Fundamental (Mental As Anything album)
Encyclopedia
Fundamental or Fundamental As Anything is the fifth studio album released by Australian rock
/pop
group Mental As Anything
. The album, produced by Richard Gottehrer
was released on Regular Records in March 1985, which peaked at #3 on the Australian Kent Music Report
albums charts. First single from the album, "You're So Strong" (March 1985), which peaked at #11 in Australia also charted in the top 30 of the US Billboard
Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It was followed by their biggest Australian hit "Live it Up" (May 1985) which climbed to #2. The album spawned two additional singles, "Date with Destiny" in September and "Big Wheel" in November. "Live it Up" reached the top 50 in European charts including peaking at #3 in UK, #4 in Norway
, and #6 in Germany
, after it featured in the 1986 Australian film "Crocodile" Dundee.
–rock music
band formed at an art school
in Sydney
in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza
(real name Martin Murphy) on vocals and guitar
; Reg Mombassa
(real name Chris O'Doherty) on lead guitar
and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty
on bass guitar
and vocals; Wayne "Bird" Delisle (real name David Twohill
) on drums
; and Andrew "Greedy" Smith
on vocals, keyboards
and harmonica
. Their hit songs were generated by Mombassa, O'Doherty, Plaza and Smith, either individually or collectively. Their previous top ten Australian singles
were, "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?" and "Too Many Times" in 1981. While their previous top ten albums were, Cats & Dogs in 1981, and Creatures of Leisure in 1983.
Greedy Smith began to gain prominence with his songwriting success, he penned the first two singles from their Fundamental album produced by Richard Gottehrer
and released in September 1985, which peaked at #3. "You're So Strong" (March 1985), which peaked at #11 in Australia and also charted in the top 30 of the US Billboard
Hot Dance Club Songs chart; it was followed by their biggest Australian hit "Live it Up" (May 1985) which climbed to #2. The single also reached #3 in the UK in 1987, and was a hit in Europe, after being included in the soundtrack of the hugely successful Australian 1986 film "Crocodile" Dundee.
Additional musicians
Recording details
Art work
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
. The album, produced by Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
was released on Regular Records in March 1985, which peaked at #3 on the Australian Kent Music Report
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
albums charts. First single from the album, "You're So Strong" (March 1985), which peaked at #11 in Australia also charted in the top 30 of the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It was followed by their biggest Australian hit "Live it Up" (May 1985) which climbed to #2. The album spawned two additional singles, "Date with Destiny" in September and "Big Wheel" in November. "Live it Up" reached the top 50 in European charts including peaking at #3 in UK, #4 in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and #6 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, after it featured in the 1986 Australian film "Crocodile" Dundee.
Background
Mental As Anything are an Australian New WaveNew Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
–rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed at an art school
Art school
Art school is a general term for any educational institution with a primary focus on the visual arts, especially illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and graphic design. The term applies to institutions with elementary, secondary, post-secondary or undergraduate, or graduate or...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza
Martin Plaza
Martin Plaza is the pseudonym of Martin Edward Murphy , who is a vocalist/guitarist/songwriter with Australian pop/R&B band Mental As Anything. Plaza also has a solo music career and in 1986 had a #2 hit in Australia with his cover of the 1960s Unit 4+2 song "Concrete and Clay"...
(real name Martin Murphy) on vocals and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
; Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa is the pseudonym of Chris O'Doherty, a New Zealand born artist and musician. Resident in Australia, he is as well known there for his musical exploits — founder and former member of the popular Australian band Mental As Anything and member of Dog Trumpet - as he is for his art...
(real name Chris O'Doherty) on lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty
Peter O'Doherty
Peter O'Doherty is a musician with Australian band Dog Trumpet and formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything. He is also a recognised fine artist specialising in still life and everyday suburban scenes....
on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and vocals; Wayne "Bird" Delisle (real name David Twohill
David Twohill
David Twohill is a musician formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything who is also known by the pseudonym Wayne DeLisle or as Bird.-Early life:...
) on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
; and Andrew "Greedy" Smith
Greedy Smith
Greedy Smith is the pseudonym of Andrew McArthur Smith or Andy Smith , who is a vocalist, keyboardist, harmonicist and songwriter with Australian pop/R&B band Mental As Anything. Smith wrote many of their hit songs including "Live it Up" which peaked at #2 on the Australian singles chart...
on vocals, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
. Their hit songs were generated by Mombassa, O'Doherty, Plaza and Smith, either individually or collectively. Their previous top ten Australian singles
Kent Music Report
The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998...
were, "If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too?" and "Too Many Times" in 1981. While their previous top ten albums were, Cats & Dogs in 1981, and Creatures of Leisure in 1983.
Greedy Smith began to gain prominence with his songwriting success, he penned the first two singles from their Fundamental album produced by Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer
Richard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
and released in September 1985, which peaked at #3. "You're So Strong" (March 1985), which peaked at #11 in Australia and also charted in the top 30 of the US Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Dance Club Songs chart; it was followed by their biggest Australian hit "Live it Up" (May 1985) which climbed to #2. The single also reached #3 in the UK in 1987, and was a hit in Europe, after being included in the soundtrack of the hugely successful Australian 1986 film "Crocodile" Dundee.
Track listing
Personnel
Mental As Anything- Wayne DelisleDavid TwohillDavid Twohill is a musician formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything who is also known by the pseudonym Wayne DeLisle or as Bird.-Early life:...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Reg MombassaReg MombassaReg Mombassa is the pseudonym of Chris O'Doherty, a New Zealand born artist and musician. Resident in Australia, he is as well known there for his musical exploits — founder and former member of the popular Australian band Mental As Anything and member of Dog Trumpet - as he is for his art...
— lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals - Peter O'DohertyPeter O'DohertyPeter O'Doherty is a musician with Australian band Dog Trumpet and formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything. He is also a recognised fine artist specialising in still life and everyday suburban scenes....
— bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Martin PlazaMartin PlazaMartin Plaza is the pseudonym of Martin Edward Murphy , who is a vocalist/guitarist/songwriter with Australian pop/R&B band Mental As Anything. Plaza also has a solo music career and in 1986 had a #2 hit in Australia with his cover of the 1960s Unit 4+2 song "Concrete and Clay"...
— vocals, guitar - Greedy SmithGreedy SmithGreedy Smith is the pseudonym of Andrew McArthur Smith or Andy Smith , who is a vocalist, keyboardist, harmonicist and songwriter with Australian pop/R&B band Mental As Anything. Smith wrote many of their hit songs including "Live it Up" which peaked at #2 on the Australian singles chart...
— vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
Additional musicians
- Martin ArmigerMartin ArmigerJohn Martin Armiger is an Australian musician, record producer and film/TV composer. He was singer-songwriter and guitarist with Melbourne-based rock band, The Sports during 1978–1981, which had Top 30 hits on the Kent Music Report Singles Chart with, "Don't Throw Stones" , "Strangers on a...
— guitar - Mary Bradfield-Taylor — vocals
- Rick Chadwick — keyboards
- Sandi Chick — vocals
- Andrew FarrissAndrew FarrissAndrew Charles Farriss is a rock musician , best known as the keyboardist and main composer for the Australian band INXS.-Career:...
— keyboards - Mark Kennedy — percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Recording details
- Producer — Richard GottehrerRichard GottehrerRichard Gottehrer is an American songwriter, record producer and record label executive.-Career:Gottehrer came to prominence as a songwriter in the 1960s with his most notable songs being "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy". As Feldman-Goldstein-Gottehrer , he wrote various songs including...
- Engineer, mixing — Thom Panunzio
- Assistant — Allan Wright
Art work
- Art direction — Jana Hartig, Ken Smith, Sue Woollard
- Design — Martin Plaza, Greedy Smith (and cover design)
- Photography — Paula Clarke (cover photo), Paul Clarke, Hugh Hamilton, Frank Lindner (and sleeve photo), Francine McDougall
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
March 1985 | Regular Records | LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... |
RRLP1212 |
| 12 May 1986 | Festival | CD | D20208 | |
| 1986 | Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
CD | CDEPC 26836 | |
| 10 September 1989 | Festival | CD | D20208 | |
| United States | 1986 | Columbia Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
LP | BFC 40299 |
| Netherlands | 1987 | Epic | LP, Cassette | EPC 450641 |
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Kent Music Report | 3 |