Punk rock’s coming up from down under on the newest box set from The Numero Group, dedicated to Australian punk pioneers The Scientists.

Born in Perth in 1978, The Scientists, fronted by teen singer/guitarist Kim Salmon, were Australia’s answer to The Stooges or The Velvet Underground, offering snotty rebellion and jagged, melodic riffs in their music. Moving from Oz to England, the group found several of their releases on Au Go Go Records, including the EP This Heart Doesn’t Run on Blood, This Heart Doesn’t Run on Love and subsequent album You Get What You Deserve! on Karbon Records, making it into the U.K. Indie Chart Top 10.

Salmon would mostly retire The Scientists’ name in 1987, but the band found themselves as influencers of (and subsequently championed by) bands like Sonic Youth and Mudhoney, who invited the band to reform for the U.K.’s All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival.

This summer, Numero celebrates their killer output with A Place Called Bad, a new set chronicling the group and their impact on the local punk scene. Formats include:

• A 4CD, 80-track box set including the band’s complete studio output, live recordings (including a new-to-CD live set from 1983), plus rare and unreleased photos, discographical info and a “fold out Perth Punk family tree”
• A 2LP, 23-track set featuring the best of those recordings and similar packaging
• Versions available exclusively at Numero’s site include a 7″ EP or cassette collection of unreleased studio recordings by Salmon’s first punk band, The Cheap Nasties, in 1977. (That band would, without Salmon, reform in the ’80s as The Manikins.)

A Place Called Bad is available August 19. We will update with Amazon links once they become available.  Full track details for the set are below:

The Scientists, A Place Called Bad (Numero Group NUM206, 2016)

Frantic Romantic
Shake Together Tonight

From D.N.A. Records single SMX 46959 (AUS), 1979

Last Night
Bet Ya Lyin’ (Slink City Lee)
It’s for Real
Pissed On Another Planet

From The Scientists EP – White Rider Records WEEP 1 (AUS), 1980

Shadows of the Night
Girl
I’m Looking for You
She Says She Loves Me
Sorry Sorry Sorry
That Girl
High Noon
Teenage Dreamer
Another Sunday
Walk the Plank
Larry
Making a Scene
It’ll Never Happen Again

From The Scientists – EMI Custom HAVE-1 (AUS), 1981

This is My Happy Hour
Swampland

From Au Go Go single ANDA 25 (AUS), 1982

We Had Love
Clear Spot

From Au Go Go single ANDA 29 (AUS), 1983

When Fate Deals Its Mortal Blow
Burnout
The Spin
Rev Head
Set It On Fire
Blood Red River

From Blood Red River – Au Go Go ANDA 27 (AUS), 1983

Nitro
Solid Gold Hell
I Cried No Tears
Crazy Heart
This Life of Yours

From This Heart Doesn’t Run On Blood, This Heart Doesn’t Run On Love EP – Au Go Go ANDA 32 (AUS), 1984

Backwards Man

From Au Go Go single ANDA 35 (AUS), 1985

The Wall
Raver
Fire Escape

From Heading for a Trauma – Au Go Go ANDA 39 (AUS), 1985

Hell Beach
If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Bad Priest
Demolition Derby
It Came Out of the Sky
Atom Bomb Baby
Go Baby Go
Psycho Cook Supreme
Lead Foot
Murdress in a Purple Dress

From You Get What You Deserve! – Carbon KAR101-L (U.K.), 1985

Temple of Love

From Soundwork 12″ SW-12007 (Belgium), 1985

You Only Live Twice

From Karbon single KAR007 (U.K.), 1985

The Human Jukebox
Shine
Distortion
Place Called Bad
Hungry Eyes
Brain Dead
It Must Be Nice

From The Human Jukebox – Carbon KAR105-L (U.K.), 1987

This is My Happy Hour
Fire Escape
When Worlds Collide
Raver
The Spin
Clear Spot
Rev Head
Set It On Fire
Burn Out
This Life of Yours
Solid Gold Hell
Blood Red River

All tracks recorded live at the Adelaide UniBar – 8/6/1983

Don’t Lie to Me (Live At “The Loft,” Perth – June 1978)
Have You Seen My Baby? (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Melodramatic Touch (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Slow Death (Live @ Storey Hall, Melbourne – December 1979)
Strangers in the Night (Live @ Sydney Uni – May 1982)
I’ve Had It (Live @ The Tote, Melbourne – January 1983)
Gonna Make You Love Me (Live @ The Prince of Wales Hotel, Melbourne – March 1983)

From Rubber Never Sleeps – Au Go Go cassette (AUS), 1985

When Worlds Collide (Live @ Sydney Union Trade Club)
Ghost Train (Live @ The Prince of Wales Hotel, Melbourne – March 1983)

From Au Go Go single ANDA 39 (AUS), 1983

The Other Place
She Cracked

From Au Go Go flexidisc PHANDA 1 (AUS), 1985

Cheap and Nasty
Hit and Run
Stolen Property
You Rip Me Up
Vegetation
Johnny is a Heartbreaker
Destroy All Planets
Dancing
Aryan
The Face

All tracks recorded by The Cheap Nasties – previously unreleased 53rd & 3rd cassette included with pre-order