Kim Salmon returns with Smoked Salmon, unleashing a fresh single ahead of a new album and solo tour
by Paul Cashmere
Kim Salmon, the legendary figure behind the Scientists, the Surrealists and the Beasts of Bourbon, has released a new 7″ single with his latest project, Smoked Salmon. Titled Freudian Slippers, the single previews the forthcoming album Totally Sick, set for release mid-year. The B-side, Seein’ Spots, is exclusive to the single and will not appear on the album. Fans can now order limited edition translucent purple 7″ vinyl (100 copies only), standard black 7″ vinyl, or digital downloads.
Smoked Salmon features Kim Salmon alongside guitarist and keyboardist Claire Birchall, bassist Jeff Hooker, and new drummer Michael Stranges, who previously collaborated with Salmon in Precious Jules. Both tracks on the single are co-written by Salmon and Stranges, marking a new creative phase for the band.
Freudian Slippers traces its origins back to 2014 during Salmon’s Kim and Leanne project, where he worked with Leanne Cowie, the Scientists’ drummer. Salmon explains, “Michael had the riff and I spontaneously sang ‘went to see my shrink and she said what do you think’ as a melody placeholder. He joked it was a Freudian slip, and Stranges transformed it into ‘Freudian Slippers’. K&L leaned into a Led Zep heaviness, while Smoked Salmon brings out a hidden Prince-style pop funk.” The B-side, Seein’ Spots, also evolved from the Precious Jules era, rediscovered and polished for this release.
Kim Salmon solo mini-tour:
March 14, Melbourne – Cactus Room, with support Harpo Wah
March 15, Sydney – Lazy Thinking Records, 3-5 pm, with support Richie Weed
These dates precede the Surreal Science tour, a celebration of both the Scientists and Kim Salmon & The Surrealists featuring members from both bands, hitting Melbourne, Sydney and Perth in April:
April 10, Melbourne – Corner Hotel
April 11, Sydney – Oxford Arts Factory
April 18, Perth – Rosemount Hotel
Smoked Salmon as a concept has been decades in the making. Salmon initially resisted the moniker but revived it for a 2020 benefit for firefighters. The collective draws musicians from across Western Australia, New South Wales, France, and Melbourne, functioning as a flexible, studio-and-stage ensemble. Smoked Salmon channels the creative freedom Salmon has embraced throughout his career, blending punk, rock, psychobilly, and funk influences into a cohesive yet exploratory sound.
Kim Salmon’s career began in the semi-industrial suburbs of 1950s Perth, where he formed the Cheap Nasties, contemporaneous with the Saints in Brisbane, Radio Birdman in Sydney, and Nick Cave’s Boys Next Door in Melbourne. Following the Cheap Nasties’ split, Salmon established the Scientists, whose dark, swampy, and innovative sound anticipated the global grunge explosion years later. His influence spans bands such as Mudhoney, Nirvana, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, The Drones, and Spacemen 3. Salmon has performed alongside The Stooges, Television, Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds, The Cramps, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Pop Group, and U2.
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