Translator (band)

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Translator

Background information
Genre(s)	Alternative Rock New Wave Post-Punk
Years active	1979—1986
Associated acts	Pearl Harbor and the Explosions Romeo Void Wire Train
Former members
Steve Barton Bob Darlington Larry Dekker Dave Scheff

Inspired by the Beatles, the four-piece Translator featured two singer/songwriter/guitarists (Steve Barton and Bob Darlington) and a sound that spanned Merseybeat and stripped-down rock to psychedelia. Larry Dekker on bass and Dave Scheff on drums completed the lineup. Formed in Los Angeles in 1979, Translator relocated to San Francisco where they were signed to Howie Klein's independent label, 415 Records, on the strength of the demo tape they sent to college radio station KUSF: the loose and rambling yet laconic "Everywhere That I'm Not" has remained the band's signature tune. The song was featured on Translator's debut album Heartbeats And Triggers, which was produced by David Kahne and became an underground and college radio hit.

In 1996, ten years after their official breakup, the band was paid its highest compliment when Beatles fans mistook their take of the instrumental "Cry for a Shadow" for a new recording by the Fab Four from the Anthology sessions (in fact it was a Translator B-side) from 1983. ^[1]

Translator continues to reunite on occasion, and Barton works as a solo recording artist. He recently signed a deal with Spectra Records to release a 20-song CD featuring tracks from his three solo albums, plus four brand new songs. This is scheduled for a September 30, 2008 release, with a national and UK tour to follow. His current band is Steve Barton And The Oblivion Click.