This interview with writer/radio personality David Watts Barton was split into a four-part series, shot by Joe-G in front of Crocker
Art Museum on Friday, March 2, 2012. David, who loves to ride his bicycle Downtown, which he mentioned
in this KVIE Video, showed up on his bike. The interviews broadly cover David's career from
paperboy to media figure and pop music critic for the Sacramento Bee. At the time he worked for Capital Public Radio.
David Barton Interview Part 1: Working at Tower
During high school Barton got a job at Tower Records on Watt & El Camino, which was a vital meeting place
for music fans through the 21st century until the company closed. He loved music so much he wanted to surround
himself with it, so a record store was the place to be growing up. At age 16 he started writing for small local
publications like Carmichael Times, Suttertown News and a hippy magazine called Get Together.
While working at Tower he saved up money that allowed him to travel the world.
David Barton Interview Part 2: Early Writing
One of the independent publications Barton wrote for before landing a job at the Bee was Rock and Roll News, in
which he landed his first musician interview with Patti Smith around the time she was emerging in the seventies. He
went on to interview several acts for the publication. From there he began writing for his colleague who launched Tower Pulse magazine,
a publication for Tower Records. He then send clips to the Bee, which asked him to write a review. His first review covered the Ramones at Sac State,
which led to writing a regular column for the newspaper.
David Barton Interview Part 3: Local Highlights
Barton discusses various highlights writing for the Bee through the 80s, 90s and 2000s. "What I remember about the eighties in particular,"
he reflects, "was the time when rock and roll bands were really starting to feel their power." Rock concerts had become an institution for
benefit festivals and fundraisers. "We had the luxury of Bill Graham be the main promoter around and the guy really was so in love with music and musicians."
He explains how the 80s was a high point for newspapers, which had plenty of money at the time. So the Bee sent him to shows like Live Aid in
Philadelphia. Artist interviews for the Bee were usually in advance of the show.
David Barton Interview Part 4: Songwriting
Not only does Barton write for publication, he also writes songs, which he began in the late seventies. Then his attention shifted
to writing reviews once he started with the Bee in the early eighties, so he stopped writing songs for 13 years. In 1995 he
collaborated on a few songs with local band Mumbo Gumbo. He then started recording at the home of Tesla's Brian Wheat with other
local artists such as Larry Tagg and Mike Palmer. David wraps up the interview with profound words about life's bizarre journey.
