The Mentally Ill

The Mentally Ill were a punk band originating from Deerfield, Illinois in the late 1970s. Their legendary 1979 album Gacy's Place 7" named after notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy, is considered by many to be one of the most unusual records of the early Chicago punk rock scene. They also released Sex Cells 7" and then dropped into obscurity.

The Mentally Ill reappeared during the 1990s to record a full length album with Steve Albini. In 2004, Jello Biafra released the Gacy's Place sessions in their entirety with a collection of old demo tapes on his well-known record label Alternative Tentacles.

On November 24, 2007, 28 years after the release of Gacy's Place 7", The Mentally Ill played the You Weren't There afterparty at The Beat Kitchen Located at 2100 W. BELMONT AVE. CHICAGO, IL. It was the first time The Mentally Ill played live, and the reviews of their performance were almost all positive. The band opened the set with Tumor Boy and closed with an encore of Gacy's Place. On May 23, 2008 Mentally Ill performed at the three-day Totally Wired Festival Chicago – this was their second performance. The Mentally Ill have played a few shows each year since their reunion gigs.

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

• 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: 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
• The Beat Kitchen