Tim first released music as co-frontman of The Windbreakers (with Bobby Sutliff) in Mississippi in 1982, with seven releases in under that moniker plus other collaborations coming out in the ’80s. He recorded two solo albums as the ’80s ended and then retired from the road and recording until the late ’90s, when he started again releasing solo albums, with his wife Susan Bauer Lee joining as a bass player and songwriting collaborator.

After four albums under Tim’s name, the two released six albums as The Tim Lee 3 and then formally became a duo called Bark, with Sue transitioning to drums and Tim playing a Bass VI, which is an octave lower than a guitar to essentially make the sounds of a bass and guitar at the same time. Bark has now released its fourth album, bringing Tim’s total to around 30 releases. For more information, see bark-loud.com, plus timleethree.com.

We discuss Bark’s “Love Minus Action” from Loud (2023), “Magnolia Plates” by Tim Lee 3 from 33 ⅓ (2015), “Like Sand” from Tim’s Crawdad (1998), and the title track from The Windbreakers’ Run (1987, with lyrics by Sherry Cothren). We conclude by listening to “Dead Guy Story” from Concrete Dog (2006). Intro: “All That Stuff” by The Windbreakers from Terminal (1985).

Hear all of “All That Stuff.” Watch Bark live and The Tim Lee 3 live. Watch Tim playing (nearly) solo acoustically. Tim’s first songwriting attempt was “That Girl.”

Multiple live sets were recorded from the Windbreakers’ Run tour in 1986, which featured Tim as the sole frontman when Bobby couldn’t tour, including this set at this one.

Here’s an Alex Chilton cover tune by Tim with Howard Wuelfing (who booked this interview!) from their now-out-of print 1985 collaborative album. Another ’80s project between Windbreakers outings was Beat Temptation. Here’s a tune from another collaboration, this time with Rain Parade’s Matt Piucci.

Image by Kyle Hislip. Audio editing by Tyler Hislop.

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