And that's without so much of a mention of what he's probably best known for - drumming with Split Enz and Crowded House.
To precis: Barker's life's been a musical mix, he's played pop, rock and blues, been in the orchestral pit for opera, ballet and musical theatre, provided backing for movie soundtracks, is a vocalist ("style varied") and has immersed himself in Shakespeare, flying solo as sound effects man cum musician in Midsummer Night's Dream "rustling in the undergrowth with the fairies in Melbourne's Botanical Gardens".
Jumping to the present, the versatile Barker's in the throes of rehearsing for his present duo Swamp Thing's gig at the Okere Falls Store's Queen's Birthday Weekend Beer Fest. This won't just be any gig.
Swamp Thing will be filmed and their first live album recorded. Barker has pulling power, the first show's a sell-out, and a second's been added.
Barker's joined by Grant Haua in a "swamp-type combination of high energy and explosive-style blues".
To address the inevitable "who is Michael Barker?" question, Our People's brief is to provide relevant background "bio" details.
He may have spent 27 years away from the town where he was born and raised, but Barker's been back four years and is puzzled when we ask why he returned. He insists the explanation's obvious.
"I love the place, I'd find myself walking down a lane in France, somewhere in North America or Asia, thinking this is a nice place but there's a much better place, the one I'll always call home."
From babyhood, home was Western Heights where he grew up ninth in a family of 10.
Their dad, Robin, worked in the Waipa Mill, mum Celeste was a Rotorua Hospital nurse.
At 15, Barker quit school. "I needed money to pay off my first drum kit"; he was jamming at weekends with a bunch of mates.
Job number one was a laundry hand. "I got sick and they fired me." Barker still thinks it was counting out fetid piles of linen from local restaurants and hotels that got to him.
"They'd be left to ferment over the weekend, when you touched them you could feel the slime."
Becoming a builder's labourer was less queasy.
Off-site he became a founding member of Nightshade, a cover band aimed at the wedding and corporate events market "playing everything from the Inkspots to Elvis and hits of the day".
Cairo invited him on board for a summer season.
"It was the 80s, we were entertaining young Contiki Tour groups out for a good time in this splendid place [now the Rotorua Museum] but by the end of the night their recreational behaviour didn't quite fit the quality of their surroundings."
Barker was 19 when he moved to Melbourne to study music seriously and complete secondary school's Years 11 and 12.
His qualifications secured, he successfully auditioned for a scholarship to what's now Melbourne University's elite classical music academy. As well as honing his drumming skills, study included percussion (xylophone and timpani).
During this period, he began casual work with the Victoria State Opera, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and touring musicals.
By 1988, he was a married man, his wife, Catherine (Cathy), the girl he met "frolicking out and about" in Melbourne.
They've produced two sons, Marvin and Tristan. The former's now a professional tennis coach, Tristan's not so easy to classify.
His father doesn't flinch when we raise the thorny issue of Tristan's exposure 18 or so months ago as an internet "troll", and his subsequent conviction for slugging an Aussie journalist in a Government Gardens encounter.
We say that experience must have soured Barker against the media - that we'd been surprised he'd agreed to speak to us.
"I certainly don't hate the media, I understand the media, but it was very difficult to take when they began stalking us at our own home, surreptitiously recording and filming through the back door."
The Barkers have moved on, we will too.
As well as Swamp Thing Barker's fully occupied running two studios, one at home for recording, teaching at the other in Eruera St and "upskilling" his piano playing via YouTube.
"I don't want to only be known as a drummer but as a musician, composer and engineer, I'm certainly no rock star."
MICHAEL BARKER
Born: Rotorua, 1966
Education: Selwyn Primary, Kaitao Intermediate, Western Heights High, Vauxhall College, Victoria College of Arts (both Melbourne).
Family: Wife Cathy, two sons.
Interests: Family, music, trout fishing, mountain biking, walking, gardening "I'm Cathy's labourer" .
On NZ Music Month: "It [music] is almost in the category of essential services."
On origins of the name Swamp Thing: "As a kid we lived opposite a swamp, a fascinating place full of elements of danger."
Personal Philosophy: "Ned Miller's lyrics 'Do what you do do well'."
