This Week's Forgotten Gem of the '80s: Translator's "Everywhere That I'm Not"
Saturday July 28, 2007
The fact that I had to be reminded of this great 1982 post-punk/new wave classic through a total listening accident instead of reasonably consistent airplay is the kind of musical reality that continues to frustrate me. Nonetheless, I was quite grateful to stumble upon this tune today while surfing the music selections available through my cable system's expansive yet frequently unsatisfying fringe channel offerings. It's a wonderful song, a unique hybrid of Beatlesque pop and new wave/college rock hipness that represents everything that was memorable and original about guitar pop a quarter-century ago. Ultimately, a rediscovery like this helps to ensure what I already knew, that music (especially '80s music) always retains the capacity to unearth hidden treasures at the time you least expect it.
Comments
One of my favorite songs from the 80’s! For some reason whenever I mention the band someone always replies with ‘Yeah, I remember them. They were a German band. Didn’t they have a song called “Autobahn’?’
In regards to the above post…
I am a h-u-g-e KRAFTWERK fan (the German band who did “Autobahn”) but I don’t understand why anyone would confuse them with Translator?! How surreal. However, there was a lot of ignorance of NewWave/Underground music back then. I can only imagine that it’s even worse now. At least back then we had steady college station airplay. Nowadays one must search the Net on their own. Thank God for websites like this one!
Ei… it’s nice to hear someone who knew and appreciate one of my fave unheralded new wave bands. Indeed, Translator was one of the “indie” 80s band who were not accorded enough air play despite of their seminal guitar-laden tunes with memorable new romantic lyrics… great cuts include Un-alone, No Time like Now, Stony Gates of Time, Come with Me and my fave… Gravity. Just uploaded their whole album from a nice site… http://www.sendspace.com
I would like to find the guitar chords for this song..anyone have them..basically Steve’s main line.