Anton Barbeau
Encyclopedia
Anton Barbeau is an American
singer-songwriter from Sacramento, California
. He primarily accompanies himself on guitar or keyboard, though on his recordings he's performed on many different instruments, additionally including bass guitar and percussion.
Barbeau is known for combining surreal lyrics with pop melodies and is often described as being in the songwriting tradition of Robyn Hitchcock
, Syd Barrett
, and The Beatles
. He has shared stages with artists like Hitchcock, The Bevis Frond
, Weezer
, Mono
, and even a reformed Bay City Rollers
.
Since he appeared on the music scene in the late 1980s, Barbeau has made a name for himself in the Sacramento area, winning a number of SAMMIE (Sacramento Area Music) Awards. His first CD, The Horse's Tongue, collected songs that had appeared on a number of self-released cassettes. Since then he has released nine albums, plus two anthologies of miscellaneous tracks, as well as a limited-edition live CD, a collection of demos, and a bonus CD included with the In the Village of the Apple Sun CD.
Since the turn of the millennium, Barbeau has had his sights set firmly on the UK - his album King of Missouri was recorded in Bromley with Nick Saloman of legendary neo-psychedelic band The Bevis Frond
, with the following album Guladongs launch gig taking place at the famous Cavern Club
in Liverpool.
2006 saw the release of Barbeau's collaboration with The Loud Family
singer/guitarist Scott Miller
, the album What if it Works?
. Indeed, 2006 was a busy year which also saw the release of the albums Drug Free and In the Village of the Apple Sun, the latter being described as "an instant lost psychedelic classic".
Since then, Barbeau has resided mainly in the UK, where he has released three albums. Automatic Door was released in the UK on Oxford's Shifty Disco label in 2007 and in France on Volvox in 2008. Recent releases include Plastic Guitar (2009) and Psychedelic Mynde of Moses (2010). His music has continued to develop a decidedly psychedelic streak, though without losing the strong pop aesthetic that has always informed it.
Barbeau has also written and produced an album with Sacramento singer Allyson Seconds, wife of 7 Seconds' singer Kevin Seconds
. The album was entitled Bag of Kittens, and was released in fall of 2009.
Barbeau currently plays with Andy Metcalfe
and Morris Windsor – erstwhile members of Robyn Hitchcock
-led The Soft Boys
/Egyptians. The trio have been playing around the UK as Three Minute Tease, including support slots for Stornoway
and legendary New Zealand songwriter Don McGlashan
. They are currently recording their self-titled debut album.
Barbeau has recorded and performed with Stornoway, Michael Urbano
, xrfarflight, Robbie McIntosh
, Kimberley Rew
, and members of Cake
.
Anton is a cousin of the actress Adrienne Barbeau
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter from Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. He primarily accompanies himself on guitar or keyboard, though on his recordings he's performed on many different instruments, additionally including bass guitar and percussion.
Barbeau is known for combining surreal lyrics with pop melodies and is often described as being in the songwriting tradition of Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar....
, Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
, and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. He has shared stages with artists like Hitchcock, The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond is a British musical group whose range covers hard edge to melancholy vintage indie rock to poetic, "classic-rock" songcraft with a thick Walthamstow accent. Nick Saloman is the band's frontman and songwriter...
, Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Mono
Mono (Japanese band)
Mono are a Japanese post rock band, formed in 1999 in Tokyo, Kantō, Honshū. The band consists of Takaakira Goto , Yoda , Tamaki Kunishi , and Yasunori Takada .Mono have released five studio albums...
, and even a reformed Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
.
Since he appeared on the music scene in the late 1980s, Barbeau has made a name for himself in the Sacramento area, winning a number of SAMMIE (Sacramento Area Music) Awards. His first CD, The Horse's Tongue, collected songs that had appeared on a number of self-released cassettes. Since then he has released nine albums, plus two anthologies of miscellaneous tracks, as well as a limited-edition live CD, a collection of demos, and a bonus CD included with the In the Village of the Apple Sun CD.
Since the turn of the millennium, Barbeau has had his sights set firmly on the UK - his album King of Missouri was recorded in Bromley with Nick Saloman of legendary neo-psychedelic band The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond
The Bevis Frond is a British musical group whose range covers hard edge to melancholy vintage indie rock to poetic, "classic-rock" songcraft with a thick Walthamstow accent. Nick Saloman is the band's frontman and songwriter...
, with the following album Guladongs launch gig taking place at the famous Cavern Club
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a rock and roll club in Liverpool, England. Opened on Wednesday 16 January 1957, the club had their first performance by The Beatles on 9 February 1961, and where Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles performing on 9 November 1961....
in Liverpool.
2006 saw the release of Barbeau's collaboration with The Loud Family
The Loud Family (band)
The Loud Family is an American band based in San Francisco that began in 1991, went on hiatus in 2000 and returned in 2006. The band is named after the real-life Loud family, stars of the 1973 TV show An American Family, the first reality TV show...
singer/guitarist Scott Miller
Scott Miller (Californian musician)
Scott Miller was formerly a member of the 1980s power pop group Game Theory and lead singer of the group The Loud Family. Both bands were based in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, the album What if it Works?
What if it Works?
The Loud Family's seventh full length album finds them collaborating with Anton Barbeau. Loud Family leader Scott Miller and Barbeau each contribute four songs to this album....
. Indeed, 2006 was a busy year which also saw the release of the albums Drug Free and In the Village of the Apple Sun, the latter being described as "an instant lost psychedelic classic".
Since then, Barbeau has resided mainly in the UK, where he has released three albums. Automatic Door was released in the UK on Oxford's Shifty Disco label in 2007 and in France on Volvox in 2008. Recent releases include Plastic Guitar (2009) and Psychedelic Mynde of Moses (2010). His music has continued to develop a decidedly psychedelic streak, though without losing the strong pop aesthetic that has always informed it.
Barbeau has also written and produced an album with Sacramento singer Allyson Seconds, wife of 7 Seconds' singer Kevin Seconds
Kevin Seconds
Kevin Seconds is a singer/songwriter/musician, born in Sacramento. As a teen, he moved with his family to Reno, Nevada where he lived until 1988 when he relocated back to Sacramento and has been based ever since....
. The album was entitled Bag of Kittens, and was released in fall of 2009.
Barbeau currently plays with Andy Metcalfe
Andy Metcalfe
Andy Metcalfe is an English bassist, keyboardist and producer, who played mainly with The Soft Boys , Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians , and with Squeeze off and on during the period 1985-1994.He co-produced several of the Egyptians albums Andy Metcalfe (born 1956, Bristol, England) is an...
and Morris Windsor – erstwhile members of Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn Hitchcock
Robyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar....
-led The Soft Boys
The Soft Boys
The Soft Boys were a pop band during the punk era led by Robyn Hitchcock, whose initially old fashioned music style of psychedelic/folk-rock became part of the neo-psychedelia scene with the release of Underwater Moonlight...
/Egyptians. The trio have been playing around the UK as Three Minute Tease, including support slots for Stornoway
Stornoway (band)
Stornoway is a British alternative indie folk band from the Cowley area of Oxford. It consists of singer and guitarist Brian Briggs; multi-instrumentalists Jon Ouin and Oli Steadman, and the latter's brother Rob on drums. The band is usually joined by trumpeter Adam Briggs and violinist Rahul Satija...
and legendary New Zealand songwriter Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan
Don McGlashan is a New Zealand musician and songwriter who has been a member of bands such as The Plague, From Scratch, The Whizz Kids, Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, The Mutton Birds and, from 2009, The Bellbirds. He composed several pieces for the Limbs Dance Company...
. They are currently recording their self-titled debut album.
Barbeau has recorded and performed with Stornoway, Michael Urbano
Michael Urbano
Michael Urbano is a studio drummer, band member, programmer, and record producer.One of his first gigs was as a member of Bourgeois Tagg, a 1980s band that was fronted by Brent Bourgeois and Larry Tagg and included Lyle Workman as the guitarist...
, xrfarflight, Robbie McIntosh
Robbie McIntosh
Robbie McIntosh is an English guitarist. McIntosh is well known as a session guitarist and member of The Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney joining his band full time until early 1994...
, Kimberley Rew
Kimberley Rew
Kimberley Rew is an English rock and roll singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as a member of Katrina and the Waves 1981 to 1999 and of Robyn Hitchcock's Soft Boys 1978 to 1981...
, and members of Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
.
Anton is a cousin of the actress Adrienne Barbeau
Adrienne Barbeau
Adrienne Jo Barbeau is an American actress and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical Grease, and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Maude Findlay in the sitcom Maude...
.
Discography
- The Horse’s Tongue (with the JoyBoys) (1993)
- Waterbugs and Beetles (with the JoyBoys) (1995)
- Antology Vol. 1 (1999)
- A Splendid Tray (1999)
- 17th Century Fuzzbox Blues (2000)
- Mood Hat Live (limited edition) (2000)
- The Golden Boot: Antology Vol. 2 (2001)
- Will Ant for Frond (demos) (2002)
- King of Missouri (2003)
- Guladong (2003)
- King of Missouri (reissue) (2005)
- Waterbugs and Beetles (reissue) (2006)
- What If It Works? (with The Loud Family) (2006)
- In the Village of the Apple Sun (early editions contained bonus CD) (2006)
- Drug Free (2006)
- The Automatic Door (with Su Jordan) (2007)
- Plastic Guitar (2009)
- Psychedelic Mynde of Moses (2010)
Influences
- The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
- Syd BarrettSyd BarrettSyd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
- Robyn HitchcockRobyn HitchcockRobyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar....
- Julian CopeJulian CopeJulian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
- XTCXTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
- David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
- Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
- Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...