Born in 1957, Kirk Palmer grew up in Northeastern Ohio and got his first drum set at age 11. By 15, he was playing bars in Cleveland and Akron with his band Catapult. Two songs from the band were recorded in his living room in 1975, and appear on 75 85 25.

Kirk also began his business career then, but his love for music never faded. In 1982, he bought synthesizers, a drum machine, and recording gear. With no formal training, he spent three years teaching himself to write songs, play keys, program drums, and record. Six of these tracks, which he recorded in 1985, appear in their original form on 75 85 25.

Though he never planned to release his music, in 2013 Kirk attended a playback session for Steven Wilson’s The Raven That Refused to Sing at Avatar Studios in NYC. There, he met Jane Getter and became executive producer for her 2015 album ON. Steven Wilson’s keyboardist Adam Holzman, played on Jane’s album, and in 2018, Kirk produced Adam’s album, Truth Decay. Over the ensuing years, Adam reimagined three of Kirk’s songs, and by 2025, he had led the recording and production of them, with himself on keys, Bryan Beller (bass), Craig Blundell (drums), Russell Holzman (drums), and Chanda Rule (vocals). These three tracks join Kirk’s originals on 75 85 25.