Here's Five: The Musical World Of Kim Salmon (The Scientists)

Legendary frontman of The Scientists, there's much more to Kim Salmon's musical career than 'only' leading one of the most influential Australian bands of all time. Originally hailing from Perth, Salmon returns to Aotearoa next week for a very special solo headline event at The Wine Cellar. Hot on the heels of last week's launch of Scientists' first album in over three decades (!) Negativity, Salmon generously hand-picked a snappy selection of tunes (both recent and older) worthy of close attention from across his ever-expanding oeuvre and provided personal insights on each one. Educate your earholes below and don't even think of missing Salmon's strictly limited capacity Tāmaki Makaurau event next Tuesday...

Kim Salmon (solo)
Tuesday 29th June - The Wine Cellar, Auckland
Tickets available HERE via UTR

1. 'The Science Of Suave' - The Scientists

Latest video from the just released Scientists album Negativity – 1st album in 34 years! This is the second single from it. We managed to get enough footage of Tony before he departed to London January 2020. I had to lip-sync my vocal 4 weeks ago. My fave lines from the song “To Ferry, I threw across no mercy, nor Graney, Interior or Cave, Their Threads, all in tatters, that no narrative could ever save.” Its an homage to the scene we were part of back in the '80s.

2. 'Outsider' - The Scientists

The first single from Negativity from the Scientists. The song explores the idea of savants who make art and whether making art about the phenomenon disqualifies you from being an outsider.

3. 'Let's All Get Destroyed' - Kim Salmon & Smoked Salmon

Me playing live with my working band Smoked Salmon filmed and recorded by RMIT students on their campus with their studio facilities. The song was recorded and released as a 7” in 2019 on US label In The Red.

4. 'Already Turned Out Burned Out' - Kim Salmon & Smoked Salmon

Done the same day with all the same people as the 'Lets All Get Destroyed' clip, this song is from my 2016 solo release My Script. It’s a song about teenagers, written both from the point of view of having been one and having teenage kids. Stylistically it references the 70s glam from my teenage years.

5. 'Come On Spring' - Antenna

Antenna was my 1998 electro collaboration with Dave Faulkner. This was pretty much written by me and arranged by Dave. Its evidence of my latent ‘pop’ side that people have been trying to steer me towards since The Scientists first single 'Frantic Romantic'.

Bonus picks: Speaking of here’s The Scientists' first TV appearance from 1979 'Last Nite'...

...and 'Blood Red River' from 1983...