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.