The Scientists went through many incarnations in their 9 year history but are remembered mostly for the lineup that existed from 1981 to 1985. Kim Salmon, Tony Thewlis, Boris Sujdovic and Brett Rixon together had the peculiar chemistry that produced the classics, Swampland, Happy Hour, the Blood Red River mini LP and We had Love. With a sound that was swampy, primal and modern-urban all at once – as much in the tradition of rock and roll and punk rock as it was a rejection of those things, the Scientists’ formula was as universal as it was specific to their own experience. They were about what it was like to be young and living in modern times in an Australian urban/suburban environment. The themes of getting wasted on alcohol and drugs, driving round in hotted up cars, being trapped in crap jobs and paranoia were their subject matter. Machine throb bass and drums with jagged car wreck guitars were their modus operandi. Fitting into no place or time they spurned all but the most rudimentary and elemental of rock structures along with other peoples modes of embellishment. They rejected the contemporary sound and look and so consequently were never able to carry around baggage that would allow them to date.
With a sound that was swampy, primal and modern-urban all at once—as much in the tradition of rock n’ roll and punk rock as it was a rejection of those things, the Scientists’ formula was as universal as it was specific to their own experience. The themes of getting wasted, driving around in hotted-up cars, being trapped in crap jobs, and paranoia were their subject matter. Machine throb bass and drums with jagged car-wreck guitars were their modus operandi. Fitting into no place or time they spurned all but the most rudimentary and elemental of rock structures to create a sound all their own.
“The Scientists proved to me that rock ‘n’ roll could be played by gentlemen in fine silk shirts half unbuttoned and still be dirty, cool and real.”—Thurston Moore
“They wrote fantastic singles and looked like they just crawled out of the ooze. What more could you ask for?” —Warren Ellis
“The Scientists turned my head around and made a man out of me! They grew hair on my palms and made my socks stink!”—Jon Spencer
This is My Happy Hour: Perth Punks The Scientists Anthologized in New Numero Box
MAY 19, 2016 BY MIKE DUQUETTE
Punk rock’s coming up from down under on the newest box set from The Numero Group, dedicated to Australian punk pioneers The Scientists.
Born in Perth in 1978, The Scientists, fronted by teen singer/guitarist Kim Salmon, were Australia’s answer to The Stooges or The Velvet Underground, offering snotty rebellion and jagged, melodic riffs in their music. Moving from Oz to England, the group found several of their releases on Au Go Go Records, including the EP This Heart Doesn’t Run on Blood, This Heart Doesn’t Run on Love and subsequent album You Get What You Deserve! on Karbon Records, making it into the U.K. Indie Chart Top 10.
Salmon would mostly retire The Scientists’ name in 1987, but the band found themselves as influencers of (and subsequently championed by) bands like Sonic Youth and Mudhoney, who invited the band to reform for the U.K.’s All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival.
Versions available exclusively at Numero’s site include a 7″ EP or cassette collection of unreleased studio recordings by Salmon’s first punk band, The Cheap Nasties, in 1977. (That band would, without Salmon, reform in the ’80s as The Manikins.)
A Place Called Bad is available August 19. Full track details for the set are below:
The Scientists, A Place Called Bad (Numero Group NUM206, 2016)
Frantic Romantic
Shake Together Tonight
From D.N.A. Records single SMX 46959 (AUS), 1979
Last Night
Bet Ya Lyin’ (Slink City Lee)
It’s for Real
Pissed On Another Planet
From The Scientists EP – White Rider Records WEEP 1 (AUS), 1980
Shadows of the Night
Girl
I’m Looking for You
She Says She Loves Me
Sorry Sorry Sorry
That Girl
High Noon
Teenage Dreamer
Another Sunday
Walk the Plank
Larry
Making a Scene
It’ll Never Happen Again
From The Scientists – EMI Custom HAVE-1 (AUS), 1981
This is My Happy Hour
Swampland
From Au Go Go single ANDA 25 (AUS), 1982
We Had Love
Clear Spot
From Au Go Go single ANDA 29 (AUS), 1983
When Fate Deals Its Mortal Blow
Burnout
The Spin
Rev Head
Set It On Fire
Blood Red River
From Blood Red River – Au Go Go ANDA 27 (AUS), 1983
Nitro
Solid Gold Hell
I Cried No Tears
Crazy Heart
This Life of Yours
From This Heart Doesn’t Run On Blood, This Heart Doesn’t Run On Love EP – Au Go Go ANDA 32 (AUS), 1984
Backwards Man
From Au Go Go single ANDA 35 (AUS), 1985
The Wall
Raver
Fire Escape
From Heading for a Trauma – Au Go Go ANDA 39 (AUS), 1985
Hell Beach
If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Bad Priest
Demolition Derby
It Came Out of the Sky
Atom Bomb Baby
Go Baby Go
Psycho Cook Supreme
Lead Foot
Murdress in a Purple Dress
From You Get What You Deserve! – Carbon KAR101-L (U.K.), 1985
Temple of Love
From Soundwork 12″ SW-12007 (Belgium), 1985
You Only Live Twice
From Karbon single KAR007 (U.K.), 1985
The Human Jukebox
Shine
Distortion
Place Called Bad
Hungry Eyes
Brain Dead
It Must Be Nice
From The Human Jukebox – Carbon KAR105-L (U.K.), 1987
This is My Happy Hour
Fire Escape
When Worlds Collide
Raver
The Spin
Clear Spot
Rev Head
Set It On Fire
Burn Out
This Life of Yours
Solid Gold Hell
Blood Red River
All tracks recorded live at the Adelaide UniBar – 8/6/1983
Don’t Lie to Me (Live At “The Loft,” Perth – June 1978)
Have You Seen My Baby? (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Melodramatic Touch (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Slow Death (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Strangers in the Night (Live @ Sydney Uni – May 1982)
I’ve Had It (Live @ The Tote, Melbourne – January 1983)
Gonna Make You Love Me (Live @ The Prince of Wales Hotel, Melbourne – March 1983)
From Rubber Never Sleeps – Au Go Go cassette (AUS), 1985
When Worlds Collide (Live @ Sydney Union Trade Club)
Ghost Train (Live @ The Prince of Wales Hotel, Melbourne – March 1983)
From Au Go Go single ANDA 39 (AUS), 1983
The Other Place
She Cracked
From Au Go Go flexidisc PHANDA 1 (AUS), 1985
Cheap and Nasty
Hit and Run
Stolen Property
You Rip Me Up
Vegetation
Johnny is a Heartbreaker
Destroy All Planets
Dancing
Aryan
The Face
All tracks recorded by The Cheap Nasties – previously unreleased 53rd & 3rd cassette included with pre-order