Peter O'Doherty
Encyclopedia
Peter O'Doherty is a musician with Australian band Dog Trumpet
(alongside his brother Chris aka Reg Mombassa
) and formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything
. He is also a recognised fine artist specialising in still life
and everyday suburban scenes.
, New Zealand
on 23 March 1958. O'Doherty and his family emigrated to Sydney in 1969. While his older brother attended art school (forming Mental As Anything
with fellow students), Peter was attending high school on Sydney's Northern Beaches, learning classical guitar and later working as a petrol station attendant. He eventually appeared onstage with the Mentals in August 1977, filling in on bass. From that night he became a permanent member as bass guitarist, completing the "classic" lineup of Mental As Anything.
numerous times with many of his works making the Salon des Refusés
.
album credited to The Stetsons
. During the late 80s and early 90s he also performed live with the bands The Bejesus Burgers and The Happening Thang.
, a collaboration with his brother Reg, however this project predates both Peter and Reg leaving the Mentals. They have so far released four studio albums and two EPs.
Dog Trumpet
Dog Trumpet is an Australian rock band, formed by brothers Peter O'Doherty and Reg Mombassa . Both Mombassa and O'Doherty were founder members of the iconic Australian band Mental as Anything, and they formed Dog Trumpet as an outlet for their original material...
(alongside his brother Chris aka Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa
Reg Mombassa is the pseudonym of Chris O'Doherty, a New Zealand born artist and musician. Resident in Australia, he is as well known there for his musical exploits — founder and former member of the popular Australian band Mental As Anything and member of Dog Trumpet - as he is for his art...
) and formerly with Australian band Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
. He is also a recognised fine artist specialising in still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
and everyday suburban scenes.
Early life
O'Doherty was born in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
on 23 March 1958. O'Doherty and his family emigrated to Sydney in 1969. While his older brother attended art school (forming Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything
Mental As Anything are an Australian New Wave–rock music band formed at an art school in Sydney in 1976. Their most popular line-up was Martin Plaza on vocals and guitar; Reg Mombassa on lead guitar and vocals; his brother Peter "Yoga Dog" O'Doherty on bass guitar and vocals; Wayne "Bird"...
with fellow students), Peter was attending high school on Sydney's Northern Beaches, learning classical guitar and later working as a petrol station attendant. He eventually appeared onstage with the Mentals in August 1977, filling in on bass. From that night he became a permanent member as bass guitarist, completing the "classic" lineup of Mental As Anything.
Art career
Although he never attended art school, unlike the other members of the Mentals, he eventually became the most prolific artist of the five, and second most acclaimed after his brother Chris. He left the Mentals in 2000 to concentrate fulltime on his art. Both Peter and his wife Susan are prolific artists, Peter himself specialises in still lifes and built landscapes. He has entered the Archibald PrizeArchibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
numerous times with many of his works making the Salon des Refusés
Salon des Refusés (Archibald)
Salon des Refusés, a popular Australian art exhibition which shows some of the rejected works to the Archibald Prize, Australia's most prestigious art prize for portraiture, and also the Wynne Prize entries for landscape & figure sculpture. The Salon des Refusés exhibition was initiated in 1992 by...
.
Pseudonym/Nickname (or lack thereof)
Unlike the other five members of the classic Mentals lineup, he never used a pseudonym or stage name for any length of time. He at one stage went by the name Ouzo Pork in the early days but wisely dropped it shortly after. His nickname often quoted in interviews is "Yoga Dog" and a B-side track from 1982 written by him was titled Yoga Dog SunsetSolo and Side Projects
In 1987, with Peter and Martin and members of Gang Gajang, he recorded a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
album credited to The Stetsons
The Stetsons
The Stetsons are an Australian country and western band formed by members of GANGgajang, Mental As Anything and Flying Emus. The released a selftitled album in 1987. In 1997 many some of the original members got back together and released a second album called Their Most Successful Album...Ever...
. During the late 80s and early 90s he also performed live with the bands The Bejesus Burgers and The Happening Thang.
Dog Trumpet
Since 2000 Peter's main musical outlet has been Dog TrumpetDog Trumpet
Dog Trumpet is an Australian rock band, formed by brothers Peter O'Doherty and Reg Mombassa . Both Mombassa and O'Doherty were founder members of the iconic Australian band Mental as Anything, and they formed Dog Trumpet as an outlet for their original material...
, a collaboration with his brother Reg, however this project predates both Peter and Reg leaving the Mentals. They have so far released four studio albums and two EPs.