Mental Crisis

Hardcore punk band from Kansas City, Missouri, that existed from 1983-1985. Formed by teenagers, the group is notable for being the first straight edge band to exist in the region, though due to the members' involvement in the underground skate world, they also described themselves as "skate edge." The lineup included Coby Ellison on guitar, Chris Hartman on bass, Brian Green on drums, and Matt Bramlette on vocals. Mental Crisis played their first show on August 5, 1983, with The Replacements and Scream at VFW Hall, Kansas City, and would go on to share the stage with groups such as The Faction, The Offenders, Necros, and Corrosion of Conformity. The band's lone basement demo was recorded and released on cassette in 1984, receiving coverage in Maximumrocknroll by Pushead. A brief Midwestern tour followed, with only two of the members old enough to drive at the time. After disbanding, Hartman and Green were no longer involved in the local music scene, Ellison went on to achieve a masters degree in ceramics and is now composing electronic music in Arizona, and Bramlette went on to play drums in Germbox, Quitters Club, Stop Champfer (an experimental improvisational group), and Many Series.