Originally released in 1985 under the title “Blackberry Way” The Idle Strands second album has been remixed by Michael Owens in 2025 @ Blackberry Way and Mastered by Frank Arkwright @ Abbey Road. Radio promotion by Tom Kay & Bobby Applegate garnered airplay around the country in 1985 along with rave reviews internationally including Nineteen Flights Rock Paris, Berlin City Magazine, Album Network, CMJ and The Mpls Star Tribune. The song "Tonight" appears in season two of Steven Soderbergh's "Red Oaks" on Amazon Prime TV.

Fight For Your Freedom, the 2nd album from Twin Cities trio The Idle Strand, is a feast of sound - killer, exuberant songs, expertly played and sung. Frontmen Michael Owens and Gary Menne sing nearly everything together and it’s their signature sound, brimming with melody and harmonies. Michael, Gary, and extraordinary drummer Kevin Glynn, write the stylistically varied material. First released in 1985, remixed in 2024, and mastered at Abbey Road. Catchy, thoughtful pop-rock that you won’t be able to get out of your head (the title song may actually resonate more in these confounding times than it did in its initial run).

-Peter Jesperson/Co-Founder Twin/Tone Records/A&R

The trio’s second album shows the players have a command of various styles of 60’s pop with an 80’s feel. The Idle Strand is on target with “Girl,” a dreamy number that evokes the Everly Brothers.- Jon Bream/ Mpls Star Tribune

“Good combination of X’s harmonies and the Smith’s guitar work…not to be missed.”- Rockpool Magazine

“Pop guitar band in the true sense of the word, merging the 60’s and the 80’s into one modern sound!” - Boston Rock Magazine

“Flirtations with Everly Brothers tributes and a range of styles from Fingerprints like takes to blues, surf licks and rockabilly-touched originals all from the endless corners of pop musicdom show they’ve got the chops to make the rock work on their own terms”- Martin Keller

BLACKBERRY WAY RECORDS adds another song to season 2 of Steven Soderbergh’s “Red Oaks” for Amazon TV. THE IDLE STRAND song “Tonight” appears in episode # 10. You can find some great reviews of the show below. We are proud to have currently placed 5 songs in this critically acclaimed TV show.

"The music really gives it a thing," "I thought it informed it so much." Says Paul Reiser who plays the character Getty a successful director and former Red Oaks member who also stared in Diner, Beverly Hills Cop and Aliens. One of the show's music supervisors, Devoe Yates, painstakingly dedicated himself to finding lost gems from the era that would evoke the early Eighties without relying too heavily on warhorse VH1 I Love the 80's staples. "I signed onto Billboard and went week by week through all the charts," he says. "I've been downloading all these soundtracks from the Eighties – Mannequin, Real Genius, Three O'Clock High. Some of them are hard to find." - Kory Grow/Rolling Stone Magazine

"A mash-up of The Graduate’s melancholy and Caddyshack’s teen hijinks" Steven Soderbergh Makes 80s Nostalgia Revolutionary"- Vanity Fair

"I was watching Red Oaks on Amazon Prime which takes place in the 80s. The soundtrack may be one of the greatest collection of 80s pop/rock ever in a TV show or movie. - Steve Hoffman Music Forums/Forgotten 70s/80s Rock/Pop

The Idle Strand: Michael Owens: Vocals, Guitars Gary Menne: Vocals, Bass, Organ Kevin Glynn: Drums, Percussion

Special Thanks: Glen Manske: Piano, Organ, Synthesizer

Terri Owens: Backing Vocals on We Could Be

Paul McGee: Percussion on Veronica

Recorded @ Blackberry Way in 1985

Engineers: Michael Owens & Kevin Glynn

Produced by Michael Owens

Remixed @ Blackberry Way by Michael Owens in 2025

Mastered @ Abbey Road by Frank Arkwright 2025

Cover Design Dan Prozinski @ Durable Images

Original cover design Kristine Martineau

All songs composed by Owens, Menne, Glynn

Photo: John Campbell

For ten strong years, from 1983 to 1993, Swing Set reigned as the Twin Cities' finest exponents of hook laden, guitar driven pure pop. Their cool-edged, rock/pop sound sent the group's first album “Life Speeds Up” quickly into the top 50 of the U.S./Boston Rocks college charts and received commercial airplay and rave reviews in major international markets.

Remixed by Michael Owens in 2024 @ Blackberry Way & Mastered by Andy Walter @ Abbey Road, Swing Sets debut album “Life Speeds Up” roars back to life in stunning fashion. Several tracks from “Life Speeds Up” find themselves in hit TV shows including Stranger Things & The OA on Netflix, Red Oaks on Amazon and Young Sheldon on CBS. First released on vinyl in 1986, the remixed version is now available for purchase on CD’s & Downloads for the first time. The opening track Blackout first released digitally on “Mini Hits of Minneapolis Vol 2” (The Best of Blackberry Way) has generated over 166,000 All-Time streams on Spotify.

"Elegantly simplistic, reminiscent of REM and The Pretenders." -ALBUM NETWORK- "They've got the chops and the sense of style that show cool confidence...what a nice record." - ROCKPOOL MAGAZINE- "The Soul Remains" the bands second release was named "Best Local Pop Record" by MPLS ST PAUL MAGAZINE Feb 1991.

The band found a significant following in Europe. Popular YouTube station 80zforever called Life Speeds Up “a brilliant alternative/Indie album, with no fillers. It’s a strong record from the beginning to the end.”

The Hero”, from their third album “Dig”, played in regular rotation on Cities 97 & “Don't Look Now” from the Soul Remains played in regular rotation on REV105 in Minneapolis.

Airplay around the world has included Valley FM 89.5 Canberra Australia as well as Ardenn’ Café Radio Charleville Mezieres, France. Swing Set was featured on THE NEW MUSIC RADIO SHOW presented by Andrew John on RADIO SEAGULL Bridgend South Wales in the UK. The Indie Cast Network Indiana, Spiders Dirty Rotten Weekend Canton Ohio, SDC Star Radio Denningan California, WKKC Pirate Radio St Lucie Florida, KDTN Radio One California, Bear Radio Buffalo NY, Radionomy Much More Music Radio Liverpool UK, Indie 104 iRadio Los Angeles CA and Sound Machine Radio Moyock NC. Sound Machine Radio is broadcast in over 100 countries. They are part of the Sony PSP/PS3 & Nintendo Wii system and they transmit worldwide thru this network. Swing Set was featured on The Artist First Radio Network world wide broadcast on 6/15/17. The average listening audience for this show is 98,000 listeners.

Mike Nilles: Guitars, lead and backing vocals

Dan Prozinski: Guitars, lead vocals

Dave Nussbaum: Keyboards

Mick Wirtz: Drums, percussion and backing vocals

Ric Studer: Bass guitar, lead and backing vocals

Produced by: Michael Owens and Swing Set

Engineered by: Michael Owens and Kevin Glynn at Blackberry Way Recording Studios 1985

Remixed at by: Michael Owens at Blackberry Way Studios 2024

Mastered by: Andy Walter @ Abbey Road 2024

Illustration Design: Dan Prozinski Photography: John Campbell

I really loved Fingerprints. They were such an under-appreciated band. They had a rockin’ feel. Their live shows were incredible with the lead singer doing backflips during the show. David Pirner/Soul Asylum

In the fertile late 70s Minneapolis scene, the highly skilled and intense five-piece band Fingerprints both fit in and stood out. Bridging elements of basic Rock ‘n’ Roll, Blues, Glam and Prog brought a certain familiarity and yet they didn’t sound like anyone else. Lead singer Mark Throne was an athletic powder keg of a front man; the rhythm section of bassist Steve Fjelstad and drummer Kevin Glynn drove the band like a freight train; and the virtuosic guitar playing of Mike Owens, Robb Henry and Jeff Waryan made for audio spectacles galore in every live show. The band released a total of 11 tracks on Twin/Tone Records that were spread out over an EP, two singles, and two cuts on the 1979 comp, Big Hits Of Mid-America Volume III. All of this was done as they worked hard on nailing down a set of songs for the definitive Fingerprints LP, as Robb departed and Jeff took up the reins. Sadly, the group disbanded before the album’s completion. Now, the twenty-four songs they were working on have been restored, completed and mixed – the ‘lost’ Fingerprints album, a vintage feast for the ears that we think is well worth the wait … but we’ll let you be the judge of that! Peter Jesperson Twin/Tone Records co-founder/A&R

Fingerprints formed in the mid 1970’s. The original lineup included Mark Throne on Vocals and Saxophone, Robb Henry and Michael Owens on Guitars and Vocals, Steve Fjelstad on Bass and Kevin Glynn on Drums and Percussion. Lead guitarist Robb Henry, in his late teenage years, had previously been a member of The Mojo Buford Blues Band, Mojo, the infamous Blues Harpist, who played with Muddy Waters on and off from 1953 until Muddy’s death in 1983. Michael Owens, Kevin Glynn & Steve Fjelstad founded Blackberry Way Recording Studios in the mid 1970’s, eventually merging with Paul Starks P. David Studio and went on to record The Replacements, The Trashmen and Soul Asylum to name a few. The Twin/Tone release “Big Hits Of Mid America Vol 3” that includes two tracks from Fingerprints and recorded at Blackberry Way is currently on display in The Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. The record label Blackberry Way Records was formed in 1984. Jeff Waryan replaced Robb in 1979. His first gig with the band was two shows opening for Blondie at Jay’s Longhorn in Minneapolis. Afterwards Blondie hung out at Blackberry Way while Mike & Steve helped Jimmy Destri with a band he was producing in NY called Student Teachers. The band was among the first three bands signed by Twin/Tone Records in 1978. The late Tim Carr, A&R at Warner Brothers, called Mike’s song Wasted On You, the best single song on the first three simultaneously released Twin/Tone EP’s. (The little Red Records-Fingerprints, The Suburbs and Curtiss A’s Spooks) Rave reviews followed internationally in Trouser Press, New York Rocker, New Musical Express UK, Minneapolis Tribune and many more.
In addition to dates with Pere Ubu, Blondie and Peter Hammill, Fingerprints headlined at the legendary Longhorn Bar, First Ave, Mothers in Chicago and other venues in the five state area including dates at Duffy’s with Mitch Ryder and Dwight Twilley. The band also headlined at The Walker Art Center Presents “The Cream Of The Crop” supported by Spooks (Curtiss A) and NNB. Fingerprints was also chosen as the first band paired with a movie in The Walker Art Centers Band and a movie in Loring Park, an event that lives on today. In 1979 Fingerprints performed at the M-80 Music Festival and shared the stage with The Fleshtones, Richard Lloyd, Devo and The Records. Devo rehearsed at Blackberry Way before the show. Fingerprints reformed for The Mill City Music Festival in 1999 performing on the KQRS stage following a wonderful set by Willie and The Bees. The festival featured 130 bands including Prince, Gypsy, Willie Murphy, Koerner, Ray and Glover, The Jayhawks, Semisonic and many others.
Fingerprints also reformed in 2019 to perform three sold out shows at The Parkway Theater in MPLS in support of the documentary "Jay's Longhorn" about the infamous bar that in the late 1970's was the Minneapolis counter point to New York’s CBGB's. In addition to several vintage tracks by Fingerprints that were included in the documentary, the band got together and recorded “14 South 5th Street Blues” a song Owens composed about The Longhorn that closes out the documentary as the credits roll. Special guests on the track included Minneapolis stalwarts Curtiss A and The Suicide Commandos Chris Osgood. The track was included as a bonus track on Owens record “The Right Kind Of Crazy” The documentary is currently competing in film festivals internationally. The Queen City Film Festival in Cumberland, Maryland awarded the film “Best Music in a Feature Film”. In October 2015 Steve Earle spun Fingerprints track “Down” on his Hardcore Troubadour Radio Show on Sirius Radio.

Swing Set’s 1993 release DIG found the opening track THE HERO in regular rotation @ Cities 97 in Minneapolis & garnered radio & press around the world. The bands previous release THE SOUL REMAINS was named “Best Local Pop Record” by Mpls St Paul Magazine. Several songs from the bands catalog have been placed in TV shows including “Stranger Things & The OA” on NetFlix, “Red Oaks”on Amazon & “Young Sheldon” on CBS.

“One of those beautiful & wondrous pop bands who make some of the world’s most magical and riveting music” CMJ Magazine

“Their most accomplished offering yet- a lush, intelligent exploration of spiritual restlessness that should appeal to fans of new Sting or old Waterboys” Jim Meyer City Pages

“The best pure pop artifact on an indie label, two solid songwriters that are distinctively allusive but not excessively mysterious” Twin Cities Reader

Mike Nilles- Guitar, Vocals Dan Prozinski – Guitars, Vocals & Harmonica David Nussbaum- Keyboards Mic Wirtz- Drums, Vocals & Percussion Phil Tippin- Bass Walter Chancellor Saxophone “Live And Learn” Tim Faricy Cello “Dead And Gone” Mike Russel Violin “You’ve Got A Heart”

Produced by Michael Owens, Kevin Glynn & Swing Set

Engineered by Michael Owens & Kevin Glynn @ Blackberry Way

Remastered by Michael Owens @ Blackberry Way 2021

After the breakup of Fingerprints in 1979, founding members Michael Owens and Kevin Glynn along with bassist Gary Menne formed The Idle Strand. The first two albums “Cut and Run” & “Blackberry Way” placed several tracks in the national college radio charts in the 1980's along with rave reviews internationally including Nineteen Flights Rock Paris, Berlin City Magazine, Album Network, CMJ and The Mpls Star Tribune to name a few.

Right outta the gate, The Idle Strand comes in rockin, "Not Today" goes like the proverbial bat outta hell, one hell of an opener! What a bag of tricks, one great song after another. Peter Jesperson

“Good combination of X’s harmonies and the Smith’s guitar work…not to be missed.”- Rockpool Magazine

“Pop guitar band in the true sense of the word, merging the 60’s and the 80’s into one modern sound!” -Boston Rock Magazine

“Flirtations with Everly Brothers tributes and a range of styles from Fingerprints like takes to blues, surf licks and rockabilly-touched originals all from the endless corners of pop musicdom show they’ve got the chops to make the rock work on their own terms”-Martin Keller

The third album “I’ll Love You Today” sadly never saw the light of day, although three tracks were included on the compilation “Mini hits of MPLS Vol 2. Two of those three tracks have garnered placements in two TV shows. “She’s Got Everything” finds itself in ABC TV’s “Wicked City” starring Jeremy Sisto. The track “Follow That Girl” was placed in Steven Soderbergh’s “Red Oaks” starring Paul Reiser on Amazon TV along with “Tonight” from the album “Fight For Your Freedom.”

“Wicked City” has a killer '80s soundtrack” -Rotten Tomato’s

“A reason to watch Wicked City, is the cool '80s soundtrack”- Gail Pennington St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The music really gives it a thing," Reiser says. "I thought it informed it so much."-Rolling Stone

Michael Owens: Vocals, Guitar & Mandolin Gary Menne: Vocals, Bass Kevin Glynn: Drums & Percussion

Special Guests: Glenn Manske: Keyboards Terri Owens: Backing Vocals, Mandolin Walter Chancellor: Saxaphone

All songs composed by Owens, Menne & Glynn BMI 2023 all Rights Reserved

Photos: Shari Menne Drake Cover Design: Dan Prozinski @ Durable Images

Engineered by Michael Owens & Kevin Glynn @ Blackberry Way 1986-1987 Mixed by Michael Owens @ Blackberry Way 2023 Mastered by Andy Walter @ Abbey Road 2023

Dan O'Kane started playing in bands in the late '80s while attending the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. O'Kane's first band, the Ripchords (1978) was popular on campus and on the local dance scene, belting out original songs and classics in an infectious punk-a-billy style. The Lincoln's Historic DrumStick Bar and Restaurant was the biggest rock club west of the Mississippi, hosting all the national club acts on their way through the Midwest. Dan O'Kane with the Model Citizens were mainstays at the Drumstick. They opened up for the likes of REM, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Modern English. The Documentary "Remember The Drumstick” about the infamous rock club is an "Official Selection" of the Chicago Indie Films Awards 2022.

The track "A Brand New Landscape" from their 1985 release on Blackberry Way appears in season one episode #9 of the hit series Acapulco on Apple TV.

Dan O'Kane with the Model Citizens toured throughout the Midwest during the 1980's.

An Ordinary Urge (1984) and It's The Renaissance (1983) Remastered by Michael Owens @ Blackberry Way 2023

In the early 1990’s Robert Wilkinson took a brief hiatus from his legendary band The Flamin’ Oh’s. The Oh’s (formerly Flamingo) were a big part of the late 1970’s Minneapolis music scene and toured internationally. The band is one of the featured bands in the JAY'S LONGHORN Documentary about the infamous bar that in the late 1970's that was the Minneapolis counter point to New York’s CBGB's. The documentary competed in film festivals around the country and the Queen City Film Festival in Cumberland, Maryland awarded the film “Best Music in a Feature Film”.

In the early 1980s, with new technology propelling the music industry, the Flamin' Oh's became one of the earliest bands to make music videos. Chuck Statler (music video pioneer who directed videos for DEVO, Elvis Costello, and Nick Lowe) directed two videos for the Flamin’ Oh’s that ran on a new television network dedicated to music, MTV.

The band released two albums on Fat City Records (The Green Album & Oh) and two albums on Blackberry Way Records (Desire & Paint The Sky). “Paint The Sky” released in 1986 was a Billboard Magazine Recommended Album & garnered radio play nationwide. The track "Skinny Legs" appears in season 3 of Steven Soderbergh’s “RED OAKS” and several track appear in the Jay’s Longhorn documentary as well as the 2022 movie “Velvet Elvis”. The band carries on today and is one of Minnesota’s true music treasures.

That brings us to the early 1990’s. The Robert Wilkinson band was formed with Ben Kaplan, Bob Burns & Gary Snow joining Robert in his new endeavor. The band performed locally in Twin Cities clubs as well as music festivals like St. Paul’s RiverFest. The band was picked to serve as Chuck Berry’s back-up band at the final incarnation of RiverFest in 1990. Blackberry Way 2022

Crawling From The Wreckage By Jim Walsh City Pages 8/8/90

“We’ve all played a lot of that stuff through the years” said Kaplan. “That’s the kind of music that was real influential on us. Even if, for me, I got into it second-hand. I heard the Stones and the Beatles do it, and then I went back. But I’ve been in so many bands… I mean who hasn’t played “Johnny B. Goode” or “Roll Over Beethoven”?

Plenty, that’s for sure. But only a handful have done them with the guy who wrote ‘em. “Yeah,” Kaplan said with a sated sigh. “I just remember him duck-walking past me. I mean, while I was on the same stage with Chuck Berry. Yeah – that’ll keep me for a while.” Jim Walsh-City Pages

In 1991 the band recorded “Lost and Found” at Blackberry Way and sadly the record was not released as the band broke up. Now Remastered by Michael Owens @ Blackberry Way and Andy Walter @ Abbey Road “Lost and Found” finally sees the light of day.

"I had a chance to listen to the Robert Wilkinson Band recordings and after just a couple of plays so far, I love every track. These recordings coulda been recorded years ago, coulda been yesterday. This is timeless stuff”. Peter Jesperson-Twin/Tone Records co-founder/A&R

Robert Wilkinson Guitars, Vocals; Ben Kaplan, Drums, Vocals; Bob Burns, Keyboards, Vocals; Gary Snow, Bass

Produced & Engineered by Ben Kaplan, Michael Owens & Kevin Glynn @ Blackberry Way 1991

Mastered by Michael Owens @ Blackberry Way and Andy Walter @ Abbey Road 2022

All tracks composed by Robert Wilkinson BMI