Alsy MacDonald

Alan MacDonald (born 14 August 1961) is an Australian musician and lawyer, best known as the drummer of the 1980s band the Triffids, where he performed under his nickname 'Alsy'.

He was born on 14 August 1961 to Bill MacDonald, a professor of child health at University of Western Australia, and Judy Henzell (AM), a well-known paediatrician. He was the youngest of the four children, with two older brothers and a sister. As a child he could not say 'Alan' properly so called himself 'Alsy'. By Christmas 1978, they had released several home-recorded cassette tapes and been through many line-up changes.

In 1981, The Triffids released their first, 7-inch vinyl single, "Stand Up", as a result of winning a song competition run by the Western Australian Institute of Technology. Subsequent releases included the Reverie EP, "Spanish Blue", and the Bad Timing and Other Stories EP. They moved to Sydney, in 1982. The band's first 12-inch vinyl album, Treeless Plain, was released in 1983. The band's line-up stabilised to David McComb (vocals, guitar), his brother Robert McComb (guitar, violin), Jill Birt (keyboards), Alsy MacDonald (drums), Martyn P. Casey (bass).