Mental As Anything

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Mental As Anything is an Australian New Wave/rock music band who, since the late 70s have released numerous albums & singles and have produced many innovative music videos. Although they have worked in a much broader musical idiom, Mental As Anything are in many respects comparable to British band Madness, in that their music is typically delivered with a quirky, ironic sense of humour and a strong visual identity. Founding members Martin Plaza and Reg Mombassa met at art school and formed the band in 1976; all of the early members became accomplished painters, with Mombassa’s work in particular becoming very well known through his designs for the Mambo clothing company.

The Mentals’ music is characterised by poppy, accessible and well-crafted melodies and lyrics, and almost all their work showcases their ironic, satirical and self-deprecating sense of humour. They are arguably one of the most typically ‘Australian’ of rock groups, with their music and their satirical, good-time image deeply rooted in the milieu of Australian suburbia, despite the fact that two key members (the O’Doherty brothers) were in fact immigrants from New Zealand. The group’s art school background and visual design skills also made them pioneers of the music video form in Australia in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and their videos rank as some of the funniest and most imaginative produced in Australia at that time.

The “classic” lineup of the group, which boasted four songwriters and lasted more than twenty years, was:
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  • death--pierceme

    Hey Mentals, If You Leave Me Can I Come Too?? [2]

    19 Jan 2:22am Reply

  • arrell

    Try not to break me, baby...

    22 Apr 2012 Reply

  • thestrokeslover

    Live It Up- i'd always heard this song around, and liked it, and then to find out it was by Mental as Anything (and Aussie!). It's up there with all the great 80's hits.

    6 Sep 2011 Reply

  • DCrules

    Hey there you with the sad face Come up to my place and live it up You beside the dance floor What do you cry for let's live it up I love those lines. :)

    9 Jul 2011 Reply

  • Jasperjay68

    love the music love the group one of aussie,s best

    4 Jul 2011 Reply

  • bunnyfootsaraht

    Always makes me happy, love this song!

    27 May 2011 Reply

  • GlenMphoto

    It really doesn't get much better for Aussie 80's sounds than these guys! Still probably my favourite Australian band! "The walls would fall down on all these people in this pick-up joint"

    23 Jan 2011 Reply

  • BWoolmore

    Hey Mentals, If You Leave Me Can I Come Too??

    3 Feb 2010 Reply

  • J1992L

    Gotta love this! Australian music is outstanding! :)

    31 Jan 2010 Reply

  • winstonpilgrim

    hugely underrated band!

    8 Apr 2009 Reply

  • branleur

    They're pretty fucking awesome.

    5 Jan 2009 Reply

  • sladehouse

    it's a bit pearl harbour in here......

    3 Jan 2009 Reply

  • fergusmcphail

    Gimme some Mouth To Mouth!

    22 Nov 2008 Reply

  • ccbassman

    I love the Mentals and their music but sadly I feel they've become a Mentals cover band, a really really good Mentals cover band.

    11 Sep 2008 Reply

  • jessmaggie

    i always thought the nips are getting bigger was awesome.

    26 Mar 2008 Reply

  • closedmouth

    I always thought The Nips Are Getting Bigger was a racist tirade.

    7 Mar 2008 Reply

  • brownda7

    love too many times. best hang over song

    11 Dec 2007 Reply

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