Perth, Australia; May 1978. An unrecorded band named the Invaders (which included bassist Boris Sujdovic, guitarist Rod Radalj, and guitarist/lead vocalist Kim Salmon) joins forces with drummer James Baker, changes their name to the Scientists and releases “Frantic Romantic,” a bright little pop single. A four-track EP and a delightfully gritty LP of hard pop follow. But music life in Perth (on the far west coast of Australia, 2,500 miles of outback away from anyplace else) becomes frustrating. Baker leaves for Sydney where he meets up with fellow Perth renegade Dave Faulkner (who had been in a band named the Gurus and was then in an unnamed ensemble with fellow Perth-escapee Radalj). Baker joins the new Faulkner/Radalj group and they name it Le Hoodoo Gurus.
But we’re not here for a history lesson about Le Hoodoo Gurus
The first self-titled EP by Perth's Scientists bears almost no resemblance to the Scientists who released so many wonderfully dirgy records in the '80s. Rather, this EP serves as a predecessor for another Australian rock institution, the Hoodoo Gurus. As on all Scientists' releases, this one features Kim Salmon on vocals and guitar, but here he is joined by future Gurus rhythm section James Baker (Victims) on the drums. The music chugs along with all the right influences, including Big Star, the Ramones, Johnny Thunders, and the Troggs. Not quite punk, but in Perth circa 1980, it must've sounded pretty radical. With the simple themes of teen romance, teen alienation and girls this record comes out of nowhere to bring you right back to that place when these subjects fixated you. The still to come album was recorded as the band was breaking up and may be a bit overproduced (read: loud drums, separation of instruments), but the music stands on its own as a joyful ode to simpler times, before Salmon's heart was in a place called "Swampland" which is, of course, nine parts water and one part sand.
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