Anton Barbeau

The term "cult hero" was practically created for Anton Barbeau, whose offbeat yet tuneful guitar pop bears the stamp of predecessors like XTC and Robyn Hitchcock. In 1994, Anton Barbeau and the JoyBoys' debut album, The Horse's Tongue, won the SAMMIE Award (Sacramento, CA) for Album of the Year. In 1997, Barbeau's "Octagon" appeared on the Best of American Pop compilation Yellow Pills 4, alongside artists such as the Plimsouls, Material Issue, and Jason Falkner. In 1999, he released Antology, Vol. 1 (get it?), a compilation of material previously available on cassette only, and A Splendid Tray, which featured guest appearances by the Loud Family's Scott Miller and Cake's Gabe Nelson. 2001's The Golden Boot: Anthology, Vol. 2 features liner notes by Nick Saloman of the Bevis Frond.