There are plenty of rock and roll urban legends out there. Phil Collins and ‘In the Air Tonight’ is arguably the classic among these, with the legend being that Collins witnessed a man drowning but was unable to intervene.
However, he saw another man look on and do nothing. After tracking down the bystander, he invited him to a concert, shining the light on him as he performed the track in order to publicly humiliate him. A more low key and believable myth is the one concerning a bunch of art students who passed themselves off as a band in order to con the local publican in to giving them a gig in exchange for free beer. That band was Mental as Anything. And they’re still conning.
On August 16, 1977 – the day Elvis died – Reg Mombassa, Greedy Smith, Martin Plaza, Wayne ‘Bird’ Delisle and Peter O’Doherty performed for the very first time at Cellblock Theatre, East Sydney Tech. For 12 years, the band would release on average a new single very four months. These days you can hear all their hits in one gig – ‘Live it Up’, ‘The Nips Are Getting Bigger’, ‘You’re So Strong’, ‘Too Many Times’, ‘If You Leave Me Can I Come Too’, ‘Rock & Roll Music’, ‘Come Around’ and many more. Suttons House of Music, Ballarat – June 18.