Barry Thomas Goldberg

Singer, songwriter, guitar player, part of the Dove Recording and Candy Floss Productions history

Contents:

History

Barry Thomas Goldberg was born in Minneapolis on November 20, 1950.  At age five Barry, his older brother, and their mother, moved from Minneapolis to Las Vegas, Nevada.  Barry’s mother went to work as a waitress at the famous Sands Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.  Barry hung around the hotel and watched “The Rat Pack” (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Junior) perform and comediennes such as Jerry Lewis.  Hanging around the big stars of the era turned him into a self-described “show biz nut.”  Barry also became a frequent visitor to the movie theaters and watched a wide variety of movies, everything from “Godzilla” movies to detective/crime videos to the Busby Berkeley giant dance and song productions.

In 1959/1960, Barry and his mother returned to Minneapolis and lived in the downtown area, where he attended St. Stephens Catholic School for Grades three and four.  In 1961, the two moved to Bloomington and Barry attended Assumption in Richfield for Grades six, seven, and eight.  Barry started De Lasalle High School and would have graduated in 1968, but dropped out of school in 1966.

In the summer of 1966, Barry and a friend from Assumption, Gary Paulak, decided to put a band together called The Shambles.  The lineup was: Barry on rhythm guitar and vocals; Gary Paulak on lead guitar and vocals; Jay Lee on bass guitar; and Jerry Newman on drums.  Unlike most garage bands of the era who played mainly cover songs, The Shambles played all original songs written by Barry and Gary.  Among the original songs were: “Look at Me Now,” “7:30 Sunset,” and “Black Spiders in Black Robes.”

The band played mainly for private parties.  At one party, local WDGY DJ Johnny Dollar was present and heard the band do a song called “Underneath the Rug.”  Johnny encouraged the band to make a record.  The band went into Dove Recording in Bloomington and recorded “Underneath the Rug” however, the owner and engineer, Daryl “Arv” Arvidson, was not impressed their musical abilities and told them to take their tape and go home and come back another time.  Daryl did not charge the band for the recording.  The song was pressed on an acetate only and never released.  Barry recalls: “We couldn’t even tune our guitars, that’s how bad we were.”

By the summer of 1967, Jerry Newman had left the band and Gary Lane (a friend of Gary Paulak) became the new drummer for the group.  Barry did not want two guys in the band with same first name so he came up with a nickname for Gary Lane, “Whip” Lane.  Barry on Whip’s name: “He had blonde, curly hair that looked like whipped cream.”

The band did return to Dove Recording in July, 1967 and met Pete Steinberg, who was the house producer at Dove.  Barry recalls: “He was the Phil Spector of this whole thing. “   The band recorded “Black Spiders and Black Robes” and “7:30 Sunset”, the later song was sent off to New York by Pete, but no record deal emerged.   Pete realized Barry and Gary had talent as songwriters and Steinberg joined Barry and Gary in writing songs.   Barry and Pete wrote lyrics and Gary came up with the music on a piano.  The songwriting sessions would often last long into the night and early morning hours.

Barry and Gary had their first original song that came out on a 45 with a group from Sioux Falls, South Dakota called William and the Conquerors, who had won a contest.  The prize was studio time at Dove Recording, having an original song provided to them to record, and a certain number of 45’s to be pressed up.    The song was “Have You Ever” and the B-side of the 45 contained a Procol Harum song.

Barry produced four songs recorded by William and the Conquerors.  Barry recalls: “Steinberg didn’t want anything to do with them. He looks and me and goes: Produce.  I said, I never produced anything in my life.  He said, Produce.”

In the Fall, 1967, Pete Steinberg joined forces with songwriter and singer and guitar player, Dale Menten and the two formed Candy Floss Productions.  Their goal was to take original songs recorded at Dove and bring them to New York in order to get record deals with major labels.  Barry and Gary started writing songs with Pete and Dale.  Steinberg encouraged The Batch to round up some money for studio time so they could record some of the new songs.  Borrowing $1,500 from family members was enough money to purchase studio time to record four new songs, all written by Barry, Gary, Pete, and Dale:  “Lights of Rome;” ”World War 11 in Cincinnati;” “(Twenty Years ago) in Speedy’s Kitchen;” and “Flannigan’s Circus.”

The Shambles recorded “Lights of Rome” and “World War 11 in Cincinnati.”  Pete and Dale took the songs to New York and came back with a record deal for The Shambles two songs to be released on the ATCO label, owned by Atlantic Records.  The 45 came out in the winter of 1967.  The record was played on local radio station WDGY.  Barry recalls: “We waited for months and months for that record to come out and when it finally came out it wasn’t promoted.”  Singing background on the two songs were two local singers, Mike Flaherty and Mike O’Gara.  Shortly after recording the two songs, Jay Lee joined his parents in leaving Minnesota to move to California.  As a result, Barry and Gary decided to focus on writing songs for Candy Floss Productions, writing with Pete Steinberg and Dale Menten.   Bass guitar parts were played by Dale Menten or Larry Hofmann.

Another Candy Floss production was a song called “(Twenty Years Ago) in Speedy’s Kitchen” (written by the four songwriters).  Gary sang the lead, however Peter and Dale wanted to use another lead singer on the song, Freddy Freeman, lead singer of the popular local rock band TC Atlantic.  With Freddy Freeman’s new vocal track, the song was released by TC Atlantic, first on the Candy Floss label and then on the Parrot label which was owned by London Records.  The song became a local and regional hit.  The record hit number one in Cleveland and Milwaukee.   The recording featured a string quartet, scored by Dale Menten, who had never written parts for any string instruments before.    Performing on the record were:  Freddy Freeman on lead vocals, Gary on piano and backing vocals,  Barry on organ and backing vocals,  Dale Menten on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Rod Eaton on drums.  Rod was the drummer for TC Atlantic at the time and also worked as Dove as an engineer.   The song was recorded on a Crown four track machine.

The song features a number of characters including: Speedy; Weasal; Banus; and Sleepy Tom.  Barry recalls: “My dad was a gambler who were kind of characters, Damon Runyon type characters.  We moved around a lot and I lived in Las Vegas, Milwaukee, and Miami and I knew all these characters growing up as a kid.  I knew all these gangster type people.  Most of the people in the song were people from the North Minneapolis area. “ Barry has stated that Banus was a guy who owned a furniture store; Sleepy Tom was based on a guy named Blind Jack; Weasel was his dad’s best friend; Speedy was his aunt’s boyfriend; and Jake the cop was a guy in North Minneapolis who died after being shot six times.

Due to the success of “(Twenty Years Ago) in Speedy’s Kitchen)” Pete Steinberg gave Barry and Gary each a hundred dollar bill.  Barry recalls: “We went to this restaurant where we had been penny-less many a time and had to borrow for a cup of coffee.  We each bought a cup of coffee and asked for separate checks and we paid for the coffee with hundred dollar bills… Thank you very much.”

Another song written by all four songwriters, “Flannigans Circus” was recorded.   The song featured lead vocals by Dale Menten and Gary Paulak.  The carnival barker was Mike O’Gara.  The song featured a pipe organ recorded in a local church.  This song was never released on a record.

Gary, Barry, and Pete team wrote a new song, specifically for Freddy Freeman to sing called “The Countess” which came out on the Sire label under a fictitious name originated by Pete Steinberg: Eric Marshall and The Chymes.   Barry recalls: “We got a deal with Sire Records where they would front everything.  We were their new boys.  Richard Ghotterher flew in to produce that.  He was forming a new company with Seymour Stein. “  The producer on the record is listed as Pete Steinberg.  Barry recalls: “Steinberg was the producer, but you can hear Richard’s hand in there.  That’s a damn good production.“  Performing on “The Countess” were: Freddy Freeman on lead vocals; Gary on piano; Gus Dewey on guitar; Larry Hofmann on bass guitar, Barry and Gary on backing vocals.   On the B-side of the record was an original song called “I Can’t Love You Anymore.”  For the B-side, Barry sang lead vocals, and local singer Arne Fogel joined Barry and Gary singing backing vocals.  Whip Lane played drums.

Shortly after “The Countess” 45, Jay Lee returned to Minnesota and re-joined The Shambles on bass guitar.

In September, 1968, Pete Steinberg came up with an idea to put together a new band called The Puddle, to be a promotional vehicle for Candy Floss Productions.  The band rehearsed with: Pete Steinberg on vocals and tambourine; Barry Goldberg on guitar and vocals; Garry Paulak on guitar and vocals; Steve Longman on bass guitar; Arne Fogel on vocals and percussion; and Whip Lane on drums.

The Puddle recorded a bubblegum style song at Dove called “Red Rover, Red Rover” based on the children’s backyard game. The writers were Barry, Gary, and Pete.   Barry was not happy that Pete was pushing him and Gary to write a bubblegum song and Barry confronted Pete.  Barry recalls: “ I kind of stormed out of this writing session.  I felt that even though we were just kids and Pete was older than us, we were important to the whole situation as he was and we weren’t getting any money.  We were getting all our meals paid and ten bucks a week or something like that and all I asked for… I just wanted to do a really good record for The Puddle and we had a song written and everything.”  Barry wanted Gary, Arne or himself to sing lead vocals, but Steinberg over-ruled him and picked Chris Skilman from a band called 20th Century Fox, to sing the lead.  The B-side of “Red Rover, Red Rover” was a song called “Happy Like This” (also written by Barry, Gary and Pete) with Freddy Freeman on lead vocals and Barry and Arne on backing vocals.   Pete Steinberg got The Puddle a number of jobs called “Pepsi Pop Hops” at high schools, sponsored by Pepsi who provided the band with free equipment.  By this this time, Steve Longman had left the group and Jay Lee had returned to Minnesota and joined the band on bass guitar.  The band dressed up in unique stage clothes.   Barry recalls: “Pete wore an Indian head dress and buckskin, I wore a black cowboy outfit, Gary wore a 1920’s bathing suit, Whip Lane wore a sailor outfit, Jay Lee wore a ballerina outfit with combat boots, Arne wore a wild Nehru jacket with love beads.   We’d sing the National Anthem.  We were like The Mothers of Invention or something.  We did “Love is Just” and we did a Psychedelic version of “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.”  We played a few jobs and people threw pennies at us.  I said, I am out of here.” Since KDWB was promoting the “Pepsi Pop Hops” they played “Red Rover, Red Rover” on their radio station.

When asked if The Puddle was a serious band or a joke, Barry stated:  “Both.  We took it seriously and to everybody else it was a joke. “

The next song planned to be recorded for Sire Records was called “Caesar’s Little Baby” written by Barry and Gary.   Demo versions of the song were sent to Sire Records and they requested a new singer be used for the song.   Barry was angry at the record company.  Barry recalls:  “I was fed up with them.  I wanted to be real… a self-contained band.  There were lies all over the place.  It’s a bullshit business.  It’s the nature of the business.  It was me being on the outside.  I’d have to sit there with all these groups and have the mentality of a producer or a promoter, a business man and I was a musician.  I was seventeen years old.  I wanted to rock.”

The Puddle decided to change their name (at the suggestion of Dale Menten) to P.R.E.T.T.Y  B.LU.E. B.A.T.C.H.  The new band name came from Dale Menten, which originated from a poem by Edgar Allen Poe.  The letters in the band name stood for Philadelphia Regular Exchange Tea Total Young Bells Letters Universal Experimental Bibliographic Association To Civilize Humanity.

Pete Steinberg left the group and the band dropped the funny stage costumes.  In addition, the band switched music styles, as they were heavily influenced by the new album by The Beatles, “White Album.”  Barry, Gary, and Arne divided up the lead vocals and many songs featured three part harmonies.   The band was first booked by Magnum and then by Alpha Productions.  Some of their first live jobs were at the Coffeehouse Extemporare.   Since the band played all original material, they were limited to the venues that allowed bands that performed all original music.  As the band gained in popularity they also played at the Home Bar and CC Tap in Minneapolis, and played the ballroom circuit throughout Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota.

Through Dale Menten, Barry and Gary were signed to a New York publishing company, Chapel Music and got a job to write the music for an off-Broadway play to be called “Tumblewood” based on the cartoon character.  Nothing happened with the play, however Dale Menten would go on to write the music for a play called “House of Leather.”

In 1970, the name of the band had been revised to The Batch and in the summer they began recording their own songs at Sound 80 in Edina.  Prior to this the band had recorded demo songs on their own equipment.

In 1971, the band began recording at Micside in Minneapolis (formerly Kay Bank, followed by Universal Audio).

In 1972, Barry and Arne Fogel made a trip to Los Angeles and were able to pitch The Batch to  Elektra Records, A & M Records, and Liberty Records.  The meetings with the record executives did not result in a record deal for The Batch.

Dale Menten had purchased Micside Studio and renamed it Cookhouse.   The band recorded at Cookhouse through 1973 and completed 21 songs and were hoping to get a record deal, but no deal materialized.  Cookhouse featured an eight track recording machine giving the group an opportunity to be creative with instrumentation and vocal harmonies.

In 1972 The Batch released a 45 on Dale Menten’s record label, Groove Soup with “Hot Summer Nights” on the A-side and “Golden Sun” on the B-side.  Barry sang lead vocals on both songs.

In 1973, Columbia Records offered to release a single with “Pop and Ice” on the A-side, however the band was advised to turn down the deal by Lew Futterman (a New York real estate developer who also worked in the recording business)  who was confident the band would get an album deal with Columbia Records.  No album deal was obtained.

With no interest in a record deal from any major labels, the band decided it was time to make a move and headed to Colorado and found a place to live in Evergreen, with the idea of eventually ending up in California.  The band played at Tollogy’s in Boulder, House of Draft in Denver, and West Bank Club in Breckinridge.    Barry recalls: “We had to learn a few more covers but we started to drop them and play originals.  We had a lot of fun out there.  It was great. “

After having trouble with the band’s manager, the band returned to Minnesota.  The band played a live concert at Cookhouse that was broadcast on KQRS, as part of a series called “Cookin’ at Cookhouse.

In December, 1974, Barry and Gary went to Los Angeles to try to sell Goldberg and Paulak as a duo to do an album.  The duo had recorded a demo tape with six or seven songs, however were unable to secure a recording contract.  Barry recalls: “ Arne and me had gone to Hollywood before Denver, around  1972 and we had a lot of interest in us as a live band.  They wanted to see us.  We made a few connections … Gary and I went back there to those connections but there was none of the excitement that there had been for The Batch.  It was a real depressing trip.”

In January, 1975, the group got a month long job at Duff’s on 8th Street in downtown Minneapolis.  After the job at Duff’s was over, The Batch came to an end.

In September, 1974, Barry recorded a solo folk/pop album, encouraged to do so by local musician Michael Yonkers.  Barry recalls: “The oil crisis had happened by then and I just felt it was a different period and I wanted to throw everything away and start all over and see what I was all about.  A friend of mine, Michael Yonkers, was putting out albums.  He had a label called My Records.”  Barry played an acoustic guitar and sang on the album and Michael played a little bit of flute and other instruments and also sang harmony back-up vocals.  The album was recorded on an Ampex two-track tape machine at Yonker’s apartment in Minneapolis and was called Misty Flats.  500 vinyl albums were pressed up on Yonker’s record label, My Records.  Barry recalls: “It wasn’t really folk music.  It was bare bones, like a sketch.  I’d been influenced by John Lennon in 1970 throwing everything away and getting down to the skeleton of it and I wanted to do that myself. “ Barry had been inspired by John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band.

In 1975, Barry and Gary wrote some songs for Ted Nugent.  Barry went to Milwaukee to record some demos of the songs, however none of the songs were ever recorded by Ted Nugent.

Barry and Gary recorded 10 songs in 1975 for a planned album to be called “Winter – Summer” at Cookhouse.  John Calder engineered the sessions.   The album was never released.

After returning to Minnesota in 1976, Barry started a band called Highway 52.  The band members were: Barry Goldberg on vocals and guitar; David Rummelhoff on guitar; Tim Rummelhoff on saxophone; Marc Partridge on guitar and vocals; Gregg Kubera on bass guitar; Jim Steinworth on keyboards; and Bobby Rivkin on drums.   Barry has described the band’s music with a variety of terms including: bar rock; street rock; and urban rock.  The band played at Williams Pub and the Cabooze in Minneapolis and Doc Hollidays in Shakopee.  The band recorded ten songs at Cookhouse and Sound 80, however no recordings were released.  Barry recalls: “The band got real hot around 1977.  We got good reviews and we played New Years Eve at The Cabooze.  It was hot.  It was great and then there wasn’t anything else to do, it was boring.”  The band played into 1980 and then broke up.

In 1977, Barry and the members of Highway 52 went into Moon Sound (owned and run by Chris Moon) in Minneapolis and recorded a new version of Barry’s song “Rock’n’Roll Forever” from the Ben Gold album.  Barry’s girlfriend sent a tape of the song to Mercury Records in New York City.  Steve Katz, the head of Mercury Records in New York heard the song and contacted Barry.  As a result, Barry went to Mercury Records in 1978 and recorded four demo songs with two members of Highway 52 (Jim Steinworth and David Rummelhoff) along with two New York musicians.  One year later, in 1979, Barry returned to Mercury Records and recorded twelve demo songs with just Barry on vocals and guitar.  None of the songs recorded at Mercury Records were ever released.

Through Lew Futterman (a New York real estate developer who also worked in the music business), Barry got a deal to record an album.  The album took two years to record and cost roughly $100,000 (paid for by Futterman).  In 1983 the album (“When the Night Comes”) was recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan and New York City and was released under the name Ben Gold.  500 copies of the album were released on the HIJ label.  A 45 was recorded (in Ann Arbor) prior to the album but was released after the album.  The A-side was “Prince of the City” and the B-side was “Love is the Law” also on the HIJ label.  300 copies were pressed.  In the Minneapolis area, Barry had noticed that “Love is the Law” had been painted on various buildings, signs, and fences.  Barry spotted the slogan along Franklin Avenue and decided it would make a good name for a song.

Barry decided to use the name Ben Gold for the two records, as many people had been getting Barry mixed up with another Barry… Barry Goldberg, keyboard player in The Electric Flag, a rock band from Chicago, active in the mid to later 1960’s.

In 1986, Barry released an album called “Absolute Zero” on HIJ Records.  The album was recorded at Blackberry Way in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The Executive Producer was William Wanner, the owner of William’s Pub in Minneapolis, who intended to release the album on his own label, which had featured jazz groups, however his label came to end and the album was not released on Wanner’s label.

In 1998, Barry returned to Minneapolis from Los Angeles and Gary Paulak returned to Minneapolis from Seattle.  Barry knew some agents who worked with big name female country singers.  Barry and Gary started writing country songs and sending demo tapes to the agents, however they did not get any of the singers to record their songs.

In 1991, Barry and all but one original member of The Batch reformed under the name The Ironweeds.  Barry, Gary, Arne, and Jay Lee teamed up with new drummer, Scott Homan.  The band got the job as house band for the Classic Motor Company on Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park.  The group also played at 5 Corners in Minneapolis and various clubs in Hopkins.

In 1997, The Ironweeds released a cassette tape of eleven songs, recorded at Gary Paulak’s home studio in Bloomington.

In 2002, Barry released a CD called “Empire Moon” with 11 songs.

In 2004, Barry released a CD called “Cottonwood” with 13 songs.

In 2005, Barry released a CD called “American Grotesque” with 11 songs.

In 2006, Barry released a CD called “The Last Guitar” with 14 songs.

In 2007, Barry released a CD called: “Mapleton Memoir” with 11 songs.

In 2015, Barry’s “Misty Flats” album from 1974 was re-released on a CD by Light in the Attic Records and also on a vinyl album by Future Days.

In 2006, Dale Menten released a CD called “Candy Floss – The Lost Music of MidAmerica – 1967 – 1969” on Weekend Records.   The CD featured songs recorded at Dove Recording Studio in Bloomington, Minnesota.  15 songs on the CD were co-written by Barry.

In 2008, The Batch released a CD called “Transistor” with 21 of their demo songs recorded in the early 1970’s. The songs were recorded by Arne Fogel on a two-track Panasonic reel to reel player and by Gary Paulak on a four-track Teac 3340.

In 2009, The Batch released a CD called “Blue Sky Day” with 21 songs recorded from 1970 to 1973.  The songs were originally recorded at Sound 80, Micside, and Cookhouse.

 

Barry Thomas Goldberg Bio written by Tom Campbell

Version 1.  January 14, 2016

Version 2.  January 19, 2016

Version 3.  January 25, 2016

Version 4. March 26, 2016

Version 5. March 27, 2016

Version 6. April 2, 2016

Copyright 2016 by Thomas R. Campbell

Update:

 

 

The 2015 re-release of “Misty Flats” has met with worldwide commercial success.

On May 21, 2016 a new action movie was released called “Dog Eat Dog.”

Included in the soundtrack for the film is “Misty Flats” recorded by Barry in 1974.

 

In 2016 Light in the Attic Records released “Winter / Summer” by Barry (digital

format) with 10 songs Barry recorded with various former band members

from The Batch and Dale Menten.  The songs were recorded  between

February, 1975 and April, 1975 at Cookhouse.

 

 

Photos  (Click a photo to see it full-screen, then click the arrows to see the next one.)

 

Recordings

Recordings by Barry Thomas Goldberg

Misty Flats – Vinyl Album

Year of Release: 1974

Label: My Records (500 vinyl albums pressed)

Produced by: Michael Yonkers.

Recorded at: Michael Yonkers Studio.

Produced by: Barry Thomas Goldberg

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: vocals and guitar.

Michael Yonkers: guitar, mandolin, flute, harmonica, bass vocals.

Song List:

  1. “Hollywood”
  2. “Stars in the Sand”
  3. “Never Came to Stay”
  4. “Golden Sun”
  5. “Cry a Little Bit”
  6. “Misty Flats”
  7. “China Doll”
  8. “Pop and Ice”
  9. “Magic Cloud”
  10. “City Rain”
  11. “Never Stop Dreaming”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg, except for “Cry a Little Bit,” “Golden Sun,” “Pop and Ice” which were written by  Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

 

When The Night Comes (Ben Gold) – Vinyl Album

Year of Release: 1983

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals and guitar.

Danny Gore:  guitar and background vocals.

Dave Kiswiney:  bass guitar and background vocals.

John Thorpe: drums.

Produced by: Cliff Davies and Ric Bowde

Executive producer: Lew Futterman

Recorded at: A Square Studios, Ann Arbor, Michigan and CBS Studios, New York, New York.

Engineered by: Al Hurschman and Dee

Song List:

  1. “Rock’n’Roll Forever”
  2. “When the Night Comes”
  3. “American Roulette”
  4. “Blue Romance”
  5. “Rockefeller Beat”
  6. “The Unforgiven”
  7. “Slave of Love”
  8. “Diamond Blues”
  9. “King Kongs Lover”
  10. “The Runner”
  11. “The Rainmaker”
  12. “War Zone”

 

Prince of the City / Love is the Law (Ben Gold) – Vinyl 45

Year of Release: 1983

Label: HIJ Recordings

A side:  “Prince of the City”

B side:  “Love is the Law”

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals and guitar.

Bille Bagnasco: guitar and synthesizer.

Dave Kiswiney:  bass guitar.

Cliff Davies:  drums.

Produced by: Cliff Davies.

Recorded at: A Square Studios, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Engineered by: Al Hurschman and Dee

 

Absolute Zero – Vinyl Album

Year of Release: 1986

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals.

Cliff Davies:  drums.

Arne Fogel:  keyboards and background vocals.

Ed Brown: bass guitar.

Jim Prideaux: guitar.

Danny Gore: guitar on “Summer of ‘81” and “American Man.”

Dave Kiswiney on bass guitar and background vocals on “Summer of ‘81” and “American Man.”

John Thorpe: drums.

Executive producer: William Wanner.

Recorded at: Blackberry Way, Minneapolis, Minnesota (February, 1986).

Engineered by: Mike Owens and Kevin Glynn.

Engineers on “Summer of ‘81” and “American Man”:  Al Hurschman and Dee

Song List:

  1. “Dancing With the Stranger”
  2. “House of Cards”
  3. “Washington Ave.”
  4. “New Years Eve”
  5. “Shake it Up (Don’t Wanna Hear No Blues”
  6. “Broken Glass”
  7. “Let Freedom Bring You Home Tonight”
  8. “Trust”
  9. “Summer of ‘81”
  10. “American Man”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg.

 

Empire Moon – CD

Year of Release: 2002

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals, guitar and harmonica.

Gary Paulak: bass guitars, guitars, keyboards, background vocals.

Jim Steinworth: organ and accordion.

Jerry Neuman: drums.

Engineered by: Mike Owen and Kevin Glynn.

Recorded at: New Dove Studios.

Engineered and mixed by: Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “Empire Moon”
  2. “Homeland”
  3. “Don’t Target Me”
  4. “Goodbye Johnny Thunder”
  5. “The Ballad of John Berryman”
  6. “Antarctica”
  7. “Dangerous World”
  8. “You’re Killing Me”
  9. “Watertown”
  10. “Redemption”
  11. “Washington Avenue”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg.

 

Cottonwood – CD

Year of Release: 2004

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals and guitar.

Gary Paulak: bass guitars, guitars, keyboards, background vocals.

Michael Yonkers: guitar (“Utopia” and “World War 111”) and background vocals (“Utopia”)

Jim Steinworth: organ and accordion.

Jerry Neuman: drums.

Jay Lee: bass guitar (“Utopia” and “World War 111”) and background vocals (“Utopia”)

Greg Kubera:  standup bass (“Come and Gone”)

Arne Fogel: trumpet (“Summer Moon”), background vocals (“When Heaven Was Close to Earth”), carnival barker (“Come and Gone”).

Connie Olson: background vocals: (“We’re All Africans” and “Cottonwood”).

Maud Hixson: background vocals (“When Heaven Was Close to Earth”), French dialogue: (“Come and Gone”).

David Paulak: background vocals (“Utopia”)

Phil Paulak: percussion.

Produced by: Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

Recorded at: New Dove Studios.

Engineered and mixed by: Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “Utopia”
  2. “We’re All Africans”
  3. “When heaven Was Close to Erath”
  4. “Dead City”
  5. “Quiet man”
  6. “Rain and Cigarettes”
  7. “Almost Blue”
  8. “Northern Town”
  9. “Come and Gone”
  10. “Summer Moon”
  11. “World War 111”
  12. “Portland Sun”
  13. “Cottonwood”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg.

 

American Grotesque – CD

Year of Release: 2005

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals and guitar.

Gary Paulak: guitar, slide guitar, background vocals.

Jay Lee: bass guitar.

Scott Homan: drums.

Produced by: Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

Recorded at: New Dove Studios.

Engineered and mixed by: Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “American Grotesque”
  2. “Apostle of the Street”
  3. “Mother of Exile”
  4. “Forgotten Son”
  5. “These People”
  6. “Novembertown”
  7. “7 Minutes (From the Sun)”
  8. “Killing Time”
  9. “Red America”
  10. “Madrid”
  11. “Baghdad Girl”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg, except for “November Town” and “ Baghdad Girl” which were written by Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

 

The Last Guitar – CD

Year of Release: 2006

Label: HIJ Recordings

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead vocals, guitar and harmonica.

Gary Paulak: background vocals, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer.

Michael Yonkers: guitar (“The Dogs of War”).

Connie Olson: vocals (“Jenna Jenna and Brother Blue” and “The Dogs of War”).

Arne Fogel: background vocals, drums (“Black Dynamite”), trumpet (“Jenna Jenna and Brother Blue”).

Jay Lee: bass guitar (“Lilly of the Field”).

Professor Pajama Bottoms: drums and beats.

Produced by: Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

Recorded at: New Dove Studios.

Engineered and mixed by: Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “The Last Guitar”
  2. “Miss USA”
  3. “Visions and Dreams”
  4. “Lily of the Field”
  5. “Remember New Orleans”
  6. “Black Dynamite”
  7. “Beautiful Killers”
  8. “Post Tart Girl”
  9. “The Dogs of War”
  10. “Grace”
  11. “Jenna Jenna and Brother Blue”
  12. “My Drunken Boat”
  13. “Spirit of the 13th Cone”
  14. Exit Waltz”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg.

 

Mapleton Memoir – CD

Year of Release: 2007

Label: HIJ Recordings

Produced and performed by: Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

Recorded at: New Dove Studios.

Recorded and mixed by: Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “Dark Land”
  2. “Blue Earth County”
  3. “Main Street”
  4. “Breakaway”
  5. “Labor Day”
  6. “Frozen Flower”
  7. “Tijuana Moon”
  8. “Northside Harry”
  9. “Las Vegas ‘59”
  10. “Mapleton Memoir”
  11. “Walk With Me”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg, except for “Mapleton Memoir” which was written by Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

 

Misty Flats – Vinyl Album and CD – Reissue

Year of Release: 2015 (July 24)

Recorded: 1974 (500 vinyl albums released)

Label: Light In the Attic Records (CD)and  Future Days (Vinyl LP)

Produced by: Michael Yonkers.

Recorded at: Michael Yonkers Studio.

Remastering: John Baldwin.

Produced for Rerelease by: Patrick McCarthy.

Rerelease Executive Producers: Matt Sullivan and Josh Wright.

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: vocals and guitar.

Michael Yonkers: guitar, mandolin, flute, harmonica, bass vocals.

Song List:

  1. “Hollywood”
  2. “Stars in the Land”
  3. “Never Came to Stay”
  4. “Golden Sun”
  5. “Cry a Little Bit”
  6. “Misty Flats”
  7. “China Doll”
  8. “Pop and Ice”
  9. “Magic Cloud”
  10. “City Rain”
  11. “Never Stop Dreaming”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg, except for “Cry a Little Bit,” “Golden Sun,” “Pop and Ice” which were written by  Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

 

Barry Thomas Goldberg Recordings (The Batch, The Ironweeds, Candy Floss Productions)

The Batch – Vinyl 45

Year of Release: 1972

Label: Groove Soup

Produced by: Dale Menten

Recorded at:  Cookhouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A Side: “Golden Sun”

B Side: “Hot Summer Nights”

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead, background vocals, rhythm guitar.

Gary Paulak: Background vocals, lead guitar.

Arne Fogel: Background vocals, keyboards.

Jay Lee: bass guitar.

Whip Lane: drums.

Dick Reese: Saxophone on “Hot Summer Nights.”

Both songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak,

 

Transistor (The Batch) – CD

Year of Release: 2008

Label: HIJ/Becca

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead, background vocals, rhythm guitar.

Gary Paulak: lead, background vocals, lead guitar.

Arne Fogel: lead, background vocals, keyboards.

Jay Lee: bass guitar.

Whip Lane: drums.

Recorded by Arne Fogel (two-track Panasonic reel to reel player) and Gary Paulak (four-track Teac 3340).

Remixed and mastered by: Gary Paulak.

Digital transfer from original tapes: Arne Fogel.

Song List:

  1. “Ha La La”
  2. “Pretty Mary”
  3. “Make the Morning Come”
  4. “Caveman Clubs”
  5. “Drifting”
  6. “Caveman Clubs”
  7. “Drifting”
  8. “Wait ‘Til Tomorrow”
  9. “Untangle Your Mind”
  10. “Livin’ a Smile”
  11. “So Sad”
  12. “Feather in My Hat”
  13. “Winter of My Discontent”
  14. “Lord I’m So Tired”
  15. “Maggie Brown”
  16. “Goodbye Lana”
  17. Freddy Coolchick”
  18. “See the Time Go”
  19. “Plastic Happy World”
  20. “Running Scared”
  21. “You’re Only a Name”
  22. “Storyman”
  23. “Wild-Eyed Beauty Queen”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak, except for “See the Time Go” which was written by Arne Fogel.

 

Blue Sky Day (The Batch) – CD

Year of Release: 2009

Label: Weekend – HIJ – Becca

Recorded at: Sound 80 in Edina, Minnesota and Micside/Cookhouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Engineered by: Tom Jung, Scott Rivard, Dik Hedlund, and John Calder.

Remastered by: Dale Menten and Gary Paulak.

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead, background vocals, rhythm guitar.

Gary Paulak: lead, background vocals, lead guitar.

Arne Fogel: lead, background vocals, keyboards.

Jay Lee: bass guitar.

Whip Lane: drums.

Recorded at: Sound 80 in Edina, Minnesota and Micside/Cookhouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Engineered by: Tom Jung, Scott Rivard, Dik Hedlund, and John Calder.

Remastered by: Dale Menten and Gary Paulak.

Song List:

  1. “Mr. Onawalla”
  2. “Roadside Manner”
  3. “The Night is Gone”
  4. “Trying to Make It”
  5. “Show It”
  6. “Pretending”
  7. “End of the Road”
  8. “I Can’t Take It”
  9. “Crazy”
  10. “Don’t Be Wrong”
  11. “Blue Sky Day”
  12. “Don’t You Turn Away”
  13. “Aramanth (The Eternal Flower)”
  14. “Pop and Ice”
  15. “Daddy’s Coming Home”
  16. “They All Went Down”
  17. “You Can Still Be My Woman”
  18. “Blue Boy”
  19. “Golden Sun”
  20. “Hot Summer Nights”
  21. “Hold Me Now”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak, except for “I Can’t Take It” written by Arne Fogel and “Hold Me Now” written by Barry Thomas Goldberg, Gary Paulak, and Dale Menten.

 

Dr. Wormwood’s Monkey Theater (The Ironweeds) – Cassette Tape

Year of Release: 1997

Label: HIJ

Produced by: Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak

Recorded at: Gary Paulak’s home studio in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Engineered by: Gary Paulak

Musicians:

Barry Thomas Goldberg: lead, background vocals, rhythm guitar.

Gary Paulak: lead, background vocals, lead guitar.

Arne Fogel: lead, background vocals, keyboards.

Jay Lee: bass guitar.

Scott Homan: drums.

Song List:

  1. “Martian Summer”
  2. “Cydonia”
  3. “Inject Me”
  4. “January Ice”
  5. “Christmas Robbery”
  6. “House of Trouble”
  7. “Streets of St. Paul”
  8. “Foreign Affair”
  9. ”One Ain’t Enough”
  10. “December Candy”
  11. “Crime of the Century”

All songs written by Barry Thomas Goldberg or Barry Thomas Goldberg and Gary Paulak.

 

Candy Floss – The Lost Music of MidAmerica – 1967 – 1969

Year of Release: 2006

Label: Weekend Records

Recorded at: Dove Recording Studio, Bloomington, MN  (1967 to 1969)

Audio restoration (from vinyl records and acetates): Dale Menten

Produced by:  various combinations of Barry Thomas Goldberg, Gary Paulak, Pete Steinberg, and Dale Menten.

Songs co-written with Barry Thomas Goldberg:

“(Twenty Years Ago) in Speedy’s Kitchen” (Steinberg, Goldberg, Menten, Paulak)

“Flannigan’s Circus” (Steinberg, Goldberg, Menten, Paulak)

“World War 11 in Cincinnati” (Steinberg, Goldberg, Menten, Paulak)

“Lights of Rome” (Steinberg, Goldberg, Menten, Paulak)

“The Countess” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“I Can’t Love You Anymore” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“Love is Just” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“Black Spiders” (Goldberg, Paulak)

“7:30 Sunset” (Goldberg, Paulak)

“Oscar Crunch” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“Here Come Da’ Judge” (Goldberg, Menten, Paulak, Steinberg)

“Have You Ever” (Goldberg, Paulak)

“Happy Like This” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“Red Rover, Red Rover” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

“Bring Back the Carnival” (Paulak, Goldberg, Steinberg)

The CD consists of 24 songs recorded by twelve bands/artists: TC Atlantic; Hot Half Dozen; The Avanties; The Puddle; Michael Yonkers; Seraphic Street Sounds; The Shambles; Eric Marshall and the Chymes; Longman and Fogel; and Nickel Revolution.  Some of the songs were released on the following record labels: Atco, Parrot, Sire; and Mercury.

 

 

track name – From album title
insert audio link

Bandtree

Where are they now

Barry Thomas Goldberg lives in Minnesota and continues to write and record songs.

Barry is also a photographer and artist.

Interview

Barry Thomas Goldberg at Sunrise Sound – Interview – April 17, 2016

Barry Interview - 1bARRY Interview - 2

Interview PART ONE  –  Time  =  19:16

Interview PART TWO  –  Time  =  16:55

Interview PART THREE  –  Time  =  14:51