In the summer of the year 2000, things needed to change in the lives and surroundings of singer Mikkel Risbjerg and composer Kasper No Behrens. Behind them, left to die in the roadside, were careers in musical entertainment they could no longer find themselves at ease with. Catching up with one another in London - after a break of approximately eight years from their childhood punk rock band "Gunst" - they decided, that they would make The Trilogy of Life; Passion, Pain and Pleasure. Hence, sketches of what was to become the duo's debut album, 'I Kicked the Dog', were spawned in the moist basement of Behrens' Copenhagen flat. The recording equipment was humble: 8-tracks, two microphones, and a variety of odd, old acoustic instruments. But the hard-edged sound of the arsenal in instruments, somewhat careless one-mic "recording techniques" along with great intuition, collided in a sound of awesome depth. The music was there - now in the shape of an actual song, especially written by Behrens for this day of re-union. Then they added Risbjerg's deep, crooning, soft - yet insisting - voice, and listened to the result. The impact of "Spiders in Salem" filled the room, and the duo - besides taking the name "Salem" [Pronounced: Saa-lem] decided to invest all their passion for music in this project alone. The rest of the record was recorded and produced with only the two acteurs in play, and "I Kicked the Dog" was released on Cope Records, February 8th, 2002.

JOINING THE VISION
Releasing the sketches of 'I Kicked the Dog', opened the door to yet another task. Realizing the visual potential of his music, Risbjerg contacted director and artist of light Peter Larsen. The director was amazed when he heard the music, and confronted with the question of a humble Risbjerg: '..but do you see any pictures?', Larsen replied: 'Are you not well?'. The meeting became the embrace of Larsen as an actual member, and the duo became a trio; Risbjerg and Behrens in concern of the musical element, Larsen of the visual.