're just gearing up to go back to Europe in only a couple of weeks now. We only got back at the start of August. Not even two months later we're back over there and we've got Chopped (Festival) at the end of the month as well. So yeah, pretty good.”

In May this year, their fourth studio release ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ was let loose on the world and I wanted to hear how the LP was received - along with its actual name - on the spine of the record cover it states: “A Bunch Of Songs”.

“I think you are the first person that has ever actually said that title to me at all” Aidan observes to the reference of A Bunch of Songs.

“I mean you can call it whatever you want. At the end of the day, album names kind of are completely irrelevant. And when we were coming up with this one, it was just like, what the fuck do you call this?” And then Chris (singer Chris Penney) basically said, ‘why not just this?’” He pulls a pose and facial expression of the shrug artwork.

‍“Everyone just pissed themselves laughing.

I also remember telling a mate about it who said, ‘So what is it? What’s the record?’ And I was like, ‘oh, it’s just a bunch of songs… let's just chuck that on the cover.’ But that didn’t work. You are the very first person to ever say that title to me.”

...it really is a bunch of songs!

Whatever you call it, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ or A Bunch Of Songs, it would arguably be their most adventurous yet. Opening with ‘Animal’ which leans into a heavier, modern metal sound, before quickly moving to the fast and fun, Ramones-y track ‘Gamma Ray’. Other highlights include the jangly, Australian pop sound of ‘Koala’, the blasting opus that is ‘Bum Cigs, Cum Big’ (a ten-second track with a five-second introduction!) and ‘Holbrook’, a sea-shanty about the landlocked NSW town.

‍“I think it had a bit of a better reception than I expected because it really is a bunch of songs.” Aidan explains.

“We recorded with our friend Stefan Blair, from Melbourne power pop band Good Morning… a whole different kind of vibe to Private Function. But he's a fucking genius and although I think this is the first ever rock/punk record that he'd recorded, everyone seems to have received it well, and I'm quite proud of how it's been recorded.”

Watching the group’s journey since their early EPs has certainly been exciting as a fan. Evolving from small venues and bars to sold out gigs, then onto touring Europe, and playing stadiums and arenas opening for massive acts like Grinspoon, The Living End and most impressively achieving the incredible support slot for Green Day’s stadium tour.

“It's a funny story when it comes to Green Day. You mentioned that Jive show earlier, and that gig is quite infamous because that night we fucked up,” Aidan recalls, referencing a show at Jive in Adelaide, where I was honoured to photograph the band.

“We played with ladders… it was fine, it wasn't dangerous, but it really pissed off our bookers to the point where they left us, and we were told we weren't allowed to play Jive anymore.”

To paint a picture for the readers, a random, industrial ladder somehow found its way onto the stage, and then into the moshpit, with bodies scaling and launching themselves from it.

It was fine, it wasn't dangerous, but it really pissed off our bookers to the point where they left us...

“It was entertaining by all means. But we definitely got ourselves in a little bit of trouble, which meant that we were looking for bookers.”

‍“Chris gave them all an ultimatum, ‘first person to get us a stadium show gets the job’. And lo and behold, our beautiful Booker Beau (Beau Kochmanz from Premier Artists), he really, really put the hard yards in. He gave me a call one day and he's like: ‘Are you sitting down? I got you Green Day’ I was like, oh fuck... well I guess you got the job.”

“So, now he's our booker. He does a lot of hard work for us, and he really, really proved that bookers are a necessary part of the team, because we couldn't have done that ourselves.”

Reflecting on the importance of having a good team, Aidan spoke on how all of their achievements have continually surprised the group. This includes guest-programming Rage from the iconic red couch, which was broadcast days after this interview.

“Shout out to Beau. Shout out to our old manager Cara (Cara Williams from Slow Clap) as well. I think the reason we've gotten anywhere is because we've surrounded ourselves by really, incredibly talented people.

‍He jokingly adds, “Not to say that we're not incredibly talented.”

How have you found the response performing to new audiences? Are you acquiring new fans or are concertgoers disturbed by the mayhem of a Private Function show?

“I would argue a bit of both, but yeah, you definitely pick up new fans and stuff for sure. But, there's always a conversation, whether it be in a comment section or at a pub where someone's like: ‘fuck that band’.”

Aidan laughs as he elaborates on not being drawn into negativity, expressing that there is no love lost with a simple statement.

“If they don't want to be a ‘Privateer’, well I don't know, maybe go fuck yourself.”

Turning to their upcoming appearance at Froth & Fury Festival, I probed Aidan on what punters could expect come January 2026.

“I actually don't know what they can expect yet, which is kind of the beauty of it. We try and make the shows different when they're these bigger shows. Our club shows are usually straight punk, but then when we hit a bigger stage, we try and do something a little crazier or more in theme.”

‍We discussed the mammoth lineup of Froth & Fury Festival, joining other punk legends Lagwagon and Frenzal Rhomb amongst some much heavier acts; inspiring me to ask who Aidan considers the standouts?

‍“Soulfly… Terminal Sleep; they're fucking amazing… It’s quite a heavy lineup. We might just try and bring the filth. We'll probably play some of our heavier songs but riddled with your typical Private Function jokes. And who knows, there might be some sort of pyro or something – wouldn't that be sick?"

Pyro or not, the Melbourne outfit are beyond stoked to be returning to Adelaide and Perth.

“We love going to Perth, we love going to Adelaide… we're just excited to be there, to be honest with you.”

Any particular highlights?

“You got to get a pie floater when you're in Adelaide. That's guaranteed. Last time we were there, we got ourselves a pie floater at like three in the morning.”

How about Perth?

“Perth is a hard place to get to... and once you get there you're like, is this worth it? And the answer is yes. Of course it was worth it because they're all a bunch of beautiful bastards and they turn up.”

Be sure to check out Private Function as they ‘bring the filth’ and ‘take the piss’, when they take the stage in Perth and Adelaide this summer.

Froth & Fury Festival takes place in Perth on 24 January, 2026, and Adelaide on 31 January, 2026. Tickets here

Interview by Daniel Hill @no.quiet.photography