It's always immensely satisfying when a story takes on a life of its own. And the media has been hot for stories on one of Australia's favourite bands, The Mentals.
The media for 'Started Out Just Drinking Beer' went national from day one with an appearance by Stuart and Bird on the Channel Nine Today Show.
An 1800-word extract in The Telegraph about the origins and journey of the global hit Live It Up.
Read THE MUSIC's extract 'Death in the Afternoon' about the Australian Made tour in 1987 here.
2GB's 'Afternoon with Deborah Knight' interviewed Stuart on the inner workings of Aussie icons Mental as Anything.
MMM Triple M – Northam (WA)'Breakfast with Carwyn Church' speaks to Stuart about 'Live It Up' and success in Europe:
Gold 104.3's Jason Staveley makes Mental as Anything as the feature artist for the week, and speaks with Stuart about how the book came about and some fun anecdotes.
Stuart speaks with Lindsay McDougall of ABC Illawarra about the origins of If You Leave Me, seam lines within the band,'Mentalising' motel rooms, and more.
(Stuart is on from the 33:15 mark)
Anthony Tilli from MMM Albany speaks with Stuart about being a failed musician, touring with the Mentals, and nostalgia for his misspent youth!
Simon Marnie's 'Sonic Journeys' program on the ABC is a deep-dive into tracks that tell the story. Stuart selected 11 tracks here ... with some surprise inclusions and omissions.
(Stuart's segment starts at the 1:00hr mark after News)
The Mentals had a soft spot for Tamworth, and Dan Saunders from 2TM turned out to be a real fan. Listen to his two-part chat with Stu about Nips, stage fright, the Unicorn gigs, the court case, etc here and here.
Orange City Life mag demonstrates how the band touched audiences all over regional Australia ...
The Financial Review put us in the Top 10 Music Books of 2023, calling it 'extremely well researched' and saying 'mostly this book is a page-turning good time, befitting of its party-starting subjects...'
The Weekend Australian called it 'a tremendous record of one of Australia's most enduring and innovative bands...'
Cameron Marshall at ABC Mid North Coast Radio said: 'It's a brilliant book about a band who just makes you feel good.' Listen to our chat here:
Sydney Scoop says: “Stuart Lloyd had great access to the band (plus those in their inner sanctum including wives and ex-girlfriends), resulting in very frank, revealing human portraits. It contains a lot of amusing and amazing behind-the-scenes stories. Stu “takes us behind the showbiz curtain” as Jane Gazzo writes. It wasn’t all beer and skittles.”