Before Nirvana. Before Mudhoney, Before the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion…there were – The Scientists.
Formed in Perth in 1978, the punk pop hooks of ‘Frantic Romantic’ & ‘Last Night’ removed them from their hometown to wider acclaim, re-emerging in Sydney with a darker, primitive concoction similar to that of The Stooges, Suicide, Cramps, Gun Club, Sonic Youth and The Birthday Party. What followed were a string of swamp rock classics such as ‘Atom Bomb Baby’, ‘Swampland’, ‘We Had Love’ and ‘Human Jukebox’ and a relocation to London before imploding in 1987.
For 20 years the band appeared dormant, until they re-emerged in 2006 for All Tomorrow’s Parties reforming for various tours including the Don’t Look Back Australian tour along with Sonic Youth performing Blood Red River and Daydream Nation respectively.
In 2021, two years after being inducted into the WA Music Hall Of Fame, they released their first studio album in 34 years, Negativity making it onto most “top albums for the year” lists.
AND NOW – finally, The Scientists are back – ready to tour that album plus play selections from their back catalogue. ‘The Scientists’ powerful brand of deranged swamp-rock will be returning to live stages around AUS in early 2023 for their ‘Negativity’ tour.
10th Feb 2023 | Howler, Melbourne (VIC)
11th Feb | Theatre Royal, Castlemaine (VIC)
12th Feb | Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong (VIC)
17th Feb | The Zoo, Brisbane (QLD)
18th Feb | The Northern, Byron Bay (NSW)
23rd Feb | Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney (NSW)
24th Feb | AOW Uni Bar, Wollongong (NSW)
25th Feb | The Cambridge , Newcastle (NSW)
3rd Mar | The Rosemount, Perth (WA)
4th Mar | Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide (SA)
Released in 2021, Negativity was the Scientists’ first full-length collection of new material since their 1987 last bow Human Jukebox. The album is raw, freewheeling, and spattered with their iconic high-voltage sound. In all, Negativity is a typically bracing, unpredictable, wild, and loud affair that will engross both longtime Scientists aficionados and new arrivals as well
The excitement is palpable amongst the band and fans alike who will finally be able to see this masterpiece live in action on their 2023 ‘Negativity’ tour.