Vale Mental As Anything’s Andrew ‘Greedy’ Smith

Founding Mental As Anything member Andrew ‘Greedy’ Smith has died at 63.

AAP reports Smith suffered a heart attack in his car while driving in Sydney on Tuesday. The news has been confirmed by Mental As Anything manager Grant Bartlett.

Bartlett said the death was a complete shock as Smith was “one of the healthiest guys I’ve seen.”

Smith formed the band in 1977 with Reg Mombassa, Martin Plaza, Wayne ‘Bird’ Delisle and Peter O’Dougherty. He remained the only founding member of the band to still tour, and they were scheduled to perform a gig in Melbourne this week.

“It is with an incredibly heavy heart to announce that one of the founding members of Mental As Anything, Andrew Greedy Smith passed away last night from a heart attack,” the band wrote in a statement.

“Greedy, the only remaining member of the group was currently on a national tour.

“Our grief and confusion at this time are little compared to what Andrew’s family will be feeling – our hearts and prayers go out to them.

“Andrew is survived by his son Harvey, fiancée Fiona Docker and brother Stuart.”

Mental As Anything were not only beloved in Australia, but also cracked the UK market with their #2 Aussie hit ‘Live It Up’. The single reached #3 in the UK after featuring on the soundtrack of Crocodile Dundee in 1986.

Smith’s passing comes just three weeks after being inducted into the Australian Songwriters Association Hall of Fame.