Recorded on May 11th 2006 at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London the superior sound quality and amazing setlist make this album more of a `best of' than simply a live record. Not to mention the packaging...
The Scientists went through many incarnations in their 9 year history but are remembered mostly for the lineup that existed from 1981 to 1985. Kim Salmon, Tony Thewlis, Boris Sujdovic and Brett Rixon together had the peculiar chemistry that produced the classics, Swampland, Happy Hour, the Blood Red River mini LP and We had Love.
With a sound that was swampy, primal and modern-urban all at once - as much in the tradition of rock and roll and punk rock as it was a rejection of those things.The Scientists were about what it was like to be young and living in modern times in an Australian urban/suburban environment.
You could put on a Scientists record from this period and not know it was 23 years old! There has been no shortage of younger bands who have cited them over the years. Mudhoney, Nirvana et al, Jon Spencer, the Von Bondies, The White Stripes, The Drones and scores of others just keep coming along dropping their name.
"The Scientists turned my head around and made a man out of me! They grew hair on my palms and made my socks stink!" (Jon Spencer)
"I love their records. Great sound and what a concept. They wrote fantastic singles and looked like they just crawled out of the ooze. I saw them live opening for the Birthday Party around that time, great concert, great attitude. They had the looks down and the songs to match." (Warren Ellis - Dirty Three/Bad Seed/Grinderman)
"The Scientists proved to me that rock n roll could be played by gentlemen in fine silk shirts half unbuttoned and still be dirty, cool and real." (Thurston Moore)