The Outlets

The Outlets were a 1980s Boston rock band consisting of David Alex Barton on vocals, his brother Rick Barton on lead guitar, Mike White on bass and Walter Gustafson on drums.

History

An acclaimed live band, The Outlets attained success in the greater Boston music scene but failed to gain national attention, despite modest critical acclaim including a recommendation from Billboard. They are best known for the single "Knock Me Down", a regional hit. David Alex Barton reunited The Outlets in the late 1990s. The band reunited again in 2005. Barton's son plays in the bands Call of Decency and Altitude Zero, bands which originated at the Fenn School.

Barton's brother, Rick went on to be a founding member of Dropkick Murphys, though he has subsequently left the group. He is currently on tour with his new band Everybody Out. Walter Gustafson's post-Outlets resume includes several tours drumming for Gang Green as well as stints with The Freeze and Nervous Eaters. Today he plays with Mung and Con-Sole.

Barton boys' cousin, Somerville, MA guitarist/songwriter Bill Trudell cowrote many Outlets songs and helped define The Outlets' early sound. Trudell released a collection of songs entitled "Pleasure Package" in June 2008.

Discography

*"Knock Me Down b/w You Told Me" 7" (1/2 of an EP with Boys Life) (1980)
*"Best Friends b/w Bright Lights" 7" (1981)
*"3rd Floor" (from "We Had a Wicked Good Time" compilation) (1981)
*"Not Too Late" (from "Let's Breed!" compilation) (1984)
*"Sheila b/w Valentine's Song" 7" (1985)
*"Whole New World" LP(1985) (cassette has bonus track "Fade Back")
*"If I Were the One b/w Can't Cheat the Reaper" 7" (1985)
*"Eddie" (from "A Fistful of Hits" compilation) (1987)
*"Eddie (live) & Wait (live)" (from "Ive Got My Friends" compilation) (1996)
*"I Remember" (compilation) (1999)
*"The Outlets" CD (2000) (some new songs and some old songs redone)
*"The Outlets Rock 1980" CD (2007) (new recordings of their 1980 setlist plus original 7" recordings: Best Friends, Bright Lights, Knock Me Down)

External links

* [http://www.outletsrock.com/ The Outlets official web site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/outletsrock The Outlets official Myspace page]