great theatre blog by alison croggan

Chris O'Doherty

Oh yeah...

I have always liked the idea of heroes. Mine have included Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud, Phar Lap, Mary Ann Bugg, Frida Kahlo and Chris O'Doherty - alias Reg Mombassa. I love his individuality, his guitar playing, his tingley moves and, best of all, his art. I once disturbed Mental As Anything changing in the back of a van and can attest to the fact that in the 80's, they wore y-fronts. Still undergoing therapy.

I have a pencil drawing by Chris called "Motorists." There's a fellow in gumboots pissing on a wall and two olds in a car passing. The detail of the characterisation is superb. Mambo has collected some genius full-colour comic art, and Chris' top the list in sheer hairiness. He has a special tilt on Jesus, dog trumpets, back yards, rural-cum-suburban paradises and general maleness and couldn't be any other nationality than Australian I reckon.

bliss factor #9: shimmering guitar in "Berserk Warriors," written by Chris' brother Peter and achingly sung by Martin Plaza. Of course, any sort of ode to Abba is alright by me, but this is vintage Mentals.

goldwire when only the best detention will do

all fall down

i am a falling star i
have had a tad too much to
drink so thinks the bouncer
i say bounce him
i do no one no harm 'cept
me, just me, no mind a-
noth-er kiss a-
noth-er kiss a-
nuth- the
boys behind us whoop'n'thump she's
FIIIINALLY kissed me back'n'so has
he but i'm crumbling at the
knees
too little too late i'm
gone i'm

BACK'n' I'm talking
to some blower by the
bar FUCK YOU i say
what? he huhs
FUCK YOU oh sorry -
sorry – only kidding
i grin, hand on his arm
ladelling the charm
he just sort of looks confused
i'm half
embalmed they have me
by each arm pour me
into a cab
before
he
fathoms
it


i crash couch
blankets
show's over
party's over
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