Mental As Anything ProfileOne of Australia’s most loved bands recently had their story captured on film. After a cinema release date in March, Mental As Anything’s documentary will premiere on free-to-air TV this month.
TV Tonight notes that Live It Up: The Mental As Anything Story is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, 24 November, at 9:10 pm on Seven.
Live It Up features never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive interviews with Mental As Anything band members Reg Mombassa, Martin Plaza, Peter O’Doherty, and David Twohill, as well as individuals in their inner circle.
Written and directed by award-winning director Matthew Walker, along with supervising writer and post-producer Paul Clarke (Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, John Farnham: Finding The Voice), the 90-minute documentary is a long time in the making.
Check out Seven’s trailer below.
Mental As Anything emerged from Sydney’s new wave scene in the late 1970s. They rose from local pubs to fame, not only in Australia but internationally, with their tales of suburban life in New South Wales.
They shaped the country’s music landscape in the 1980s, with successful Top 40 singles and hits such as The Nips Are Getting Bigger, If You Leave Me Can I Come Too?, Too Many Times, and Berserk Warriors. Meanwhile, their most famous song and the documentary’s namesake, Live It Up, also climbed to the top of singles charts in the UK and Europe.
Commemorating their 50th anniversary, Live It Up had its world premiere at the Cremorne Orpheum in February.
“It's slightly weird to think that we started the Mentals 50 years ago, but that's how time works,” Reg Mombassa said. “The film captures the humour and the energy and the art and personalities of the band members. I am grateful that I was able to be in an interesting and popular band, and I feel proud of our legacy.”
Peter O’Doherty added, “I joined the band at the age of 19, and we were grafted together like a second family. This film captures the essence of what it was like to be in an Australian band in the 70s, 80s and 90s, and I’m reminded of how chaotic, creative, funny, and intense it all was.”
Live It Up writer and director Matthew Walker described growing up with Mental As Anything as “a part of everyday suburban life.”
Elaborating on that experience, Walker said, “As a kid, it seemed normal and correct that they existed, dressed in tin foil, singing unforgettable songs that made you happy.
“Later, you realise how great those songs were and how much of an impact they had. This film is a celebration of the magic of The Mentals and their extraordinary story and is well overdue for the big screen.”
