Kim Salmon
Kim Salmon is a renowned and influential Australian indie rock musician and songwriter. Formed Perth's first punk band Manikins He is most noted for his work with The Scientists, and later with the Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists and Kim Salmon and the Business.
Salmon's work in the 1980s was influential in the development of grunge music, first recognised around Seattle, USA, before impacting on popular music in the early 1990s through bands such as Nirvana and Soundgarden. The Scientists relied on unorthodox bass-heavy rhythms and distorted guitars, the latter being a direct precursor for grunge. In fact 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” (2001).
The Scientists disbanded in 1987, after which Salmon focused primarily on Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, which included in its original line up bass guitarist Brian Hooper and drummer Tony Pola. The Surrealists continued a similar musical style, releasing “Hit Me With The Surreal Feel” (1988), “Just Because You Can’t See It... Doesn’t Mean It Isn’t There...” (1989) and “Essence” (1991). The Surrealists guitar-driven approach evolved further in later releases, the acclaimed “Sin Factory” (1993) and a self-titled album released in 1994.
This period also allowed a productive phase for the on-again, off-again Beasts of Bourbon, which gained significant cult followings in Australia and parts of Europe. Salmon was one of three creative forces in the band, along with Tex Perkins and Spencer P. Jones. The band flirted with various genres, but was generally known as a powerhouse blues-rock outfit that leaned towards seedy lyrical themes.
The Beasts of Bourbon released a number of albums prior to Salmon's departure in 1994, such as “The Axeman's Jazz” (1984), “Sour Mash” (1988), “Black Milk” (1990) and “The Low Road” (1991). The original members included James Baker (drums) and Boris Sudjovic (bass), who had played in the Scientists. Both were replaced in 1990 by Salmon's Surrealists bandmates, Pola and Hooper.
In 1994, Salmon released a ‘solo’ album, “Hey Believer”, which included collaboration from Warren Ellis and Jim White from the Dirty Three.
The Surrealists changed personnel in '95, Salmon recruiting new drummer Greg Bainbridge and later bassist Stu Thomas, who provided a funkier slant to the music. Salmon began to experiment with brass sections and elements of soul music on the last Surrealists' last release, “You Gotta Let Me Do My Thing” (1997), and the first release from his next band, Kim Salmon and the Business, titled “Record” (1999). Some of Salmon's recent work has reflected a quieter style. He released an acoustic solo album, “E(a)rnest”, in 2002, and has 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.
Salmon can count among his fans a number of noteworthy artists, including Mudhoney, Henry Rollins and members of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
In June 2004, Salmon was inducted into the West Australian Music Industry Association Hall of Fame.
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