Mental as Anything were included in a festival line-up of veteran Aussie rock and pop musicians they’d never played with on the same bill before. 

The keyboardist and his band opened a Wollongong line-up that also featured headliner Jimmy Barnes, Daryl Braithwaite, Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss, and Diesel.

“It’s pretty much a lonely circuit for us when we’re out there playing,” Smith said.

The festival was “a good chance to catch up with these boys”.

Next week, they’ll be catching up with Yass as they play the Soldiers Club on Friday.

Mental As Anything – aka “the Mentals” – were the new-wave hit-makers of yesteryear.

They filled the radio waves with hits such as If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too; Live It Up; Too Many Times; and Mr Natural.

The latter is the one most people don’t realise they penned, according to Smith.

“When people hear us play,” Smith said, “the usual response we get on these big tours is ‘Oh, I didn’t know that was one of their songs!’

“Particularly for a lot of young people, because their parents forced them into listening to the Mentals as they were growing up. It’s like a sort of child abuse.”

Televised cricket may be another source of knowing at least one of their tunes, as Live It Up was used for a KFC Big Bash League ad.

Ironically, Smith said he was given his nickname after eating 16 pieces of the Colonel’s finest while playing about four decades ago.

But back in the ‘80s, it was seen as uncool if your band lent their music to a brand.

“I was offered huge money for a song [by] a major soft drink manufacturer, but you couldn’t do it,” he said.

“It was like the kiss of death for a band – but everything changed.

“A lot of it’s to do with being able to keep playing as a viable live act. All of that stuff helps, a bit of recognition.”

So it’s fair to say that retirement is not on the agenda for Smith.