BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Description: Band, Australia
Known For: The hit – Live It Up was featured in the film Crocodile Dundee
Instruments: Voice, guitar, keyboards, bass
Music Styles: Pop/Rock
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Mental as Anything
Formed in Sydney, Australia in 1976
Mental As Anything are an Australian new wave/pop/rock band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Its most popular line-up (which lasted from 1977-1999) was Martin Plaza (birth name Martin Murphy) on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa (birth name Chris O’Doherty) on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter “Yoga Dog” O’Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne “Bird” Delisle (birth name David Twohill) on drums; and Andrew “Greedy” Smith on vocals, keyboards and harmonica.Their original hit songs were generated by Mombassa, O’Doherty, Plaza and Smith, either individually or collectively;they also hit the Australian charts with covers of songs by Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.
Their top ten Australian singles are “If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?” and “Too Many Times” (both from 1981), “Live It Up” (1985) and “Rock and Roll Music” (1988). Internationally, “Too Many Times” made the Canadian top in 1982, and “Live It Up” peaked at No. 3 in UK, No. 4 in Norway, and No. 6 in Germany, after it featured in the 1986 Australian film “Crocodile” Dundee.
All of the early members are visual artists and have had combined studio displays, some have had solo studio displays with Mombassa’s artwork also used as designs by the Mambo clothing company. The majority of the group’s record covers, posters and video clips have been designed and created by themselves or their art school contemporaries. On 27 August 2009, Mental As Anything was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame alongside Kev Carmody, The Dingoes, Little Pattie and John Paul Young.
The group formed in Sydney in 1976 when Martin Murphy (Martin Plaza) met fellow student, New Zealand-born, Chris O’Doherty (Reg Mombassa) at Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education (later a campus of Sydney College of Advanced Education), the city’s leading art school.
Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza (real name Martin Murphy) on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa (real name Chris O’Doherty) on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter “Yoga Dog” O’Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne “Bird” Delisle (real name David Twohill) on drums; and Andrew “Greedy” Smith on vocals, keyboards and harmonica.
Their top ten Australian singles are, “If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?” and “Too Many Times” in 1981, “Live it Up” in 1985 and “Rock and Roll Music” in 1988.
On 27 August 2009, Mental As Anything was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame alongside Kev Carmody, The Dingoes, Little Pattie and John Paul Young.
Above: Mental As Anything in a 1983 publicity shot
Current members
Martin Plaza (Martin Murphy) – guitar, vocals (1976–present)
Greedy Smith (Andrew Smith) – keyboards, harmonica, vocals (1976–present)
David Barraclough – bass guitar, vocals, guitar, keyboards (2000–present)
Mike Caen – guitar, vocals (2002–present)
Robbie Souter – drums (2004–present)
Past members
Reg Mombassa (Chris O’Doherty) – guitar, vocals (1976–2000)
Steve Coburn – bass guitar (1976–1977)
David Twohill (Wayne de Lisle) – drums (1976–2004)
Peter O’Doherty (Yoga Dog) – bass, vocals (1977–2000)
Mike Gubb – keyboards (on tour) (1986–1987)
Murray Cook – guitar (2000–2002)
The band recorded several singles that included.
IF YOU LEAVE ME CAN I COME TOO – 1981
TOO MANY TIMES – 1981
LIVE IT UP – 1985
Albums include
GET WET – 1979
ESPRESSO BONGO – 1980
CATS AND DOGS – 1981
CREATURES OF LEASURE – 1983
FUNDAMENTAL – 1985
MOUTH TO MOUTH – 1987
CYCLONE RAYMOND – 1989
GREATEST HITS – 1989