The Mentors

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Mentors


Img_size =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Seattle, WA / Hollywood, CA
Genre = Shock rock, heavy metal
Years_active = 1976— 1997, 2000-present
Label = Mentor Records, Mystic, Metal Blade, Ever Rat
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.churchofelduce.com Church of El Duce]
Current_members = Sickie Wifebeater
Dr. Heathen Scum
Moosedick, Sickie Jr.
Past_members = El Duce

The Mentors is a shock rock band, who formed in 1976 in Seattle, then moved to Los Angeles in 1979. They billed themselves as the inventors of "Rape Rock": early 1970s style heavy metal with extremely sexist lyrics. They had a very small, but dedicated cult following in Seattle, playing gigs at Seattle's first punk venues, The Bird, The Funhole and at area biker bars.Fact|date=February 2007 They performed a live act in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but the alcoholism and death of singer/drummer Eldon Hoke, better known as El Duce, caused them to slow down in the 1990s. On April 19, 1997, El Duce was hit by a train and was instantly killed.

After a long hiatus, activity has started up again, and the band has put out new material with a renewed lineup. Also just released a new DVD titled El Duce Vita.Fact|date=April 2007

History

The Mentors were known outside of West Coast heavy metal and underground rock circles chiefly for their lyrics being cited by Tipper Gore during the Parents Music Resource Center hearings in Congress, and then being used by Frank Zappa on his album "Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention". El Duce later appeared in Nick Broomfield's documentary about the death of Kurt Cobain, "Kurt and Courtney".

The Mentors are notorious for their songs that celebrate depraved sex acts and drug use. Their early fans were devoted to their more scatalogical and less detailed, but catchy tunes like "Golden Shower" and "Mother/Daughter Team", in addition to their intense stage act.Fact|date=February 2007 While their obscene lyrics ensured that their music would never be played on commercial radio, they eventually gained a larger cult following due to their raunchy, drunken, over-the-top live performances in Los Angeles nightclubs such as the Cathay de Grande, Raji's, Gazzari's, Whisky a Go Go, and The Troubadour, as well as around the country in Washington DC's 15 Minutes Club and New York's Space at Chase (documented on youtube).

The Mentors' cult appeal translated to a large worldwide following, and the band released a series of classic Lps on labels such as Mystic & Metal Blade. In the early 1990s, they started their own record company to release their music, Mentor Records. Their self-produced releases included "Rock Bible" and "To The Max", as well as the El Duce solo projects, which include the "Karaoke King" series which featured Hoke singing karaoke and substituting dirty lyrics to classic songs such as "Little Surfer Girl" and "New York, New York". In the 1990s, they did a collaboration CD with Dutch heavy metal band Hammerhawk, called Mentorhawk. Also self-released were their videos, consisting mostly of dirty humor, interviews, and music videos. In the mid-1990s, Moosedick was brought in on drums allowing El Duce to party even harder without the constraints of having to actually keep a beat. On April 19, 1997, El Duce was hit by a train (some say under mysterious circumstances) and thus ended the classic Mentors line-up.

The Mentors made a comeback in 2002 by touring, were the subject of a tribute album on the Clambake label and then in 2005 released the album "Over the Top" produced by Bill Metoyer and Jack Endino (Nirvana's "Bleach"). October 2008 will see more touring, with a stop on October 16th, 2008 at JC Dobb's in Philadelphia.

Group members

Original members
* El Duce AKA Eldon Hoke — drums, lead vocals
* Sickie Wifebeater AKA Eric Carlson — guitar
* Dr. Heathen Scum AKA Steve Broy — bass

Current members
* Sickie Wifebeater - lead guitar, Vocals
* Dr. Heathen Scum - bass guitar, Vocals
* Sickie J. - guitar
* Moosedick - drums
* Mad Dog Marc Duce - Vocals

Additional/Former members
* Clark Johnson AKA Moosedick — drums (after El Duce)
* Mike Dewey AKA (The Original) Dr. Heathen Scum Bass, author, co-author and producer of the first Mentors record
* Ed Danky AKA Poppa Sneaky Spermshooter - bass (while Dr. Heathen Scum was in college)
* Jeff Dahl — bass (also while Heathen Scum was in college)
* Jack Shit - bass (also while Heathen Scum was in college)
* "Zippy" — bass (only played on "Sex, Drugs, and Rock N Roll" album and on 1988 tour)
* Rick Lomas AKA Insect On Acid - backup vocals and drums on "Rock Bible" album
* Brian Gunter AKA Gumby(Dumby) - backup vocals
* Rev. El Rapo - Vocals (after El Duce)

Discography

* "Get Up and Die AKA The Trash Bag EP" (1982 Mystic Records)
* "Live at the Whisky/Cathay de Grande" (1983 Mystic Records)
* "You Axed for It!" (1985 Death Records)
* "Up the Dose" (1986 Death Records)
* "Sex Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll" (1989 Ever Rat Records)
* "Up The Dose/You Axed For It!" (1989 Death/Metal Blade)
* "Rock Bible" (1990 Mentor Records)
* "To the Max" (1991 Mentor Records)
* "Mentorhawk" (2000 HMF Records collaboration with Hammerhawk)
* "El Duce's Mentors Live" (2004 Mystic Records)
* "Over The Top" (2005 Mentor Records)

* "You Axed For It!" and "Up The Dose" were reissued with bonus tracks by the German record label, Maximum Metal in 1997.
* "The Get Up and Die EP" was reissued with a special 45 "Valu-Pack" in 1987 by Mystic Records

Videography

There have been numerous live, bootleg concert videos through out the years. These are their official releases...
* "Get Up and Die" (1983)
* "Mentors Fuck Movie" (1987)
* "A Piece Of Sinema" (1990)
* "The Wretched World of The Mentors" (1990)
* "Mentors Tour De Max '91" (1991)
* "El Duce, The Man. The Myth. The Video." (1993)
* "Mentors - El Duce Vita DVD" (2007)

* In 1986 the Mentors did the soundtrack for a porn film titled, "Maxine"

References

* [http://www.churchofelduce.com Church Of El Duce]
* [http://www.myspace.com/themantors The Mantors Bakersfield]

External links

* [http://www.churchofelduce.com The Church Of El Duce]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thementors The Mentors' Myspace]
* [http://www.thementors.freeservers.com Reverend Cuntbag's Mentors Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/elduce666 El Duce's Myspace]
* [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=15788 The Mentors @ The Metal Archives]
* [http://www.wanker-records.de/ Wanker Records]
* [http://www.myspace.com/themantors The Mantors Bakersfield]