* En anglais uniquement
Sweet Steve, the man behind
Baron Zen, was just another college kid at San Jose State University with a band in the late '80s. Though
Baron Zen officially included Craig Appleby on keys and drum programming, and occasionally John Caampued on guitars and longtime friend
Chris Manak (aka
Peanut Butter Wolf) on drum programming, most of the group's recordings featured only Steve, who played all the aforementioned instruments.
Baron Zen did not perform shows, release records, or have much publicity to speak of, besides infrequent play on local Bay Area college radio stations, and their recording career lasted only from 1988-1992, ending when Steve left San Jose State and entered the working world. After over ten years passed since Steve had been involved in music,
Peanut Butter Wolf (who was also the owner of Stones Throw Records) decided to release an album of
Baron Zen's hybrid of punk, disco, rock, and hip-hop. Called
At the Mall, the record was issued in 2006, and celebrated by a limited number of
Baron Zen shows. ~ Marisa Brown