Mentally Ill

The Mentally Ill were an old punk band from Deerfield during the late 70s and early 80s. They are most well-known for their legendary Gacy's Place 7" from 1979, considered to this day to be one of the best and most forgotten records of the early Chicago punk era. They releaed the less popular Sex Cells 7" a few years later and seemed to fade into obscurity. In the late 90s, The Mentally Ill came back and recorded a full length with Steve Albini. In 2004, Jello Biafra released the entire recording sessions of Gacy's Place plus some older demos as a CD on his Alternative Tentacles label. After they ended (or while they were still active), some members of Mentally Ill formed Men.

On November 24th, 2007 The Mentally Ill played the final set at the You Weren't There afterparty at The Beat Kitchen. It was the first time The Mentally Ill played live, 28 years after the release of Gacy's Place. Reviews of their performance was almost all positive. They opened with Tumor Boy and closed (for a second time) with Gacy's Place. On May 23rd, 2008 Mentally Ill played their 2nd show ever as part of the three day Totally Wired Festival Chicago. Since their reunion show, The Mentally Ill gets together and plays a couple shows a year.

Members

• Sado Marquis (Larry) - Vocals
• Skitz Phrenic (Sven Herman) - Bass, Saxophone
• Hans Dolittle - Guitar
• Klaus Trofobic (Jon Ledwith) - Guitar
• Special Ed - Drums
• Art MacQuilkin - Vocals on Sex Cells
• Reggie Mars - Various instruments on Sex Cells

Releases

Gacy's Place

• Gacy's Place 7" (Autistic Records, 1979) - 300 pressed
  • Gacy's Place
  • Padded Cell
  • Tumor Boy

Sex Cells Front

• Sex Cells 7" (Autistic Records & Snat 5 Records, 1982)
  • KBD blog comment said it's not the original singer (Larry), maybe Art?

1. American Dream
2. Soldier 19

Sex Cells Back

• Strike the Bottom Red (1999)
  • Recorded by Steve Albini
  • Not officially distributed

1. Wrinkled Star
2. Slash
3. Strike the Bottom Red
4. Padded Cell
5. Stalag 13
6. Split Crotch Straight Jacket
7. Dom & Nate
8. Bathroom Gays
9. Doggie Sex
10. Tumor Boy
11. Pablo Picasso

Gacy's Place CD

• Gacy's Place: The Undiscovered Corpses CD (Alternative Tentacles, 2004)

1. "Gacy's Place" (1:28)
2. "Tumor Boy" (1:35)
3. "Doggie Sex" (2:00)
4. "Not Quite Dead Yet" (1:46)
5. "Padded Cell" (1:54)
6. "Split Crotch Straight Jacket" (1:15)
7. "All Mixed Up" (1:44)
8. "Stalag 13" (1:54)
9. "Ballad of The Mentally Ill" (2:25)
10. "Dry Heave" (2:36)
11. "Tumor Boy" (2:46)
12. "Bathroom Gaze" (1:17)
13. "Cum Twat" (2:52)
14. "Smelly Boys" (2:35)
15. "Gacy's Place" (2:09)
16. I Don't Need (You're Shit)" (2:57)
17. "Aryan Rock" (1:15)
18. "All Mixed Up" (2:23)
19. "Stalag 13" (2:34)
20. "Split Crotch Straight Jacket" (1:50)

External Links

• Alternative Tentacles Bio
• MySpace page
• Gacy's Place: The Undiscovered Corpses page on AT
• KBD Records entry on Sex Cells with mp3s
• CPP thread discussing The Mentally Ill
• Wikipedia page
• Discogs profile