Episode 184 - Steve Barton of Translator/Solo

Translator were one of those great polyglot bands of the early 80s - a little new wave, a little power pop and a lot of genres like "jangle pop" and "college rock" that hadn't even been invented yet. They released four album in the 80s and are probably best known for one of the best singles of the decade, 1982's "Everywhere That I'm Not." Eventually the band went on hiatus and Steve and his impressive songwriting skills lay dormant for a many years until 1999 when he kicked his solo career into gear. That, and the occasional Translator reunion, has been going strong ever since. Earlier this year he released his most ambitious album yet, the 3-disc (!) Tall Tales And Alibis, which shows a much darker, moodier side of this pop master. In here we talk about him starting out in music at 11 years old, the Bay Area scene Translator flourished in, what he did during those down years, and what motivated this new album. If you aren't already familiar with Steve and Translator's work, hopefully you'll hear some stuff you like!

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