April 1 , 2002:
Well, Well, Hello Strangers, The Mentals have been in hibernation for a little while these days. We do apologize to Luis for the last bitchy band rant, it’s just been a trying time for us here in Austin. We make it a band pact to go out of our way for friends’ bands and other bands that we dig in this city to SUPPORT THE INDIE SCENE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY! What this means to us is that we will go out of our way to help out fellow bands by gig swapping, putting them in contact with who they need to contact for shows, as well as, other needs (press contacts, promoters, reviewers, etc.). So it’s been our luck that almost all these bands were not so supportive of the scene outside of themselves! Well, I guess that can be understood, it’s just that in this city you figure there would be more of a community vibe, you know?
So we realize (or remember) that we are still paying our dues right now, as all bands do when breaking into the scene. So that’s what to expect – once again, we understand.
On a more promising note, MULTIPLE ON-LINE RADIO STATIONS HAVE PICKED US UP THIS PAST MONTH! These would include:
So please tune in and turn yourself on to some Great Underground Rock!
November 1, 2001:
Well our formerly rockin’ bassist, Luis Garcia couldn’t hang with The Mentals!
We did a few shows together and booked studio time. We thought everything was cool then we get an e-mail saying something along the lines of he can’t be in the band right now and he can’t help us out. He agreed to just show up and play. Thanks Louie, “Just show up and play.” Yeah, that’s all that a band is right? Just a group of people that just show up and play instruments. You mean you actually have to work in a Band??? So anyone with some thoughts on this, please feel free to send us some e-mail on this. We are about to give up hope on finding dedicated musicians in this shitty town were EVERYONE has a band. So once again, if you know any bassist (that realizes there is more to playing than just plucking strings!), please pass the news on that we may still be looking.
June 1, 2001:
We’ve found a rockin’ bassist named Luis Garcia. He works with the heavier side of rock music in Darling Sinister. Their sound has been compared to: “Take Coal Chamber and throw in Gwen Stephanie on vocals and – Bam! Meet Darling Sinister.” Give them a look into at .
We dare you to come to the next Mentals show and sing “Louie, Louie” to us between songs!.
April 1, 2001:
Hey Everybody,
The Latest mental news that we have is that our oh-so-dependable Bassist, Scott Laws is supposedly in Northern California at a Rehab Clinic! We were wondering what happened!!! The next thing we heard was that we were taken away for being involved in “Everything”!! So we are just passing on the news.
Any bass players out there looking for a Band? Please let us know….
Thank You,
Later, THE MENTALS
Feb. 27, 2001:
Hey Everybody,
This just in…
The Mentals are to be played on www.psychobaby.com! So please do yourself a favor and Tune In! This is one of the Greatest Things for Local Music in Austin and around the World – 24 hour commercial-Free Rock!
The URL is:
You are in for a treat!
Just send your E-Mail requests for “The Mentals” to “Psychobabydave” at isola@constant.com
They get A LOT of Requests, so Feel Free to Submit as Many Requests as you want…
Thank You,
Later, THE MENTALS
Jan. 5, 2001:
Hey Everybody,
O.K. so all seems cool in the world of The Mentals!
So here’s the Current News: We were recently approached by someone who wants to Manage Us! He said to me that we are offering the Band Products for a STEAL! How did we plan to make any money with the price that we are selling our T-shirts and CD’s for!!! So we guess we will tell all of you this straight from the horse’s mouth. We play music because it’s what we Love! We are not into nor did we get into music to make money!
To us, we didn’t get into this for anything more than to be appreciated for what we do!
So anyway, Please take advantage of our Generosity and pick up a CD and T-shirt! Available at:
Thank You, THE MENTALS
Dec. 9, 2000:
Well it has been a rough time for us recently with waiting for some of our Product Site to get all updated and all! Other than that, we had to pass up a possible gig at The Red Eye Fly (We Love the name of that club, as well as the Red-Headed Bartender! But these days, who doesn’t?) We are hoping to make the Gig up in January or February!
On a more serious note: There will no doubt be a lot of Trash Talking and B.S. Rumors floating around soon , or already out now! The Mentals have had a few serious complications with our Former Bassist! We will be civil enough not to sink to the whole “He Said, She Said!” Level! We wish Zach the Best as far as his music goes and we hope that he takes off Big-Time, Finding his scene!
Other than that, please send us E-mail in regard to what Rumors are flying around Austin right now! We are very, very Interested in what’s flying around!
We will have an In-Store Gig in the Future at Jupiter Records sometime soon! (41st and Red River) So please check back frequently for any and all current Band News!
Thank You, THE MENTALS
P.S. It’s Steve’s Birthday today, So someone tell Stacy (the oh-So-Cute One that always wears the Funky Colored stockings) at Casino el Camino that she should give Steve a Birthday Kiss or something like that! “BAMB, Fresh Gumby Gold!”
Steve Tobin
Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter
AGE: 27
B-DAY: December 9, 1976
INTERESTS:
Music, Writing, Poetry, Passion – The Only Perfection, Finding Something…?, Leos & Pisces,
The Writings of Charles Bukowski, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, Jeff Gomez,
& the Indie Scene…..
INSPIRATIONS:
Trevor Keith, Shannon Hoon, Kurt Cobain, Mike Ness, as well as,
Burning Airlines, Lifter, and Face to Face
GOALS:
To achieve Success in the Independent World – No MTV or Commerical Radio for me! – “Face to Face”
DISLIKES:
MTV, Commercial Radio, The LAW, Rules, Regulations,
Police, Police….did I mention Police?,
Ex-Girlfriends, The Past….
WORDS OF …. ME:
“Passion, Passion, Passion – The Only Perfection!”
THANKS TO:
God, Buddha, Karma, Fate, Destiny, as well as My Family and Friends, My sister – Jenny, The Band, The Perkins, The Wilsons, Jason Pesch, Chris Phillips (The Shady Milk-Man), Jonas Wilson, Josh Perkins for….well, just for being Josh, Colin Fry, Ben and Jamie Hayes, Jennifer Clark, Christen Vaughn, Kay Yeary, Marni, Stephanie, Misty, Jennifer and Crystal, Gina, Liz, Suzy, Kara, Cassy, Susan, Nicole, Carrie, Mistelle, Stacy, Holly, Kathy, EVERYONE who stuck with me after the car wreck…(the rare few), Anyone who I forgot (you know who you are), Melanie, Jenny, and Kathy at Warm Springs in Gonzales, Everyone who remembers the days at “Froth-N-Java” and the very start of the Band, and a Special Thanks to YOU for Checking Us Out!
CELEBRITY CRUSHES:
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Claire Forlani
THE SCOOP:
After years of not knowing what or where my true love was, I spent years living off coffee and cigarettes at “Dennys”, writing poem after poem and story after story. I finally moved in with a groups of friends who happened to play music in 1996. It was than that I started teaching myself to play guitar when no one else was around. I realized that I could put my words (writings) to music and discovered a whole new world that I just fell in love with. So by late ’97, I formed – “No Talent” (ha ha), and played around with that for awhile. Then I wanted to take my music to the next level and start recording it and what not…
So by ’98, “The Mentals” was formed and we practiced everyday!!
Anyway, then (as usual) I hit my fork in the road….carwreck, a few broken bones, about 2 years off (physical therapy and what not). We are now back – “Kicking and Screaming!” So now I, We, The Mentals are back in the game – So all I can say is “Welcome to Never-Never Land….It’s been a strange trip so far, so sit back, good luck to all and enjoy the show!!!” Later….
FAVORITE MOVIES:
Kicking and Screaming, The Pompatus of Love, Say Anything, Band Wagon, Reality Bytes, Heathers
FAVORITE BANDS:
Automatic 7, Burning Airlines, Face to Face, Lifter, Fugazi, Radish, Nirvana, Eve 6
FAVORITE COLORS: Black and Blue
FAVORITE LINE: “Yeah, that’s what SHE said…”
TURN ONS:
Green Eyes, Black Hair, The Leo Zodiac Sign, Crazy chicks -
(if you are some of my ex’s, you would understand,
in fact some of my friends DO!), and Screaming….
TURN OFFS:
Responsibilities, being an Adult, and Marriage (I always lose the one that I want!)
Billy Throttle
Bassist
Age: 21
B-Day: 4/1/81
Interests: Music, Punk Chicks, Livin’ Fast, Eating Muff, & Spitting
Inspirations: Spit, Trash, Andy Munson, O.T.C. Drugs, Alabama Jackson,
Pepto the Clown, & Eddie from “Eddie and The Cruisers”
Dislikes: A girl that doesn’t go both ways.
Words of Wisdom: “Don’t Trust Her!”
Thanks to: The Dude that bought the beer, my connect, Dallas, TX, The Makers of Crystal Meth and the Cops for keeping it on the streets!
Celebrity I Wanna do: The Dixie Chicks
Favorite Movie(s): Decline of the Western Civilization, A Clockwork Orange
Favorite Colors: Black & Red
Favorite Line: “Hold my beer while I kiss your mom.”
Turn Ons: When I call a number I got from a girl at my show and it’s hers!
Turn Offs: T.V. & Condoms
Daniel Breeze Rendon
Drummer
AGE: 22
B-DAY: September 12, 1977 (send presents)
INTERESTS:
Fast cars, green lights, playable drums, Redheads, kinky girls, tough trucks,
music that makes ya groove, and video games
INSPIRATIONS:
Vinne Paul, John Bohnam, John Benfatti, and Wes Korner
GOALS:
To become a rock star, tour the world, and then when I’m old, do a reunion tour.
DISLIKES:
Red lights, prudish women, psychos, and failure
WORDS OF WISDOM:
There is no answer for the meaning of life. So plow through all your roadblocks, red lights,
and can’ts and make your dream come true. Listen to your mom when it comes to girls.
THANKS TO:
All my friends, my sisters and to all the people who said I couldn’t make it!
CELEBRITY I WANT TO BONE:
Drew Barrymore
THE SCOOP:
Played drums throughout school and I’ve had many shitty jobs.
Realized that the only thing that makes me happy is being behind a set.
WORDS TO LIVE BY:
Fuck the standards and strive for complications!
FAVORITE MOVIES:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Lost Boys
FAVORITE BANDS:
Pantera, Rage Against the Machine, Korn, Staind, Marilyn Manson, Incubus,
Deftones, Slipknot,
Lords of Acid, Suicidal Tendencies, and Snoop Dogg
FAVORITE SHOWS:
Any WWF or WCW wrestling, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Man Show, and Howard Stern
FAVORITE COLOR: Black
FAVORITE LINE: “I’m a Rock Star!”
TURN ONS: Stalkings
TURN OFFS: Non kinky-ness!!