Eric Baragar (guitar, keyboards, vocals)
Steve Smith (drums, vocals)
Mike Goettler (bass, vocals)
Dan Thompson (lead vocals, guitar)
Tim Campbell (lead guitar, vocals)
Barry Haggarty (lead guitar, vocals; replaced Campbell)
Originally from the Belleville, Ontario area, Bentwood Rocker began as The Sands Of Time 1966. They performed at Expo '67 and were recognized for being the youngest act to ever tour the east coast. By 1969 they toured the west coast and even swung back through Toronto to play the Canadian National Exhibition.
They released one single, "I've Got A Feeling", which charted at #2 before they abandoned ship in the early 1970's. Eric Baragar briefly entertained a solo career but was a postal worker by day; Goettler, Baragar and Campbell ran a music retail store called Centre Stage Music; and Steve Smith was a social worker before the band reformed with musician-turned-lawyer Dan Thompson (Westbury Union, Boojum, Noah) in 1978 for some Belleville-area gigs.
The reformation led to the building of a home recording studio where they re-christened themselves Bentwood Rocker and released an independent album - 'Not Taken'. They sold several thousand copies from the stage which impressed Quality Records' John Driscoll to the point of signing the band and giving them the opportunity to record in Florida. It was at this time that Barry Haggarty joined the band part way through the recording of the 'Take Me To Heaven' album.
After the initial hype wore off the band was still clinging to their day jobs and they changed their name one more time to THE PRESS. Ian Thomas would produce one single, "Second Wind", and the group continued demoing and performing throughout the late '80's and continue to perform on the local concert circuit as Bentwood Rocker.
In 1986 the band came full circle and renamed themselves The Sands Of Time once more for the single "Danger Of Remembering".
Currently the band still performs in the Belleville area and has released a retrospective CD package including all the band's various incarnations. The 'Take Me To Heaven' album was re-issued on CD with a number of re-recorded bonus tracks in 2009.
with notes from Eric Baragar.
Singles
as THE SANDS OF TIME
1970 I've Got A Feeling/Lonliness (MTCC)
1971 I've Got A Feeling/Lonliness (National General - US) NGR-011
1986 Danger Of Remembering/Danger Of Remembering (B & C) BC-025
as BENTWOOD ROCKER
1980 Forgive And Forget (Quality) Q-2386X
1980 It Won't Be Long (Quality) Q-2387X
1982 Taken Me To Heaven (Quality) Q-2408X
1982 Heart Says Go/Rock 'N' Roll Overload (Quality) Q-2419X
1983 Throw Away Love (???)
1996 What Are We Doing Here? (Skyhawk)
1996 Moving Taraget (Skyhawk)
as THE PRESS
1984 Second Wind/Actions Speak Louder Than Words (Aquarius) AQ-6013
Albums
as BENTWOOD ROCKER
1979 Not Taken (Skyhawk) BW-1001
1982 Take Me To Heaven (Quality) SV-2094
1996 Bentwood Rocker (Skyhawk) CMDC-9563
2000 The Works [boxed set] (Skyhawk) BWCD2000-W
Video
Compilation Tracks
Official Bentwood Rocker Website
Skyhawk Music Video Channel
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