The Mentors is a heavy metal band, who formed in 1978 in Seattle, then moved to Los Angeles in 1979. They billed themselves as the inventors of "rape rock", essentially early 1970s style heavy metal with extremely sexist lyrics. They were a popular live act in Los Angeles in the 1980s, but the chronic, acute alcoholism & death of singer/drummer Eldon Hoke, better known as El Duce, caused them to slow down in the 1990s and eventually cease activity. After a long hiatus, activity has started up again, and the band has put out new material with a renewed lineup.

The Mentors were known outside of West Coast heavy metal and underground rock circles chiefly for their lyrics being cited by Tipper Gore during the Parents Music Resource Center hearings in Congress, and then being used by Frank Zappa on his "Mothers of Prevention" album. El Duce later appeared in Nick Broomfield's documentary about the death of Kurt Cobain, "Kurt and Courtney".

The Mentors were notorious for their songs that celebrated depraved sex acts and drug use. While their obscene lyrics ensured that their music would never be played on commercial radio, they gained a cult following due their raunchy, over-the-top live performances in Los Angeles nightclubs such as the Cathey de Grande, Gazzari's and the Whiskey-A-Go-Go.

The Mentors discography included The Trash Bag EPon Mystic Records, which featured the Mentors' most requested songs, "Going Through Your Purse" and "Woman From Sodom". Other Mentors albums were released on Death Records a sublabel of Metal Blade Records You Axed For It, Up The Dose, and Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll. The Mentors' cult appeal translated to a rather large worldwide following, and the band started their own record company to release their music. (Mentors Records) and distributing them at their club shows and through their fan club, and mail order catalogue. Their self-produced releases included Rock Bible and To The Max, as well as the El Duce solo projects, The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Booze and Broads and the Karaoke King series which featured Hoke singing karaoke and substituting dirty lyrics to classic songs such as "Little Surfer Girl" and "New York, New York". In the 90's they did a collaboration CD with Dutch Heavy Metal masters Hammerhawk, called Mentorhawk. Also self released were their videos, consisting mostly of dirty humour, interviews, and music videos (titles include The Wretched World Of The Mentors, and Piece Of Sinema). The Mentors made a major comeback in 2005 with the album Over the Top produced by Bill Metoyer and Jack Endino (Nirvana's Nevermind).

Group Members

* Eldon Hoke, drums, lead vocals ("El Duce")
* Steven Broy, bass ("Dr. Heathen Scum")
* Eric Carlson, guitar ("Sickie Wifebeater")
* Clark Savage, drums after El Duce ("Moosedick")
* Jeff Dahl, bass (prior to Broy)
* Zippy, bass (after Dahl)


Discography

* Get Up and Die (1981)
* Live at the Wiskey/Cathey de Grande (1983)
* You Axed for It! (1985)
* Up the Dose (1987)
* Sex Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll (1989)
* Up The Dose/You Axed For It! (1989)
* Rock Bible (1990)
* To the Max (1991)
* Mentorhawk (1999)
* Over The Top (2005)