The Scientists
| The Scientists | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Exterminators, Invaders |
| Origin | Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
| Genres | Alternative rock, post-punk, swamp rock, punk blues, proto-grunge, power pop (early) |
| Years active | 1978–1987, 1995, 2007–present |
| Labels | D.N.A. Records, White Rider Records, EMI Custom Records, Au Go Go Records, Big Time Records |
| Associated acts | Cheap Nasties, the Victims, Le Hoodoo Gurus, Louie Louie, the Rockets, Helicopters, Silver Chapter, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists, the Beasts of Bourbon, the Interstellar Villains, Venus Ray, the Scoundrelles |
| Members |
Kim Salmon Boris Sujdovic Tony Thewlis Leanne Chock |
| Past members |
James Baker Roddy Radalj Denis Byrne Ben Juniper Ian Sharples Brett Rixon Richard Hertz Joe Presedo Nick Combe |
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as the Exterminators and then the 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. The Scientists were much more influential than their minimal commercial success would indicate, lending their influence to artists such as Mudhoney and New York City's downtown indie scene of the early 1990s.
Kim Salmon had formed a proto-punk band, the Cheap Nasties, in August 1976. He left in December 1977 and the remainder, with Robbie Porritt joining as lead vocalist, continued as the Manikins. Salmon replaced Mark Demetrius in the Exterminators, who then became known as the Invaders. The lineup included Roddy Radalj (guitar, vocals), Boris Sujdovic (bass) and John Rowlings (drums).
The Invaders became the Scientists in May 1978, when James Baker from the Victims replaced Rowlings. Sujdovic left the band in August 1978 (later recording with the Rockets). The songwriting partnership that ensued, with Baker writing lyrics which Salmon would put to music, naturally favoured a melodic, pop-infused style of punk.
The band started playing again in January 1979 with Dennis Byrne on bass. This lineup recorded the band's first single, "Frantic Romantic"/"Shake (Together Tonight)", released in June 1979 on the D.N.A. Records label.
Radalj and Byrne left in April 1979, replaced by Ben Juniper (guitar) and Ian Sharples (bass). This lineup recorded the band's second release, The Scientists EP (released February 1980 by White Rider Records) and did two tours of Melbourne and Sydney, in December 1979 and February/March 1980. In Melbourne, the band appeared on pop TV show Countdown, performing "Last Night" from the EP.
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