Veteran Australian musician Kim Salmon remains as prolific and creatively restless as ever, juggling multiple releases and live projects while preparing for his ambitious new “Surreal Science” shows. Speaking with Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips, Salmon admits he’s currently “stressed to the max” pulling everything together but recognises it as the kind of all-consuming creative moment he’ll ultimately look back on with pride.
MORE ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
At the centre of his current activity is a string of interconnected releases. A new live album from The Scientists, The Definite Article, captures a particularly strong 2017 Brisbane performance. Salmon sees it as both a snapshot of the band at that time and a reflection of their original mid ’80s spirit, complete with period-specific elements and arrangements that have since evolved.
Alongside that comes the reissue of Hit Me with the Surreal Feel, the debut album by The Surrealists, a raw and spontaneous recording born out of necessity. Salmon recalls capturing the material quickly in a rehearsal room on a borrowed four-track recorder, intentionally embracing a loose, “flying by the seat of its pants” approach. The result, he says, documents not just the songs but the process of musicians actively figuring them out-an element he considers just as valuable as polished performance.
Adding to the mix is a new single, “Freudian Slippers,” from his Smoked Salmon project, drawn from an upcoming album of reworked or overlooked material. The track itself emerged from playful word association during a writing session, though Salmon notes it subtly reflects a personal period in his life. More broadly, he acknowledges a recurring challenge for artists: audiences often gravitate toward older material, leaving newer work to “slip through the cracks”, which is one of the reasons he continues revisiting and reshaping his catalogue.
That constant output is partly creative drive and partly practical reality. Salmon is candid about the economics of being an independent musician, describing his catalogue as a kind of “superannuation” that requires ongoing production to sustain income. At the same time, he views the act of creating as essential to staying mentally sharp, joking that it may help stave off dementia!
The upcoming “Surreal Science” concerts bring these various threads together, combining material and musicians from both The Scientists and The Surrealists. Unlike his usual freeform approach to setlists, Salmon has had to carefully pre-plan these shows, balancing different repertoires and line-ups while incorporating instrumental interludes to give performers space. Early rehearsals suggest the result is something new, even for him with the interplay between the two bands revealing unexpected connections in his songwriting and sonic approach.
Reflecting on his long career, Salmon speaks warmly about past collaborators including James Baker, Ron S Peno and Spencer P. Jones, highlighting the unique chemistry each partnership brought. While some collaborations felt like distinct creative “entities” in their own right, others hinted at directions never fully explored.
Beyond music, Salmon reveals that visual art is actually his strongest creative impulse, with drawing a constant presence in his daily life. Songwriting, by contrast, is often more functional, something he turns to when needed, or when an idea demands exploration.
The Scientists new live album and Surrealists debut album re-issue will be available soon through In The Red Records
The new single is “Freudian Slippers” and the B-side is “Seein’ Spots”, which won’t be on the album. It is available on limited edition translucent purple 7″ vinyl (100 only), black 7″ vinyl and digitally.
It is available to order NOW from https://kimsalmon.bandcamp.com/album/freudian-slippers
SCIENTISTS & SURREALISTS – SURREAL SCIENCE TOUR
April 10 Melbourne – Corner Hotel – TIX
April 11 Sydney – Oxford Arts Factory – TIX
April 18 Perth – Rosemount Hotel – TIX