“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” -Albert Einstein

If Mr. Gottloeb wasn’t a teacher, much like Albert Einstein, he would’ve been a musician- or a comedian if he wasn’t working at Dallastown, of course.

“In high school I considered music, but what I really wanted to do was comedy,” Gottloeb said.

Many at DHS are aware that Gottloeb is the guitarist for the faculty band, Casual Fridays, but what they don’t realize is the role that music plays in his daily life.

Aside from teaching, Gottloeb works part-time at Iko’s Music Trade Shop in York. Iko’s is well known for their vinyl collection. He enjoys his job thoroughly but admits that he’d rather stream his music. Music is the one place in his life that he “truly wants instant gratification”.

Gottloeb’s favorite record at Iko’s is “Okay Computer” by Radiohead. He saw the band a total of four times in the Summer of 2018. In fact, one of the songs that’s influenced Gottloeb most is Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android”, the other being Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

Mrs. Beyer, singer for Casual Fridays, is a witness to his musical genius.

“He’s an extremely talented musician. I’m honestly not sure what instruments he can’t play. I mean, if he himself could be the Casual Fridays, he’d still be great.”

Beyer wasn’t exaggerating.

Gottloeb can play guitar, banjo, drums, piano, and a large assortment of other instruments. The only instruments he never learned to play were those of the wind and brass families. His favorite to play is the drumset.

Why?

“Because it’s the best workout,” Gottloeb said.   

Gottloeb was first introduced to his passion for music as a child but didn’t truly pursue it until high school.

“I found my love for music when I was little.  As far back as I can remember. My mom used to turn on the oldies station and she’d give me a quarter every time I could name the band that was playing unless it was Elvis. Then I had to tell her the song too.”

Gottloeb considers those times with his mom to be a significant catalyst of his craft. However, it wasn’t until high school that he began to act upon it.

As a student at Stephen Decatur High School in Maryland, his band director, Mr. Foell, was a huge influence, but he also expanded his musical interests outside of school.

“I was a dishwasher in Ocean City, Maryland. The people I worked with were older, they really got me into music. They’d play Pink Floyd and The Pixies. Then down the street there was a video store. The video store was the only place to buy music at the time. The owner would give me CD’s if I worked at the store occasionally. He was really good at getting us into those sorts of things.”

His job may have inspired his love of music, but proved to be an obstacle in pursuing the band life.

“I was kicked out of nearly every band I joined (or started) because I worked a lot and didn’t share the same “vision” as the other members, whatever that means. [Interestingly, only one person other than myself out of all those bands still actively plays music.] I did win the battle of the bands my 11th grade year as a solo act competing against most of those same bands, which was pretty cool.”

Gottloeb came to the area when he attended York College. He minored in Music Industry before moving on to Penn State Harrisburg for his teaching certificate.

“I didn’t have time to play in bands in college but as soon as I graduated I was in a band called Bigmouth Strikes Again.”

Today, Dallastown’s musical prodigy also buys, sells, and repairs old instruments. He’s always looking for methods of tinkering and creating something new from something old.

He’s excited about his newest project.

“I have a Gibson 335 [guitar] that I’m regluing the headstock on, and I’m currently trying to figure out how to replace a pedal on one of my personal guitars. It’s cool because I’m working on something new and something old that I want to make look different than everything else I own.”

Both Gottloeb and Beyer say the most important thing about Casual Fridays is making sure the students enjoy their performance. When choosing songs, the student body is their defining interest. Most Dallastown students agree that their enthusiasm is contagious.

“The teacher band is so good! It’s really fun to listen to them in the mornings,” Kyra Devaney, sophomore at Dallastown, said.

The band tries to switch up every performance and Gottloeb is the mastermind behind new ideas.

Mrs. Beyer recalled that “Last year, at the end of the school year, he [Mr. Gottloeb] figured out how to make his guitar wireless. I’m not sure how, but it was wireless. He was walking through the crowd playing, and next thing I knew he was standing on a table playing behind his head!”

Gottloeb’s enthusiasm and presence in the music industry is one of his many defining features, hopefully one that will continue to prevail in his performing with Casual Fridays. He plans to persist in his music career and, quite frankly, has allowed it to shine through in all aspects of his bustling life.