Steve Barton, who handles vocals along with guitar, bass, and drums, first gained recognition as a singer and songwriter in the new wave outfit Translator during the 1980s. His actual entry into music occurred far earlier, back in 1967, though that initial effort remained virtually unknown. At twelve years old he cut the track “Lost” for Sidewalk Records alongside his group the Present Tense, yet the guitarist’s father blocked the contract and the song stayed unreleased for more than thirty years until it surfaced as a hidden bonus cut on Barton’s solo debut, The Boy Who Rode His Bike Around the World.
Shaped by punk’s urgent drive and visceral fury as well as the Beatles’ graceful melodic sense, Barton assembled Translator in 1979 alongside Robert Darlington on guitar, Larry Dekker on bass, and Dave Scheff on drums. Though the band scored only a single mainstream success with “Everywhere That I’m Not,” its loyal following on college stations ensured all four of their 1980s albums received extensive alternative airplay. Following the 1986 release of Evening of the Harvest, Barton found himself bandless; the split left him shaken enough that he stopped recording for several years. He finally returned in 1999 with his first solo effort, The Boy Who Rode His Bike Around the World.
