dagg@lace.lbl.gov (Darren Griffiths) (01/18/90)
In article <3470@csccat.UUCP> larry@csccat.UUCP (Larry Spence) writes: >In article <4621@helios.ee.lbl.gov> dagg@lace.lbl.gov (Darren Griffiths) writes: >>Well, gee, I don't knoe if I should admit to anything, but El Duce (the lead >>singer of The Mentors) hangs out at The Chatterbox (800 block of Valencia in >>SF, CA.) I know him reasonably well and have a half dozen tapes of the band, >>but they certainly aren't my favorite. Most of the time that El Duce is at the >>Chatterbox I have to stop him from grabbing the mike from the lead singer >>(this is particularly hard on the rare occasions that I'm singing.) The guy >>is rarely sober (I like that) and he's an incredible fun person to party with. >>I book some shows in the SF area and hope to have them play at a lot of them >>during the next few months now that the whole band is in town. >You lucky person! Perhaps you can answer a couple of questions: Hmm, I may be lucky, but if I am it's certainly not because I happen to run into El Duce at the Chatterbox from time to time. >Is it true that one or more of The Mentors actually have degrees in Electrical >Engineering from Berkeley? This is a rumor I heard. Who ARE these guys? I have never heard this, and from my experiences with various band members I doubt this is true. I have only talked to El Duce in length, and I think it's safe to say that if he does have a degree in anything it is in his distant past and well forgotten. He really is a great guy, and actually quite smart, but I do have to say that I've never seen him sober and he is not the most responsible person I've ever met. However, he does pay attention if you ask him to stop messing about, he's usually up to something, but it's always just in fun, unfortunately his kind of fun does tend to provoke a little anger in some people.. I don't think he's the smartest person in the world, but I do like him and I have enjoyed myself every time I've talked to him at shows. As far as the other band members and degrees are concerned. I don't think they have any degrees, at least nothing above a BA or BS, but I suppose I wouldn't be suprised if I learned they had graduate level degrees, they are a fairly unusual band. Next time I see anyone involved with 'em I'll ask and let you know. >The last Mentors album I bought (sorry, can't recall the title, but it >was after "Up The Dose") sounded very different. Some of the tracks were >produced by their old producer, and sounded "normal" (I use the term VERY >loosely). Other tracks (most of the first side, I think) didn't even sound >like the same band! I'll dig through my albums and listen again, but I >just remember thinking "what happened -- did they sell the name to someone >else?" I have to admit that the idea of paying money for the Mentors' name >is pretty incredible, though. >OK, give us the inside scoop on these talentless (but fun!) boys... When I said "they aren't my favorite" above I may have been a little to kind. I do like their music, but not enough to keep up with their ins and outs in the detail you asked. I very very much doubt that they have sold the name to anyone. It is quite likely that they recorded an album with a producer who knew what he is doing and put together some slightly more comercial stuff. They are also playing a few more shows than normal right now and some of the places they have played have surprised me, so it is certainly possible that someone convinced to tone down on stage as well. Again, I'll ask next time I see someone that knows (probably this weekend.) >"You don't make me spew, not you > Gross! Thinking of you > Yuck! Thinking of you..." > - "My Erection Is Over," Mentors > Cheers, --darren