Mentors | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | Heavy metal,hard rock,punk rock,shock rock |
| Years active | 1976–present (hiatus; 1997–2000) |
| Labels | Mentor,Mystic,Metal Blade, Ever Rat |
| Members | Steve Broy Marc Mad Dog DeLeon Cousin Fister Paul Van Rijswijk Manuel Galati |
| Past members | Eldon Hoke Jeff Dahl Chris Jacobson Wayne Daddio Mike Dewey Ed Danky Lucinda Rezabek Keith McAdam Clark Savage Jeff Solberg Jake Huber Eric Carlson |
| Website | thementors Church of El Duce |
TheMentors are an Americanheavy metal band, known for their deliberateshock rock lyrics. Originally formed inSeattle, Washington in May 1976,[1] they relocated toLos Angeles, California in 1979.
The band garnered attention both from noted hard rock acts and pro-censorship movements such as theParents Music Resource Center,[2] but the death of drummer and lead singerEldon Hoke ("El Duce") in 1997 brought them unprecedented attention.
Founding members Eldon Hoke ("El Duce"),Eric Carlson ("Sickie Wifebeater") andSteve Broy ("Dr. Heathen Scum") attendedRoosevelt High School together in Seattle,[2] and began experimenting together with crudepunk and primitive heavy metal. Upon formation, the Mentors began to tour the Northwest, playing shows with their trademark executioner hoods (it was the idea of El Duce, who adored a horror movie calledMark of the Devil) and bawdy lyrics. In the early days of the band, El Duce would contact venues saying they were aKiss cover band and send them a dubbed cassette with Kiss songs on it and say it was them. On one occasion he sent a copy ofDeep Purple'sLive in Japan to what they thought was a club. It was later revealed to be a pizza place and they ended up playing a kid's birthday party. They were forced to stop after one song and were eventually given $50.[3] Broy was in and out of the band during its early career due to his preoccupation with pursuing a degree in engineering.[4] Other bassists from this era include Jeff Dahl, Chris Jacobsen (Jack Shit), and Mike Dewey (Heathen Scum Wezda).[5]
Through Mystic Records, the Mentors released their first EP,The Trash Bag, in 1983.[1] Their first live album,Live at the Whiskey/Cathey de Grande, came out the following year; both records were produced by Phillip (Philco) Raves. In 1985, they signed to Death Records, a subsidiary ofMetal Blade, and released their debut studio LP,You Axed for It!, with Broy returning on the bass.[4] During this time, Hoke maintained a strong public presence, making a controversial appearance[6] alongside fellow metal bandGWAR onThe Jerry Springer Show, where Hoke's band, beliefs and public image were criticized.[2]
The Mentors did not achieve true notoriety until the 1985 Congressional hearings orchestrated by Tipper Gore'sParents Music Resource Center (PMRC). The relatively obscure Mentors caught the attention of the PMRC with their song "Golden Shower", prompting a reading of some of its lyrics on the Congressional floor.
Broy was briefly replaced by bassists Wayne Daddio ("Ripper"), Ed Danky ("Poppa Sneaky Spermshooter"), Lucinda Rezabek ("Scum Bitch") andKeith McAdam ("Zippy"), but later returned to the group. In 1989, the Mentors released their third album,Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll, a faux-live[citation needed] record. This album caught the attention of the bandRevolting Cocks, who invited the Mentors on tour with them.[2]
They releasedRock Bible in 1990, with Rick Lomas ("Insect On Acid")[7] sitting in on drums.To the Max followed the next year. Clark Savage ("Moosedick")[1] often filled in for Hoke on drums at live shows, as Hoke's alcoholism had made it difficult for him to play drums and sing simultaneously, eventually taking the position as drummer while Hoke became vocalist exclusively.
The Mentors remained sporadically active thereafter. Hoke began a solo career, while Carlson formed the band Jesters of Destiny.[4] In 1997, while being interviewed for thedocumentary filmKurt and Courtney, Hoke claimed thatCourtney Love had offered him $50,000 to kill her husbandKurt Cobain,[8] whose death was ruled a suicide. Two days after being interviewed, Hoke died after being struck by a freight train while intoxicated. His death was alternately described as an accident and a suicide;[9] however, some conspiracy theorists have claimed there is evidence suggesting foul play.[10]
Carlson, Broy and Savage continued the band and were joined by guitarist Jeff Solberg ("Sickie J") and vocalist Jake Huber ("El Rapo"), releasingOver the Top in 2005. In 2006, singer and drummer Marc DeLeon ("Mad Dog"), of the Mentors tribute band the Mantors, replaced Huber and, later, Savage.Ducefixion, their eighth full-length record, was released in 2009. DeLeon left the Mentors in 2014 during the making of a full-length documentary film calledThe Mentors: Kings of Sleaze Rockumentary, directed by April Jones.
On May 25, 2017, the Mentors releasedThe Illuminaughty, their first studio album in eight years, with Broy and Lomas sharing the vocal duties.
In 2019, a documentary about the band and Hoke,The El Duce Tapes, was released to the festival circuit, featuring unreleased interviews with Hoke from 1990-91 and discussing the Mentors in the context of modern-daycancel culture. The film was released on Blu-ray, streaming, and limited-edition VHS in 2020.
Carlson died from cancer on December 29, 2024 at the age of 66, leaving Broy as the only surviving member of the classicYou Axed for It! lineup.[11]
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