Paul Foreman, known for his work with Salisman, has launched a new project called Exsanguinated Roommate with support from Salisman members Chris Tate and Jon Raedeke.

Their debut album ‘Lurking’ showcases the classic songwriting hooks and melodies that Salisman is known for, while pushing the boundaries with experimental psychedelic elements and nods to 80s pop-rock and Flaming Lips eclecticism.

“There were no specific rules”

How did the project come to fruition?

Paul Foreman: I wrote a song called ‘Coke Receipt’ sometime in 2022 and did a home recording, on which Jon Raedeke (studio drummer for Salisman) played drums. Surgery Cult did a studio recording of that song, which ended up on our debut album, Torso Exchange. I still liked the original demo and continued working on it until it was finished. Around the same time, I discovered the music of Patrick Cowley. He had access to an amazing synth collection in the mid-70s through a San Francisco-based university. He used that equipment to record a stellar catalog of disco-ish synth jams, which often soundtracked gay porn films. A lot of his work has been reissued in recent years, and it’s fantastic. While listening to his song, ‘Surfside Sex,’ I started singing the lyrics to ‘Coke Receipt’ over it. I reached out to Chris Tate, also a member of Salisman, and suggested putting together a remix loosely based on the groove of ‘Surfside Sex.’ Note, we didn’t sample that song, it just provided inspiration. That became ‘Coke Receipt (Cowley Version).’ I didn’t think the Surgery Cult guys would be interested in releasing either of these alternate versions of ‘Coke Receipt,’ but I wanted them to come out. I had some extra songs not assigned to a specific band, so around December 2022, I decided to start a solo album with the idea of including both versions of this song on it.

Tell us about the overall vision of Exsanguinated Roommate.

There were no specific rules. I just wanted to make an album and have a few friends play on it. The name ‘Exsanguinated Roommate’ was inspired by Jon Wurster, who does character-based comedy sketches on the podcast “The Best Show.” He seems to have a fixation with the word “exsanguinated,” and it comes up regularly on the show. If my memory serves me right, “Exsanguinated Roommate” was the title of a fictitious horror movie. I never liked the idea of doing a solo album under my own name, so I took a completely ridiculous direction with it. I like that most people have to Google “exsanguinated.”

<a href="https://cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/lurking">Lurking by Exsanguinated Roommate</a>

How much time and effort went into ‘Lurking,’ your debut album under this project?

It took about a year. I was fortunate to work with incredibly talented and efficient friends. Jon turns around drum takes quickly, and Chris has always been on the ball with mix work. Two songs were recorded at The Embryos’ studio, featuring Finn Swingley, Joe Daley, and Brian Daley on various instruments. The majority of the album was recorded in my humble home studio. Chris made it sound professional, and Steve Strode at Cruel Nature supported this weird endeavor. Mick Bar of 8-Bit Creeps contributed guitar work to ‘I Think I Dropped My Wallet,’ and Eric Roberts added a very odd sample to ‘Dripping Maestro.’

What are some future plans for you now?

I’m considering another ER album, but I’m currently busy with other bands and hesitant to commit again just yet. I can see it happening sooner or later, though. As they say, the nimble beetle avoids the grasp of the woodman’s hand.

What about your other bands? Any news about Salisman?

Salisman had its first shows as a four-piece band in 2024, which was a lot of fun. We have new material recorded and hope to release our fifth album this year. Soft Speaker is recording new material and plans to release at least one new album this year. Surgery Cult is still active, with shows lined up and new songs in the works.

Klemen Breznikar

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