There’s a popular urban myth that involves a group of art students who passed themselves off as a band in order to con the local publican into giving them a gig in exchange for free beer.
The deception worked better than intended, and the group came to be known as Mental as Anything.
Three decades later, they are still entertaining the public with their highly listenable, idiosyncratic brand of garage pop.
A self-explanatory single to reflect their success, The Nips Are Getting Bigger, rose through the charts as did their fundamental understanding of the old adage that ‘for every action there is a reaction’.
Ahead lay a very lengthy pub crawl which only the accomplished could survive.
On August 27, 2009, Mental as Anything was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame second only to INXS on the list of the most hits — and enduring popularity.
Their top ten Australian singles include “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. Songs like “The Nips Are Getting Bigger” are undoubtedly etched into Australia’s psyche.
WHO: Mental as Anything
WHEN: Friday March 2, doors open at 8pm
WHERE: Cabarita Beach Sports Club
Interested?: Tickets on sale at the Club from March 23. Tickets $28 each and available from Reception. Limited to 250 tickets. For more information call 02) 6676 1135. This is an 18+ only event.
