Re: (TV) Mr. Obbard wrote:

["MICHAEL CARLUCCI" <subterraneannyc@mindspring.com>]

    My band Winter Hours was fortunate enough to do a one month
tour across the USA with Translator back in 1988. They were the
most inspirational band we ever opened for. Eery night was different.
The guitar playing between the two Steve and Bob was fabulous. If they
locked in, there was nothing finer. They has one song that Bob wrote that
was my favorite "Lazurus". It was breath taking. There is the perfect case
of a band that tried to do what they wanted after having a AOR hit and the
label 415/CBS squashed them like mosquitos. Each new LP sold less then the
one before until they broke up in 1989 which was great for Winter Hours
because we were able to recruit Dave Sheff(Translators drummer) and with
Lenny
Kaye and Chrysalis Records, make the finest record of our career. Dave was
brilliant and powerful. He was totally in tune to his surroundings. Even
still,
I was saddened by the bands break up. There weren't many bands like them
around.
Guitar solos(thanks to REM) were pretty much unheard of at that time.
Translator were
like the Grateful Dead of the Alternative/College Radio scene. I for one
miss them.
I especially love their last LP which was recorded live in the studio. True
story:
I once asked Steve barton how the song "Everywhere That I'm Not" came about.
It came
to him in a dream He was sleeping and was awoken from his sleep by this
dream, picked up
his guitar, wrote the song is 10 minutes, recorded it on a casstte player
and went back to 
bed. Those types of songs are the best when they just come to you and all
the pieces
just meld together. And a great song that is. I wonder what they're up to
now?
I'd heard they were reforming around 1993 or '94 but that was it. Haven't
heard
anything since. Too bad. I may have a soundboard tape or two around of them
if
anyone's interested. It may take a while to locte them but it would be worth
the
effort. Bye, M T C 

----------
>From: jpg@sirius.com
>To: tv@obbard.com
>Subject: Re: (TV) Mr. Obbard wrote:
>Date: Wed, Jan 19, 2000, 9:33 PM
>

>How about another very good unnoticed band: Translator.
>They came out about the same time as REM , but suffered from being in San 
>Francisco in
>the '80s. Steve Barton, their chief song writer had a fabulous way with words and
>rhythm.
>Any comments?
>
>MICHAEL CARLUCCI wrote:
>
>>
>> >Just discovered
>> >"Another Girl, Another Planet"
>> >>>
>> >
>> >Now you need to discover the band; The Only Ones are something special
>> >
>> >    Now there's a band that went completely unnoticed. It's a damn shame too.
>> These guys had it all. In their short lived career they made 3 magnificent
>> LP's
>> and a handful of singles. One single that brings tears to my eyes is the
>> single
>> with Peter Perrett and Pauline Murray doing the song "Fools". What a great
>> song.
>> Their last LP "Baby's Got A Gun" went straight to the toilet the week it was
>> released. There were more promos around then stock copies. Too bad cause it
>> was their
>> finest LP to date. Then there were the "Even Serpents Shine" and the 1st LP,
>> the
>> latter with Another Girl, Another Planet which has some of the finest chord
>> changes known to man. Peter Perrett was/is one of Rock & Roll's  greatest
>> unsung
>> heroes. When the Only One's appeared at max's kansas City around the time of
>> their 3rd album there might've been 30 people in the audience. What a cryin'
>> shame.
>> As far as I know there K only releases of their 3 official LP's plus a
>> fabulous
>> live album. For anyone whoever cared about good, understated guitar music,
>> this
>> is your band. Thanks, M T C
>>
>> >
>> >BTW, upon repeated listenings to "Other Voices" (the new Patti Smith 
>song with Tom
>> on lead guitar), it has to be one of Tom's most un-inspired moments. As
>> mentioned
>> earlier, if I didn't know that it was Tom Id've never guessed it. It may as
>> well
>> have been Oliver or Lenny playing the solo. I pains me to say this. Despite
>> this,
>> the song is one of Patti's finest in many years.
>>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
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