Rusty Brookes
19 Feb 2002, 08:25
I threatened to post a review of legendary Aussie sludge rockers the Scientists reformation show.
Here goes:
Born in the fertile underground punk movement of the 1970s in Perth, the Scientists burst on the music scene with the classic single "Frantic Romantic". Equal parts New York Dolls-style glam punk and Flamin' Groovies-style power pop, the single stands along side the Saints' 'I'm Stranded", Radio Birdman's 'Burn my Eye" and the Victims' "Television Addict" as one of the essential Australian 70s punk singles.
The band re-invented itself in the 80s moving from their hometown to Sydney and moved towards a heavier, darker sound. Heavily influenced by swamp rock bands such as the Cramps and the Gun Club, they incorporated the psychotic feel of 60s pre punk legends, the Stooges and Blue Cheer. On stage, the band (Kim Salmon, Tony Thiewlis, Boris Sudjovic and Brett Rixon) looked like a bunch of hairy animals escaped from some acid drenched MC5 concert in 1967-pointy boots, stove-pipe trousers, teased hair ala the New York Dolls and shirts undone revealing disgusting amounts of chest hair. They were loud, ugly, distorted.
Cut to 2002 and the band have reformed. I'm standing in the sweaty and hot Corner Hotel, watching the Scientists. Gone are the hairy, ugly 60s throwbacks replaced by 4 blokes (3 originals, sadly Brett Rixon died in the 80s) who look like they have to duck out early to pick up some milk and collect the kids from their mum's. Unfortunately, in the beginning the show reflects their demeanor. Hestistant, not too loud, a bit formulaic. However as the set goes on (and my beer intake increases) the band get better and better. Kim Salmon starts to growl like some trapped beast, Tony Thiewlis starts to play his guitar as though he his trying to kill it and the rythym section begins to lock in to some rock hard solid riffing. By the end of the show, the band are rocking.
Highlights include "Solid Gold Hell" (one of the best songs the Stooges never wrote), "Swampland", "We Had Love" and an awesome encore of "Set it on Fire". Johnny Thunders once said "You can't put your arms around a memory" but the Scientists at least gave us some inkling of what it was like to be wrapped up in their hairy, ugly but often exhilirating, musical bear (or should that be beer)-hug.
Here goes:
Born in the fertile underground punk movement of the 1970s in Perth, the Scientists burst on the music scene with the classic single "Frantic Romantic". Equal parts New York Dolls-style glam punk and Flamin' Groovies-style power pop, the single stands along side the Saints' 'I'm Stranded", Radio Birdman's 'Burn my Eye" and the Victims' "Television Addict" as one of the essential Australian 70s punk singles.
The band re-invented itself in the 80s moving from their hometown to Sydney and moved towards a heavier, darker sound. Heavily influenced by swamp rock bands such as the Cramps and the Gun Club, they incorporated the psychotic feel of 60s pre punk legends, the Stooges and Blue Cheer. On stage, the band (Kim Salmon, Tony Thiewlis, Boris Sudjovic and Brett Rixon) looked like a bunch of hairy animals escaped from some acid drenched MC5 concert in 1967-pointy boots, stove-pipe trousers, teased hair ala the New York Dolls and shirts undone revealing disgusting amounts of chest hair. They were loud, ugly, distorted.
Cut to 2002 and the band have reformed. I'm standing in the sweaty and hot Corner Hotel, watching the Scientists. Gone are the hairy, ugly 60s throwbacks replaced by 4 blokes (3 originals, sadly Brett Rixon died in the 80s) who look like they have to duck out early to pick up some milk and collect the kids from their mum's. Unfortunately, in the beginning the show reflects their demeanor. Hestistant, not too loud, a bit formulaic. However as the set goes on (and my beer intake increases) the band get better and better. Kim Salmon starts to growl like some trapped beast, Tony Thiewlis starts to play his guitar as though he his trying to kill it and the rythym section begins to lock in to some rock hard solid riffing. By the end of the show, the band are rocking.
Highlights include "Solid Gold Hell" (one of the best songs the Stooges never wrote), "Swampland", "We Had Love" and an awesome encore of "Set it on Fire". Johnny Thunders once said "You can't put your arms around a memory" but the Scientists at least gave us some inkling of what it was like to be wrapped up in their hairy, ugly but often exhilirating, musical bear (or should that be beer)-hug.