Kim Salmon
Encyclopedia
Kim Leith Salmon is an Australian indie rock
musician and songwriter, who attained fame in June 2004, when he was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association
Hall of Fame.
He is noted for work with The Scientists
, and later with the Beasts of Bourbon
, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists
and Kim Salmon and the Business.
's first punk band the Cheap Nasties, who later became The Manikins
.
Salmon's work with The Scientists
in the 1980s influenced grunge
music, which rose to prominence around Seattle, United States, before impacting on popular music in the early 1990s. The Scientists
relied on unorthodox bass-heavy rhythms and distorted guitars, the latter being a direct precursor for grunge
. The term itself was coined by Salmon in the mid 1980s to describe The Scientists
' sound, as noted in a documentary
on Australian music, Long Way to the Top
, in 2001.
In 1979, the debut single from The Scientists
was released, "Frantic Romantic", the original line-up was Kim Salmon and Roddy Radalj
on guitars and vocals, James Baker
on drums and Boris Sujdovic on bass. The band broke up and re-formed, spawning the single, "This Is My Happy Hour" at the end of 1982.
In 1983 they released the mini album Blood Red River which was an influential record of the post-punk era. The following mini-LP, This Heart Doesn't Run On Blood, included the "A Monster in the Tub" album cover by artist/performer Ewan Cameron who played in Adelaide's Purple Vulture Shit. It topped the indie charts. The Scientists
then toured the UK and Europe playing their amalgamation of blues/punk/noise.
The Scientists
went through several incarnations, with Kim remaining a constant member, before the band hung up their boots in late 1987.
. The first single from the album "Saving Me From Me" was released on Monday 20 September 1999. Also included is the track "Caesar's Lament" and a cover of the Dudley Moore
tune "Love Me" (from the movie Bedazzled). A second single "Disconnected" was released 13 March 2000 featuring two remixes by Mr Chill, Gary B and Justin Frew.
Some of Salmon's later work has reflected a quieter style. He released an acoustic solo album, E(a)rnest, in 2002, and commenced a new venture, Darling Downs, with former Died Pretty
singer, Ron Peno
. Their album, How Can I Forget This Heart of Mine? was released in 2005, followed by "From One to Another" in 2007.
In June 2004, Salmon was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association
Hall of Fame.
. See Dave Faulkner (musician)#Antenna.
and Michael Stranges on drums and Dave Graney
, Ash Naylor, Penny Ikinger, Matt Walker and Anton Ruddick on guitar. Kim Salmon plays guitar and a sampler.
The band released the album Rock Formations in May, 2007. The album was released on both on CD as well as limited double LP with only 500 copies pressed. The album is in two parts, the first half is made up of songs recorded at rehearsal, and the second half recorded live at the Metro in Sydney.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
musician and songwriter, who attained fame in June 2004, when he was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Hall of Fame.
He is noted for work with The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
, and later with the Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon
Beasts of Bourbon was an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1983, with a line-up that has changed as the band splintered and reformed several times - Beginnings :...
, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists
Kim Salmon and the Surrealists
Kim Salmon and the Surrealists were an Australian indie rock band formed by Kim Salmon in 1987 when he was living in Perth between the final two tours by The Scientists...
and Kim Salmon and the Business.
Early work
In 1976, Kim Salmon formed PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
's first punk band the Cheap Nasties, who later became The Manikins
The Manikins
The Manikins were a protopunk and new wave band from Perth, Australia.-History:The band formed in August 1976 as the Cheap Nasties. Their debut gig was at The Rivervale Hotel in mid-1977. They lay claim to the title of Perth's first punk band...
.
Salmon's work with The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
in the 1980s influenced grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
music, which rose to prominence around Seattle, United States, before impacting on popular music in the early 1990s. The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
relied on unorthodox bass-heavy rhythms and distorted guitars, the latter being a direct precursor for grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
. The term itself was coined by Salmon in the mid 1980s to describe The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
' sound, as noted in a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
on Australian music, Long Way to the Top
Long Way To The Top
Long Way To The Top was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation documentary on the history of Australian rock and roll from 1956 to the modern era.-Production:...
, in 2001.
In 1979, the debut single from The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
was released, "Frantic Romantic", the original line-up was Kim Salmon and Roddy Radalj
Roddy Radalj
Roddy Radalj is a rock musician and singer-songwriter who grew up in Perth, Western Australia...
on guitars and vocals, James Baker
James Baker (musician)
James Baker is a rock musician from Perth, Western Australia. He has drummed with, and was instrumental in the founding of several influential Australian bands including The Scientists, Le Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon, and The Dubrovniks.-Early days:Baker has named Ronnie Bond of The Troggs as...
on drums and Boris Sujdovic on bass. The band broke up and re-formed, spawning the single, "This Is My Happy Hour" at the end of 1982.
In 1983 they released the mini album Blood Red River which was an influential record of the post-punk era. The following mini-LP, This Heart Doesn't Run On Blood, included the "A Monster in the Tub" album cover by artist/performer Ewan Cameron who played in Adelaide's Purple Vulture Shit. It topped the indie charts. The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
then toured the UK and Europe playing their amalgamation of blues/punk/noise.
The Scientists
The Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
went through several incarnations, with Kim remaining a constant member, before the band hung up their boots in late 1987.
The Business/Darling Downs
The first record from his next band, Kim Salmon and the Business, titled Record was released on 25 October 1999, and was Feature Album Of The Week on Triple JTriple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. The first single from the album "Saving Me From Me" was released on Monday 20 September 1999. Also included is the track "Caesar's Lament" and a cover of the Dudley Moore
Dudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
tune "Love Me" (from the movie Bedazzled). A second single "Disconnected" was released 13 March 2000 featuring two remixes by Mr Chill, Gary B and Justin Frew.
Some of Salmon's later work has reflected a quieter style. He released an acoustic solo album, E(a)rnest, in 2002, and commenced a new venture, Darling Downs, with former Died Pretty
Died Pretty
Died Pretty, sometimes The Died Pretty, were an Australian alternative rock band founded by mainstays, Ron Peno as lead singer and Brett Myers as lead guitarist and backing vocalist, in Sydney in 1983 – briefly as Final Solution. Their music started from a base of early electric Bob Dylan with...
singer, Ron Peno
Ron Peno
Ronald "Ron" Stephen Peno, who also performed as Ronnie Pop, is an Australian rock singer, he fronted Died Pretty during 1984–2002; and was a member of early Sydney punk band The Hellcats , and followed with The 31st and Screaming Tribesmen .He was born in Gosford, NSW Central Coast.After Died...
. Their album, How Can I Forget This Heart of Mine? was released in 2005, followed by "From One to Another" in 2007.
In June 2004, Salmon was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association
West Australian Music Industry Awards
The Western Australian Music Industry Awards are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc...
Hall of Fame.
Antenna
Antenna was a one-off collaboration with Dave FaulknerDave Faulkner (musician)
Dave Faulkner is an Australian rock musician who also performed as Dave Flick. Faulkner is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist; he has performed with several bands, but is best known as a member of Hoodoo Gurus...
. See Dave Faulkner (musician)#Antenna.
Salmon
Kim Salmon formed the instrumental group Salmon in 2005. It features Clare MooreClare Moore
Clare Christina Moore is an Australian musician, songwriter, arranger, producer and performer whose principal instrument is the drums. She has also performed as a keyboard player, singer and vibraphone player...
and Michael Stranges on drums and Dave Graney
Dave Graney
David John "Dave" Graney is an Australian rock musician and singer-songwriter from Mount Gambier, South Australia. Since 1979, Graney is generally accompanied by drummer, Clare Moore...
, Ash Naylor, Penny Ikinger, Matt Walker and Anton Ruddick on guitar. Kim Salmon plays guitar and a sampler.
The band released the album Rock Formations in May, 2007. The album was released on both on CD as well as limited double LP with only 500 copies pressed. The album is in two parts, the first half is made up of songs recorded at rehearsal, and the second half recorded live at the Metro in Sydney.
The Scientists
- The Scientists (1981)
- Blood Red River EP (1983)
- This Heart Doesn't Run On Blood, This Heart Doesn't Run On Love EP (1984)
- You Get What You Deserve (1985)
- Atom Bomb Baby EP (1985)
- Demolition Derby EP (1985)
- Heading For A Trauma (1985)
- Weird Love (1986)
- The Human Jukebox (1987)
- Scientists (1989)
- Absolute (1991)
- Blood Red River: 1982-1984 (2000)
- Human Jukebox: 1984-1986 (2002)
- Pissed On Another Planet (2004)
- Sedition (2007)
Kim Salmon and the Surrealists
- Hit Me With The Surreal Feel (Black Eye)(1988)
- Just Because You Can’t See It... Doesn’t Mean It Isn’t There... (Black Eye)(1989)
- Essence (Red Eye/Polydor)(1991)
- Sin Factory (Red Eye/Polydor)(1993)
- Kim Salmon And The Surrealists (Red Eye/Polydor)(1995)
- Ya Gotta Let Me Do My Own Thing (Half a Cow)(1997)
Beasts of Bourbon
- The Axeman's Jazz (1984)
- Sour Mash (1988)
- Black Milk (1990)
- The Low Road (1991)
- From The Belly Of The Beasts (1993)
- Europe 1992 (1994)
Antenna
- Installation Mushroom RecordsMushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
(1998) - "Come On Spring"/"Paris To Dacca" Mushroom RecordsMushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros...
(1998)
Kim Salmon
- "Lightning Scary" - single(1986)
- Hookline and Singer- cass. (1994)
- E(a)rnest (2002)
- Wall/Paper Ecstatic Peace!(cass, 2004)