TISM (an acronym of This Is Serious Mum) is a seven piece anonymous alternative rock band from Melbourne, Australia. The group was formed in 1982 and enjoyed a large underground/independent following. Their third album Machiavelli and the Four Seasons reached the Australian national top 10 in 1995. TISM is known for its hybrid of dance music and rock'n'roll, high-energy live shows and humorous lyrics. TISM's songs frequently satirise modern culture, celebrities and the entertainment industry, classic literature and art, current affairs, politics and sport. The titles of their songs are often wordplays created by juxtaposing pop culture references and/or more intellectually highbrow identities. History Early years In early 1982, at a Melbourne University, the members of TISM formed a band out of "a pure sense of shared mediocrity",