Started Out Just Drinking Beer is
the official biography of Mental as Anything, by Stuart Lloyd.
The Riotous Rollercoaster Ride of one of Australia's greatest bands, from 1976-2019.
The Mentals went from the top of a pool table to the top of the charts.
Enjoy the untold stories behind Aussie classics like: Live It Up, Too Many Times, If You Leave Me Can I Come Too?, Berserk Warriors, Egypt, The Nips are Getting Bigger, Whole Wide World, Concrete & Clay, and a whole lot more.
Plus tales from the road as told by Greedy Smith, Martin Plaza, Bird Twohill, Peter O'Doherty & Reg Mombassa — and a star-studded cast including Colin Hay, Richard Gottehrer, Mark Opitz, Ross Wilson, Swanee, Anthony Field, Wreckless Eric, and many more.
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As seen on TV, radio and in the newspapers! Reviews and Interviews here. Listen to a sample chapter of The Mentals' audiobook here:
Kirk Pengilly, INXS
“Love it!!! Brought up lots of memories. Thoroughly enjoyable."
Jane Gazzo, broadcaster
“Takes us behind the showbiz curtain.
A deep-dive beyond the colourful personalities. Had me glued to every page.”
Anthony Field,
The Wiggles
"This book gives us a big gulp of one of Australia's most uniquely talented and popular bands."
Dave Warner,
From the Suburbs
"I loved the Mentals and I love this book. Captures the alchemy that saw Australian bands flourish from the arid plains of our suburban lives."
Youtube Playlists
Two Youtube playlists which accompany the book. Below left: All the clips mentioned in the book, in order.
Below right: Oddities playlist -- a collection of rare recordings, B-sides, and just generally weird stuff.
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MENTAL AS ANYTHING: STARTED OUT JUST DRINKING BEER BOOK -- PLAYLIST
MENTAL AS ANYTHING: Started Out Just Drinking Beer Book - ODDITIES
Bonus Galleries: Pics We Couldn't Fit into the Book
Pre-band
(Photo: Andrew Yeats c 1976).
(Photo: Andrew Yeats c 1976.)
Describe your image
(Photo: Andrew Yeats c 1976).
1970s
(Courtesy of Reg Mombassa)
(Photo: Roadrunner)
(Courtesy of Reg Mombassa)
1980-84
(Photographer: Unknown)
(Courtesy Jim Blackfoot.)
(Photographer: Unknown)
1985-89
(Photo: courtesy Peter O'Doherty)
(Photo courtesy Reg Mombassa)
(Photo: Facebook/Greedy Smith)
(Photo: courtesy Peter O'Doherty)
1990s
(Photo: courtesy Paul Dempsey)
(Photo: courtesy Paul Dempsey)
(Photo: courtesy Paul Dempsey)
2000s
(Photo courtesy Paul Field)
(Photo courtesy Paul Field)
(Photo courtesy Paul Field)
2010s
(Chris O’Doherty (b.1951, NZ) National Art School student 1969-1970, 1975-1977 National Art School Fellow, 2014 Wasted Daze – Mental as Anything 9 September 1977 screen print edition 69/97 68 x 50 cm NAS2018.128 Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Chris O’Doherty, 2018)
The Mental as Anything Story. Cover design by Miranda Douglas. Images used kind courtesy of Paul Worstead.
(Chris O’Doherty (b.1951, NZ) National Art School student 1969-1970, 1975-1977 National Art School Fellow, 2014 Wasted Daze – Mental as Anything 9 September 1977 screen print edition 69/97 68 x 50 cm NAS2018.128 Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Chris O’Doherty, 2018)
Posters &
Artwork
(Photo: Stuart Lloyd)
(Photo courtesy Stuart Lloyd)
(Photo: Stuart Lloyd)
Behind the
Scenes: Making
this Book.
Get involved, people!
Here's how you can stay in touch with The Mentals' music and more ...
See other books by Stuart Lloyd here.
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