BARTON is an American electronic pop/dance band from San Francisco.

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Image:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2396/2036693655_571e77469e.jpg|BARTON, 2006
Image:http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/2036693663_47a8fa9b8e.jpg|BARTON, 2007
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Members and History

BARTON was formed in 2002 by openly gay musicians Barton and Charlie Rogers, who are the songwriting/core production team behind the band's work. Manny Ward is also part of the group as a production partner. The three collaboratively manage and run .netspheres, an independent record label. BARTON's musical influences include Imogen Heap and Frou Frou, New Order, Depeche Mode, the Eurythmics, and Nine Inch Nails.<br />
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Barton is a vocalist, musician, and computer scientist. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he shared the stage with the Indigo Girls at the now-defunct Flower Pot Café in the 1990’s. From the early to late 1090’s, musician Manny Ward had residencies at Sound Factory Bar, The Tunnel, Champs, and Liquid. Since 1999, Manny has held a residency at Stereo and Club Unity 2 in Montréal, as well as at Vinyl, The End Up, and Here. Manny released his first solo single, “U II Feel” on the .netspheres label in October, 2005. Charlie Rogers is a musician who works in IT, photography, and graphic design. He spent his twenties exploring the gay club scene in Philadelphia. <br />
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"The reason why its named BARTON, in all capital letters, is because when we first started, he [Barton] really was the major songwriter, artist and producer," Rogers was quoted as saying in a 2006 interview in Atlanta-based gay magazine David. <br />
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"The music of BARTON in all capitals is very different than what either of us would create on our own, which is what a collaboration should be," Barton adds.<br />
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BARTON’s songs often begins as simple poems set to piano, and grow into lyrically and musically complex dance songs characterized by their catchy pop hooks and lyrics of love and loss. "There’s this idea that people have that people on the dance floor can’t handle more complex emotional concepts," Rogers says. <br />
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"We come from more of a pop music sensibility, so our songs can have more of an edge. We present it as dance music because we like dance music."<br />
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Independence

BARTON attribute their success to word of mouth and independent marketing. Like independent musicians Ani DiFranco and Jean Grae, they self-produce and self-promote everything they make.<br />
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"As an independent, it’s harder for us… [But] that’s one of the things we’re actually incredibly proud of. Even though we’re not on a major label with all that behind us, we’re still getting all this attention from the media," Barton says.<br />
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Discography

DON'T STOP [dark] -- September 15th, 2007<br />
DON'T STOP [light] -- September 15th, 2007<br />
TO CALL MY OWN [right shift] -- August 15, 2006<br />
TO CALL MY OWN [left shift] -- August 15, 2006<br />
TAKE ME UP [tan] -- August 18th, 2005<br />
TAKE ME UP [grey] -- May 16, 2005<br />
TONIGHT [red] -- October 16th, 2004<br />
TONIGHT [green] -- October 16th, 2004<br />

External Links

.netspheres<br />
BARTON interview with About.com<br />
BARTON interview with David magazine<br />
BARTON's "To Call My Own" Video<br />
BARTON's "Don't Stop" Video<br />