BARTON PRICE |
In 2010, Palmerston North born and raised drummer Barton Price, along with fellow members of the alternative rock band Models, was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. Barton, who attended Palmerston North Boys’ High at the same time as fellow Creative Giant David Geary, learned to play violin and drums in Palmerston North. He was drummer for New Zealand pop band The Crocodiles which headed to Australia in 1981; when the band split-up, Barton became the drummer for post-punk band Sardine v. He then joined Models and stayed with the new wave band until it went on hiatus in 1988. He re-joined the band in 2000 for a reunion concert.
The Models, I Hear Motion, 1983.
Models performed throughout Australia and New Zealand and supported superstars including The Ramones and Midnight Oil. The band toured with David Bowie on his Serious Moonlight Tour, performed at Rocking the Royals for Prince Charles and Princess Diana and performed in the Oz for Africa concert. Part of Live Aid, Oz for Africa was broadcast in Australia in the United States.
Models’ hit single Out of Mind, Out of Sight made it to number one on the Australian charts and to No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100; single Barbados peaked at No. 2 on the Australian singles chart. Both singles were from the album Out of Mind, Out of Sight, which made it to number 3 in Australia and number 84 in the US. In terms of chart numbers, it was the most successful of the bands five albums but the bands third album, The Pleasure of Your Company was listed number 46 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums.
Following his time with Models, Barton was a sought-after studio drummer and played with various Australian bands including The Choirboys. He has since developed a career in marketing back home in New Zealand but, in 2012, could again be found on the road, touring Australia with Models.
