Anton Barbeau is one of those cult figures whose vast catalogue intimidates the merely curious.
Helpfully, Empire Of Potential distils twenty years of lightly lysergic, hook-peppered, power pop into one package of eighteen insistent earworms, all hits in a fairer and better world.
While fans will spot favourite omissions, like 2003’s scorching King Of Missouri, Barbeau’s sequenced a sampler that play like a proper platter, including his viral Youtube hit Automatic Door.
File in the buried treasure bin alongside XTC, Robyn Hitchcock, Julian Cope and The Bevis Frond.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Danazawa, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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World Without End, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot