Kim Salmon’s SMOKED SALMON announces Australian tour following release of single “How Did They Ever Manage”

Kim Salmon’s SMOKED SALMON announces Australian tour following release of single “How Did They Ever Manage”

Kim Salmon’s SMOKED SALMON – the latest project for the Scientists/Beasts of Bourbon co-founder member and internationally revered avant-garde artrocker – has announced a national tour, set to take in shows across Melbourne, Adelaide, Beechworth, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney, Thirroul, Perth and Fremantle across October and November.

The announcement follows the launch of the new single “How Did They Ever Manage”, which is the first taste of a new album – Smoked Salmon’s first – which will be out next year, on Cheersquad Records & Tapes.

The tour will follow tours of France (Oct 23) and Japan (Jan 24). Abiding by the premise on which the project was established, the shows in different cities will be undertaken by different line-ups, or “chapters”. Special guest for all shows is Smoked Salmon Melbourne Chapter regular Claire Birchall.

SMOKED SALMON HOW DID THEY EVER MANAGE TOUR 2024

Fri Oct 11 – George Lane, St Kilda
Sun Oct 13 – Wheatsheaf, Adelaide
Sat Oct 19 – Bearded Lady, Brisbane
Thu Oct 24 – Tanswells, Beechworth
Fri Oct 25 – Smiths, Canberra
Sat Oct 26 – Django @ Camelot, Sydney
Sun Oct 27 – Frank’s Wild Years, Thirroul
Fri Nov 1 – Hybrid Wave House, Fremantle (“In conversation with Kim Salmon” appearance)
Sat Nov 2 – Lyrics, Perth
Sun Nov 3 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle (Free Entry)
Sat Nov 9 – Merri Creek Tavern, Melbourne

‘Smoked Salmon’ was begging to be used! Kim Salmon had been ignoring it for decades but finally gave in after being called on for a benefit for the Firefighters at the start of 2020. Smoked Salmon came to be the players stationed over in the west, in France, up in NSW and handy in his hometown Melbourne whenever he needed a band. And who doesn’t need a band? He could play shows most anywhere! He could even take an ensemble into a studio under the banner of Smoked Salmon – which he eventually did.

Smoked Salmon is a concept, a collection of recordings, a collective, a philosophy of least resistance flowing from a reputation for resolutely going against the stream! Wait a minute! Least resistance? Against the stream? Here’s the clincher. You can do both! Kim still has the desire to go upstream but has found a great source of new repertoire fishing in the streams from whence such classics as “Frantic Romantic”, “Last Night”, “Dropout”, “Come On Spring” and “Swampland” sprang!

With Smoked Salmon, Kim has a new album of material that sits seamlessly alongside ‘the old stuff you love’ (from The Scientists, Beasts Of Bourbon, Surrealists and Antenna), all lovingly assembled and performed by an international cast.

Dimi Dero; Delphine Ciampi; Sylvain Philipon; Todd Pickett; Jozeph Grech; Claire Birchall; Douglas Galbraith; Myles Mumford; Finn Keane; Sam Worrad; Jeffery Baker and Jeff Hooker all come together to create an episode in the musical adventure of Kim Salmon’s life. An episode that you miss at your own peril!

This episode begins with the Cheersquad release 7” single of “How Did They Ever Manage” b/w “Slider St.”, which is out now digitally and on limited edition pink salmon 7″ vinyl (100 only) and black 7″ vinyl.

“How Did They Ever Manage” features Kim Salmon, Jeff Hooker, Claire Birchall, Douglas Galbraith.

“Slider St.” features Kim Salmon, Todd Pickett, Jozef Grech.

Smoked Salmon (Melbourne) (L-R) Jeff Hooker, Claire Birchall, Kim Salmon, Doug Galbraith

Kim Salmon BIO

Art School dropout, seminal punk rocker, and living legend.

Born into the isolation of the semi-industrial wastelands of 1950s outer suburban Perth, Kim Salmon clawed his way out of the swamp and onto the world stage in his bands, the Scientists, the Surrealists, and the Beasts of Bourbon.

Conjuring the nascent snarls of antipodean punk rock in the late 1970’s, Salmon formed the Cheap Nasties at the very crest of the wave, simultaneously making seminal punk music in far flung Perth as the Saints were in Brisbane, Radio Birdman in Sydney and Nick Cave with the Boys Next Door in Melbourne. When the Cheap Nasties split asunder, Kim formed the Scientists, adding explosive pop to the punk raunch.

As the 80’s dawned, Salmon rematerialized in Sydney with a new line-up of the Scientists, and a new sound was born. Dark, primitive, swampy, demented – this was punk, rock n roll, psychobilly and blues all at once – but it was something new too. In the early 90’s Seattle based Grunge would sell millions of records worldwide. In Australia, over a decade earlier, Grunge was simply the noise of the Scientists.

Often referred to as “The Godfather of Grunge” he is cited as a seminal influence on countless bands including Mudhoney, Nirvana, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, The Drones and Spacemen 3. Internationally acclaimed, Kim Salmon has played with the likes The Stooges, Television, Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds, The Cramps, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, The Pop Group and even U2.

Kim Salmon has earned his reputation as an authentic artist incapable of choosing the safe road. For nearly fifty years, he has performed on the world’s biggest stages and with the most remote punk bands; traversing every corner of music and art to create a body of work that stands up with the best.

Kim Salmon is not slowing down.

In recent years he has reignited the legendary Scientists, releasing singles, an EP and full-length album with the classic mark 2 line up – touring nationally as well as America and Europe.

The Beasts (nee Beasts of Bourbon) have completed barnstorming national tours and released a new album.

With the Surrealists, Kim composed, performed and recorded a double album live on camera during the height of the pandemic.

Celebrating his fallen comrades, Kim has written and performed his Haunted Grooves show combining storytelling, songs and pictures – capturing the emotional tales and performances in a soon to be released double LP.

With his latest band, Smoked Salmon, he has toured Europe and Japan – combining classic moments from across his career with a soon-to-be-released album of brand-new original songs.

Despite being the original art school dropout, Kim has turned his younger predilection for drawing into a burgeoning visual art career, with several solo and joint exhibitions and a successful artist in residence sojourn in WA.

SMOKED SALMON
Victorian and SA Chapters
Claire Birchall – guitar, keys, BVs
Jeff Hooker – bass
Douglas Galbraith – drums, BVs

NSW/ACT Chapter
Claire Birchall – guitar, keys, BVs
Douglas Galbraith – drums, BVs
Sam Worrad / Jeff Hooker – bass

WA Chapter
Todd Pickett – drums
Pete Stone / Jozeph Grech – bass
Claire Birchall – guitar, keys, BVs

QLD Chapter
Claire Birchall – guitar, keys, BVs
Sabrina Lawrie – bass, BVs
Phil Usher – drums

Japan Chapter
Claire Birchall – guitar, keys, BVs
Douglas Galbraith – drums, BVs
Sam Worrad – bass

Europe Chapter – Smoked Salmon in 3D
Dimi Dero – drums, BVs
Delphine Ciampi – bass, BVs
Douglas Galbraith – guitar, keys, BVs

***

** The Players **

Claire Birchall does it all.

Prolific songwriter, captivating singer and performer, exceptional multi
instrumentalist, accomplished DIY producer, collector of odd instruments and
connoisseur of obscure vinyl.

Starting as a surf coast indie rocker 25 years ago, Claire has played with numerous bands including Paper Planes, Claire Birchall & The Phantom Hitchhikers and True Sound, evolving into a respected, eclectic, internationally recognised artist.

Claire’s critically acclaimed self-recorded solo albums have seen her experiment with all manner of sounds and instruments, invoking acoustic folk, indie fuzz rock, Casio pop, and most recently darkwave synth music. Signed to Melbourne’s It Records, Claire released her first full synth album ‘Running In Slow Motion’ in 2020 to enthusiastic acclaim. Her highly anticipated follow up album ‘The Haunting’ is set for release in October this year.

Claire has recently debuted the brand new supergroup Fancy Weapon, in which she drums alongside Melbourne rock luminaries Joel Silbersher, Mick Turner and Guy Maddison.

For the last 5 years Claire has been Kim Salmon’s right hand woman on lead guitar, keys and backing vocals in Smoked Salmon, touring across Australia and Japan. Claire’s impact is obvious on the new Smoked Salmon album where she features on guitar, keys, drums, percussion, BVs, lead vocals and precise hand claps.

**

Jeff Hooker is an accidental bass player.

After many years as guitarist, he made the switch from 6 strings to 4 to ‘fill in’ for a few rehearsals at the request of a friend. Since then, he’s toured across Australia and internationally and played with over 200 people in various bands, projects, one off’s and fill ins.

These include: James McCann’s Dirty Skirt Band, Midnight Scavengers, The Brian Hooper Band, Andrew McCubbin And The Hope Addicts, Mark Steiner and his Problems, Henry Hugo and The Kindred Souls, and various Kim Salmon live projects.

Jeff sees bass as a characterful instrument that occupies a unique place somewhere in between the groove of the drums and the melodicism of the vocal. Capable of both power and subtlety, and much more than just a frequency filler. An extremely dexterous but tasteful player, the bass is at its best in Jeff’s hands.

In Smoked Salmon Jeff plays very fancy bass, makes occasional forays into backing vocals, sports the only hat in the band, and is developing his hand claps.

***

Douglas Galbraith is an after hours creative.

He is guitarist, harmoniser and co-songwriter in Little Faiths, drummer in the Mean Average; co-conspirator in various musical projects; and sometime booker, promoter, manager and general troubleshooter.

In 2017 Douglas wrote and produced the Salmon for Breakfast live show with Kim Salmon. Part storytelling, part performance, part exhibition, the show was narrated by Brian Nankervis and marked Doug’s debut playing drums for Kim. This was followed by the publication of Doug’s biography about Kim – Nine Parts Water, One Part Sand: The Formula for Grunge (available from Melbourne Books).

In addition to playing in various iterations of Smoked Salmon, Douglas helps Kim present the Haunted Grooves show and has co-produced a live album version which will be released in 2025.

Douglas can be found on the new Smoked Salmon album playing drums, guitar, BVs and briefly on synth, but does not contribute any hand claps.

Category: Aussie Tour News